I was actually glad that India wanted to give her a chance to clarify and decide. She realized that Andrea's statement could have been coming from her raw emotion and might not be what she really wants. That's why when asked again, Andrea realized that she had the decision to make and the drama ensued. I can see it playing out that way because who hasn't said something they didn't really mean in a state of emotional stress.
I like Jonathan but he really behaved like a bad male stereotype with his automatic, get rid of her because she is "insulting" the others, tone. He came off very self-important and snobby, which is Eddie territory.
But if a contestant wants to go, then of course, they should.
I have to say, I am liking this show better than Project Runway. Maybe I just like the overall personality of India better than Heidi?
Loved the peridot chandelier. Hated the fake-drama at the end. I also thought Simon was a good guest judge . . . being short-statured myself, I too wondered about the height of the sofa next to the dining table in the "mortuary" room.
Personally I am glad you brought the whole manufactured drama BS. It was ridiculous of the judges to put the onus on her whether she stayed or not.
Personally I don't buy that disrespectful nonesense that Adler is saying.
Yes you intellectually know you will be isolated and expected to work long hours, but you really don't know what it's really like until you enter the game. It's only recently people have revealed how little sleep they have and that they go literally non-stop. Those are unnatural conditions that most chefs, designers or other artists will go through. Kudos to India to being sensitive to feel Andrea's outburst was not calculated but coming from high stress.
Yes Andrea I think has proven she's a talented and capable designer. It's not like she ignored the judges' input and wasn't trying. During the first half of her run, she made great contributions to all the team challenges. However it was clear that Eddie, Preston and Nathan were impressing the judges much more in general. I can imagine from her perspective she didn't feel she measured up and it undermined her confidence.
I think the cruddy part is that her room was clearly better than Undine's and Eddie's and certainly more inviting than Preston's ( although he did do the best job)but she was still stuck in the bottom 2.
Sad to see Andrea go, but she made the right decision for herself, so that's all that matters. I'm happy for her that she's back with the family.
Congrats to Preston again! Simply deloosh! And no, I'm not trying to be like Eddie in saying that. Eddie's just jealous of my Preston. Ha ha!
Didn't like Nathan siding with Eddie on the whole Preston thing, but Nathan can be a little catty. Still cute, though, so he gets a pass. Cattiness kinda works for him (unlike Eddie -- take some lessons from Nathan). Nathan's room was a little much for me as well, but you can't say he doesn't have imagination and creativity. Didn't get the horse thing, though.
Poor Ondine. Don't know what the heck is up with her.
Do I even have to talk about Eddie? It's all been said. Hideous room, hideous attitude. As Nathan put it, "Martha, Martha, Martha!"
I know! I felt so bad for Ondine. It seemed so high school to me---oh gee not-as-pretty best friend, should I date the dude you've been pining for all year? He keeps asking me out and I don't know what to doooooo!
Sigh. I have issues, don't I?
I dunno, I was disappointed with most of the rooms this week. Preston's was the most successful, but I don't get putting a chandelier right against a wall. That showcases it?
Didn't get Nathan's room. Didn't get the purple and chartreuse or the horse. I barely saw the chandelier in that room.
Actually - my favorite was the lavender branch and flowers in the opening shot behind Indias head!!
I was GREALY relived that the judges loved Nathan's room. I have to be honest, watching that thing come together I was WAY scared for our resident obsession. Agree that the horse, while cool as hell, just did not work in that room.
Prestons? I love the orange chairs. Loved the wallpaper, although leaving the chande and the mirror in the black space would have framed them beautifully.
Andrea's was almost there. She made some good decisions and some so-so decisions, but in comparison to some it was actually quite a surprise. When I look at that mean-green light (which I adored) I think funky, cluby, retro-cool. She took it in a different direction and I think it actually worked.
Poor Ondine. Depressing room. The pieces were good, just not together. Oh, and I think that light looked like sperm. Sorry. Had to be said. lol
I have one small question, and I turn to you lovely people to answer it for me, because you are much better versed in these types of thing than I am.
Why didn't one of them go for a bathroom? I mean I understand why not a kitchen, as the appliances get too pricey and such, but I had the same thought last week during the future challenge. So many awesome things are available in the bathroom department at Home Depot for goodness sakes! Do designer showrooms just not cater to bathrooms? When I saw the chandelier Ondine picked I figured, oh man, she'll do a bathroom and take this challenge! She has enough money to do it! And then we got shabby chic. Blech. So, why not a bathroom? Or am I not understanding something here?
Eddie is the worst sort of gay. he's so obnoxious.
I haven't been following this season that much, but I like Nathan. He seems like a nice guy, and he's quite attractive. Funny how obnoxious Eddie seems ugly now while Nathan is way hot, even though objectively Eddie is an attractive guy. The personality just sucks.
I assume Preston's straight, but I hate those shirts he wears. I think it's trashy when guys show that much of their chest. Obviously he has a good body, but I really should never see a guy with a shirt like that unless it's at a gay club.
Love the analysis. Spot on. But I have to say that Ondine's chandelier, the Light Sock, well darlings, it looks more like a Nut Sack. And when Simon mentioned tea stained all I could think was tea bagging. That was an attrocious fixture.
I agree with Preston's win, but only because everyone else's room wasn't very good. Nathan's room just perplexed me. I loved that chandelier which absolutely got lost in that space and too much stuff, too many colors, too busy.
Eddie really did just phone that in. The chandelier was great, but he didn't have a clue what to do with it. I think most of Ondine's work is depressing. This was just the latest example.
Andrea just fell apart. But would she get to go straight home? Don't they make the auf'ed designers hang out somewhere until the competition is over, like with PR, Survivor, etc.? If that's true, she still didn't get to go home and left for nothing.
And I sure wouldn't want to go to Jonathan's and Simon's house for dinner. I'd be afraid of what they'd say to my face AND what they'd say after I left.
Does anyone know the brand of wallpaper the designers use on the show? I saw that one book is entitled "The 70's," but I can't find anything about it online. I'd like to know about the grasscloths and the modern patterns. Thanks!
Thanks boys for posting at lightening speed on this episode!
I love challenges that give the designers all the cash, goods, and time to create something fantastic b/c so many aspects of their personalities are revealed.
Poor Preston. Not allowed to play in the gay reindeer games. His room was interesting at first glance, but like you point out, too symmetrical, too put together...did not sustain my interest.
Nathan's room was pure 'designer gone wild'! Watching him shop was like watching kids with unlimited cash shop in Toys R Us. Didn't love the room, but loved his process and all the pieces he chose.
Eddie defaulted to kissing the ass that pays him. Too bad Martha's wares were no match for that dazzling work of art.
Andrea pushed a lot of my buttons. As a mom and wife, I felt for her. It pained me when she asked for Ondine's opinion. Not a graceful exit, but an honest one. It helps that she left on a beautiful high note. Kudos for that elegant room she created.
Ondine's room made me sad...she put together an amazing collection of things that reminded her of her life outside the show. Loved her wall of mirrors! It was telling that she included a bed, and not a sofa, in that room. The only thing missing was a box of Kleenex.
Great judging this week! This season is a HUGE improvement over last season.
Frankly, I didn't think any of these rooms were successful, as none of the designs really related to the design of the chandelier. The idea was, I thought, to make the chandelier the focal point, and in every case, the chandelier got lost.
Eddie gets more obnoxious every week. If he were barred from mentioning Martha Stewart, he'd go mute. And there is nothing more unattractive than a person who constantly brags about himself and condescends to those around him. Eddie, if you are too good for this show, why are you on it?
thanks for the insight, tlo -- i was wondering about why both preston & andrea put their chandeliers in front of heavily patterned wallpaper. they just got practically lost there. i LOVED the green one andrea had. liked the room for the most part, too. agree that the drama at the end was manufactured.
eddie was lucky he won that pop-design & immunity, otherwise his arrogant little ass would have been sent home. that room reminded me of a new homeowner moving into a home that had a fabulous contemporary look and bringing in their martha-esque traditional furniture and trying to make it work with the awesome chandelier... it just didn't!!! and what possessed him to put those two lamps at the end on the buffet table? they looked ridiculous. i laughed at the notion of "lobby of a funeral parlor".
i was really suprized by nathan's room. didn't really like it. loved the chandelier; loved the graphics on the wall, but it was just too busy. again i almost lost the chandelier in the mess. so un-nathan-like. he is still my pick for the final win, though!
agree that ondine really didn't do a good job, and although i think overall she is probably a better designer than andrea (certainly more experienced), she really fell down this week. although i would have been sorry to see her go, i do believe that since they couldn't send eddie homw, she was the appropriate choice. she got very lucky that andrea chose to take herself out of the competition.
At seeing Eddie's elation at seeing the Martha furnishings, I groaned out loud. I LOVED his chandelier, and he somehow managed to sap all of the brilliance from it. Those LAMPS! Blech.
I love you guys. I must say that at least once a week in a comment, but ugh, this blog is my escape from work right now! You remind me of my favorite old hairstylist (who sadly no longer does hair) because he'd have the bitchiest, most appropriate comments for any situation. You're fabulous.
