Well, we started with 12 bright-eyed, white-wearing hopefuls in a very blue room this summer who all wanted to be HGTV’s next Design Star. Week after week their various decorating blunders gave judges Vern Yip, Genevieve Gorder, and (when she wasn’t a no-show) Candice Olson reasons to thin the herd.
Finally, this week we were down to the last decorators standing: Karl Sponholtz and Meg Caswell.
They were each given a producer, a carpenter, a couple of former-contestants as helpers, and a camera crew to film short pilots in a couple of row houses in Harlem.
Karl went with the uninspired title “Inspired Design” for his show.
Here’s the room he was given to make over:
When I see rooms like this on TV I imagine the producers gleefully tossing toys and pillows everywhere before filming to make it look as awful as possible. Because you know no homeowner is going to let a camera crew show up without picking up a little first, right?
The couple told Karl they wanted a Tuscan look. And a downtown “street” look. Both. He definitely had a challenge on his hands pulling that off. His solution was to buy an armoire for the TV that kind of “looks Tuscan,” and paint graffiti on it to give it a cool and gritty vibe. Um, okay. Here’s how that turned out:
I’m a little puzzled as to how this has any Tuscan elements at all. The homeowner stressed that she loves those warm Tuscan colors and he gave her pale green and taupe.
He did a great job giving them storage and functionality in the room, though, and I loved the way he trimmed it out with moldings to give it more character.
Meg decided that for her show she would be a Design Criminologist, hunting down Design Crimes and rectifying them. The judges flipped over it. They thought it was the most clever, most entertaining concept they’d ever heard.
I thought it kind of fell flat, though, when the only “crimes” she could really cite were things like “The Buddha head shouldn’t be in the window!” and “I can give those curtains covering your windowless wall a more designer look.”
She also had a much easier challenge with her homeowners, who told her they like Tiffany blue but want the room to look warm, maybe with some leather? And they needed a more functional dining area so they could entertain.
Here’s how the living slash dining room looked when Meg was finished with it:
I can’t figure out why the black and white family photos appear to be scaling up the wall like they’re trying to escape. I don’t think they showed that on TV, did they? I’m just noticing it now.
Meg gave them faux windows on their windowless wall, framed with curtains. Does it bug anyone else that the mirrors are hung lower than the real windows? Would have been nice if they had matched up a little more. And I’m just not sure how I feel about the fake-window look in general, although I’m sure the mirrors do open the room up and make it feel brighter.
Judges Candice Olson, Genevieve Gorder, and Vern Yip–plus this season’s mentor and former Design-Star winner David Bromstad in a shiny gold jacket that I couldn’t stop staring at when he was onscreen–viewed the pilots and were impressed with both of them.
There could be only one winner, however, and it is…
Meg Caswell! Cue the confetti.
I was surprised that she won, especially since she is far from the fan favorite. In the poll they’ve been taking all season long, Meg has been stuck in the middle of the pack while Karl has held a spot near the top. Based on the comments that lit up the HGTV blogs after the announcement, I’m not the only one who expected Karl to win.
I’m not sure how much confidence HGTV has in the choice, either. They announced that Meg will star in a limited, five-episode series called “HGTV Great Rooms” that will air on Saturdays…at 6:00 in the afternoon. Maybe if it does well they’ll give her something more permanent, but the time slot doesn’t bode well for her, I’m afraid.
Also, the title of the show is a little vague. I thought maybe it was about Great Rooms (as in family/gathering rooms). Or maybe it would showcase great rooms from past HGTV shows. But it turns out she’ll be giving various types of rooms great makeovers in her hometown of Chicago. The episodes have apparently been filmed already because you can see the before and afters featured in them here.
Were you rooting for Meg to win? Will you watch her new show?
{ 58 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t watch this show, but it’s seems that was a fun one!
Can you imagine her happiness?
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
My first choice was Mark, followed by Kelly…and I’m hoping they go the Casey route and have them hosting other shows!!
I thought Karl did a MUCH better job on hosting and his design the whole season. I found Meg annoying and probably won’t be watching!
