White Room Challenge Flowers

White Room Challenge Flowers

I am was a huge fan of Design Star on HGTV when it first came out.  Loved it.  And the best episode of the series was always the White Room Challenge.  After a few seasons of the show, however, I became less enchanted.  The producers seemed to focus much more on drama and less on design.  I really wasnt into the drama and I stopped watching the show.  Except for the White Room Challenge episode.  I always came back for that one.  So imagine how excited I was when HGTV decided to make a whole series around that little slice of Design Star heaven.  It was the first time in years that I was actually making plans around a TV show.

I still remember the first season of Design Star when David Bromstad created a living room out of pet store supplies.  I was amazed.

So creative.  Ive always believed that season one contestants had it harder than the rest because they had no idea this challenge would be presented.  And even though the future contestants didnt know what kind of crazy store they would have to work with, they at least knew the white room was coming.  They could plan a little.  But the only other room that made any sort of impact on me was season twos Todd Davis - 

Using supplies from the dollar store, Todd created a tidal wave.  Not very functional, but very clever.  And well executed.  And if I remember correctly, he was scolded for its lack of functionality.  Over the years, that changed.  Judges wanted the room to be creative.  Usefulness no longer mattered.

Which brings us to the new show - The White Room Challenge.  The people at HGTV have taken the best element from Design Star and and made it into a weekly series.  Yay!  So what did I think?  Ummm....meh.  at best.

The challenge was to use at least 1500 flowers in a creative way (not just stick them into vases).  Lets see how they did.

First up, Saadia.

Oh my.  She really had a tough time during the challenge.  I thought the couch looked great.  Utilizing roses was a great choice.  What didnt look so great?  The back wall.  It had potential.  Saadia was trying to create a chevron pattern but ran out of time.  Had it been finished, it would have been really cool.  But, I dont understand why she was also making a chevron rug.  That didnt make sense to me.  There is such a thing as too much chevron.  I also didnt get the coffee table redo.  Using huge flowers threw off the scale.  Needless to say, the judges werent wowed by her room.

Next, Carissa.

Carissa was going for a floral bistro look.  I didnt get it.  At all.  But the judges loved it.  Even though many of her flowers were just thrown on the floor.  It was much too busy for my taste.  It looked very sloppy.  

Moving on...David.

Davids room was the most colorful.  The judges loved it.  But again, I was confused.  There was a lot going on and I wasnt seeing a very cohesive look (which was one of the requirements).  He created a very cool coffee table by pressing flowers between two pieces of plexiglass.  Although it was pretty, it was way too big for the space.  And I really disliked the paint-splashed floor.  It kinda looked like an afterthought.  Blah.

The last contestant was Matthew.

This was my favorite room.  I know the color may be a little boring for this challenge but I thought it was well thought out and executed.  I love the "sconces" on the side walls.  And the focal point on the back wall was stunning.  It seemed very elegant.  It doesnt read as well in the picture above as it did on TV but believe me, it was pretty.  Unfortunately, the judges werent as impressed.  It came off as boring and Matthew didnt win.  

Ok, now the fun part.  What would I have done.  Come on, you know you think about how you would handle this challenge.  Well, my immediate thought was an ombre wall.  Using flowers.  Something like this - 

But with flowers.  Like this - 

Or this - 

How beautiful would that be?  Or how about a flower arbor?

Or a cascading flower table runner - 

Or flower chandelier - 

It seems like there were so many things you could do with flowers so I was a little unimpressed with the four rooms on the show.  But Im still hopeful.  Next week, the contestants will travel to a salvage yard.  Hmmm...

Did you watch The White Room Challenge?  Did you like the rooms?  Did you agree with the judges?  What would you have done in this challenge?  Id love to know if Im the only one who is watching this show...

White Room Challenge Flowers

White Room Challenge Salvage Yard

White Room Challenge Salvage Yard

Last week, I shared my review of the new HGTV show, The White Room challenge.  The show is based on the most popular episode of Design Star.  Contestants are required to shop in an unconventional store and design a completely white room using the purchased materials.  Not easy.  But fun to watch.  I love seeing how clever the contestants can be.

That being said, sometimes the rooms arent so great.  Which is what I thought about last nights episode.  Ugh.  The challenge last night was to use items from a salvage yard.  I thought this would be my favorite episode in the series but it just turned out to be kind of boring.  So lets take a look at the four rooms.

First up Adam - 

I have no idea.  I wasnt a fan of the colors and I wasnt completely clear about the use of musical instruments.  I did like the mirror on the left side wall.  The rest?...

Next, Monica - 

This room was better.  Monica used large round objects (which I thought were very interesting) in creative ways.  You can see the objects as a backdrop for the swing - but she also used one as the base of the swing.  It looked pretty even though it was so heavy, no one would dare sit on it.  

The tree bar was interesting too.  But overall, I thought the room was a little boring.  With nothing on the walls, it seemed unfinished.  

