Episode 5 - You be the judge

Click the image for larger view; Images courtesy of Bravo
(Row 1, left) Teresa Keegan; (Row 1, right) Wisit Prapong
(Row 2, left) Natalie Williams; (Row 2, right) Ondine Karady
(Row 3, left) Andrea Schroder; (Row 3, right) Nathan Thomas
(Row 4, left) Preston Lee; (Row 4, right) Eddie Ross

This is a harder episode to judge as there were three mini-challenges that made up the whole. So, we're going to limit our poll to this final "leg" the garden room.

Please click here to vote for who you think should have won.

Please click here to vote for who you think should have been latered this episode.

BTD Love for Teresa Keegan

Teresa, you said yourself that you were perhaps not the strongest competitor on the show, but that doesn't mean that you are a weak designer. And we believe it. You were, after all, part of two winning teams - Episode 1 - the loft challenge and Episode 4 - the Bachelor challenge; and, you were safe on the other two challenges. So, we congratulate you for doing so well and wish you all the best!


This post is only for positive comments for Teresa or her work.

Click here if you'd like to comment on the episode.

Congratulations Nathan [and Natalie]

There were really two winners this episode.


Nathan won two of the three legs of the design triathlon and was named overall winner. His chair makeover and and deconstructed table scape really impressed the judges. While his garden room was not a winner, his first two mini-wins was enough to take the challenge.







Natalie was also a winner. She won the third leg of the triathlon - designing a garden room. For this win, her room will appear in an upcoming issue of Elle Decor ! Which is a great prize!









So, BTD congratulates both Nathan and Natalie for your hard work and successes in this first individual challenge of the season.

This post is only for positive comments for Nathan and Natalie and their work.

Click here to comment on the episode in general.

Reactions to Episode 5

So, how did our designers do on their first individual challenge? Worth the wait? And... really... who can concentrate on anything besides La Wearstler's 'do'?

Episode 5 - Party Room!

Welcome Top Design fans to the Episode Five Party Room! It's the long awaited individual challenge. Who will step up and who will fall when left to their own devices?

If you're new here - welcome! Just click the comments link and come on in!

TGIW and a little mail

It's Wednesday and our designers are being put to the test (an no, not the "how do we take Kelly seriously looking like that test") - a Design Triathlon! My expectation is that they are required to do three small solo challenges each. Or, perhaps they're spaces have to have three different design techniques (painting, sewing, woodworking, cave drawing...). Well, I'm not usually good with predictions.

Speaking of predictions - The High Schooler has been doing well in this regard and he's sent over his Episode 5 thoughts.

Margaret Russel (r) with designer Celerie Kemble (whom I met last week in Boston!) on Monday. Image courtesy of New York Observer and PatrickMcMullan.com.

A big GET WELL for lovely judge Margaret Russell who, according to the New York Observer, fractured her ankle on her way to a dinner party Jonathan Adler's house. Those crazy judges! (but seriously, get well MR!)

We all need a little Big Daddy. Here'a a nice interview on CreativeLoafing.

Eddie Ross' blog has hit the design blog world with a sledgehammer. A beautifully decorated sledgehammer, of course.

Speaking of Kelly, she wrote the foreword to a fantastic new book Regency Redux. Check out my review.

Join us tonight in the Party Room at 10:00PM as we dish together. We all know that Kelly's hair will be the talk of the night. Hopefully, it won't overshadow the designers' work - but that's hard to imagine!

Following the Party Room, you will be able to post your reactions and comments, send love to the latered and congrats to the winner.

TGIW!

Results in - You were the judge on Episode 4

Images: (l) Andrea Schroder, Wisit Prapong, Teresa Keegag; (r) Shazia Kirmani, Nathan Thomas, Preston Lee
Click on image for larger view. Images courtesy of Bravo.

Our polls for Episode 4 are closed. You were in near total agreement with Margaret, Jonathan, Jeff and India that Obi's Bachelor Pad designed by Andrea, Wisit and Teresa was the clear winner. Click here to see the results.