I agree completely. Meg’s color choices are often garish, and she always had trouble completing her work. I also found her tv presence to be annoying. I may watch the show while making dinner on Saturdays, but I don’t expect that she’ll endure. Much like recent winners Emily, Antonio and Kim – Meg is a designers’ choice who lacks broad appeal.
I didn’t even watch the last show, and have no desire to tune in with Meg. Your comments are spot. The mirrors, oh my. I would not want them.
I was disappointed! Karl is the better designer and he improved every week on the camera shots.
Agreed. I loved the architectural elements he brought to his makeovers. His color choices were good too.
Of the two, I was hoping Karl would win. I won’t be watching Meg, her voice just irritates the heck out of me. Sorry, but it does. HGTV still has a long way to go before it redeems itself with me. I’m glad to see they are getting away from the real estate shows we were inundated with, but I’m not too sure I’m crazy about the new decorating shows either.
LOL! Agreed. Why can’t we get a new version of Designed to Sell or Trading Spaces? I want design inspiration and insider tips – NOT a makeover by someone of questionable taste.
I totally agree. Her voice is irritating to say the least(you just want her to clear her throat!) And I also miss the good old shows. Remember Matt and Sherry?
I loved Meg throughout the show-maybe her personality more than her design skills.
Karl’s room in the finale looks sad-amateurish and unfinished. it wasn’t Tuscan and I don’t like the way he used the space. his tiny house was a million times better than this room. I love the way he adds architectural interest, but for me this room fell flat.
I was sure it would be Karl if only because he seemed to be “most improved” in his camera challenge/hosting abilities. He seemed very natural in his “pilot”.
I actually was rooting for Meg to win. I think she’s cute and fun and I love her personality. The only thing that annoyed me about her was her raspy Chicago voice. I suppose I wasn’t as bothered by the raspy as I was the accent. Still, I loved her and was happy to see her win.
Yeah, I agree.
I originally picked her as my favorite (I think because her taste is most similar to mine) but she got on my nerves week by week.
I really think Mark & Karl are the best, most *inspiring* designers. They think out of the box and challenge my own design mind. I think they did better than I ever could. When I really looked at most Meg’s stuff, I actually felt I could have done better.
I think she was chosen for her ‘relatable’ personality. Would looove to know how they decide!
Thanks for covering it!
I thought Meg was the right choice. Overall I liked her rooms better, though I agree her voice might be hard to listen to for an entire episode. I think Karl definitely got a harder challenge, and some of his choices were great — the picture rail was a really good idea. But I hated his color choices and how he put tiny pictures up on the picture rail — it just looked cluttered and amateurish. Meg’s room definitely read better for TV, and I think for the whole season that her looks were just better for TV.
From the very beginning, I thought Meg couldn’t win because I think her voice sounds weird and not very TV-friendly (glad to see some other commenters agree, though it might just be me!). But overall, I wasn’t that impressed with this season’s crop of talent. I thought most were pretty average. Maybe people like watching Design Star, but not the winner’s actual shows? I’d prefer to watch Design Star over the actual shows the winner’s produce. And only a couple (David & Antonio) are even on the network anymore.
I must admit, I didn’t really care for any of the designers work. Mark is a cutie,
so I’d probably watch him on a show. I can’t get past Meg’s voice and I think she decorates like an average person….Not like a Vern Yip. I must admit it was fun seeing One Brooklyn Bridge Park where they stayed. A wonderful address. I first saw it on Selling New York when they leased it for the show. That was a fun episode. I think Karl’s show would have been fun to watch…….he has a great personality. I loved having a good show to watch on Monday nights.
I had the opposite reaction to the mirrors–I thought the room looked claustrophobic with the mirrors.
I didn’t watch the show, so I don’t have any real opinions on who won. I wish all the entrants well.
I was disappointed with both rooms! I felt like Carls missed the boat entirely…the chairs were underscaled, and there was not a hint of Tuscany that I could see. I wonder if the trucks were even off the street before the homeowners decided to repaint?
And Meg’s, though better, still did nothing for me. I totally agree on the faux windows! I’ve seen that done in ways that really worked, here they just looked like mirrors with some curtains hanging over them.