Well, Loved Ones, who DIDN'T know that it would be Andrea bowing out since the first promo for Epi 8 ran last week? And I was so hoping that the Elves might be holding a surprise up their sleeves and that Martha's Little Lord Fauntleroy would be huffing off in disgust at the judges' collective lack of enthusiasm for his brilliance. But alas. Ho hum. As predicted.
What I wasn't prepared for was the surprise that was Jonathan Adler! And here I'd thought him a delightful, gracious person. Instead he showed himself to be a remarkably shallow snip.
Thank the Goddess (India Hicks) for becoming the Loving Presence and instructing him in what he was missing from the interaction with Andrea. Of course she was demoralized. Of course she was torn. Of course she was homesick.
That doesn't suddenly make her an affront to hyperactive artistes everywhere. It makes her a real person in my book. I hope she continues to nurture her dreams. Kudos to her for getting as far as she did. Being shamed by Jonathan Adler for somehow being "weak" was not only mean it showed a complete lack of empathy.
You go, Andrea. Don't listen to anything that Jonathan implied about your decision. Live well. Live very well. It is the best revenge.
Eddie was way too frenetic this episode. When he was announced Pop Design winner, oy!
Enjoyed Nathan going in a different direction this week! That's what I like about him-he's flexible in his creations. Not the same expected design style every time. Definitely not boring.
Wow. When I saw that 'Light Sock', my vulgar little mind conjured up tea-bagged rather than 'tea stained'....
(Raps knuckles with ruler. "bad Lola!")
Anyhoo, I could appreciate Preston's design, but I liked Nathan's more. Sure, he threw it all out there, but better to do that than start going all safe ala Ondine. Plus, Nathan is much better at bullshitting judges with his stories.
I'm waiting for a Nathan/Eddie showdown, though. You know those two see each other as their greatest competition!
Somebody must have switched Eddie's coffee to a double shot espresso that day.
Oh, Ondine! What happened? I was all ready to root for you as an underdog, and all we got was THAT.
As for Mrs. Ricky Schroeder, Lorenzo, you were not alone in screaming at the tv. (And I'm not even latino.) I haven't reacted that way to a reality show since Andrae's meltdown on PR. What a little drama queen - you sure she didn't study acting as well? BS!
By the way, loved Simon's appearance on the show, and you know Adler mentioned Eddie's bitchiness to him since Simon referred to himself as "freakishly short". Love it!
Omg, this was the best episode of the season so far.
Preston's chandelier was hideous, and I thought his room was bad too. I can't believe he won. (It also somehow looks exactly the same as everything else he's done.) And uh, when the challenge is to highlight the chandelier, how did he win when 9 out of 10 people probably couldn't even spot the chandelier in the room?
Nathan's started out ok but turned out terrible. I thought his 'story' was kinda lame and done already, but I did kinda like the horse. If anything, the hideous painting on the wall had to go. I know plenty of UES bitches and none of them would ever have that on their walls.
Eddie's was hideous, much like his personality. I seriously don't know how the other designers keep themselves from punching him in the face. The fact that Nathan likes him makes me dislike him almost as much as I dislike Eddie. (Why is Eddie so cocky? All he does is basically copy Martha's style. It's not even his own. It's not even Martha's! Pretentious, Connecticut, country club bullshit.)
I didn't get the Preston hate either. He's kind of annoying sometimes, that's about it. I'm guessing Nathan and Eddie are probably jealous of his looks/body. Gays are so lame and catty sometimes.
Andrea/Ondine...I thought Ondine's room was better than Eddie's, though I didn't notice the tea-stained aspect either 'til Simon brought it up. I don't think Angela should have volunteered to leave - she made it fair and square! Doesn't the fact that she'd be Top 4 validate her design skills at all? Seriously, all this whining about her family. Get over it. It's probably like, a week left of filming at most.
Worth repeating: I'm in love with Nathan's eyebrows. Deadly, and he knows how to use 'em! I liked the elephant, er, horse in the room. The other side of the space could have been edited a bit, but I liked his room best.
Wow, I think Tim Gunn was wrong, Top Design is the gayest show on television. I'm not sure when it quite hit me: Was it Nathan's co-ordinated undies? Eddie's preening about Martha Stewart's private plane? Preston's perfect waxed chest?
Or did the realization dawn upon me during one of Wisit's countertenor arias?
Or maybe it was Andrea, reknowned actor's wife, and set designer Ondine's big moment seemed so *dreary* next to the rest of the episode.
Was it Kelly Wearstler beyond-the-Grey-Gardens turban last week? (Luv her, particularly the Tweetie Bird voice. I want to go to her Halloween party.)
No maybe it's just that Simon Doonan eased right into the whole thing without raising an eyebrow. He seemed positively vin ordinaire in that joint. Quentin Crisp would have been vin ordinaire.
Poor Andrea, I feel like she just wilted from inadequate fabulousness--a Hollywood blonde done in. How often do you see that happen?
Ondine, despite the marvelous name, seems to be similarily off her game, though I hope she gets some sleep and just goes for it--don't think she's been on since she was slammed for her decoupage.
So rooting for Ondine to recover and Nathan, glorious nicer-than-he-poses Nathan, for the win. He may even be having fun still. It's refreshing.
Preston BORES me--and Eddie can crash the Martha plane any time.
I do think the stress was getting to Andrea and that she really was missing her family. I also think she realized that she was not a contendor for the win, so she saw this as her opportunity to bow out as Ondine clearly wanted to continue in the competition. It was obviously a little hard for her to come to her final decision to leave, but in the end she did the right thing.
How did they all miss the point that the chandelier was to be the focal point of the room? Most of the time I had to look for it.
If I had Ondine's "light sock" I would have had dark grey walls, put the chandelier in the center, and designed a luxury workout room with minimal pieces so as not to distract. The chandelier has a "sports" look to me.
bailey said, I'm guessing Nathan and Eddie are probably jealous of his looks/body.
Nathan has nothing to be jealous of. He is far more attractive than Preston!
Gays are so lame and catty sometimes.
Unlike straight people, who are never lame and catty?
Blah blah blah honey. You may love "your gays" but let's not pretend 6.5 out of 10 aren't total bitches. Yeah, straight people suck too, but at least it's not over things like shoes and underwear. Try being a gay guy before you throw out your opinion on such things. Obviously you're not going to be put to the same standards.
I agree that the floral branch chandelier that apparently wasn't one of the choices was the real to-die-for piece.
I think Nathan's "over-the-top design" bordering "on an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach" was a bedroom for Project Runway's Jerell. It would fit his design sense perfectly.
The light sack. Amen to whoever said ball sack. It looked like one of those gross nutbags that rednecks hang off the trailer hitch of their pickup trucks.
Is it just me or are Eddie's eyes growing closer together as his behavior becomes more bratty and obnoxious?
Love you for using the word unctuous. I can finally thank Brother John Healy who taught my freshman English class for making us learn all that vocabulary.
What the frig was up with Ondine's warm-up jacket? Did she mug a Golden Girl?
Unlike straight people, who are never lame and catty?
The difference is, when straight people are lame and catty, they get called out here. When gay guys are lame and catty, it's "hilarious" and "cute." Yawn.
I thought that Eddie's room seemed like we were looking into the side of an aquarium. He acted like a conceited SOB, but he knows what behavior is going to get him as much camera time as possible, and that will give him max time to show off for his beloved Martha.
Ondine. What is seriously up with this girl? Too much sedative? Why did she not say, "Go home!" as soon as Andrea asked her? Who would just stand there like that? Stand down from the seds girl and get to work!
Nathan and Eddie seem sorta "chummy". Touchy freely feely. IS there a romance going on there? To me, there was nothing about Nathan's room that deserved to be grouped in with that gorge chandelier. I agree the horse is definitely OUT.
Am I the only one that is bothered by the mismatch of greens in Adrea's room? Ug! I think something totally different from the green shade of the wallpaper would have been stunning. Perhaps a rich chocolate color.
All the designers overloaded their rooms and as a result de-emphasized their chandeliers. Each designer should have reduced their clutter by 75%.
Except for Preston. That was a gorgeous room, but again the chandelier was obfuscated by the wallpaper. He should have used the wallpaper as an accent to the chandelier, not as a competitor. What an insult to the chandelier.
So Simon is Jonathon's husband? What a cute (but truly unexpected) couple. Simon was an awesome judge. I would have loved to hear more of his thoughts and I would implore Bravo to have him on again. Loved him.
Andrea felt that she was out of her league and overwhelmed, so what? She'll eventually regret her decision not to stick it out, but I think she read the writing on the wall and realized it wasn't worth missing out on her family for. Sometimes in life you make those choices. She certainly wouldn't be the first mom to make that one. It's clear to me who the top three are, so maybe it's just as well.
I have been waiting for you to post on this one. Points I have been wanting to mention:
* Eddie saying he and Nathan have not been letting Preston play in any of their reindeer games.
* Eddie calling Jonathan an elf - way to score points. It always works out in a contestant's best interest when they insult a judge. Of course, he did win the challenge so maybe I am wrong.
