Design Star & HGTV.com

Once upon a time, I thought it would be a good idea to try out for HGTV's hit reality show "Design Star".



I thought it might be a fun experience and that I might actually be able to keep up with the hundred-million-mile-an-hour pace the contestants endure while they're filming the show.



And it wasn't until a casting agent for the show contacted me and told me I had made it past the first round of the audition process, that I really started to think about what it would be like to be on the show.

(Insert nervous stomach and a mini panic attack here.)

Long story short, I didn't end up getting cast, and although I had already convinced myself that I probably wasn't cut out for the show anyway, for some reason I just couldn't help but get all emotional the day I received the thumbs down from the casting agency.



I'll never forget the day they told me. I was home alone. It was Valentine's Day, and because he was on tour, I hadn't seen Kevin in weeks.
Oh yeah, I'm talkin' major pity party that night.





Not to worry though- time heals all wounds. And amazingly enough, I actually ended up signing a contract with HGTV.com earlier this year.
(High five!)

I'm writing articles for their website, which I absolutely LOVE doing.
And the gig is not only fun, but it's completely stress-free too.
No other contestants to battle against, and no nervous moments standing in front of the superstar judges every week. LOL!







So today, I thought I'd show ya what I've been up to over at HGTV.com this Summer, in case you're looking for inspiration regarding any of the following topics...

(click on the photos below check out the articles)


Bedroom Updates For Any Budget



Budget-Friendly Dining Room Updates



9 Tiny, But Beautiful Bedrooms



Turn Your Before Bathroom Into An After Bath



And here's one called "10 Stylish Dining Room Storage Ideas".
(I didn't write this one, but I was one of the "expert designers" Kayla Kitts interviewed for it!) :-)





I'm currently working on a series of articles called "Fast Fixes" that will be published on their site between now and the end of the year. I'll be shooting step-by-step footage and writing about a wide variety of interior and exterior projects. Everything from how to transform a vintage wall-mount sink into a birdbath, to how to antique kitchen cabinets, to how to create end tables out of architectural elements- and many, many more.

I'll continue to post links to the articles as they appear on HGTV.com on our Facebook page, and I hope that you can draw inspiration from a few of them along the way!



In the meantime, let's check out what the original Design Star, David Bromstad, had to say about last weeks episode of the show...



What do you think?
Any thoughts on who's gonna win this year?





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Design Star- Season 4, Episode 3

This weekends episode of Design Star had the season 4 contestants competing against each other in the "White Wall Challenge".



The catch- they could only use things found at a grocery store!

Since I put my design together earlier this week, I used this photo of what a previous seasons cast had to use furniture-wise when creating my drawing:

I created a make-believe, Layla-style, "Relax & Read" room design.

This is not what I would have done if I was actually on the show. I heard one of the contestants say that the judges were looking for big, wild designs, but I didn't know that when I created this drawing earlier this week. So this one will just be for fun! :-)

As always, just hover over the photo above to see it transform from a previous seasons White Wall Challenge photo, to what I came up with.

The two paint colors I chose are Sherwin Williams' "Sea Salt" (or something like it), and just a plain old regular white.
I would cut brown paper bags into squares and saturate them in a glue/water mixture. Then I'd apply them (backwards) to the walls, to simulate a khaki-colored wainscoting. (Backwards so any writing that might be on the bags wouldn't show)

To create the look of chair rail moulding and base boards, I would simply leave the wall white in those areas.

To simulate a banded sisal one, the rug would have been made up of dog food and bordered in Milk Duds.

The bookcase would be painted white, and hung horizontally on the wall above the small sofa.

I would paper the wall behind it with blue, brown and white striped wrapping paper.

I would also use the same striped wrapping paper to cover the "throw pillows", which would actually be extra-large zip lock bags filled with air.

Inside (and atop) the bookcase is a variety of different-sized cereal boxes, covered in more brown paper bags. I would number the spines of some of them (with a marker) just to add a fun, graphic punch.

To create symmetry, I mimicked the look of the two nesting tables on the left by using a similarly-sized cardboard box, painted white, cut in the shape of the larger nesting table. It would also get a coat of white paint.

I would buy two potted plants at the store, but I'd remove the plants and use two wooden spoons stuck down into the dirt instead. They would be cut at two different lengths. The spoon part would be nestled down in the dirt (for stability) and the handle would be pointing up. I would create topiaries by piercing a grapefruit down onto the top of each handle, and then using toothpicks. I'd attach small broccoli heads to the grapefruits. In theory, it sounds like a really cool idea- but until I tried it, who knows if this would really work or not!

:-)

I also love the idea of using boxes covered in granola, or pasta, to simulate baskets. I would even cut out a handle (as shown in my drawing), so that they look even more like real baskets.

The "frames" on the left wall are actually aluminum foil boxes, covered in black trash bags, and attached to the wall in the shape of picture frames. On the wall underneath the brown boxes are white paper towels, to act as mats. Greeting cards that have black and white photography on the fronts of them would be attached in the middle of the paper towels.