Third, Zeinab - 

Zeinab had trouble from the start.  She couldnt find materials to use and was the last contestant out of the salvage yard.  As a result, it doesnt look like she had much of the salvage pieces in her room.  The painted wall treatment seems to be her strongest design element.  But the room as a whole seems a little flat.  My favorite piece in her room was the coffee table she designed - 

That was a really neat transformation.  Unfortunately, there just wasnt enough to bring the room together.  And the judges sent her packing.

And lastly, Leslie - 

I thought some parts of her room were interesting.  The hubcaps on the back wall looked cool when they were lit from behind.  And I liked her use of pallets on the side walls - 

I wasnt so fond of the Southwest rug she painted on the floor.  It was difficult to see under the table and I thought it conflicted with the rest of the design.  But, overall, I thought she had some clever ideas.

Now, normally I would add some "What would I have done" type pictures but in this case I dont know what I would have done.  The junk yard that they went to was in the studio.  And this was my biggest beef with the show.  I have no idea what they had to choose from. The segment where they grab what they want to use goes way too fast.  And, HGTV concentrates on the snarky she took what I wanted aspect.  This. Drives. Me. Crazy.  People watch this show to get inspired.  Not to watch contestants whine.  I really wish that the people at HGTV could just go back to giving viewers design ideas.  If we wanted to watch Jersey Shore, we would.  There is so much time wasted on the back-stabbing that we never see the fun stuff.  I would love to have had a better look at their junk yard (or better yet, Id love to have seen them go to an actual junk yard). And I would love to know how they made certain things (its not always clear).  Oh, and give them more than 15 minutes to pick stuff.  I understand there should be a time limit, but thats just not enough time to come up with a decent design.

And while were on the subject of stuff about the show that I dont like, how about the opening.  The contestants walk into the studio while their bios are shown.  They walk for about six minutes.  Which, in real time, would lead them way past the judges tables and into the street.  Kinda weird.  Just let them stand in place.  (Im sure no one else noticed this, but its been bugging me...)

Overall, this show has been disappointing for me.  I had really been looking forward to it but it seems to fall short.  Im not giving up yet.  Next week, the contestants will go to a candy store.  I have my fingers crossed that this episode will be exciting.  And inspiring.

A girl can dream...

White Room Challenge Salvage Yard

The White Room Challenge Candy

The White Room Challenge Candy

When HGTV announced that it was going to run a series consisting of only white room challenges (the best part of the Design Star series), I was really excited.  And then I began watching them.  And I was less excited.  The first week, the contestants used flowers.  Which should have been a no-brainer.  But, the rooms were not great.  I shared my thoughts here. Ok, so on to week two - the contestants were taken to a salvage yard to shop for their rooms.  But, it wasnt a real salvage yard. It was a space in the studio with a few odds and ends to choose from.  And the rooms?  Again, not great.  (Heres my take on the episode)  I was losing hope.  This show was turning out to be a dud.  I was wondering if I should keep watching...but I couldnt turn away.  I watched the candy episode last night.  Just for you.  Because where else can you go to discuss this show?  There is no thread on the HGTV message boards for it.  And I cant even find it on Television Without Pity (which is where I go to see what other people are thinking about my favorite shows).  So, either Im the only one left watching this show, or...yeah, Im probably the only one left watching.

Anyway, lets see what happened last night.

Before I get to the rooms, can I just say it again - 

Having the contestants walk into the studio, for what seems like an hour, at the beginning of each episode is just weird.  Oh, and what is the girl on the right wearing? 

First up, Jennifer - 

Im not sure what to say.  Its a mess.  Maybe its really artistic - beyond my ability to appreciate.  But, I dont care for it.  One thing that I thought was smart - she left the walls white.  Which could have been brilliant.  The colorful candy could have really popped on the white background.  Could have...

Next up, Melissa - 

She designed a robot.  And it was kinda cool.  My biggest gripe with this room is the lack of candy.  I mean the whole challenge was candy, so I expected to see lots of candy.  Instead, she used a small amount as the guts of her robot - 

I thought it was creative but it almost seemed like an after thought.  Interesting idea. And at least she had a plan.

Next, Logan - 

Logan decided to make an outdoor escape - complete with those two extra walls.  I actually thought this was smart - to actually change the layout of the room.  And I agreed with the judges (this time) that the room had way too much going on.  It was busy and dark.  Not exactly a little girls fantasy room (well, it was my fantasy room once I saw the pounds of chocolate-covered pretzels being used as tree roots...)

Mmmmm...chocolate-covered pretzels...

And last up, Oliver - 

I have to start with a confession - I wanted Oliver to win right from the beginning. Why?  Because he was nice.  When all of the other contestants were doing that talk to the camera stuff, they were all explaining how deserving they were or how they were better than everyone else.  Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing young people talk about what they deserve.  Ugh.  But, Oliver was different.  He thanked his parents for giving him opportunity.  Yay Oliver!  So, I was pulling for him.  And, I was very worried when his plan wasnt working and he had a little melt down.  And I may have yelled at the TV screen "Come on Oliver, do it for your parents!".  Maybe that happened...But my man regrouped.  And came up with a new plan.  Which I happened to like.  I thought it was creative and fun.  And cohesive.  

