By JULIA @ HOOKEDONHOUSES.NET
Look who showed up as the guest judge again this week. It’s Jeff Lewis, from Bravo TV’s Flipping Out. I’m not sure where Kelly Wearstler and her big hair and crazy outfits have been, but Jeff was such a great judge that I hardly missed her fingerless gloves and leg warmers this week.
In last night’s episode, they were down to the Final Four contestants: Ondine, Nathan, Eddie, and Preston. In the poll I took last week, you were pretty much split as to who should win this thing: Nathan or Preston. Nathan had 41% of the vote and Preston had 40%. (Eddie and Ondine lagged way behind with 16% and 4%, respectively.)
Their challenge was to decorate one room well enough to convince the judges that they should move on to the finals. Here’s how their rooms turned out.
Ondine’s guest room-slash-study:
The judges flipped over this wallpaper and praised her for jumping on the black and white trend that is “so in” right now. They thought a throw pillow with some color in it would’ve been nice for the sofa, and the window wall was a little plain without curtains or color or anything. Otherwise, they loved it.
The wallpaper gave me a headache, though, trendy or not. And I wanted to reach through the screen and straighten the back cushions on the sofa.
Nathan’s bedroom:
Nathan wanted to show them that he could “do pretty,” but they weren’t impressed. Margaret Russell said, “Pretty rooms aren’t memorable.” They preferred his psychedelic purple and lime-green girl’s room last week.
I’m not sure I agree with Margaret’s statement, though. What’s wrong with pretty?
I think pretty gets a bad rap. That said, I’m not sure how pretty Nathan’s room actually was. It was a little too bare and unfinished looking for me.
Eddie’s bedroom:
They ripped Eddie’s room for being too old, bringing the “granny” charge against him once again. Jeff Lewis really, really hated it. He suggested that all it was missing was an oxygen tank. Margaret defended Eddie a little, but Jeff wasn’t having it.
Preston’s “lounge area off the kitchen:”
He hung grasscloth wallpaper to create an interesting pattern on the wall. They liked everything but the orange bench, which Jeff Lewis felt was too big for the space. Looking at this photo, I have to agree. It looks kind of cramped in there. You’d think he could’ve used it in place of the coffee table if he wanted to keep his “signature splash of color” in the room.
I think this room came closest to Jeff Lewis’ aesthetic, which is probably why he liked it the best. Doesn’t it look like a room Jeff would do?
The judges awarded the win to Preston. Praised Ondine’s work. Warned Nathan that he’d better step it up and be more consistent. And gave Eddie the boot.
Jonathan Adler scolded Eddie in his blog entry today, saying:
“Words of advice for dearly departed Eddie Ross: Be humble, focus on your creativity and talent, find your own voice (it should be a YOUNGER VOICE, btw, you don’t have to parrot your employer), don’t worry about labels (stylist, decorator, designer, elf, whatever!), be nicer to salespeople in stores, and, for God’s sake, please don’t ever refer to yourself in the third person. Thank you.”
He goes on to rave about Preston, saying he might just be the next famous lifestyle brand to emerge, and to say that Ondine does a great job in the whole-house challenge next week: “Y’all, just wait and see what she concocts in the finale.”
Is this a hint that the winner might be either Ondine or Preston?
Eddie may not have made it into the finale, but at least he made a good friend. He and Nathan really hit it off. Did you notice that big smack on the lips they gave each other when Eddie said goodbye?
Who are you rooting for to win this thing now? Did this episode change anyone’s mind about Ondine? Do you think they made the right decision to send Eddie home?
Discuss.
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{ 16 comments }
Okay, right now I’m searching my menu on television to find and record this show.
I didn’t see it last night but will catch the rerun.
Thank God Eddie went home.
He was a Diva who had no Divaness…does that make sense?? LOL
I do not think Ondine should win.
Her room was really fantabulous but up until now she has just been mediocre in my opinion.
Nathan totally rocks it but I think Preson is a bit too full of himself.
I’m terrible I know! LOL
Great blog entry!
Thanks for the recap! I am actually glad that Eddie is gone. I didn’t mind him, but I think that the judges were right when they said that they didn’t see his big personality in his design. I kept wanting the judges to mention the Golden Girls. And what was up with that lattice? It just looked cheap.
I liked Ondine’s room, but I agree with you about the wallpaper. Maybe it didn’t make you go so cross-eyed if you were standing in the room.
Nathan was BORING. Even the bathroom, looked like a hotel bathroom. I am rooting for him to step it up and go crazy in the finale.
Yeah, Preston’s design was good. I can’t wait to see the rest of the house. I like his rich and chic aesthetic. I think if he took the Meyers-Briggs Test he would be off the charts in the Introvert department. But he could have made a little more effort to at least me cordial. It’s only polite. Who knows. The editing may just make him look like.
Did anyone else pause and look at the designer’s homes? I thought that was fun to see. Except they didn’t show Eddie’s house. wonder why…
okay, i have officially thought way too much about this show.
Amanda–
I meant to mention the contestants’ homes and forgot! I thought I missed Eddie’s, but rewound and nope, they just didn’t show it. Then I got suspicious that maybe this meant he wasn’t in the finale next week. I bet they went to the finalists’ homes and filmed them later. -Julia
I must have dozed off when they showed the contestants’ homes. LOL I liked Eddie’s room except for the lattice and palm. I thought the bed was very chic, and the color scheme was sharp yet restful.
I thought Ondine’s room looked like she pulled it together with Wal Mart stuff. It just didn’t scream expensive or designer to me.
Nathan’s space was just boring.
