The DECO-Zone

My Ongoing Affair with Design Star

Design Star, you did it to me again.  I keep hoping for the design “high” I used to get and once again, I was disappointed.   Yet, everytime I vow to end the relationship, I get drawn in with hope this is the week the contestants are going to “bring it.”  Nope, another week of quasi-design with not one bit of creativity.  I eagerly prepared for our time together. I took a shower, slipped into something comfortable, and settled in with my chocolate pudding, ready for that heady feeling I get when I see creativity in action.  But I was left unsatisfied.   For the last 35 years I have made my living creating beautiful rooms.  For the last 11 years, I have focused on teaching others to do the same.  The talent and creativity I see everytime I teach a class, blows me away.  I want to gather up the Design Star candidates and help them find their inner creativity.  So what did I learn from this week?

#1 Product driven Design…disappoints. Anyone can buy stuff and set it in a room, but that is not what makes a room rock.  It is a combination of

The Winning Kitchen on Design Star

 product used in innnovative ways.  Both teams seems to have similar props and used them instead of their design abilities to fill the void.  Each room had some positive elements but nothing that was stellar design.

#2 A kitchen needs color. Each team took a conservative approach with wall color, how disappointing. I don’t mean the walls should be red, but at least increase the value so the wall color had some body to support the heavy elements of large appliances, granite, etc. 

Too much Stuff...Everywhere!

#3 Remember what you are selling.  This was a photo shoot for Sears to showcase appliances. Photo styling is much like staging, you use the props to showcase the selling feature.  In this case, it was like a before photo as there was so much “stuff” it detracted from the true star of the shoot, the appliances.  In fact, I can’t wait to use the photos in a classroom to show what not to do when staging or styling a kitchen.

#4 “I never would have thought of that”  This is my mantra when I decorate spaces.  Every room I create needs to knock their socks off, but not just because I bought a bunch of pretty things.  The DS team doesn’t seem to get this.  Last night again, showcased predictable design.  The difference between a DIY and professional project, is taking the project to a new level.  I have yet to see that happen.  I want to watch the show and say, “Wow, I never would have thought of that.” 

#5 Eat, Pray, Love-Design Star is going to make me fat, as I eat through the episode in frustration,  I pray the show is going to be worth watching, and I want to love the end result.  So far…not so much.

Join me next week for my thoughts on the next episode.  JoAnne Lenart-Weary, Creative Director

The Design Star Debacle-Better Late than Never

 The DS Episode 6 Challenge was to decorate a $400,000+ condo in a Trump-New Jersey building.  Contestants were encouraged by guest judge, Donald Trump Jr, to create a space that reflected the Trump brand of luxury and quality. 

Trump Style Luxury in New Jersey

 I know, I know, you already heard who was eliminated, about the blueberry bathroom, and the taxi under the glass dome.But you haven’t heard my witty observations yet, because I was in Baltimore and Washington DC in a hotel with (can you believe it) no HGTV.  I called my cat from Baltimore and asked his opinion, but he wasn’t very forthcoming this week. So yesterday, I was one with my DVR, and once again, Design Star continued to amaze me with mediocrity and lack of creativity.  This week I was struck by a number of only-in-Design Star-World- realities.  

#1- Practical skills and common sense don’t matter.  Evidently, you don’t need to know crown molding is installed at an angle, has a top and bottom and beds need a mattress and box spring.  You don’t need to know drop cloths don’t drape well and do not shout, “Luxury!”   You also can make foolish amateur mistakes in DS world.  If I was competing for my own show, you can bet I would measure three times and truly think out my decisions.

Million Dollar Views Ignored

#2-Listening to the client isn’t important.

  Hel-lo-o, this was a Trump Project.  Glitz, glamour, luxury, are Trump hallmarks.  (sometimes even pushing the envelope toward tacky)  But neither team really seemed to understand the meaning of  luxury or creativity.  These were model condos created to SELL the project.  Addressing million-dollar views with furniture placement is Decorating…and Staging 101.  Both teams ignored that key feature as well as the opulence and luxury that Trump is known for.  My feeling was the winner was more by default than merit.

#3-Design Star is not be a Talent Show- I(and most of America)  thought Design Star searched for the most talented in the country and combined that with on-camera skills, and Voila’…A STAR!  Well, not so much, as talent does not really seem to be a pre-requisite or they are doing an amazing job of hiding it.   I have yet to see a Design Star room that delights me.  In fact, the entire season, has not given me ONE memorable idea.  Even the winning condo, in my humble opinion, was very disappointing.  If what I presented to my clients was that underwhelming, I wouldn’t still  be in business 35 years later.

#4-There is no ME in team.   I have the pleasure of working with teams on a regular basis. Each time I teach a class, our team creates beautiful rooms.  The key is to combine everyone’s shining moments of creativity into a cohesive masterpiece.  We experience  individual and team pride.  Our ideas are not meant to be self-serving but for the betterment of the entire process. No one is the DIVA.  Design Star contestants don’t understand if you are a village…you need to work as a village, for the better good of the space.

