THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

I am WALKING ON AIR!!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for making me your next Design Star!! This whole experience has been amazing, and I am so honored to be able to represent all of us 'normal folk' who are passionate about design. You have no idea how much this means to me, and I can't properly express the enormity of what's begun to happen in my life. And all thanks to YOU!!!

My blog will be rather quiet for a bit as I begin the transition into my new career (!!!!!!!), but please check back later this fall so that I can fill you in on my 'behind the scenes' experiences as HGTV's Design Star! (I've noticed a proliferation of exclamation points in this entry, but it's the only way to let you know how excited I am!)

Again, I thank each and every one of you who've supported me, encouraged me, and VOTED for me! I can't wait to debut my new show this spring, and I promise that we're all about to have a ton of fun together!

With a full heart-
Kim

Final Challenge - Hawaii!!

Goodness. Where do I even begin?!!

I really feel that I was able to focus on my vision, tighten up my process, and just execute the heck out of my design. My suite was a perfect representation of my style, my taste, and my abilities; it's a new personal best, and here's hoping that it marks the beginning of many more adventures in interior design.

No matter what the outcome, I am so honored to have taken part in Design Star, and I can't thank you all enough for championing me!
So please, VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!!!!!!! Let's ensure that what we have here is the start of a long, happy relationship!

Text: (5 times per day)
44881 --- type in the letter A
Log onto HGTV.com/Design Star (once a day) ----- and vote for 'Kim'.

With Fingers crossed and a hopeful heart-
Kim

ps
Will Smith -- An angel. A Gentleman. So proud to call him my friend.

For HGTV Fans

Making it to the final 2 is one of my biggest dreams, and I couldn't be more excited!

I just want to say 'Thank you' to all of you who've reached out on the streets of NYC, on my website, here on my blog, and on the HGTV message boards to give me encouragement and support -- you rock, and it means the world to me. I'd like to think that the final challenge in Hawaii will sway the folks who are still questioning my skills (the message boards are pretty brutal, but when I went to Vegas, I packed my thickest skin); it's been a long haul, and I hope that all of you steadfast believers will be proud!
This competition means so much to me, and I want to encourage any of you out there who've always held a secret dream or wish to just GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!! (This means you, Nina from Astoria Park!) It's what life is all about.

It's time to grab all of your friends and get ready to vote like mad! I'll be posting the rules/voting codes this Sunday, so stay tuned!

Final 2 Viewing Party

It's the final showdown, and you're invited!

Drink Special/5 Boroughs Ice Cream all night long, usual time and place.

When: Sunday, September 9, 8:00PM
Location: 3 Steps Bar
322 2nd Ave. (SE corner of 19th St.)
NYC

Challenge #6 -- Design Star Gives Back

THIS is why I love design!! Being entrusted to improve the quality of life for a beautiful young family was the biggest thrill ever -- I still can't get over it!! The Dean's loved the result, and I couldn't have asked for a better reaction!

What worked:
Overall feel of the space: Cozy, comfy, and rustic, as requested.
Natural elements: Stone and wood details brought the outside 'in' while honoring the families desire for simplicity and earthiness.
Paint choice -- Green is the perfect neutral: It complements all colors well, and is lively with out being too 'bright'.
The 'chalet' style bar overhang: My clients wanted to keep it (I was on the fence), and it actually became a nice focal point once I stripped off the plastic trim and gave it a stain.
'Bonus' Dining Room: Who doesn't love a little something extra?! When you have 10K, just go for it!
Hosting: I could talk about design and design choices all day long, every day of the year. It's my favorite subject, and getting to do that on camera is REALLY fun!

What didn't:
Well, the client veto'd hardwood floors, leather sofa's and warm colors. This made rendering a truly rustic feeling much harder!
The wall-2-wall carpet: The client is always right of course, but in my opinion, a home that's set on country property (equaling lot's of mud and boot traffic) would be better served by a hardwood floor. (Also, that beige carpet was the darkest one available for immediate installation..Uhg.)
The floor plan: Keeping the traffic pattern flowing while giving access to the wood burning stove and TV proved to be less than successful.
Furniture: The in-stock availability / time constraints were definitely tough obstacles -- Ideally, I would have modified the available furniture choices (side tables in particular) to better suit the room's scale.

Final thoughts:
The mud, rain, time crunch and hardcore rural location were all huge challenges, and to have succeeded in pulling it off for the Dean family is something that I'll always be proud of. My carpenter Jimmy was a gem of a guy, as well as an amazing craftsman. The execution of the firewood storage unit and bar exceeded my expectations!

FINAL 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am honored, and BEYOND excited! I remember watching Design Star last year, and saying to myself, 'I have talent and passion -- I'm just going to go for it!'.
Throughout this process, I've worked hard, stayed true to myself, and played the game to the best of my abilities -- all I can say is that believing in yourself is POWERFUL, and I feel truly blessed.