* Nathan and Eddie helping Andrea accessorize her room.
* Andrea saying she turned the bookshelf on its side because she knew she wouldn't be able to accessorize it properly.
* Andrea's constant whining and indecision and self-doubt. I realize (as some posters have mentioned) that it is a much more grueling process than we realize, but it is a contest and Darwinian by nature. There is no way that kind of behavior deserves to be rewarded. I don't think Jonathan was being rude or ignorant or hurtful. I think he was recognizing that there was no reason to keep a designer around who really didn't want to be there when the others all clearly want to be there.
After her performance on this show, I would have a hard time believing that Andrea will get many job offers. I certainly wouldn't hire her.
Except, why hasn't anyone talked about Mr. Hotpants' purple wall streaks? Didn't that bother anyone else? Right behind him...on the screen...all the time! I just wanted to go run in with a brush and clean that bit of wall up before the judges got there.
Bill said . . . I think Nathan's "over-the-top design" bordering "on an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach" was a bedroom for Project Runway's Jerell. It would fit his design sense perfectly.
Speaking of guest judge Simon Doonan, has anyone caught any of Beautiful People on BBC Two?
It's based on Doonan's best-selling childhood memoirs, but the time period is updated to the 90's for the series. Young Simon is a young teen dealing with a dysfunctional family and dreaming of escape from the British suburbs to live amongst the "beautiful people" of London.
" SUS said... I know! I felt so bad for Ondine. It seemed so high school to me---oh gee not-as-pretty best friend, should I date the dude you've been pining for all year? He keeps asking me out and I don't know what to doooooo!"
Oh, that made me laugh. What an accurate comparison!
Eddie reminds me of Mr Collins, the pompous cousin in Pride and Prejudice, 'Lady de Bourg's fireplace mantle alone is worth 800 pounds.'
I skimmed through comments so apologize if someone has already said it, but does anyone suppose that the assembled cognescenti are basically saying that Martha Stewart is not good design? B/c it sure seemed that way to me.
but does anyone suppose that the assembled cognescenti are basically saying that Martha Stewart is not good design? B/c it sure seemed that way to me.
I think they are looking at Eddie's Munster's work as being expected because it is Martha's redux. They want him to move away from that and do something other than Martha. I don't blame them. It's a big yawn.
I thought he might get the message and put away all that Martha when he did the window challenge with Santino. But really, he just doesn't get it. "Martha, Martha, Martha" - exactly!
Before I comment on the show (which comment was started three hours ago and then telecons interrupted),
Boys, I really like your new logo, but I'm rather mourning the disappearance of the '50s came in the tub with the phone and the "Darlings, but what do THE GAYS think??" which I always thought was witty and delightful.
Boy, Eddie's lamp could have been the springboard for something really drop-dead gorgeous and different, but man, that dining room was, as you Boys so rightly stated, Ethan Allen. The chandelier just did not go with the furnishings at all. Whoever amongst the judges said it looked like a coffin above the table really nailed it.
The colors, the shape, the dark sparkle... an opportunity missed by a country mile.
I thought Preston's room also slightly missed AbFab with the symmetry and some rigidity, but he sure made the best of the most challenging of the lighting fixtures.
Nathan (eye-candy, eye-candy), overdid his concept. For a rich, snotty girl, I didn't get the rich part... a little too busy, notwithstanding that it was a teen's room.
Ondine's effort was completely at odds with the look and message of her chandelier. Dreadful disconnect.
Andrea, I thought there were some scale problems and I thought the wallpaper diminished the impact of the column chandelier. She was, however, so ready to beat feet... and gosh, she looked weary.
I completely agree that the "drama" at the end was unnecessary and manipulative editing.
I AM enjoying TD2, though, and I'll be a little sad when it concludes in a couple of weeks.
I think Miss Martha knew she had immunity and decided to promote her line. She knew they wouldn't send her home, so why not do an entire Martha Stewart's room?
It started out so well, when they gave them stunning expensive focal pieces, and a biggish budget.
I expected better from Eddie, especially when he found he could choose from a line & aesthetic that he loves.
Ondine needs to do something about her hair. (they're filming you woman!) Agree with the general feeling that her fixture was completely out of place in her unexciting room.
Preston had lots of nice pieces, but I did not like the end result. Too stilted feeling, and the orange could have been either an accent (one chair) or repeated more often through the room.
Nathan's felt like a real room for a rich kid - I've been in some homes where money and a designer were obviously brought to bear - and then the random tastes of the untutored young let loose. The false note for me, ironically was the chandelier. I can't imagine mummy & daddy not relocating it to a more adult space.
I agreed with the judges that Andrea's chandelier was fairly successful, though I hated her wallpaper. I admired several of the individual pieces in her room more than the end result. She really should not answer the judges' questions if she's hellbent on undermining whatever positive feelings her work might evoke.
And the ending!! O.k., it punched my buttons.
I've spent my adult life working in a male dominated field, and for more than half that time have made career decisions that have seemed disastrous to my peers in order to be able to be an involved and very present parent. Jonathon's attitude is pretty much what I expect, especially at the higher end of a profession and from the childless (Not that I know if any of the judges have children, and it doesn't matter.)
What matters is 1) Andrea, the entire shooting schedule is known in advance! 4 weeks? 6 weeks? For many parents, that's not unendurable, if not ideal either. If you can't leave your kids, why agree to go on the show???
But o.k. If she'd never left her kids for more than a week, she might not have realized. So I forgave her. Barely.
2)What kind of crap was that, asking Ondine!??!
And Ondine, you shoulda just said, "well, I unambiguously want to be here even if you don't."
So for me, they cancel each other out.
But, I cannot forgive: 3)Dramatically and loudly and snivellingly fulfilling the stereotype that women cannot really "achieve" if they are mothers.
So. Sole positive: India came off as mature and compassionate and redeemed, for me, her pretty bland presence so far.
Andrea, get a therapist. Watch all the episodes with him/her. Then work on that self-sabotage thing. There's nothing wrong with deferring or down sizing your goals in order to be more present in your family. But own your own life! When you are in your professional setting, woman, don't dig tiger traps in front of your own feet!!!
She is a quitter and she robbed someone else of a chance to be there just because her rich snotty self wanted to be on tv like her husband. The rest of them actually are dong this for a JOB she was doing it for FUN and yet couldn't make it another week? Did the nanny quit? Disgusting. The minute she said she wanted to go they should have shown her the door.
i must admit i like the sack light. but i think it is only because it was done by one of my favorite architecture firms diller scofidio & renfro, so i am a little biased. yes, i am a dorky architecture student, i can't help it :)
Formerlyanon – regarding your comments about Andrea – Amen sister friend. I am a working mother who has to be away from my children on a regular basis to make a buck. But, I knew that when I signed on for this job. So did Andrea.
I really have no problem with Jonathan Adler’s comments. (In fact, if you watch the show again, Margaret didn't pull any punches either.) It is a competition. She did indeed take the place of other designers who would have killed to be there. Picture this: there is a upper level position opening up at your company. There are two people vying for the position and the corporation makes you jump through hoops to decide who should get the position. Finally, you are offered the job. In response, you say: “Oh, I don’t know what to do. Should I take it or should I just go home. I think I just want to be home with my kids. But, maybe I should take the job. Oh, I don’t know. This is soooo hard. I don’t know what to do. Oh, what do you think I should do?” Believe me, my female boss would listen to me whine for two seconds before withdrawing the offer and giving my promotion to the other candidate. That’s the real world.
I don't get Nathan's being one of the top. What Pampered Princess wants a bust of Beethoven in their bedroom? And that horse?! Utterly ridiculous.
Honestly I thought Andrea's was the 2nd best. Simon made such a big fricking deal over that stupid shell, but in the scheme of things, it wasn't that bad.
And why the heck are they still giving out immunity? Damnit, we couldn't been rid of Eddie finally!
I know there's a lot of Nathan-love on this site, but his woofiness does not excuse his mean girl behavior.
I haven't seen Preston make fun of anyone or call them out, either in the confessional or to their face, but Eddie and Nathan were both just plain nasty to him this episode.
And if he WAS worth being mean to, the editors would have shown us by now (ala Kenley).
Also, Nathan's funky wall was not well done. The white outline stripes weren't clean; you could see a few places where the tape didn't line up correctly. If you're going to do something that bold, it should be impeccable and even watching it without freeze-frame, I could tell it wasn't.
TLo: What's up with these two snotty bitches playing mean girl with Preston?
I'm late to the party commenting on TD, boys ... but you two are doing the damn thing. I just love Preston's intellectual approach to reality tv. He seems so unphased by those bitches. He wants to win that damn trophy.
... and since I'm having a cocktail ... I'm totally missing something in the Nathan-love category. I don't get it. He seems to require good lighting. Preston, however ... candlelight, flashlight, moonlight
Bathroom places in design centers don't carry any inventory and everything they have on display is fixed to the walls. They were able to borrow the furniture from the showrooms, but could not have done so with bath fixtures.