#5. Challenges are not reality based.  Show us a challenge that the real DIY, Decorator and Designer, encounter on a regular basis.  They might be based on:

1.  Creating a budget-driven transformation that doesn’t look budget driven. 

2. Satisfying the needs of a family of 5 while creating the aesthetic appeal they desire. 

3. Upgrading ready made draperies, textiles and artwork to a custom status. 

Next week, we will see a kitchen challenge for a Sears Photo Challenge.  Take a look at the sneak peek to see a discussion that never even needs to take place.  The answer is obvious to a real design star…those of us who delight clients on a daily basis, like you and I.

Learning from Design Star…All about Emotion

Come on Design Star contestants, you represent the best of the best…supposedly.  I almost quit  watching this week, but I am tenacious, loyal, and was eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes and couldn’t reach the remote.  For me, watching a good episode of decorating TV is tantamount to sex, and well…you get the picture.  The learning point this week was good design is wrapped in emotion. As important as aesthetics are, the “Feeling” is even more important.   The Red Team brought negative emotion to their design.

Two new teams: Red (Nina, Stacy, Courtland, and Tom), and Blue  (Alex, Michael, Casey, Emily) took on this week’s  challenge to create functional common areas for the fireman of the “deserves to be decorated” FDNY.  The spaces needed to be

The Winning Space

 multi-functional and yet, aesthetically pleasing.  Bue Team was declared the winner with their group effort.  They demonstrated what TEAM means including covering for Michael who shot himself with a nail gun.  A number of stand outs, such as Alex’s skyline wall graphic  with lights representing 7 lost fireman from 9-11, Emily’swell-meaning but amateurish attempt at a coffee table, Michael’s  (with a bit of help) desk area and Casey’s canvas of a fireman.  My disappointments (but who I am to talk…they won) was once again the color story.  Why blue violet on the walls and fire engine red?  The competing levels of saturation hurt my eyes. 

Red Team included Cruella DeDecorator Nina, who decided to be unique and unusual with her standout feature…she created a…are you ready…wait for it…WALL ART! A bulletin board adorned with braille stating the fire companies motto.  The problem, if you have to explain it, it doesn’t work.  Nina also made the furniture decision to add leather to the space without any space planning which meant a reclining chair, couldn’t recline.  As a result Cruella DeDecorator is Cruella DeGone. 

 Although I think the Red Team are individually talented, they took a depressing approach with black ceilings, charred looking panelled wall, and an overall lack of concern for the power of emotion when designing a space.  Tom’s decision to open the original ceiling was a good one, but not the place to paint it black. I also was cheering for him when he wanted to knock down a wall but his team mates prevailed and the wall stayed intact. Darn anyway!  I think he has a sincere desire to create amazing spaces but the logistics of the team relationship tie many of their hands. 

Just when I was feeling sorry for poor mis-understood Nina, she opened her mouth.  ”I have a lot of charisma and personality, and people can’t handle that, but I am living in the Nina Show.”   At that comment, I turned to my cat and said, “Can you believe the arrogance.”  With a run to the door, I realized even he wanted to get away from last night’s episode.  I do want to say, if Nina was as talented as she claimed to be, I would have been calling her names but loving the inspiration she shared.  I never truly saw the talent she insisted was there. For more endearing Ninaisms, see her exit interview here, where she makes the loss everyone’s responsiblity…except hers. 

Next week I will tune in again to see if other personalities emerge, since Nina won’t be overshadowing the group.  I hope the rest  step up to the plate and show their decorating chops and some chutzpah.  We need true charisma and oh yes…knock my socks off!  

JoAnne Lenart-Weary

Creative Director-The Decorating and Staging Academy

Founder-One Day Decorating and JLW Interiors

Design Star-Danny, we hardly knew ye

Week 4 of Design Star, and a bit of dullsville. We watch HGTV because we are voyeurs. I have been a professional designer for 35 years and still look for eye candy. Come on, “stars,” take my breath away, pu-leez. 

This week was  inspired by flowers, and the group was cautioned to not take the “theme”  too literally. The women and Dan (the Rodney Dangerfield of design-he don’t get no respect) set out to create a more feminine space.  The men’s take focused on the flower form as opposed to colors, although the completed project was similar. 

Design Star-Women (and Dan) Room

Each space had equal hits and misses according to the judges, so they declared a draw.  I must say when I looked at the girls (plus Dan) project, I wondered where they learned to combine colors, because it was a disjointed miss.  The common design mistake of not honoring the color intensity/saturation was everywhere.  If any of you have taken Color with No Regrets Class, you will see it immediately.  Nina Ferrer continues to show her idea of “unique” is not so unique.  The combination of color and lack of flow to her artwork made it jarring in a space.  Perhaps she is inspired by David Bromstad’s signature of creating OOAK art for his clients, if so Nina, pull a new trick out of your hat.