I liked the lollipop table legs and the pixie sticks on the walls.  It looked good.  Whew.  Its kind of how I imagined this challenge to be - candy used as the main design elements.  Way to go Oliver!

So, how would I have used candy to decorate a room?  I have no idea.  And Im getting a little tired of the 15-minute shopping time limit.  I get it - they want more drama.  But, its resulting in terrible rooms.  Give them an hour.  Let them look around for a few minutes before frantically grabbing whatever they see first.  And giving them a little more time would allow the viewer to see what available in the store.  I usually love thinking about what I would have done but I cant even see what my materials choices are.  These unrealistic time limits are really hurting the end results.  

Anyway, what did you think?  Were you rooting for the nice guy?  Would you like to see more shopping time?  Are you watching this show anymore?  Would you have eaten more chocolate-covered pretzels than you used in the room?  Id love to hear your opinions.

The White Room Challenge Candy

The White Room Challenge Collectibles

The White Room Challenge Collectibles

The white room challenge.  Im having a love/hate relationship with this show.  More hate than love actually.  I was so looking forward to this new series but have been so hugely disappointed.  I think that HGTV lost its focused somewhere.  Many years ago, I would have HGTV on all. the. time.  I learned so much about how to put a home together.  I watched Matt and Shari on Room by Room for years (remember them?).  And Joan Steffend from Decorating Cents.  It was decorating for real people.  A great resource for regular everyday life.  And now its this -

Thats an office.  But not really a literal office.  Its a think tank.  Because real people want to learn how to make a think tank.  You know, in between full time jobs, loads of laundry, making dinner, running the kids around and mowing the lawn.  We all need this.  And in all fairness, this room didnt win (it came in second).  Oh no.  The winner this week decorated a living room (but not a literal living room...) - 

Yes.  Really.  This room won.  (I will admit that the floor - which was painted free hand - was cool) I have no words.

What else did you miss last night (because I know Im the only person watching this show...)?  A bedroom which was panned for having a bed.

But...the judges liked her rug which was made out of wool and broken glass.  

And what about the last room?  A dining room (which was turned into an outside dining space) - 

This was my favorite room.  Which I instantly knew meant it would not win.  But check out the chandelier he made - 

Love.  

So there you have it.  A fantastic idea over at HGTV that turned out to be awful.  Yet another series that taught the viewer nothing.  Except how to hang chairs from the ceiling.  And how to bad-mouth other contestants.  awful.

The days of sharing great design are over.  Its sort of like the end of music videos at MTV. (oh, if youre young, you may not realize that MTV used to just play music videos all day.  And we all watched them.  All day.)  I just dont understand.

If youre wondering - yes, I will watch the next season of Design Star.  I didnt love the last season, but the show intrigues me somehow.  Im an optimist. 

The White Room Challenge Collectibles

The White Room Challenge Lights

The White Room Challenge Lights

Last nights challenge for HGTVs The White Room Challenge was a trip to the (in-studio) light store.  I thought this was by far the hardest challenge in the series.  And I was really curious to see how the contestants would take this on.

First up - Torchs room

I liked this room. The floor was very cool.  Building it up and adding lights was a great idea.  And I loved her industrial light fixture - 

I thought the judges were a little hard on her when they said there was no cohesiveness.  She brought in many different lighting elements and seemed to make them all work.  I figured that shed do better.

Next room - Eli

This room just didnt make much sense to me.  I have come to grips with the fact that this show is more about pushing the envelope, but I still wasnt a fan.  I did like the wall treatment - it had a very subtle pattern which I thought was really interesting.  Unfortunately, the bright lights (and lack of shadows) probably worked against him.  

Third - Clarione

I loved this room.  It was my favorite.  Maybe because it has a real 80s vibe (and I love the 80s!).  I thought there was a lot of thought and planning that went into the execution.  The colors were bold, the mural was amazing, and the cityscape was beautiful.  Im not even sure how he pulled off so many elements in such a limited amount of time.  Its impressive!

Last - Jessica

I liked this room too.  But Jessica took a hit for poor execution.  She needed a little more time to complete everything.  I would have loved to see her whole vision.  I always feel bad for contestants when they dont finish on time.  

Ok, so thats my take.  The White Room Challenge series was a little bit of a disappointment for me. I was hoping it would be a little more inspiring.  I did take away some great ideas but I think the producers were more interested in manufactured drama.  Maybe competitive reality shows arent my thing (oh, except for Chopped - I have no idea how they make great dishes out of those odd ingredients!).  

One last thought - Wouldnt it be cool if they brought in all of these White Room Challenge contestants for the next round of Design Star?  I would love to see more of what these designers can do.  It would be fun to see them in different challenges - to see all of their talents!

The White Room Challenge Lights