Will -- Will Smith is a consummate professional, a gentleman, and a massive talent. It was bittersweet saying goodbye to a man who has become a true friend to me, but I've no doubt that his Star is on the rise, and that he's unstoppable...he's quality in every way.

Final 3 Viewing Party

Final 3!!!
If you're in town this holiday weekend, join us at the usual time and place!

Drink Special/5 Boroughs Ice Cream all night long

When: Sunday, September 2, 8:00PM
Location: 3 Steps Bar
322 2nd Ave. (SE corner of 19th St.)
NYC

Challenge #5-Wayne Newton's Guest House

Kitchen + Robb...oh my.
The Newton's however are delightful; meeting a legend like Wayne was a real thrill!

What worked:
I loved the colors in the kitchen, the multiple mirrors, and all of my furniture choices. In particular, I thought that the wall colors made the room warm, inviting, and stimulating to the eye and pallet.
Hosting: Relief! The mojo flowed, and it felt good!

What didn't:
Wayne and his wife wanted a 'professional/restaurant'-styIe space, so I felt that 'less was more'. Upon seeing it on TV though, less was just...less. (My learning curve during this process has been crazy...it's a crash course in real-world execution, except it's playing out on TV.)
In a perfect 'Design Star' world, I'd have filled the glass vessels with dry goods: peas, beans, rice, etc. It would have given them a pop of color and a purpose, while remaining simple. I'd also have set the table. (Plus, our fridge was on the lawn (!), and our windows went naked. Obviously, these things would've been properly executed during the time alloted.)

Obviously, working with Robb was HEINOUS.
Producing a cohesive, well executed design when working with an abusive personality is tough. It felt like every decision was a fight, and that negative vibe took valuable time and energy away from our task. Our room's weaknesses were a true reflection of the discord between us.
When you're in the final 4, you want your project to be smart, successful and beautifully executed, so falling short in any way is a real blow.

Final thoughts:
Well, the secret is out: I'm feisty, and I don't suffer bullies.
I decided to tell the truth about our corrosive working relationship during elimination, and it was risky. The showdown was hard, but I was NOT going down without a fight! The judges were horrified and found it unpleasant to witness... I agree, but all I can say is, 'welcome to the past 24 hours of my life'.

I feel truly blessed to be one of the Final 3! Will and Todd are both super talented individuals, and I am walking on air.
As for Robb -- buh-by!

'Final Four' Design Star Viewing Party

Oh, it's ON. Wayne Newton, Robb (AAARRRRrrggghhh!!!), and your's truly. Need I say more?

Please join Scott and I to watch the fun!
Drink Special / 5 Boroughs Ice Cream all night long.

Hope to see you there! Kim & Scott

When: Sunday, August 26, 8:00PM
Location: 3 Steps Bar
322 2nd Ave. (SE corner of 19th St.)
NYC

Challenge #4 - Vegas Wedding

This one was certainly interesting**...
Our happy couple was just that: HAPPY. All of the elements that they loved about Robb's design seemed to translate well for them (and the bride cried happy tears; a sure sign that we'd done something right).

What worked (but was not shown):
My choice to redirect the floral centerpieces was an important one -- huge sprays (as Robb had proposed) make it hard for guests to see the party going on around them, and inhibit conversations at the table. Making the arrangements compact and low kept them from competing with EVERYTHING else, and added an element of class.

What didn't:
(Again, the client loved it, so this is just me..)
Crushed velvet, giant guitars, lavender boa's, spinning dice and blinking ice cubes.
Enough said.

Final thoughts:
Giving the client their dream wedding was paramount, but it can be tough to find your own voice within a design that goes against your grain. This was a moment when we all had to pull together, and make the best of it.

(For the record: I'm dismayed that the editing makes it seem as though I'm Robb's biggest cheerleader when commenting on his management style. I was actually responding to a direct question that was posed to each of us by the judges, and we ALL gave similar responses. Let's be clear: I'm not a 'Robb Fan'.)

Christina -- She's a lady. She's truly as sweet as she seems.

Sparkle -- Josh is a STAR. Period. (Frankly, I'd tune in to watch him do just about anything on TV.)

**Getting Cancelled by Clients (and not the 3 judges):
On one hand, they're regular folks (not design experts), so it almost cushions the blow.
On the other...they're not design experts. It's depressing to have your dream snuffed out by 2 people (however lovely) who don't deal with design on a regular basis.

Challenge #3- Blank Rooms

So, I was finally able to show the judges what I can do, and put a bit of distance between myself and the 'We don't know who your are' category. (And, I survived to play another day.)