With each passing week, I want to just smack Eddie and remind him he is NOT God's gift to design. How can we take someone who willingly rides on someone else's coattails so seriously? I was more than willing to tolerate Andrea's "I'm Rick Schroeder's wife" comments, because I think she does understand she needs her own identity, but she hasn't yet sorted out how to get there. Eddie, though...I just want to strangle him. Now. You would think someone at Martha Stewart would have told him that an unchecked ego is most unattractive.
And I think Nathan and Eddie were playing Mean Girls to Preston because he doesn't give them what they want. How effective is freezing someone out when they quietly and maturely go about their work and deliver a quality product? He made that damn ugly chandelier look good.
I can't believe you didn't mention Eddie's comment during the Pop Design that he didn't like one-stop shopping and likes to go to many different stores. Then, he only shopped at Martha for the elimination challenge.
I can't believe you didn't mention Eddie's comment during the Pop Design that he didn't like one-stop shopping and likes to go to many different stores. Then, he only shopped at Martha for the elimination challenge.
simon WAS great. can he be on every week? maybe replacing India?
I felt a little sad that there was a chandelier with the word "sock" right in its name. how can a "sock" anything be truly fabulous? and i clearly have depressive taste, because - i kinda like Ondine's tea-stained (or is it tear-stained) room.....however. it was not up to snuff for this challenge.
Eddie needs a kick in the pants. and I wish the judges had called him out on going Martha Stewart - it felt like - cheating, or just laziness/cheesiness. i dunno.
and i was shocked - shocked! - that several designers placed their chandeliers against boldly patterned papers. even *I* know better than that, and I'm a design moron.
I was very, very sad about the Mean Girl-ing of doll Preston. to not let the guy help roller in paint? really? REALLY? after he offered so sweetly to help?
(oh, and when they showed Preston lounging against the wall, waiting for the judges, in his little nice pants and shirt - swoon!)
i thought Andrea was doing very well until the paper and the Seashell Planter. i loved the sofa she chose. ah well.
okay, after reading ALL the comments: I like Preston. I think he's a duck and a doll (and, to whoever mentioned it, I think he's gay too. I have the abysmally bad luck of being a straight girl eternally attracted to gay boys - and ergo, Preston's gotta be gay). His little interview moment this week, when he said he's quiet or reserved or whatever, told me A LOT; non-quiet, extroverty types rarely know how to cope well with an introvert/shy/quiet person (I've been on the introvert end of the stick all my life). And I DO like Preston's taste; I liked this week's room very, very much.
Also, really - Martha Stewart must be appalled at the behavior of her employee. If she isn't, she should be.
I like Nathan a lot, and I like his aesthetic, but this room baffled - I HATED the smeary purple-lime-green-blue wall art. And the "bratty teenager" theme didn't work for me. That icicle light was my favorite, and I didn't think he showcased it terribly well.
still adorable and charming, but the nastiness to Preston made Nathan sink in my regard. I *can't* give a pass to bad behavior just because Nathan's hot as all hell.
Andrea was a poser, starting with the picture she selected of herself and husband Rick to keep on her bed table in the apartment. She stated that she didn't want her identity as Mrs. Rick Shroeder to influence anyone's opinion of her~not buying it, sorry. She kept using the excuse of having her children early to insulate her from any criticism that she was not performing up to a professional design standard. Did you catch how she tried to (briefly) manipulate the judges into letting her be special and see her family for 'just a minute' so she could continue to stay and whine? What Andrea did to Ondine was unforgivable, in my opinion, and the stony look of disgust on Jonathan's face said it all. It was a perverse, passive aggressive way of letting Ondine know that she was only getting to stay because she had made it possible~which I suspect allowed her to feel superior and was supposed to make Ondine eternally grateful to her. Ondine was much more lovely and gracious about it than Andrea deserved. Don't like her attitude, don't want to know her, don't want to see any more of her Hollywood housewife hobbiest interior design work...buh-bye now!
I thought Nathan was the only one who thought about the shape of the lamp when designing the room and used that shape (or the shadows) in the design. I was really expecting each of them to say "Well I echoed the rectangle here and then used the circles as contrast blah blah blah".
Eddie needs to remember Karma is a bitch and no one cares you flew on Martha's plane.
I wish we could see more of Todd and his opinions of the designs.
So Eddie thinks he's kssing up to Martha by using nothing but Martha Martha Martha for his challenge? Based on the reaction he got, if I were Martha, I'd have a long chat with the boy about his future...
frogboots said: "I *can't* give a pass to bad behavior just because Nathan's hot as all hell."
Am I losing my eyesight at an early age or is Preston not the hot one? ************************************ It's that "to each his own," "a matter of taste" thing that Mr. Gunn resorts to when the judging baffles him. (though he says the former in French).
As someone who finds Nathan attractive, *I* look at Preston and nothing resonates: "healthy farm-boy-jock look, quiet, possibly uninteresting, and if so, unlikely to have time to become interesting given the daily time spent maintaining his precisely balanced, excessively muscled physique. Ho. Hum."
Others see the same thing with a whole different spin, I know.
Personally, I think that both Preston and Andrea could have "framed" their light fixtures with the wallpaper, instead of letting them get lost in front of them. Look at how striking the peridot fixture looks against the plain painted wall, with the deco green wallpaper on the left.
Andrea is the epitome of a spoiled, privileged American wife and mom. These women careen around gobbling resources like mini Marie Antoinettes--galling in their lack of self awareness. "This is so hard! I'm going home to my rich husband and my power position with our spawn!" Bite me, Blondie. Some of the other contestants don't have a luxury opt-out available to them.
formerlyAnon said: It's that "to each his own" thing that Mr. Gunn resorts to when the judging baffles him . . . I look at Preston and nothing resonates.
I think Preston is delightfully, um, hot. adorably, charmingly, blisteringly hot.
so is Nathan.
i like them both. Nathan seems to have won the beauty pageant here at TLo, but I prefer Preston. And after he was all "I'm quiet, I don't say much" this week, I was even more madly in television-love with the boy.
Nathan's got some hotness going on too, though. credit where credit's due.
so what does it say about MY taste level if both Nathan AND Preston are "mon gout"?
Just wanted to let you know, that while watching this episode's ending, my first thought was "I can't wait to see what those two bitches have to say about THIS!"
If anything, I wish you two bitches had said MORE about it.
When I saw Eddie's room, I really liked it, but when TLo pointed out that it looked like an Ethan Allen showroom, I was like "gee whiz, you're right." It doesn't make me like it any less, but it is a different perspective, kinda like liking Suede's collection but knowing that it is not fashion.
Thank you, Bill! I was reading through, astounded that no one had noticed that Ondine had taken Great Grandma's silk running suit. That was the ugliest shirt I've seen in ages. Day-um. Of course, Our Kelly could have paired it with a fez and jodpurs and totally rocked it.
I'd love to see that cherry blossom branch chandelier--anyone found it?
I am trying to find Preston and Nathan hot -- maybe a combination of the two. Eddie is possibly the least bearable reality TV personality I have ever seen, and I'm including Flo (Amazing Race) and Omarosa (Apprentice) in that category.
Notwithstanding my high school guidance counselor's advice that I go into interior design, I clearly do not know anything about it, because I thought all of the rooms failed if the aim was to showcase the chandelier. In every room, the chandelier just disappeared. Part of that is surely TV, which flattens everything. Maybe in real life the chandeliers popped more, but I would have gone with something much plainer.
I am on the fence about Andrea being allowed to leave. At the risk of sounding harsh and like a possessive partner, if I were a judge, my response will be, "you go when we say you go." Otherwise, who's to say that the point where a contestant knows that a win isn't in the cards for him / her, s/he decides to drop out. Andrea leaving is no biggie, if other designers down the road don't follow suit, but this should be the first and last time this is permitted, other designers should not be allowed to drop out when they feel like it, it disempowers the judges.
Yes, darlings. The judges did fail spectacularly in their mission of judging the room as a frame for the chandelier. But if that had been the sole criterion for judging, there would have been no winner - the chandelier wasn't the focal point of any of those rooms. Instead, we got mini psychological profiles of the designers.
Andrea - Mostly tasteful, but lacking the creative spark or talent that would put her on the same level as her colleagues or her husband. By camouflaging the most spectacular element of the room, she showed that she's only comfortable being the center of attention at certain times, and she's completely uncomfortable having her life examined from all angles.
Ondine - Tea-stained. Doesn't know what to do with fabulous when it's staring her right in the face. Allows Baby to be put in the corner, whether baby is the chandelier in the room or herself at the judge's table.
Eddie - So desperately needy for parental approval that he wraps himself in a perception of what Mom/Martha wants him to be instead of being himself. You have to wonder how far back into the closet he was pushed as a kid.
Preston - Has to achieve clean perfection, whether it's his waxed chest or the symmetry of a room. Completely incapable of spontaneity; God forbid a chair be askew. He probably folds his stripped-off clothes before having sex.
Nathan - Mischievous, fabulous, and completely comfortable with the skin he's in. Doesn't live for the approval of others or fear failure, and has an easy, sexy chemistry with everybody in the room.