You were also in near total agreement that it was Shazia's time to go. Click here to see the results.

Check back with us tomorrow for our Episode 5 poll.

Episode 5 - at long last an individual challenge!

Episode 5 - Another Preview!

Recapalooza for Episode Four

My Monkey Could Do That does Epi 4.
The High Schooler made predictions and pretty much nailed it.
Becky from Hatch pushes back against Jonathan's use of the term bedscape.
Everything Eric is back with his recaps!
CasaSugar feels for the bachelors.
Design-Crisis is holding their own Bachelor Pad contest.
Margaret Russell doesn't mince words about "panty"-gate.
Jonathan Adler talks flowers.
The Baltimore Sun Times blogger is pining for an indi challenge.
Cliffieland ponders the secret second careers of the designers while noting which clients cause grown men to faint and lepers to run screaming.

Have a recap to share? Email us!

BTD Podcast with Shazia Kirmani

Linda Merrill talks to Season 2 designer Shazia Kirmani. Click here for Shazia's upcoming website.

Click here for the podcast.

Poll - Episode 4 - Your turn to be the judge

(top) Team Green: Nathan Thomas, Shazia Kirmani and Preston Lee
(middle) Team Red: Eddie Ross, Natalie Williams and Ondine Karady
(bottom) Team Blue: Wisit Prapong, Andrea Schroder and Teresa Keegan
Click on image for larger view. Images courtesy of BravoTV.

Another team challenge finds Wisit, Andrea and Teresa on top and Shazia out the door. What do you think?

Click here to tell us who you thought should have won the challenge.

Click here to tell us who you thought should have been latered.

Congratulations Team Blue!

Congrats to Wisit Prapong, Teresa Keegan and Andrea Schroder for putting together a chic and masculine space for Obi. Obi proved to be a great client (he'd pulled images from Elle Decor to show them what he likes) and you delivered!

This post is only for positive comments for Team Blue or their work. All other comments, please click here.

BTD Love for Shazia Kirmani

Shazia, you showed a lot of spunk in your four episodes. In this episode, your work on the Pop Design floral arrangement challenge was deemed "sweet, sweet good, not sweet bad" by Jonathan. And it was.

This post is only for positive comments about Shazia or her work. All other comments can be made here.

Reactions to Episode 4

Tonight, the designers were tasked to create Bachelor Pads for real clients. Post your comments here and stay tuned for our Poll tomorrow!

Episode 4 Party Room - Yeah Baby!

Welcome Top Design fans to the Episode Four Party Room! Our favorite decorators will be up against everyone's favorite OCD house flipper, Jeff Lewis from Bravo's Flipping Out! This week's challenge? Bachelor Pads!

If you're new here - welcome! Just click the comments link and come on in!

Results in - You were the judge on Episode 3

Click the images for a larger view.
• Andrea Schroder and Preston Lee
• Shazia Kirmani and Nathan Thomas

Our polls for Episode 3 are closed. In a squeaker, you disagreed with the judges and felt that Andrea Schroder and Preston Lee's dreamy window should have gotten the win. However, in this voting season, the vote was within a standard margin of error and nearly as many agreed with the judges that Ondine Karady and Natalie Williams should have won for their colorful and happy display. Click here to see the results.

And, in a landslide, you were completely against the judges decision to send Kerry home. Only 4% of voters agreed with the judges. Many of you thought that Wisit Prapong should have taken the loss, but even more thought that it was Shazia Kirmani who should have been sent packing. Click here to see the results.

Check back with us tomorrow for our Episode 4 poll.

And, join us tonight at 10:00PM - the Party Room will be open!

More Previews!

It's the Shag Pad Episode. Yeah Baby!

Previews!

Looks like some of our designers weren't too happy with the judges Episode 3 elimination!

BTD says Happy Birthday to Serge!