On the right wall, I would hand paint a massive quote that reads, "Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is an ideal life". (It's so true!)

The lower shelf of the coffee table would be painted the same "Sea Salt" color that the walls are painted.

On top of the coffee table, I'd use a cookie sheet as a tray. Chic peas would act as small stones surrounding a candlescape in the center of the tray. I would sink the candles down into vegetables such as artichokes, and wrap some of them with green beans and asparagus. Some kind of ribbon, string or twine would neatly hold the stalks in place around the chunky candles.

The last thing I did was "paint" a wide, chocolate brown stripe down the center of the sofa with Hershey's syrup to simulate a throw blanket.

And there you have it!
It was so fun putting this together. I may actually have to try the broccoli topiary thing sometime! Ha ha! :-)


Layla

Design Star - Season 4, Episode 2

Wow. This weeks episode was crazy, huh?!

"Team Amy" re-designed a Kitchen for the Johnson family...

BEFORE:

AFTER:



"Team Nathan" re-designed a Kitchen for the Boucher family...

BEFORE:



AFTER:



And I had fun creating a quick re-design on Team Amy's room-

I did a stainless steel backsplash, because we all know what happens when a Design Star team attempts a tile job. (For those who haven't seen the show- it never gets finished!) Attaching stainless steel panels would be a lot quicker, and would satisfy the homeowners craving for a more modern and eclectic kitchen.

I chose a flooring that more-closely matched the flooring in the room next door.

I covered the center of the ceiling with beadboard, and hung a drum-style pendant light in place of the bulky, florescent light fixture.

I used an assortment of barstool cushions, just to keep things fun and fresh. Each family member could pick their favorite! :-)

I placed slate placemats on the bar. (Of course I would have written the family members names on them with chalk) :-)

To break up the visual heaviness of all the dark cabinetry, I used an off-white colored island, topped with butcherblock.

A woven-wood window shade speaks to the tone of the butcherblock on the island and the color of the floor. This keeps your eye moving around the space, and makes it feel well-balanced, not so bottom-heavy.

I moved the cook top to the other side of the room, and used an above-range microwave, that vents, above it. (which Dan would have totally had to install- you'll find out why in a minute) I didn't like the way the cook top broke up that nice expanse of countertop in front of the bar, and I really didn't like the way the vent looked hanging above it. It was such a distraction.

(I would have moved the fridge over to the area where they built the wine bar, and put the wine bar to the left of the it.)

And lastly, horizontally-laid beadboard, painted in a dusty blue semi-gloss paint, would protect the front of the bar from getting too scuffed up by dangling feet.




(Hover your cursor over the bottom photo to see it transform from Team Amy's to mine)

But, in all reality, can you imagine actually designing, building and fully accessorizing a Kitchen from scratch in the amount of time they were given? <:-P Holy insanity Batman! This is where the above-range microwave bit comes in. The day Kevin and I got ours, we were sure we could install it, not only on our own- but lickety split, to boot.

We quickly discovered that it would have taken us hours to decipher the directions and assemble the big ol' thing. And we definitely would have struggled to install it ourselves. Thankfully, one phone call to our electrician and the job did indeed get done lickety split. I swear, that man could sell tickets to his "one man microwave installation show". The speed at which he worked was truly remarkable.

So when I look at what the contestants were able to accomplish in the amount of time they were allotted, I think they did fairly well. But "fairly well" definitely isn't going to wow this distinguished panel of judges, and once again, they were pretty brutally honest with the teams this week.

As far as what I thought of the rooms, well, of course I thought the Amy's room should have been accessorized, and Nathan's room was accessorized a little too literally for my taste. But its really about what Candice, Genevieve and Vern think, and I would keep that in mind each and every week I was lucky enough to be there. They are, after all, choosing this years winner. And I really don't think HGTV could've have done a better job choosing judges this time around.
All three of them have very successful shows on HGTV, so obviously they know "what's up".

Think about what types of designs you see on their shows. They're beautiful, fuctional, comfortable and livable.

Think about how they would probably define "good design".

Vern's website says, "Vern's calling card is his attention to detail, married with precise, clean-lined interiors, balanced with a sense of warmth. Often with Vern's designs, less is more and something in the room always "pops" due to its graphic nature."

An interview with Geneiveve says: "I'm into the earthy tones and styles that fuse culture and time. My home is a reflection of my travels I have a variety of masks and door-knockers, photography taken by my father, friends and me, and colors inspired by a Moroccan palette. I like my rooms light, textural, sensual and most of all comfortable."

And Candice's biography on BarnesandNoble.com reads, "Her signature style incorporates creativity, practicality, and timelessness to create sophisticated yet accessible designs."

And while they may select a winner who's definition of good design is different from theirs - I'm sure the person they choose to be this years Design Star will be one who can consistently create beautiful, functional, comfortable, livable designs.