I fucking LOVED Nathan's room. I love over-the-top things, and that was definitly over the top. Preston's was okay, it just felt so small and show-y to me.
I feel bad for him, though. We don't get to see much of what he acts like around the other contestants, but I can't help but just feel like he's very shy and afraid to get to know them. He seems very nice, though.
As a working single mom, I am so glad Andrea is gone. Honestly, a competitive workplace is not where you look for sympathy regarding your family life.
It's much more fun to kick a** in the workplace and not talk about your personal life. When sooner or later your colleagues discover your multiple outside responsibilities, you are regarded with certain amounts of respect, awe and fear. As it should be. :)
This picture is the reason I can't quite join in the Nathan swoonfest. It looks like he's trying too hard. He has a sweet personality (minus the bitchiness to Preston), but something about that stance burned my corneas. Chacûn a son goût.
Apparently Eddie is actually that obnoxious in real life--I know several people that know him. so there ya go. He is painfully immature but talented--a little humility can go a long way. Too bad he doesnt have any!
Ahhh! The crotch on those pants (Nathan's Bravo bio) is INSANE!
Oops...sorry. Wrong show!
Though I don't watch TD, I do read the blogs, which are far more entertaining. And simply by looking at Eddie, I want to smack him. Thankfully, there's no sound on these here computer pages.
Thanks Lilithcat for the Tord Boontje link. Some very nice lighting that I'll have to think long and hard about trying to knock off without looking too pitifully plastic beads & glue gun.
Sad truth: nothing will look as good as crystals properly mounted.
I agreed with India that Andrea didn't plan on saying all that. My feeling is that she pulled a, "You-can't-fire-me-I-quit!" play. She probably would have been the next to go - Preston, Nathan and Eddie are more professional and experienced and educated. She knew she was going and wanted to be the one to pull the plug and not have the plug pulled on her.
I didn't like how it was her decision and Ondine is now still in because of a technicality.
Verily, my children, I do LUST after those two glitterbox chandeliers. The horizonal one would look absolutely fab in my very traditional dining room. Y'know, traditional and modern can work very well together; I don't understand why the two traditional rooms ended up looking like such graveyards.
I also loved Nathan's chandelier, but I don't think he used it to its best advantage at all. It just got lost among all the other hoo-ha in the room. That white furniture was so ponderous it dragged down the effect of the chandelier, and I'm so with you -- the horse must go!
WTH - didn't Eddie CLEARLY start out saying he wanted to go super modern, classy - and tehn the minute he saw Martha stuff - give us whiplash with the 180?
And then when talking to the judges LIE and say that this was his direction all along???
Preston could have mover the wallpaper (which I strongly disliked) out and placed the chandelier against a solid part of the wall.
Ondine should have played with the contemporary with her "sock" - a mirrored chest could be nice, but bring that room more modern. Or as a take off on what torridpaige wrote - how about a non-bedroom?
you can make make one hell of a foyer/entry hall with a statement light.
Anonymous said... I, for one, would love it if Preston could complete an entire challenge without the words "boutique hotel" once leaving his lips. October 25, 2008 11:29 AM
You wanna know why those two are playing mean girls? because Preston is better looking and won't sleep with either one. And why oh why must we be tortured with the site of Eddie's fat buttcrack?
10/24/08, 1:29 PM
I was actually glad that India wanted to give her a chance to clarify and decide. She realized that Andrea's statement could have been coming from her raw emotion and might not be what she really wants. That's why when asked again, Andrea realized that she had the decision to make and the drama ensued. I can see it playing out that way because who hasn't said something they didn't really mean in a state of emotional stress.
I like Jonathan but he really behaved like a bad male stereotype with his automatic, get rid of her because she is "insulting" the others, tone. He came off very self-important and snobby, which is Eddie territory.
But if a contestant wants to go, then of course, they should.
I have to say, I am liking this show better than Project Runway. Maybe I just like the overall personality of India better than Heidi?
10/24/08, 1:32 PM
Loved the peridot chandelier. Hated the fake-drama at the end.
I also thought Simon was a good guest judge . . . being short-statured myself, I too wondered about the height of the sofa next to the dining table in the "mortuary" room.
10/24/08, 1:33 PM
Personally I am glad you brought the whole manufactured drama BS. It was ridiculous of the judges to put the onus on her whether she stayed or not.
Personally I don't buy that disrespectful nonesense that Adler is saying.
Yes you intellectually know you will be isolated and expected to work long hours, but you really don't know what it's really like until you enter the game. It's only recently people have revealed how little sleep they have and that they go literally non-stop. Those are unnatural conditions that most chefs, designers or other artists will go through. Kudos to India to being sensitive to feel Andrea's outburst was not calculated but coming from high stress.
Yes Andrea I think has proven she's a talented and capable designer. It's not like she ignored the judges' input and wasn't trying. During the first half of her run, she made great contributions to all the team challenges. However it was clear that Eddie, Preston and Nathan were impressing the judges much more in general. I can imagine from her perspective she didn't feel she measured up and it undermined her confidence.
I think the cruddy part is that her room was clearly better than Undine's and Eddie's and certainly more inviting than Preston's ( although he did do the best job)but she was still stuck in the bottom 2.
Frank
10/24/08, 1:33 PM
Sad to see Andrea go, but she made the right decision for herself, so that's all that matters. I'm happy for her that she's back with the family.
Congrats to Preston again! Simply deloosh! And no, I'm not trying to be like Eddie in saying that. Eddie's just jealous of my Preston. Ha ha!
Didn't like Nathan siding with Eddie on the whole Preston thing, but Nathan can be a little catty. Still cute, though, so he gets a pass. Cattiness kinda works for him (unlike Eddie -- take some lessons from Nathan). Nathan's room was a little much for me as well, but you can't say he doesn't have imagination and creativity. Didn't get the horse thing, though.
Poor Ondine. Don't know what the heck is up with her.
Do I even have to talk about Eddie? It's all been said. Hideous room, hideous attitude. As Nathan put it, "Martha, Martha, Martha!"
10/24/08, 1:37 PM
Like the new graphic, by the way.
10/24/08, 1:40 PM
I know! I felt so bad for Ondine. It seemed so high school to me---oh gee not-as-pretty best friend, should I date the dude you've been pining for all year? He keeps asking me out and I don't know what to doooooo!
Sigh. I have issues, don't I?
I dunno, I was disappointed with most of the rooms this week. Preston's was the most successful, but I don't get putting a chandelier right against a wall. That showcases it?
Didn't get Nathan's room. Didn't get the purple and chartreuse or the horse. I barely saw the chandelier in that room.
I guess this shows why I'm not a top designer.
10/24/08, 1:44 PM
lovemesomepreston said...
Like the new graphic, by the way.
Thank you. It was actually a gift from one of our readers. His name is Doug. We love it.
XO
TLo
10/24/08, 1:50 PM
Actually - my favorite was the lavender branch and flowers in the opening shot behind Indias head!!
I was GREALY relived that the judges loved Nathan's room. I have to be honest, watching that thing come together I was WAY scared for our resident obsession. Agree that the horse, while cool as hell, just did not work in that room.
Prestons? I love the orange chairs. Loved the wallpaper, although leaving the chande and the mirror in the black space would have framed them beautifully.
Andrea's was almost there. She made some good decisions and some so-so decisions, but in comparison to some it was actually quite a surprise. When I look at that mean-green light (which I adored) I think funky, cluby, retro-cool. She took it in a different direction and I think it actually worked.
Poor Ondine. Depressing room. The pieces were good, just not together. Oh, and I think that light looked like sperm. Sorry. Had to be said. lol
10/24/08, 1:52 PM
Oh, and Eddie? He just needs to be bitch-slapped and sent to Martha rehab.
- TVKimmy
10/24/08, 1:54 PM
I have one small question, and I turn to you lovely people to answer it for me, because you are much better versed in these types of thing than I am.
Why didn't one of them go for a bathroom? I mean I understand why not a kitchen, as the appliances get too pricey and such, but I had the same thought last week during the future challenge. So many awesome things are available in the bathroom department at Home Depot for goodness sakes! Do designer showrooms just not cater to bathrooms? When I saw the chandelier Ondine picked I figured, oh man, she'll do a bathroom and take this challenge! She has enough money to do it! And then we got shabby chic. Blech. So, why not a bathroom? Or am I not understanding something here?
10/24/08, 1:57 PM
Great analysis, as always.
I met Nathan last week at a Michael Kors event, and he is absolutely adorable and very charming.
10/24/08, 2:02 PM
Eddie is the worst sort of gay. he's so obnoxious.
I haven't been following this season that much, but I like Nathan. He seems like a nice guy, and he's quite attractive. Funny how obnoxious Eddie seems ugly now while Nathan is way hot, even though objectively Eddie is an attractive guy. The personality just sucks.
I assume Preston's straight, but I hate those shirts he wears. I think it's trashy when guys show that much of their chest. Obviously he has a good body, but I really should never see a guy with a shirt like that unless it's at a gay club.
10/24/08, 2:03 PM
Love the analysis. Spot on. But I have to say that Ondine's chandelier, the Light Sock, well darlings, it looks more like a Nut Sack. And when Simon mentioned tea stained all I could think was tea bagging. That was an attrocious fixture.
