TV Review: Design Star

I used to watch This Old House for years on PBS, and although I enjoyed watching the show, it took so many episodes to get to the finished product: a renovated "old house." I just wanted to see the end product in one episode. I know, I'm a little impatient.

Then I discovered HGTV.

The first time I saw HGTV was when I was on vacation many, many years ago. I even remember the show. It was Divine Design with Candice Olson. I loved watching a show where you see the design from start to finish in one episode, and Candice is such a great designer.

I love watching many shows on HGTV, and I wish that I could feel brave enough to use some of the ideas that I have seen on the show. I've always wanted to be able to look at rooms in my house and immediately know what I wanted to do with them, and actually do it.

On Design Star, HGTV gives a designer the opportunity to become a design host on the cable network, if they win. The designers/contestants are given challenges to prove that they can not only design, but are good in front of the camera. My favorite challenge is the white room. The designers are given a completely white room with all white furniture, and they can do anything they want with it. I like the designers who think outside of the [white] box, like the design below.


Some contestants' designs surprise me, and not in a good way. These are supposed to be experienced, talented designers, and I wonder who has ever hired some of the designers, and if their clients were happy with the end result.

I have my favorite designer in season 7. I think Britany Simon is an incredible designer. I think she's the best designer left. She is about neck-and-neck with the other two remaining contestants when it comes to work in front of the camera, so right now I think she'll win. However, who knows what will happen in the final episodes.

Maybe one day I'll take some of the ideas I've seen on HGTV and redecorate my whole house. I just know it won't take one episode to do it.