What worked:
I totally dig the concept of the gingko re-'leaf' wallpaper panels; cheeky simple, fun.
The 'Neapolitan Ice Cream' color story (I LOVE BOLD COLOR, and my husband and I run 5 Boroughs Ice Cream...It was my shout-out to him).
The coffee table treatment. My design projects are all about imagination-- they're creative, sassy, and deliver bang for the buck. (Sorry, make that 99 cents!)

What didn't:
The actuality of the gingko leaf wallpaper. Viewing it on TV was a real lesson in "What's in your head isn't always as cool as you think it will be in reality". Also, Vern felt that my corners looked empty. (I kind of agreed. But then I'll never be accused of being a maximalist.)
In hindsight, I definitely could have executed the following:
1. Using a box cutter blade, I could've sliced out thin, vertical pinstripes in the column lamp shade = visual interest without sacrificing simplicity.
2. Tripled the amount of candles on the floating shelves, and addressed their casings with something textural to create a sculptural moment. Maybe.
I ended up HATING the green fruit/paper/table accents in the room, too. The judges nailed it: they read like after-thought's.

Final thoughts:
Hello, we're dropping like flies! This is alternately upsetting (watching friends get canceled) and a relief (maybe I'll actually be able to get into a bathroom).

Scott!!!!!!! Oh man, was I sad to see him go. He's a huge talent, a fantastic human being, and someone that I plan to call my friend for years to come.
Adrianna, too. I owe her a huge debt of gratitude for teaching me how to use power tools so that I could assist her during the kitchen challenge; Thank you, Adri!! She's a dynamo.

Challenge #2: Dueling Kitchens

Oy.
Where to begin? First, I am so glad to have survived the chopping block! Being in the bottom 3 sucks, end of story.

What worked:
I loved our team's color scheme: using the interests of our client as a jumping off point for color inspiration seemed like a natural. (Gotta love wine drinkers!) Sparkle Josh produced a gorgeous dining area for us (So glad he won the $5000 prize; he deserved every bit of it). Also, Adrianna's carpentry skills rocked; we'd have been toast with out her.
I loved our team. I loved that we all respected each other's voices within the project, treated each other with kindness and dignity, and produced what I think is the more attractive kitchen of the 2.

What didn't:
Well, obviously the tile countertop was a freakin' disaster. Let me assure you that there is nothing more sickening than knowing that you are not going to finish the project on time, and your failure to do so will be televised. Mortifying. (Lesson learned?: measure, measure, measure........then go out and get a pre-fab counter top. Thanks to the heinous time constraints of the challenge, we just did not have time to be futzing around with tile.)

Final thoughts:
Green Josh was a sweet, easy going individual. Obviously this was to his detriment when working on a team with Robb and Todd. Just goes to show you how the luck of the draw can totally influence the balance at this stage of the game; he would have fit right in with the temperments on our team.

Neeraja is a Dame, and I adored her. Yes, leadership and execution were an issue for her on this challenge, but working with her was a pleasure (results be damned). She was devilishly funny, and a no bullshit personality -- Personally, I miss her.

HGTV's Design Star: First Challenge

Ok, here's where I get to dissect the work that I do on the show. As you know, I'm not a professionally trained designer, so my participation on Design Star (an amazing experience!) carried with it a bit of learning curve. Here are my thoughts.

Challenge 1- Penthouse
Ok, I loved the Dining Pit and Zen Lounge that Scott and I created! (Props to Todd for making a monster table appear out of thin air for us.) It's a space I'd gladly hang out in. Thank God Scott and I were on the same page design-wise, and God bless him for immediately having a very clear starting place and vision.

What worked:
I loved our color palette, the organic feel of all of the wood, and the cleanliness of line. My major design contributions to the space included most of the accessories, the assembling & upholstering of the 2 white lounges, the bench seating upholstery and back rest, and the small hanging lanterns (not the big lamp: I'm still on the fence about that one. Loved EVERYTHING about it but the dangling ropes...but hey, it looked stellar on TV, and added an organic vibe that really softened the space. I learned something on that one. Scott, kudos.).

What didn't:
I still think it's odd that Todd's 1/4 pipe was included with our space. Don't get me wrong, it was a cool 'out of the box' interactive moment, but it didn't have much to do with our 'Zen' situation. Also, if I had it to do over, I'd have gone larger scale with the pillows on the lounges; to my eye they looked a bit dwarfed on TV.

Final Thoughts:
I am beyond thankful that Scott and I had such a great connection and shared a vision. It was such a blessing to pair with a kindred spirit for the first challenge, and I am just so relieved that the judges loved the space. (And that I didn't go home!) The first challenge is anyone's game, and you just never know how it will fall out.

(I miss Lisa, though. She's a gem.)