10/24/08, 2:09 PM
My girlfriend thought Andrea was a wimp and a no talent but I kinda liked her designs. Her rooms made me feel - calm.
But in the end, if she had Rick Schroder to go home to, what the hell was she doing on the show, anyway? Seems home would be more fun.
We're both dying to find out which designer Jeff Lewis trashes next week - our guess is Eddie.
10/24/08, 2:15 PM
I agree with Preston's win, but only because everyone else's room wasn't very good. Nathan's room just perplexed me. I loved that chandelier which absolutely got lost in that space and too much stuff, too many colors, too busy.
Eddie really did just phone that in. The chandelier was great, but he didn't have a clue what to do with it. I think most of Ondine's work is depressing. This was just the latest example.
Andrea just fell apart. But would she get to go straight home? Don't they make the auf'ed designers hang out somewhere until the competition is over, like with PR, Survivor, etc.? If that's true, she still didn't get to go home and left for nothing.
And I sure wouldn't want to go to Jonathan's and Simon's house for dinner. I'd be afraid of what they'd say to my face AND what they'd say after I left.
10/24/08, 2:19 PM
Does anyone know the brand of wallpaper the designers use on the show? I saw that one book is entitled "The 70's," but I can't find anything about it online. I'd like to know about the grasscloths and the modern patterns. Thanks!
10/24/08, 2:30 PM
Thanks boys for posting at lightening speed on this episode!
I love challenges that give the designers all the cash, goods, and time to create something fantastic b/c so many aspects of their personalities are revealed.
Poor Preston. Not allowed to play in the gay reindeer games. His room was interesting at first glance, but like you point out, too symmetrical, too put together...did not sustain my interest.
Nathan's room was pure 'designer gone wild'! Watching him shop was like watching kids with unlimited cash shop in Toys R Us. Didn't love the room, but loved his process and all the pieces he chose.
Eddie defaulted to kissing the ass that pays him. Too bad Martha's wares were no match for that dazzling work of art.
Andrea pushed a lot of my buttons. As a mom and wife, I felt for her. It pained me when she asked for Ondine's opinion. Not a graceful exit, but an honest one. It helps that she left on a beautiful high note. Kudos for that elegant room she created.
Ondine's room made me sad...she put together an amazing collection of things that reminded her of her life outside the show. Loved her wall of mirrors! It was telling that she included a bed, and not a sofa, in that room. The only thing missing was a box of Kleenex.
Great judging this week! This season is a HUGE improvement over last season.
10/24/08, 2:32 PM
Frankly, I didn't think any of these rooms were successful, as none of the designs really related to the design of the chandelier. The idea was, I thought, to make the chandelier the focal point, and in every case, the chandelier got lost.
Eddie gets more obnoxious every week. If he were barred from mentioning Martha Stewart, he'd go mute. And there is nothing more unattractive than a person who constantly brags about himself and condescends to those around him. Eddie, if you are too good for this show, why are you on it?
(P.S. I love your new banner, guys!)
10/24/08, 2:33 PM
thanks for the insight, tlo -- i was wondering about why both preston & andrea put their chandeliers in front of heavily patterned wallpaper. they just got practically lost there. i LOVED the green one andrea had. liked the room for the most part, too. agree that the drama at the end was manufactured.
eddie was lucky he won that pop-design & immunity, otherwise his arrogant little ass would have been sent home. that room reminded me of a new homeowner moving into a home that had a fabulous contemporary look and bringing in their martha-esque traditional furniture and trying to make it work with the awesome chandelier... it just didn't!!! and what possessed him to put those two lamps at the end on the buffet table? they looked ridiculous. i laughed at the notion of "lobby of a funeral parlor".
i was really suprized by nathan's room. didn't really like it. loved the chandelier; loved the graphics on the wall, but it was just too busy. again i almost lost the chandelier in the mess. so un-nathan-like. he is still my pick for the final win, though!
agree that ondine really didn't do a good job, and although i think overall she is probably a better designer than andrea (certainly more experienced), she really fell down this week. although i would have been sorry to see her go, i do believe that since they couldn't send eddie homw, she was the appropriate choice. she got very lucky that andrea chose to take herself out of the competition.
10/24/08, 2:47 PM
Thank you guys for the spot-on commentary! And I definitely agree with you that Nathan should have removed that horse.
But that peridot chandelier was divine. It just screams "Auntie Mame" to me.
10/24/08, 2:52 PM
At seeing Eddie's elation at seeing the Martha furnishings, I groaned out loud. I LOVED his chandelier, and he somehow managed to sap all of the brilliance from it. Those LAMPS! Blech.
I love you guys. I must say that at least once a week in a comment, but ugh, this blog is my escape from work right now! You remind me of my favorite old hairstylist (who sadly no longer does hair) because he'd have the bitchiest, most appropriate comments for any situation. You're fabulous.
10/24/08, 2:59 PM
Well, Loved Ones, who DIDN'T know that it would be Andrea bowing out since the first promo for Epi 8 ran last week? And I was so hoping that the Elves might be holding a surprise up their sleeves and that Martha's Little Lord Fauntleroy would be huffing off in disgust at the judges' collective lack of enthusiasm for his brilliance. But alas. Ho hum. As predicted.
What I wasn't prepared for was the surprise that was Jonathan Adler! And here I'd thought him a delightful, gracious person. Instead he showed himself to be a remarkably shallow snip.
Thank the Goddess (India Hicks) for becoming the Loving Presence and instructing him in what he was missing from the interaction with Andrea. Of course she was demoralized. Of course she was torn. Of course she was homesick.
That doesn't suddenly make her an affront to hyperactive artistes everywhere. It makes her a real person in my book. I hope she continues to nurture her dreams. Kudos to her for getting as far as she did. Being shamed by Jonathan Adler for somehow being "weak" was not only mean it showed a complete lack of empathy.
You go, Andrea. Don't listen to anything that Jonathan implied about your decision. Live well. Live very well. It is the best revenge.
10/24/08, 3:02 PM
Eddie was way too frenetic this episode. When he was announced Pop Design winner, oy!
Enjoyed Nathan going in a different direction this week! That's what I like about him-he's flexible in his creations. Not the same expected design style every time. Definitely not boring.
10/24/08, 3:04 PM
Wow. When I saw that 'Light Sock', my vulgar little mind conjured up tea-bagged rather than 'tea stained'....
(Raps knuckles with ruler. "bad Lola!")
Anyhoo, I could appreciate Preston's design, but I liked Nathan's more. Sure, he threw it all out there, but better to do that than start going all safe ala Ondine. Plus, Nathan is much better at bullshitting judges with his stories.
I'm waiting for a Nathan/Eddie showdown, though. You know those two see each other as their greatest competition!
Somebody must have switched Eddie's coffee to a double shot espresso that day.
Oh, Ondine! What happened? I was all ready to root for you as an underdog, and all we got was THAT.
As for Mrs. Ricky Schroeder, Lorenzo, you were not alone in screaming at the tv. (And I'm not even latino.) I haven't reacted that way to a reality show since Andrae's meltdown on PR. What a little drama queen - you sure she didn't study acting as well? BS!
By the way, loved Simon's appearance on the show, and you know Adler mentioned Eddie's bitchiness to him since Simon referred to himself as "freakishly short". Love it!
And love the new graphic boys!
10/24/08, 3:15 PM
Omg, this was the best episode of the season so far.
Preston's chandelier was hideous, and I thought his room was bad too. I can't believe he won. (It also somehow looks exactly the same as everything else he's done.) And uh, when the challenge is to highlight the chandelier, how did he win when 9 out of 10 people probably couldn't even spot the chandelier in the room?
Nathan's started out ok but turned out terrible. I thought his 'story' was kinda lame and done already, but I did kinda like the horse. If anything, the hideous painting on the wall had to go. I know plenty of UES bitches and none of them would ever have that on their walls.
Eddie's was hideous, much like his personality. I seriously don't know how the other designers keep themselves from punching him in the face. The fact that Nathan likes him makes me dislike him almost as much as I dislike Eddie. (Why is Eddie so cocky? All he does is basically copy Martha's style. It's not even his own. It's not even Martha's! Pretentious, Connecticut, country club bullshit.)
I didn't get the Preston hate either. He's kind of annoying sometimes, that's about it. I'm guessing Nathan and Eddie are probably jealous of his looks/body. Gays are so lame and catty sometimes.
Andrea/Ondine...I thought Ondine's room was better than Eddie's, though I didn't notice the tea-stained aspect either 'til Simon brought it up. I don't think Angela should have volunteered to leave - she made it fair and square! Doesn't the fact that she'd be Top 4 validate her design skills at all? Seriously, all this whining about her family. Get over it. It's probably like, a week left of filming at most.
10/24/08, 3:16 PM
PS The Peridot Lightbox was, by far, the most fabulous chandelier. *DROOL*
10/24/08, 3:16 PM
Worth repeating: I'm in love with Nathan's eyebrows. Deadly, and he knows how to use 'em! I liked the elephant, er, horse in the room. The other side of the space could have been edited a bit, but I liked his room best.