Karl’s tiny house was fantastic! He should have won just for that excellent design.
Unfortunately, not much talent on this season’s show. Mark showed some creativity and would have made a more appealing TV personality once he gained some camera confidence. However, I did like the new show Showhouse Showdown because the designers had to do 5 rooms, from scratch, and it gave the viewers two diverse styles and much more to look at. I do wish Meg Good Luck! Trying to come up with great design ideas with a camera in your face has got to be very difficult!
I didn’t watch the series, but don’t really care for either of the finished rooms.
Best,
Susan
I watched Design Star the first season and then I was done with it. NONE of the contestants will ever be as awesome as Candice Olsen, I’d watch her old reruns before I’d watch these new “stars”
Our whole family watched the show. None of us wanted Meg to win. Her voice is just too distracting. She didn’t stand out to me as the best designer…she was always scrambling at the end. Not sure why they went that direction. Definitely liked Carl better.
Oh my! No! they didn’t show the black and white prints wall in the show. That wall is awful. She should have lost just for that, and I liked her. I think Karl would have been a better choice for HGTV, I think he fits the mold better. Yeah and it looks like they just tossed her a bone with that show. ;(
Of all the Design Star winners, I love Emily Henderson’s show the best. Secrets From A Stylist is quite nice. As for this season’s winner, I will wait and see. The Chicago accent some viewers find annoying is not even discernible to this Milwaukee resident, of course. I agree that Mark and Karl seemed the better designers on the show, but how that translates to a stand alone show isn’t always apparent from what we see on Design Star. I would never have thought Emily Henderson could carry a show off, but she does with personality and an unerring design sense.
I am more than done with this show, was last season and didn’t watch this year. These people are amateurs and it shows. The first room shown here, a teenager could have come up with those ideas, especially the boxes for storage stacked against the wall. Big deal.
This is the first season where I have watched at all. I wasn’t ever very impressed with anyone in particular. Then again, they are all better designer than me.
I think that on the final challenge, they both needed the motto, “Go big or go home!”. All of those teeny little pictures in Karl’s room, and the black and whites in Meg’s need to be so much bigger!!!
Also, I noticed in the comments above that some people were thinking that only David and Antonio still work for the network. That’s not true – Emily’s show is still on. and I think Kim still does stuff for them once in a while. Out of all the past winners, I will watch David and Emily. I really like how Emily goes through her thought process on her show and shares her sources on her blog.
Cool! And her work is fun!
I’m unimpressed. Again. Deja vu.
Most of the contestants had the ‘skills’ of interior decorators. (Or, rather, the skills of anyone who has ever shopped at PB or Restoration Hardware.) There is a huge difference between ‘designing’ a space to add more interest, more function, and better use of space . . . and picking throw pillow and rugs from ABC Carpet.
Out of the final two, and I’m not sure they deserved those slots, Karl clearly had more design know-how. I did not always like every one of his ideas – - but he had some. He clearly won the little house challenge; the other two didn’t even come close. (Mark, in each challenge, was always much too busy creating odd wall art projects to actually ‘design’ an entire space to be functional and beautiful.)
WHAT did Meg ever really design and then build (or have built, because I don’t think she knows how to use any tool other than a staple gun). If she created something, rather than cover it in fabric (or staple molding to a wall and hang crap on it), I missed it. I really, really disliked the bright green interior of her little red house. A twee itty space where she had her carpenter create ‘display’ shelves instead of storage shelves. And then she filled glass jars with crap, and hung flower pots upside down. (Fake flowers in flower pots; because you can’t water real ones that way. Dumber than dumb.)
But her ‘Tiffany’ room for this last challenge . . . ? Did she do anything BESIDES buy stuff ? The space is too small for the scale of furniture she chose. The mirrors hung too low, as faux windows, were . . .what? Put up in a hurry to get it done? Just hang some great mirrors in beautiful frames, and get those suffocating curtains off the walls already! Both the hanging of the mirrors and the spacing/hanging of the pictures on the other wall show a lack of attention to detail – - or a discerning eye – - or any level of OCD – - or even taste. The room annoyed me on so many levels: I found it crowded; I despised that coffee table; and the rug was a disaster. It should have been bigger, with a bolder print in a larger and more contemporary pattern. Make the rug a showpiece, scale back the dining table and chairs, take the curtains off the walls, use a less deep paint color (it’s a small space, Meg!), and lighten/brighten this room up!