Preston’s space was chic — loved the grasscloth wallpaper design. I do think he could’ve/should’ve lost the coffee table in favor of the bench, but it looks like he may just win this thing. As for his personality, I think he’s just shy, shy, shy. If you notice, as much as the other designers don’t like him, he never gets really snarky in his personal interviews. I think that speaks volumes about his character. Plus, like I say, he’s my homeboy, so I’ve gotta stick up for him.
Thanks for the recap! I think all the rooms looked nice except for that lattice in Eddie’s room. I didn’t realize that people used lattice indoors…otherwise, I liked all the furniture pieces that they selected. What does the winner get as a reward at the end of this show?? I think it’s gonna be Preston!
I haven’t seen the show but judged from the pictures here Preston’s room is the most together, too dark for my taste though and the orange bench should definitely function as the coffee table. Thanks for the line up…, pretty funny the comment about the oxygen tank (I agree)!
Okay… I decided NOT to read your re-cap yet. I’ve skipped to the comment section. I forgot Jeff was on. I need to make sure to see this in person. I bet he was awesome. I’m sure re-runs will be on tonight while I’m up late picking my Halloween Party winners. I’ll be back tomorrow to chime in here.
Well, Eddie…”Thank you for being a friend.” (en homage to the Golden Girls.
I did not watch (on the DVR, though) but use Google Reader to read my blogs so when I saw Eddie’s headline was, “When one door closes, another opens,” I pretty much knew who was eliminated. So I hopped on over here immediately.
I’m getting a little vertigo thing from Ondine’s wallpaper. I’m really not getting the love. It’s just too..too for me. I guess I’m more of a “pretty” room girl. But “pretty” = no drama.
I’m LOVING the Eddie/Adler cat fight, though!! I can believe what JA said on his blog. AND…from Eddie’s blog:
“I’m reminded of how fictional reality television can be at times. Case in point: In my recent run-in with Jonathan over the stylist comment in which I asked him how he’d feel about being called an elf, we never saw that he had actually said to me first, “Well, I could call you a pig if I wanted to!” In the editing, that part, the other Elves omitted. Convenient, don’t you think?”
ME-YOW, ladies!
Oh, so are window treatments out? Quick! Tell the Nester!! (Just kidding, I like the Nester.)
And what the HECK is up with the lattice in what’s his face’s room? I think he should have been kicked out sooner so he couldn’t commit that horridity. Gag me. Those are only good for climbing plants. Outside. In a trailer park. With pink flamingos.
(Okay, just kidding again–they’re okay, but I still stick to my outside verdict!)
Is that guy straight? Hence the bad decorating?
Eddie needs to move out of Martha’s comfort zone. He is good, but just needs some depth (also turn the cattiness down to 4 and keep it out of work).
Nathan’s room looks like he ran out of time, money or..? He got through on his past work.
Ondine needed to wrap the wallpaper on the window wall and find a more open pattern. Can and will that couch open for guests. But I want to see the rest of the place.
Preston needed a bigger room; although I like the design, the scale was wrong, no matter what Adler thinks.
I was surprised Jeff didn’t rip into Preston’s room more , he dose not do well with guys he think are prettier than himself. But we do not know what was edited out now do we, because he didn’t hold back on Eddie (did a cute blond rip his heart out in college or something).
[The weekend started early, so if my cattiness seems turned up… :p]
Oh, mercy, I hope Ondine doesn’t win! I think she’s been pretty lackluster/sloppy for the most part throughout this competition. Did not like her room at all this week. I’m all for black and white, but it was not crisp and modern, IMO. I thought it was very thrown together!
I was UNDERwhelmed by their work this week, and I agree with your opinion that Nathan’s room was kind of bare and unfinished. Very bland, I thought.
Eddie’s attitude has really annoyed me, but I think I would have rather seen him in the finale than Ondine or Nathan. His room may not have been the style that the judges (Jeff!) preferred, but at least it was finished and put together well.
Preston was not my favorite at the beginning of this season. In fact, he kind of flew under the radar for me until the last show or two. I did think his room was the best by far this week. (And, you’re right … he should’ve used that orange ottoman/bench as the coffee table!) I like not only his design sensibility but also his professionalism and restraint. (Loved the photos of his personal home, too!)
It will be interesting to see the finale. I hope Preston designs a beautifully completed home and is named the winner!
OOoh, Laura, thanks for that quote from Eddie’s blog. I’m glad to know that I wasn’t off in my opinion of Adler. What an ass. His advice to Eddie re: being humble? Can we say “pot,kettle?” And, his smile is PHONY!
I’m really wondering what happened with Kelly that she was only on for half the season. She seems like a genuinely nice person, regardless of what I think of how she’s been dressing. She admitted to going over-the-top on purpose. Could that be a reason?
As for actual taste, I tend to agree with Margaret Russell. I don’t think that Eddie’s rooms were that fabulous, but I don’t think that they were horrible or “granny,” either. I believe that happens to be his aesthetic, which is why he works for Martha Stewart in the first place. Eddie probably got eliminated because he *already* has a fabulous job and winning probably wouldn’t have affected his life in quite the same way as the others.
Personalities aside, I really didn’t like Eddie’s room and agreed that it was “Granny”. I’m a Granny myself and it was too granny for me! Really, who uses lattice in a bedroom nowadays? If you want to mix personalities into it, I would have tossed Eddie long ago. (He works for Martha Stewart, did you know that?!) He must not eat Martha’s cooking; surely she would have prepared a special huge serving of humble pie for him.
Great recap. I watched the show while blogging I think and I totally missed the shots of their own personal homes. A portion of Eddie’s place is featured in Domino magazine, I just saw that today. I think the magazine has been out awhile, so I might be behind in this info lol
Glad Eddie went home, I’m still rooting for Nathan, I think Preston has skill but not the personality to be a “personality,” and Ondine will produce a nice looking place I’m just sure of it. I’m excited to see the finale.
I love Jeff Lewis. LOVE!
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