10/24/08, 3:23 PM
Wow, I think Tim Gunn was wrong, Top Design is the gayest show on television. I'm not sure when it quite hit me: Was it Nathan's co-ordinated undies? Eddie's preening about Martha Stewart's private plane? Preston's perfect waxed chest?
Or did the realization dawn upon me during one of Wisit's countertenor arias?
Or maybe it was Andrea, reknowned actor's wife, and set designer Ondine's big moment seemed so *dreary* next to the rest of the episode.
Was it Kelly Wearstler beyond-the-Grey-Gardens turban last week? (Luv her, particularly the Tweetie Bird voice. I want to go to her Halloween party.)
No maybe it's just that Simon Doonan eased right into the whole thing without raising an eyebrow. He seemed positively vin ordinaire in that joint. Quentin Crisp would have been vin ordinaire.
Poor Andrea, I feel like she just wilted from inadequate fabulousness--a Hollywood blonde done in. How often do you see that happen?
Ondine, despite the marvelous name, seems to be similarily off her game, though I hope she gets some sleep and just goes for it--don't think she's been on since she was slammed for her decoupage.
So rooting for Ondine to recover and Nathan, glorious nicer-than-he-poses Nathan, for the win.
He may even be having fun still. It's refreshing.
Preston BORES me--and Eddie can crash the Martha plane any time.
10/24/08, 3:33 PM
bailey said, I'm guessing Nathan and Eddie are probably jealous of his looks/body.
Nathan has nothing to be jealous of. He is far more attractive than Preston!
Gays are so lame and catty sometimes.
Unlike straight people, who are never lame and catty?
10/24/08, 3:40 PM
I do think the stress was getting to Andrea and that she really was missing her family. I also think she realized that she was not a contendor for the win, so she saw this as her opportunity to bow out as Ondine clearly wanted to continue in the competition. It was obviously a little hard for her to come to her final decision to leave, but in the end she did the right thing.
10/24/08, 3:41 PM
How did they all miss the point that the chandelier was to be the focal point of the room? Most of the time I had to look for it.
If I had Ondine's "light sock" I would have had dark grey walls, put the chandelier in the center, and designed a luxury workout room with minimal pieces so as not to distract. The chandelier has a "sports" look to me.
10/24/08, 3:46 PM
Preston is more manicured, but there's a sexy quality to Nathan that Preston will never possess.
That said, I wouldn't kick preston out of bed. he's a very good looking man. But nathan seems more fun and sexier.
10/24/08, 3:47 PM
I don't think Eddie has a job back at Martha's when he finishes. His boorish behavior is going to get him kicked to the curb there.
Every time he opens his mouth about Martha Stewart, I can hear her cringe all the way out here in Utah.
10/24/08, 3:47 PM
Lilithcat said...
bailey said, I'm guessing Nathan and Eddie are probably jealous of his looks/body.
Nathan has nothing to be jealous of. He is far more attractive than Preston!
Gays are so lame and catty sometimes.
Unlike straight people, who are never lame and catty?
Blah blah blah honey. You may love "your gays" but let's not pretend 6.5 out of 10 aren't total bitches. Yeah, straight people suck too, but at least it's not over things like shoes and underwear. Try being a gay guy before you throw out your opinion on such things. Obviously you're not going to be put to the same standards.
10/24/08, 3:48 PM
Random thoughts:
I agree that the floral branch chandelier that apparently wasn't one of the choices was the real to-die-for piece.
I think Nathan's "over-the-top design" bordering "on an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach" was a bedroom for Project Runway's Jerell. It would fit his design sense perfectly.
The light sack. Amen to whoever said ball sack. It looked like one of those gross nutbags that rednecks hang off the trailer hitch of their pickup trucks.
Is it just me or are Eddie's eyes growing closer together as his behavior becomes more bratty and obnoxious?
Love you for using the word unctuous. I can finally thank Brother John Healy who taught my freshman English class for making us learn all that vocabulary.
What the frig was up with Ondine's warm-up jacket? Did she mug a Golden Girl?
10/24/08, 3:48 PM
Lilithcat said...
bailey said,
"Gays are so lame and catty sometimes."
Unlike straight people, who are never lame and catty?
The difference is, when straight people are lame and catty, they get called out here. When gay guys are lame and catty, it's "hilarious" and "cute." Yawn.
10/24/08, 3:49 PM
I thought that Eddie's room seemed like we were looking into the side of an aquarium. He acted like a conceited SOB, but he knows what behavior is going to get him as much camera time as possible, and that will give him max time to show off for his beloved Martha.
Ondine. What is seriously up with this girl? Too much sedative? Why did she not say, "Go home!" as soon as Andrea asked her? Who would just stand there like that? Stand down from the seds girl and get to work!
Nathan and Eddie seem sorta "chummy". Touchy freely feely. IS there a romance going on there? To me, there was nothing about Nathan's room that deserved to be grouped in with that gorge chandelier. I agree the horse is definitely OUT.
Am I the only one that is bothered by the mismatch of greens in Adrea's room? Ug! I think something totally different from the green shade of the wallpaper would have been stunning. Perhaps a rich chocolate color.
All the designers overloaded their rooms and as a result de-emphasized their chandeliers. Each designer should have reduced their clutter by 75%.
Except for Preston. That was a gorgeous room, but again the chandelier was obfuscated by the wallpaper. He should have used the wallpaper as an accent to the chandelier, not as a competitor. What an insult to the chandelier.
So Simon is Jonathon's husband? What a cute (but truly unexpected) couple. Simon was an awesome judge. I would have loved to hear more of his thoughts and I would implore Bravo to have him on again. Loved him.
Andrea felt that she was out of her league and overwhelmed, so what? She'll eventually regret her decision not to stick it out, but I think she read the writing on the wall and realized it wasn't worth missing out on her family for. Sometimes in life you make those choices. She certainly wouldn't be the first mom to make that one. It's clear to me who the top three are, so maybe it's just as well.
I sure miss the demur Miss Wizit.
10/24/08, 3:49 PM
I have been waiting for you to post on this one. Points I have been wanting to mention:
* Eddie saying he and Nathan have not been letting Preston play in any of their reindeer games.
* Eddie calling Jonathan an elf - way to score points. It always works out in a contestant's best interest when they insult a judge. Of course, he did win the challenge so maybe I am wrong.
* Nathan and Eddie helping Andrea accessorize her room.
* Andrea saying she turned the bookshelf on its side because she knew she wouldn't be able to accessorize it properly.
* Andrea's constant whining and indecision and self-doubt. I realize (as some posters have mentioned) that it is a much more grueling process than we realize, but it is a contest and Darwinian by nature. There is no way that kind of behavior deserves to be rewarded. I don't think Jonathan was being rude or ignorant or hurtful. I think he was recognizing that there was no reason to keep a designer around who really didn't want to be there when the others all clearly want to be there.
After her performance on this show, I would have a hard time believing that Andrea will get many job offers. I certainly wouldn't hire her.
10/24/08, 4:04 PM
You nailed all of it.
Except, why hasn't anyone talked about Mr. Hotpants' purple wall streaks? Didn't that bother anyone else? Right behind him...on the screen...all the time! I just wanted to go run in with a brush and clean that bit of wall up before the judges got there.
10/24/08, 4:15 PM
Bill said . . .
I think Nathan's "over-the-top design" bordering "on an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach" was a bedroom for Project Runway's Jerell. It would fit his design sense perfectly.
Oh Bill, you nailed it!
10/24/08, 4:19 PM
Speaking of guest judge Simon Doonan, has anyone caught any of Beautiful People on BBC Two?
It's based on Doonan's best-selling childhood memoirs, but the time period is updated to the 90's for the series. Young Simon is a young teen dealing with a dysfunctional family and dreaming of escape from the British suburbs to live amongst the "beautiful people" of London.
The characters frequently burst into song, usually a showtune. So, of course, I love what I've seen so far.
10/24/08, 4:27 PM
" SUS said...
I know! I felt so bad for Ondine. It seemed so high school to me---oh gee not-as-pretty best friend, should I date the dude you've been pining for all year? He keeps asking me out and I don't know what to doooooo!"
Oh, that made me laugh. What an accurate comparison!
10/24/08, 4:35 PM
Eddie reminds me of Mr Collins, the pompous cousin in Pride and Prejudice, 'Lady de Bourg's fireplace mantle alone is worth 800 pounds.'
I skimmed through comments so apologize if someone has already said it, but does anyone suppose that the assembled cognescenti are basically saying that Martha Stewart is not good design? B/c it sure seemed that way to me.
10/24/08, 4:49 PM
Andrea's vase looks like one of those creepy eggs from "Alien"
And as far as Nathan's room - I would have taken out both the horse and the ponyskin rug. Talk about beating a dead horse. Yuck.
10/24/08, 4:49 PM
I too love the new graphic.
Let's all say: "Thank you Doug!"
