A lot can change in three episodes. Last we spoke, there were still 8 people in the competition; now we're down to the final 4. Let's take a look back.
So in episode 4, two sets of homeowners were having their houses made over by our morning zoo crewdesign stars. The designers were split into two teams and then each team was split again into an indoor pair and an outdoor pair.
Britany, Hilari, Stanley, and Mikel were the winning team.
Hilari and Mikel worked on the living room and dining room.
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It's not really my style, but it's certainly a million times better than what they had before, which was basically nothing. I do love the ceiling, though the designers had nothing to do with that.
Stanley and Rachel worked on the backyard.
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I love all the chevron stripes (I'm predictable like that). I like that they used a lot of wood. It really warms up the space.
Kris, Rachel, Miera, and Danielle were the losing team.
Danielle and Miera worked on the living room and dining room and they were a hot freakin mess. In the previous episode, Miera worked with Kris and she felt steamrolled by him, as far as only using his ideas and not listening to her, so in this episode, she kind of did to Danielle what Kris did to her. If Danielle didn't like one of her ideas, she was a jerk about it. When Miera screwed up the dimensions of her built-ins and Danielle tried to help, she yelled at Danielle and told her that she was out of line and owed her an apology. She was acting kind of insane, so I wasn't sad when she got eliminated.
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Because Danielle had to help Miera and the carpenter when they found out the built-in dimensions were wrong, she lost time and was unable to finish putting the gold crosses on the wall.
Ultimately, the built-ins had unfinished edges and poor styling, which is why Miera was sent home.
Kris and Rachel worked on the backyard.
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I mean, it's better than what they had before. But why add a slotted awning? Aren't you still gonna get sunburned?
All Rachel really worked on this episode was a kids play area. To the right, which you can't see in the photo, are a bunch of garbage cans, which is kind of gross. She came close to getting eliminated, but it was her past performances that saved her, which I think is totally fair. This is when Rachel's design downward spiral began.
In episode 5, the designers were each assigned at random a design style/era to use as inspiration for a lounge space at a party for Hollywood's 125th birthday. Your tits don't look a day over 21, Hollywood. It was kind of like the white room challenge, but the space had to be functional and they got to shop at actual furniture and design stores.
Danielle got art deco, which is one of my favorite styles. I used to work by the Chicago Board of Trade, so I would cut through the building and it is absolutely stunning. Even the mailboxes are awesome.
Danielle won because the judges loved her furniture, floors, and accessories.
Vern in particular jizzed himself over these sculptural lamps.
Britany got Hollywood Regency, which is pretty much her design style anyway.
Ironically, Britany actually struggled with this challenge, especially when it came to finding seating, but she pulled it off in time. She came in second and then acted like a brat about it. When she and Danielle and the other safe contestants were in the stew room (I don't know what it's called on this show, so I'll just use the Top Chef term), she started crying about how she tried her hardest and it wasn't good enough for the judges. I get being disappointed, but when you're on a reality show, bottle that shit up. It just makes you look bad.
Hilari got the 1980's. I was born in the 80's, so maybe that's why, but I don't get a clear vision of what 1980's interior design is. Fashion, for sure, but not interior design. And someone on TWOP mentioned that Hilari reminded them of Vanessa Huxtable, which, now that that's been pointed out, is all I can see.
Hilari rounded out the top 3. She initially planned to make a rug out of spandex, but that didn't work out, so she painted a Mondrian-style pattern on the floor. It's probably best that that didn't work out. Wouldn't your feet just get tripped up in it?
Mikel got "Midcentury Contemporary," which isn't a thing. Midcentury modern? Yes. Contemporary? Yes. But not Midcentury Contemporary.
I think he went the wrong direction with this room and I'm surprised he didn't get dinged for it. This is more like the late 60's vision of the future than midcentury, which is more wood furniture and muted tones.
Stanley got futuristic, which I think is kind of unfair. Isn't futuristic much more open to interpretation than Art Deco or Hollywood Regency is? I mean, it hasn't happened yet, so you could argue that it could really be whatever you want.
Stanley used the sputnik light fixtures like Mikel, so he too was going for a late 60's vision of the future.
And apparently in the future we'll all have vagina tables.
Rachel wasn't too enthused about getting Victorian and I totally understand that. Everyone else got something interesting, she got Grandma's living room. Not that Victorian is inherently Grandma's living room, but that's the first thing you associate it with.
I really like the birds. Rachel painted the floor to look like tufting, but it doesn't look that good. Vern didn't like the shade of blue she used or that she painted the wall sconces that shade, but I don't mind it. I like painting traditional furniture in bright colors; I think that makes the furniture far more interesting. Rachel's clearly floundering at this point.
Kris got the 1970's. I don't like talking about Kris, so I'm gonna stop now.
The desk with the typewriter was the only thing the judges liked. The room looks to much like an actual basement, not a lounge. All the seating is pushed up against the walls, which is never good. Thankfully, Kris was eliminated this week.
The designers were paired up, again, and had to work on a kitchen, using their assigned sink as inspiration. Unlike the earlier seasons where they worked in an actual person's house, they are working in a blank studio space. Because Danielle won last week, she gets to pick the partners and the type of sink they'll use. She picks Britany as her partner and they'll get the industrial stainless steel sink. She pairs Rachel with Mikel and they'll get the country sink and she pairs Stanley with Hilari and they'll get the apron-front sink. They winning team's kitchen will be featured in the HGTV magazine. Two people will be eliminated.
Danielle and Britany won and it's a good kitchen, but they also kind of won by default too. Just take a look.
It's bad enough when people on American Idol act like they're rockers, but you're on an HGTV show, Stanley, so put the hand away.
Speaking of hands. Man are those bad. In addition to being too big, they're also ugly. This room would have been better with certain changes. The cabinets are all wrong. They should have gone with those plastic-looking white ones. I also think the blue should have been lighter, like an aqua. The judges decided to eliminate Stanley, but Hilari is safe.
Wow, did they get this wrong. That sink is really ugly, but that's not their fault. I actually like toile, when it's used sparingly, but the way they used it is really overwhelming. It seems like they were going for a French country theme, so they should have used some open shelving. Like the judges pointed out, the chandelier is nice (the only nice thing in the room), but you can't see it up against the toile wall. Mikel was safe and Rachel was eliminated. Seems fair since she picked out the wallpaper.
I didn't expect much going into this season, but so far all the challenges have been good, the judges haven't been as bitchy, and I've agreed with all the eliminations.
