This season’s designers are being thrown right in. They’ve had little time to get to know each other, which adds to the element of competition. How very Mark Burnett to add this element of Survivor to our Design Star.
The designs so far have definitely suffered. And, I’ll give the contestants that benefit of the doubt and say it’s the extreme pressure of the rapid fire challenges and not their design abilities. However…I’ll pick apart a couple for starters.
I’ll start with the one who was sent home after challenge 2, Tera. I liked her white box bedroom design. It was well planned and cohesive, but she doesn’t seem to play well in the sandbox. Apparently, she never got over being last to choose her fashion inspiration, because she was totally uninspired during the apartment challenge. It was lack of creative thinking that led to her dismissal. Come on, using the colors from the outfit on the walls was just lazy…or huffy from being last to pick.
Nina seems to be filling the shoes left by last season’s Antonio. Every good show needs a villain, the one we love to hate. This too, follows every good Mark Burnett show. Problem is we don’t have a reason to love her yet.
How annoying is it to see her be so sweet during judging?
Now for the overall designs seen on this episode.
Men’s Apartment
These spaces really aren’t that great. But it looks like the men worked with what they had rather than fighting what they were given. They seemed to use passion and energy that resulted in a better design.
The verdict.
- Some good overall design planning looks evident.
- Interesting choices created a sophisticated space in the living/dining room.
- Bedroom is lacking the same level of detail – Who’s idea was it to pair the wedding dress with those pjs? Functionally they work in the bedroom. The judges said it best, the romance element is missing. I don’t think the two styles work together. The whimsy of the pjs is also lacking.
- Accessories would be best way to inject the missing personality, and the men missed the mark accessorizing throughout the apartment.
Women’s Apartment
Nina’s headstrong opinions can be hard to take, but the best thing about this space? That red rug that the other women didn’t want. It starts the personality direction for the entire space, and certainly pulls in the red from Emily’s outfit. Why was she complaining?
Here’s what went wrong.
- They wasted too much time throwing disparate ideas into the room, and focused on the negative, rather than saying, "Ok we have this to work with. Now what?" Their argument against the red rug? It doesn’t work with the navy drapes…those ugly, cheap looking, drapes that are too small for the windows. Get rid of them. They are the worst part of the room. Whose ideas were those? She should be the one to go.
- Stacy’s chair I like, but don’t see the connection with the fashion. The dress uses pink (remember the rug?)and pastels. She could have done so much more with that rug there. I like the drink cart.
- I am surprised at the lack of pattern usage. There was so much to work with here from the two fabulous dresses. But everything in the space is solid or textured.
- Where are the plaid and zippers in the bedroom! They had two on trend styles that were completely overlooked by the designers. These two were uninspired by their outfits, and could not get over it. A designer has to have an appreciation for the work/choices of others. That’s what separates a designer from your average person. It’s the ability to “see”.
- Nina’s ideas are the only ones apparent here. Maybe her strategy is to wear down the others, so that they’re too tired from fighting with her to think brilliantly. Her competition should stop focusing on the things they cannot change, and focus on what they can control…their own choices and reactions.
Can’t wait to see what happens next week! They have certainly changed our old predictable Design Star.
Well I suppose the romance is missing in bedroom, but I think the whimsy was kind of there. the pj's reflect the swirl or pink in the bedroom which is girly girl romantic enough at valentines.
ReplyDeletethe headboard box is undefined. the pillow brings the dark color over as tdoes the headboard. the circles of the pillow echo the swirls of the wedding dress,and the pj's.
I think in Tara bedroom with the other style are coordinated by the light yellow color. I believe she went home because she didn't explain further that she got the concept, just wanted to do the color too. She had to be right and stubborn so off she left. The other girls did what they could to salvage that extra gold colors too. All yellow was wrong. touches were fine, but she needed to add something else. the color in a way was reflective of emotion not traditionally defined by color experts. I know the french have used it for years in all shades and who knows how it has affected them. I had it in my kitchen with navy checks and loved it. With wood.
nice blog.