hgtv design star...series 5...episode 2...

i'm a week behind with my hgtv design star round ups...but here we go...

episode 2 saw the men pull together and the already annoying nina take a bit of a fall...

this episode saw the first ever design star fashion show...the contestants were challenged to design an apartment based on the outfits worn in the fashion show...

after they all selected their outfit of choice...the catch dropped...they were to form teams, men against the women...and every outfit chosen had to be incorporated into the design...

clever and funny idea for a concept...yet a bit thinly stretched as far as i'm concerned about creating a cohesive scheme for an apartment...

anyway...the men won this challenge...and they did manage to pull together as a team and create a winning scheme...from the outside they were working as a team, i already think the next design star is among this panel...

the closest anyone got to a literal translation of their outfit was michael's leopard skin rug inspired by his outfits leopard skin print...no need...a bit more ingenuity and creativity there please michael...

the bedroom was our man dan's chance to shine...working together with alex who had selected a bridal gown, while dan had selected bright printed pyjama's...

take away the dodgy throw and pillows and i think they created a great scheme...things started to fall a bit for alex, and it was dan who stood up to the mark and helped him out with his ability to handle some of the carpentry needed...

the bright pink works really well against the black and the influence of the bridal gown on the bed-head wall looks great...the headboard is as commanding as any couture bridal gown walking up the aisle...i agree with the judges comments regarding the light fixture...something more powerful and attention grabbing could have worked well in this space...

nice work dan and alex...

i wasn't as blown away by the living room scheme but i did like courtland's colour stripped wall...

colour me black...

colourless...nope...!!!

black...yes...!!!

i love this black room...i'm not entirely sure its the room for me or that i could live with it personally...but i still love it...

via freshome via facebook...

idlebydesign...

it's been one of those weeks folk...and i've a feeling that i'm going to have a few more between now and our wedding...

i promise to keep her lit in the meantime as much as i can...

my parents arrive in 3 weeks so i guess at that point i'll be taking a wee blogg-break for a fortnight...

plenty of note taking done this week so plenty of posts lined up for next week...

literal interpretation...

the outdoor room...

hgtv design star...series 5...

are you watching hgtv design star...

i am...

i hadn't seen this show back in ireland but i did become a bit of a fan watching re-runs since i moved here to the states...

antonio ballatore grabbed my attention...bold statements, phunky rocking installations...he knew what he was at...hard grafter...no nonsense...design with flair and attitude...

david bromstad on the other hand causes quite the debate with me...one day i'll watch him create something stunning and admirable...and then more often than not i find myself thinking he just doesn't cater to my tastes...

and you'd imagine with your own tv show you'd be able to afford a shirt...

so season 5 kicked off sunday and it was quite the episode...and now i have an arkansas contestant to follow and champion throughout the series...

dan faires...age 26 from springdale, arkansas...

"dan says his love for construction began when he and his father worked on the family’s home, a century-old place that needed constant repairs. Dan also found inspiration by frequently watching HGTV and was often eager to try the projects he’d seen. After earning a degree in biology from the University of Arkansas, Dan moved to Gulfport, Miss., for a job in medical sales, but his professional plans changed when Hurricane Katrina hit. The destruction of so many homes rekindled his passion for building and he soon left his sales job to join a construction crew. Dan, described as having a warm heart and an easygoing personality, continues to work in construction and design. He defines his style as “rustic” and believes that “design should always incorporate rustic elements because it adds texture and warmth to every space.”..."

these are some of the portfolio images that earned dan his place on hgtv design star...

and so how did he do on the first show...

for the first competition each designer was paired with another designer, someone they have never met and they have to design a white-box bedroom for that person, based on their personality with a budget of $500...the catch is that it all has to be spent at an asian market...with only an hour to shop...

the contestants were all being really friendly...for now given the pressure...and the fact that these people are designers...creative people have difficulty with the part of their brain that controls reason...

anyway...here's what our boy dan produced and what the judges had to say...

vern on dan faires...

"Dan’s partner was Stacey, who conveyed that she is a confluence of sophisticated city girl and nature lover. The room that Dan creates for Stacey is sleek, minimal and urban at its core. His reinterpretation of the bookcase into a vanity and stool is thoughtful and well done. The room easily could have read too masculine, but Dan balances the gray walls and clean lines with a mirror and satin bedding in baby blue..."

candice's thoughts...

"I find myself really trying to reach for positive moments when I fail to see an overall creative concept in this space - where's the big idea? An entire wall of decorative screens makes a confident statement; one panel is timid..."

i think he did a great job with limited budgets, material selections and time constraints...i think i need more in terms of concept from dan, but i think i need to hear more conceptual ideas and notions from every body on the show...i like his colour palette, i agree with candace in that he could have taken his design statement a bit further...look what he did with the windows in one of his portfolio pieces...

ok...that's it for this weeks re-cap but check in every wednesday where i collect and gather my thoughts and views on hgtv, our boy dan faires...and all the obstacles he faces, from the challenges, judges and fellow contestants...