After I created my Photo Drawing last night, I did a little research to see what Geneiveve and Vern did when they had to design on the fly on HGTV's "Summer Showdown".

Here's what the fabulous Genevieve created from scratch-

And here's what Vern did-

And of course we all know a Candice room when we see one...


...fortunately for her, Clive never seems to bust up into any of her rooms yelling, "STOP! THAT'S IT! TIME IS UP!" and unfortunately, for us, she hasn't made an appearance on Summer Showdown yet. I wonder if she will sometime? That would be a trip!

Big news Tuesday and Wednesday. Two new websites to announce....stay tuned for more details! :-)

Design Star anyone?

Who's watchin' with me tonight?

:-)

Layla

PS..just for fun, I'll tweet on Twitter as I'm watching the show!!

Design Star - Season 4, Episode 1

Did you watch it?
You can bet your bottom dollar I did!
I have to admit that there were times throughout the show that I was definitely happier to be sitting on my friend Sarah's couch (stuffing my face with HUGE bacon-wrapped scallops), than standing in front of the judges in L.A.

As many of you know, I made it to the second round of auditions this past Spring. And although, in the end, I wasn't cast- I couldn't help but think about some things I might do to some of the rooms if I had been invited to be a part of this years group.

Take the Dining Room for example. Talk about a blank canvas!

Dan and Nathans work was very high-impact, and turned out to be quite a visually appealing design.
I was very impressed with their abilities and creativity. Not only did they come up with a great design, but they also did a heck of a paint job on both the walls and the floor. Not to mention the building, shopping and accessorizing they did in the short time frame. Exhausts me just thinking about it!
After watching the first episode, I feel very fortunate to be able to design in the comfort of my own home. I have nothing but the utmost respect for all the designers that are a part of this years show.

Just for fun, I thought it would be neat to quickly create a design plan for one of the rooms each week, after I'm done watching the show.

This week, I was drawn to the Dining Room.

When I got back home last night, I put together a photo drawing of some things I might have done.
I chose a putty-colored wall paint for most of the room, and to combat its cool & contemporary vibe, I used a textural, ivory-painted board & batten wall treatment on the far wall.
I sprinkled a happy mix of both contemporary and traditional furnishings & accessories throughout the space.
I gave the room a pulse by incorporating earthy art & photography, and large chalkboard wall plaques- which would display a friendly, motivational message for all those in the house to see.
(After the judges harsh critiques, they might need one every once in a while!)
A collection of symmetrically-hung plates on either side of the chalkboard plaques would help to fill up that wall, and a would inject some traditional charm, in a contemporary way.
I painted the floor in a way that would simulate stained concrete. It would be a paint/glaze process that I think would really do a nice job of grounding the space.
A large, jute area rug atop the smooth floor would anchor the dining table and chairs.
The dining table is espresso-colored, and the chairs would be an ivory-colored leather- a nice contrast to the jute texture below.
On top of the table, a silver loving cup, filled with pheasant feathers would be my centerpiece.

Against the focal wall, I too, created a seating area.
An enormous dark-framed floor mirror is flanked by a pair of vintage, green wingbacks.
A small table in front of the mirror would be the perfect place to set a cup of tea at the end of an exhausting 12-hour day.
Close up, framed, black and white photographs of flowers above each chair would bring the outdoors in, in a sleek and modern way.
On the wall on the left, a large oil painting of white birch trees against a muted blue & green backdrop would breathe even more life into the once sterile space. I love the idea of creating a pretty and colorful view for those dining on the opposite side of the table.

Hover your cursor back and forth over the photo below to see it transform!



I had a ball putting together this plan in my PJ's, and I can't wait to watch next weeks show!
:-)

Exciting News!

I have been formally asked to submit more materials to the HGTV Design Star competition!
The next step is an audition in Hollywood, so this is an important round. Hopefully I'll have more exciting news to share in January. :-)

The show tapes for six weeks, sometime between the dates of February 26th and April 30th. I can't imagine not being able to blog for 6 weeks- but wouldn't it be amazing!?

I'll keep ya posted, and THANK YOU so much for all your support. I reeeeeally appreciate it!

Layla

Happy Holidays!

First, here's a link that'll take you to some videos of this years HGTV Dream Home:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dream_home/player/0,1000147,HGTV_32696_3281,00.html


And second, I just wanted to say Happy Holidays to everyone who I have "met" through my blog this year...it's been so cool sharing my passion for interiors with everyone.
Your comments have brightened my days, and your creativity continually inspires me to pursue my quest in becoming a full-time designer. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Layla

PS... I do have some VERY exciting news to blog about, but I'm saving it for Christmas Day. Special news on the most special day of the year! :-)

Design Star 4 - Making the Video

I've finally decided to enter the competition!
Today will be spent filming & editing my audition video.
Check back tomorrow to see the final cut, and then don't forget to give me a 5-star rating on HGTV.com! Ha ha! :-)

Wish me luck!
Anyone else entering next season?