Oh, wait . . . she did ‘design’ a pedestal for the Budda. Well, she told her carpenter to make one. That’s designing, isn’t it?
Another stellar Design Star series in the can. And we watch . . . why?
Well I have to admit that I did not watch this season, however from what I have seen I was not terribly thrilled!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Meg should have been tossed off the show the week she did the upper and lower foyer for the family house. They were poorly planned and underdone and it was amazing to me she got any kind of props for them at all. For the upper floor, she had two random chairs and some odd pillows thrown on the floor. Completely awful. The fact that she was chosen the winner for her amateurish efforts makes me swear off Design Star for good. How can you respect a show with such ridiculous judging?
I wasn’t really rooting for anyone this season. Nobody WOWed me. I knew as soon as I saw Karl’s spot and his (awful) room that meg would win. Any of us, with any budget could have done better than what karl did. I woudl have been so ticked if I expected a designer to give me something wonderful and he gave me that ick. I don’t think HGTV will ever find another David. Emily is a close second, and Antonio a distant 3rd in terms of hosts with great design ideas.
I’m not impressed with either of the designs. If customer satisfaction is the ultimate indicator of success, Karl definately fell flat. He didn’t deliver what the client clearly indicated they wanted in their design. Meg’s design had key design flaws that any amateur designer would have known not to do (picture collection was wickedly wrong). If this crop of designers was the best that HGTV can come up, then I’m glad that I don’t follow this show.
I am not a fan of Design Star because the premise is ludicrous. None of the current stars of HGTV shows were ever made to design a tiny house or decorate a wedding reception in order to get a show on the network. So essentially, the show is about putting people through a series of inane challenges and then subjecting them to critiques for our amusement. I’m not convinced that succeeding on Design Star qualifies one to star in a successful program. David Bromstad would have stood out had he simply sent HGTV a demo tape. His success, unfortunately, made subsequent seasons of the show possible. No one has lived up to his level of talent and star quality.
That said, while I’ve never really watched the show, I find myself peeking at it because after seeing the commercials for months I become curious as to who will win. I watched a good deal of Monday’s episode to see how the final project turned out and I wasn’t terribly impressed by either contestant. I think the challenges were silly (What is Tuscan/urban?) and contrived and they both reminded me of the bland sort of thing Kim Myles did in her fortunately short-lived show. I thought Karl had a more engaging TV demeanor than Meg; I’d really like to know how much of the final decision was based on the show judges and how much was based on the powers that be—who may have wanted a female, or a folksy down to earth person or whatever. Clearly, they did not kowtow to fan favorites.
It’s interesting to see that Todd Davis, a man who many thought should win over Kim Myles, was recently given a show. I suspect we’ll see Karl again someday on HGTV. I’d prefer to watch him rather than Dina Matos or that designed who proudly does” Dallas.
Have to say, both rooms looked to me like they were put together by someone who just got their first apartment. Those pictures are awful. How are you supposed to even see the top one?? And that closet next to the closet thing is awful too, especially painted the same color. It looks like one of those architectural elements in a home that you paint to blend in because you hate it and she added it in! The mirrors are nice for light but I thought putting curtains around them looked ridiculous. I liked Karl’s colors but all those cubes looked like something that would just be there temporarily while you saved up for the nice stuff. Course this is just my humble opinion! I always have HGTV on during the weekend, so that is the only reason I’d even see the new show. Agree with the comment that I’d rather watch Candice Olson reruns.