The men’s apartment was stylish.  The color scheme worked because it was very safe but should potential Design Stars…play safe?   If you go down, go in a blaze of glory, not a whimper. The one potential spin-off is the dapper Tom Vecchione’s new workout show, Decorating Aerobics,as he huffed and puffed  though the process.  If I am breathing that hard, I hope there is a bit of passion involved. (I know, too much information, but I’m old, not dead)

Bottom line, Dan Faires was last night’s whipping post.  Nina arrogantly stated Dan was her assitant. Another reason I wouldn’t watch Cruella DeDecorator, even if she wins.  However, what truly killed Dan’s chances for Design Star fame was his gentlemen’s approach, which pushed him into the background.  Dan, those aren’t soft, helpless women, they are your competitors.  We never really had a chance to see if he had talent or not. But Dan, clusters, come on, was that the best you can do?

Design Star has been a bit disappointing.  I have yet to see an idea that made me sit up and take notice. But I will tune in next week as I hope there truly is a Star in their midst. Hey HGTV, how about a show that showcases the oldies but goodies, not a competition, just a great instructional design show. Just call and the old broads will be there!

Chair Monster Spotted

You have heard of the Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot, but yesterday, I saw the most frightening monster of all.  It was big, ugly and ferocious.  It rose up from the showroom floor with a huge roar and overpowered everything around it.  I saw a Bergere chair run off in fear and a traditional wing back look at it with a sneer.  A man walked close by and it looked at him, smacking its chops and eager for him to pull into his snare.   Although it is a monster, it is also known for its charismatic personality that draws some in, until it is too late too escape.  As I walked with my client, I saw her look in its direction.  “No,” I screamed, “do not look directly into its eyes!”  The monster began doing its dance of seduction, promising soft cushy seating and a place to keep a 6 pack cold. 

Here I come to Save the Day!

 ”My husband would love that,” as she took a step forward, closer to its ugly teeth.  I had to snap into Super Decorator mode.  I slapped on my cape and plunged in to to save her.  I pulled her away, slapped her back into her sensibilities, and out of the corner of my eye, the monster snorted with frustration.   I swore many years ago that I would not let it get another one of my clients.  It is my job to protect the unwitting who do not realize that once the moster gets you, the transformation takes place.  Men suddenly become slack-jawed with a little bit of spittle coming out the corner of their mouth, eyes half-closed and only moving from the monster when they absolutely need to use the necessary room.  Otherwise, they simply lift the monster’s arm, pull a cold one out of the built-in cooler and settle back for a stupified approach to life. 

Phew, my tactics worked, I got her away and soon we were off looking for a chair that was not so monstrous and cunning.  We found her husband a wonderful reclining chair that was handsome, comfortable and stylish.  The monster was thwarted once again!

Still Learning from Design Star

I missed the Sunday evening viewing of Design Star as I was being a Mom and Grandma.  But thank goodness for technology as my recording waited for me.  Week Three was a redo of a New York City rooftop patio.  The inspiration was musical instruments.  Well, decorating a space is about creating a harmony, a cacaphony of texture, color, and creativity, and…alright, I will stop there.  The key was to create a great composition blending your personal best while performing as a team.

Let’s talk about the personal side of Design Star. Many of you know my main business is gathering together talented people and encouraging them to create a beautiful space.  Trust me, sometimes it is difficult to blend  creative egos and allow them to blossom without causing harm to one another. When you are creative, you LOVE your

Hey, they can smile on Design Star!

 ideas and think they are the best. In class, I encourage my students to learn, not only from me, but from one another.  In a reality show like Design Star, we have WAR!  After all, there is only one winner.  Some are able to juggle civility and even kindness while showcasing their talents.  Others may be more demanding with a look at me attitude.  Hey, that’s reality TV, after all, have you seen Danielle on Real Housewives…wait a minute, that is another blog.

So what did I learn this week? 

1. I learned people and talent can easily get swallowed up in the din.  Just like business, you need to find a way to make yourself unique, distinctive and honorable.  Trent Hultgren was one of those people, I am sorry he was dismissed this week as I felt like we never had a chance to see his true potential.  His online portoflio shows a totally different person.  But hey Trent, burn the hat! 

2.  I learned I am very tired Venetian Plaster Walls  that look like what I have been seeing for the last 5 years.  Come on this is Design STAR, gimme some star stuff.

3.  I learned that just because you get on D.S. you may not remember the Golden Rule of Decorating, measure, measure, measure.

4. I learned Tom Vecchione decorates the way he dresses, don’t get me wrong, I like what I have seen, but I hope he stretches beyond his comfort zone.  A designer/decorator shouldn’t have a signature look.  That isn’t decorating for the client but creating mini-me spaces.

5.  I learned so far, no one has earned my vote, but I am hopeful.

6.  The women won this week, their space was more harmonious than the men’s but can’t say I was shaking my pom-poms (that too is another blog) watching the Design Star Game. 

Sh-h-h, don’t tell anyone, here is a sneak peek at next week.  It was made available just to me (okay, and anyone else who visted the site) See you next week!