I’ve been an HGTV addict for years. This Design Star series left me uninspired and only watching just to see who won. Curious, that’s all. I am SO glad they gave Cathy the boot. I actually got up and cheered when that happened. Other than that, I think watching was time wasted. I wish Meg the best. Sad to see Karl go. Glad it’s over and I can go back to watching the Weather Channel. LOL
I thought Karl had a slow start (camera wise), but improved so much. His show idea was kind of blah, but he adds so many interesting things to his rooms. Meg is more fun to watch on camera, and I think if she’d come up with some better design crimes to spotlight, it would have been better. I thought that the show that HGT gave her sounds like a real dud. Kind of sad!
I will probably watch. I didn’t watch design star. I really need to though.
I thought Meg was okay. She’s likable enough. I’ll probably watch her show out of curiosity to see how well she does.
man, are you thorough looking up the new show and everything.
i can’t make sense of the two after shots of karl’s room. the couch and chairs seem to be placed differently in each shot. given the owner’s requests, i expected tucson colors and downtown/urban shapes. the molding is great but i’m not sure about the colors. generally, you would keep the lighter color on top to make the ceiling feel higher.
as for meg, that is NOT tiffany blue. it is a nice color, but i’d be crushed if i asked for tiffany blue. i don’t get building a coat closet and putting in that heavy credenza. why not just put in a leggy armoire for coats and maybe a flat basket underneath for shoes. this is a room where you should be emphasizing the height and keeping as much floor as possible visible. i also think the drapes on the long wall make the room feel crowded. just something about curtains that does that in small spaces. and i feel like two of those dining chairs should be on the wall, flanking the credenza instead of at the table.
and you’re right, julia. the photos are too high to appreciate.
i didn’t see the episode so i don’t know where the other entrance is. that door appears to be the entrance, so where do they go for the kitchen, bath and bedrooms?
surprised about the winner. people bickered with karl, but on his own he always nailed it. and, really, i thought mark was a shoo-in. bromstad was the best designer of S1 and the worst on-camera. he learned to do better. eventually, anyone will.
I don’t know if I had a fan favorite, but I did enjoy seeing some of her work (what I was able to watch). I am undecided how I feel about her winning, I agree I don’t think her show sounds promising. I think you’re right, they may wait and see how it goes. I wish they had picked a better time spot for her :-/ she may have a tough road ahead!
This is the deal……just like Food Network, when you win that doesn’t mean a good show for you. In fact I think you are better off coming in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc., Those seem to be the ones with the ‘real shows.’ Guy Fiori is the last one to have a good show from wining on FN. On HGTV there’s only one that has made a name for himself.
Meg was just okay. Her room was better. But, not by much. I thought the low hanging mirrors were terrible. The photos reminded me of the Friends episode when Monica punches holes in the walls to figure out the switch. She drew photos and hung them over the holes. That’s what those photos were like in my opinion.
He could have done so much more with the Tuscan theme. I mean a runner on the stairs? Pots in warm colors with glass for end tables? How hard was this?
I’m over the show now. It needs new judges, new challenges, and different contestants.
As I watched the judges gush over both finalists, I wondered why there weren’t any negative critiques like there had been in previous challenges. There’s NO WAY that Meg would have gotten away with those staggered pictures or low hung mirrors.
And Karl would have gotten a beating for first of all buying an armoire (which are now so dated), and secondly for the “mural” he did on it. I found it to look a little cheesy. Not the sophisticated and polished look HGTV judges are always going on about.
But what do I know, I’m just a blogger.
i was not thrilled with anyone. My mom is convinced the show is rigged from the start. I thought this was the worst one yet. I know there is more talented “could be designers” in the blog world that come up with better stuff then them. I saw the last 2 rooms in the finale and walked away and cleaned my house i was so bored.
I was not a fan of Karl’s room this time, the first time I haven’t liked what he’s done, as I recall. I liked most of what Meg did in this room, EXCEPT for the mirrors for windows thing. HATED it. Is that supposed to trick us into thinking mirrors covered with curtains are windows?? Why not just hang one large framed mirror without the curtains for reflected light, and hang some great art on the other space? I was really surprised Meg won, as I thought overall, that Karl was a more consistent, and better, designer. Hopefully JL, you are right, and we will see Karl again.
There was a time when my TV was always on HGTV. Now it rarely is. There has not been a deserving winner on Design Star since David Bromstad. To me the best thing on HGTV now is Sarah Richardson’s shows Sarah’s House and Design, Inc. I would be thrilled if they would bring back Homes Across America (with Alexandra Stoddard or Joe Ruggiero) and Dream Drives.
this show reflects the dumbing down of televised programming. it is tastless, and vulgar. i am embarrassed for those who produce, participate masking as designers and the viewers who watch this program.
a shameful production masking as good design and taste.
To be honest, I think the judges must have chosen a winner long before that final episode, when it looks to me as if both designers should have lost. I don’t want to sound mean, but to give someone pale green and taupe when they’ve asked for Tuscan and to give someone steel blue when they’ve asked for Tiffany blue both seem like more than just a simple mistake. If a designer can’t even get the wall colors right, what can they do? I dunno. Of course, I’d never be able to perform with that kind of pressure, so I guess I shouldn’t be too critical.
Whenever I think of this show, I always end up thinking “Layla didn’t win Design Star? Really??” I guess being a great designer is not necessarily what counts most, is it?
If I never hear her say “GUYS” again I will be happy. The only design star worth watching is David, the others are not worth mentioning.
If the producers would work with Meg’s image a bit, I think it would help her receive more favorable reviews. Often it is said that “looks don’t matter” and other such platitudes but in fact, her weight is an issue as well as the hoarseness of her voice (which a voice coach could help correct to an extent). I think her personality is likeable but the total package is also important.
Also, as another poster wrote: I would not mind if I never again heard her say, “You guys”. “You” works just fine.
I do wish her luck and feel that with some help, she could be successful on HGTV.
I don’t care for her as a TV personality. I think she would make a great asset to a design firm, but she doesn’t have the cute factor that people will tune in to watch (like Candice and Genevieve). I’ll leave it at that.
Anybody has to be better than last year’s Emily! Her voice and show concept both annoy me! I was rooting for Karl, but I will give Meg a chance and hope she does succeed!
I always love watching Design Star, but never watch the shows that are spawned from it. I just love reality competition shows! The same with Food Network star, never miss an episode but have never seen an episode of any of the winners’ shows.
Meg’s voice is annoying, I’m afraid. I thought Karl’s room in the last challenge was so awful. None of the designers really impressed me, but I watch the show because it’s fun, not for the amazing design. Unlike most of the commenters, I like real estate shows on HGTV, not design shows. I like seeing before and afters, but don’t have the patience for the whole process.
I didn’t like Karl’s final product, but there is no way I’ll watch Meg. Her voice is so grating although Emily’s high pitched voice is also grating but they have someone else do the introductions now. Plus that beer belly of hers is very distracting.
A major fail on the contestants this year because none of them even deserved to be on the show. Grade F.
i really didn’t like any of the designers. mark was the only one to me that might have had some pizazz but thats it. I wish that HGTV would get the guy host back for design star, because the new host made me want to jump in the TV and slap her. Also I would like to know why they are giving real housewives supposed stars there own shows too. I guess now people settle for crap rather than actual design. I have more design then a lot of people I have seen on design star and I didn’t even go to school. We need someone on HGTV with RAW natural talent, not crap talent. Sorry I am sounding mean, but I am slipping away from the network unless they show someone who whats the word oh yeah DESIGN. have a good one
This is nothing personal against Meg, but she is not going to last for very long on hgtv. She does not fit the mold of all of their other host. They all have something in common, The majority of the womam seem to have the same body type, Tall and thin, have had extensive dental work and their have been died the same color or is on its way to being dyed the same color. It doesn’t matter about talent they are going a look that she doesn’t have.
Those walls are for sure NOT “tiffany” blue. I don’t care for her room at all. So very dull.
I have to be honest, I hate Meg Caswell as a designer/host. Her style leaves something to be desired, her voice is grating and raspy, and ultimately I don’t think anyone truly bought into her show concept (design investigator or whatever it was).
Karl’s final room was a wash as well. I love HGTV, but this show seemed severely lacking in both talent and taste.