10/24/08, 4:59 PM
TLO said "Have you noticed that the more expensive the fixture, the more we like it? It's hard being fabulous, darlings."
i love you boys. xoxoxo
also the new design is great.
10/24/08, 5:19 PM
"thebossofyou" said:
but does anyone suppose that the assembled cognescenti are basically saying that Martha Stewart is not good design? B/c it sure seemed that way to me.
I think they are looking at Eddie's Munster's work as being expected because it is Martha's redux. They want him to move away from that and do something other than Martha. I don't blame them. It's a big yawn.
I thought he might get the message and put away all that Martha when he did the window challenge with Santino. But really, he just doesn't get it. "Martha, Martha, Martha" - exactly!
10/24/08, 5:26 PM
Before I comment on the show (which comment was started three hours ago and then telecons interrupted),
Boys, I really like your new logo, but I'm rather mourning the disappearance of the '50s came in the tub with the phone and the "Darlings, but what do THE GAYS think??" which I always thought was witty and delightful.
Boy, Eddie's lamp could have been the springboard for something really drop-dead gorgeous and different, but man, that dining room was, as you Boys so rightly stated, Ethan Allen. The chandelier just did not go with the furnishings at all. Whoever amongst the judges said it looked like a coffin above the table really nailed it.
The colors, the shape, the dark sparkle... an opportunity missed by a country mile.
I thought Preston's room also slightly missed AbFab with the symmetry and some rigidity, but he sure made the best of the most challenging of the lighting fixtures.
Nathan (eye-candy, eye-candy), overdid his concept. For a rich, snotty girl, I didn't get the rich part... a little too busy, notwithstanding that it was a teen's room.
Ondine's effort was completely at odds with the look and message of her chandelier. Dreadful disconnect.
Andrea, I thought there were some scale problems and I thought the wallpaper diminished the impact of the column chandelier. She was, however, so ready to beat feet... and gosh, she looked weary.
I completely agree that the "drama" at the end was unnecessary and manipulative editing.
I AM enjoying TD2, though, and I'll be a little sad when it concludes in a couple of weeks.
All the best,
NDC
10/24/08, 5:29 PM
I think Miss Martha knew she had immunity and decided to promote her line. She knew they wouldn't send her home, so why not do an entire Martha Stewart's room?
10/24/08, 5:43 PM
Did you see the look on Ms. Russel's face when Jonathan called Ondine's room, "Bombay Co."?? Priceless.
10/24/08, 6:19 PM
This was such a painful episode.
Except for the Nathan-scape.
It started out so well, when they gave them stunning expensive focal pieces, and a biggish budget.
I expected better from Eddie, especially when he found he could choose from a line & aesthetic that he loves.
Ondine needs to do something about her hair. (they're filming you woman!) Agree with the general feeling that her fixture was completely out of place in her unexciting room.
Preston had lots of nice pieces, but I did not like the end result. Too stilted feeling, and the orange could have been either an accent (one chair) or repeated more often through the room.
Nathan's felt like a real room for a rich kid - I've been in some homes where money and a designer were obviously brought to bear - and then the random tastes of the untutored young let loose. The false note for me, ironically was the chandelier. I can't imagine mummy & daddy not relocating it to a more adult space.
I agreed with the judges that Andrea's chandelier was fairly successful, though I hated her wallpaper. I admired several of the individual pieces in her room more than the end result. She really should not answer the judges' questions if she's hellbent on undermining whatever positive feelings her work might evoke.
And the ending!! O.k., it punched my buttons.
I've spent my adult life working in a male dominated field, and for more than half that time have made career decisions that have seemed disastrous to my peers in order to be able to be an involved and very present parent. Jonathon's attitude is pretty much what I expect, especially at the higher end of a profession and from the childless (Not that I know if any of the judges have children, and it doesn't matter.)
What matters is
1) Andrea, the entire shooting schedule is known in advance! 4 weeks? 6 weeks? For many parents, that's not unendurable, if not ideal either. If you can't leave your kids, why agree to go on the show???
But o.k. If she'd never left her kids for more than a week, she might not have realized. So I forgave her. Barely.
2)What kind of crap was that, asking Ondine!??!
And Ondine, you shoulda just said, "well, I unambiguously want to be here even if you don't."
So for me, they cancel each other out.
But, I cannot forgive:
3)Dramatically and loudly and snivellingly fulfilling the stereotype that women cannot really "achieve" if they are mothers.
So. Sole positive: India came off as mature and compassionate and redeemed, for me, her pretty bland presence so far.
Andrea, get a therapist. Watch all the episodes with him/her. Then work on that self-sabotage thing. There's nothing wrong with deferring or down sizing your goals in order to be more present in your family. But own your own life! When you are in your professional setting, woman, don't dig tiger traps in front of your own feet!!!
10/24/08, 6:53 PM
She is a quitter and she robbed someone else of a chance to be there just because her rich snotty self wanted to be on tv like her husband. The rest of them actually are dong this for a JOB she was doing it for FUN and yet couldn't make it another week? Did the nanny quit? Disgusting. The minute she said she wanted to go they should have shown her the door.
10/24/08, 7:13 PM
i must admit i like the sack light. but i think it is only because it was done by one of my favorite architecture firms diller scofidio & renfro, so i am a little biased. yes, i am a dorky architecture student, i can't help it :)
10/24/08, 7:29 PM
Love the new graphic!
In one of the screencaps, Ondine's chandelier reminded me the drop in a lava lamp. I wonder what would have happened if she tried a 60's look?
I could see Eddie's gorgeous long box at the head of a bed.
10/24/08, 7:38 PM
Formerlyanon – regarding your comments about Andrea – Amen sister friend. I am a working mother who has to be away from my children on a regular basis to make a buck. But, I knew that when I signed on for this job. So did Andrea.
I really have no problem with Jonathan Adler’s comments. (In fact, if you watch the show again, Margaret didn't pull any punches either.) It is a competition. She did indeed take the place of other designers who would have killed to be there. Picture this: there is a upper level position opening up at your company. There are two people vying for the position and the corporation makes you jump through hoops to decide who should get the position. Finally, you are offered the job. In response, you say: “Oh, I don’t know what to do. Should I take it or should I just go home. I think I just want to be home with my kids. But, maybe I should take the job. Oh, I don’t know. This is soooo hard. I don’t know what to do. Oh, what do you think I should do?” Believe me, my female boss would listen to me whine for two seconds before withdrawing the offer and giving my promotion to the other candidate. That’s the real world.
10/24/08, 7:45 PM
I don't get Nathan's being one of the top. What Pampered Princess wants a bust of Beethoven in their bedroom? And that horse?! Utterly ridiculous.
Honestly I thought Andrea's was the 2nd best. Simon made such a big fricking deal over that stupid shell, but in the scheme of things, it wasn't that bad.
And why the heck are they still giving out immunity? Damnit, we couldn't been rid of Eddie finally!
10/24/08, 9:00 PM
I know there's a lot of Nathan-love on this site, but his woofiness does not excuse his mean girl behavior.
I haven't seen Preston make fun of anyone or call them out, either in the confessional or to their face, but Eddie and Nathan were both just plain nasty to him this episode.
And if he WAS worth being mean to, the editors would have shown us by now (ala Kenley).
Also, Nathan's funky wall was not well done. The white outline stripes weren't clean; you could see a few places where the tape didn't line up correctly. If you're going to do something that bold, it should be impeccable and even watching it without freeze-frame, I could tell it wasn't.
10/24/08, 9:30 PM
Nathan should have raided the women's closets and draped the horse with clothing. Realism.
10/24/08, 9:57 PM
TLo: What's up with these two snotty bitches playing mean girl with Preston?
I'm late to the party commenting on TD, boys ... but you two are doing the damn thing. I just love Preston's intellectual approach to reality tv. He seems so unphased by those bitches. He wants to win that damn trophy.
10/24/08, 10:03 PM
... and since I'm having a cocktail ... I'm totally missing something in the Nathan-love category. I don't get it. He seems to require good lighting. Preston, however ... candlelight, flashlight, moonlight
10/24/08, 10:10 PM
torrinpage asked why no bathrooms.
Bathroom places in design centers don't carry any inventory and everything they have on display is fixed to the walls. They were able to borrow the furniture from the showrooms, but could not have done so with bath fixtures.
However, a bathroom challenge would be fabulous!
10/24/08, 10:53 PM
With each passing week, I want to just smack Eddie and remind him he is NOT God's gift to design. How can we take someone who willingly rides on someone else's coattails so seriously? I was more than willing to tolerate Andrea's "I'm Rick Schroeder's wife" comments, because I think she does understand she needs her own identity, but she hasn't yet sorted out how to get there. Eddie, though...I just want to strangle him. Now. You would think someone at Martha Stewart would have told him that an unchecked ego is most unattractive.
And I think Nathan and Eddie were playing Mean Girls to Preston because he doesn't give them what they want. How effective is freezing someone out when they quietly and maturely go about their work and deliver a quality product? He made that damn ugly chandelier look good.
10/25/08, 7:38 AM
I can't believe you didn't mention Eddie's comment during the Pop Design that he didn't like one-stop shopping and likes to go to many different stores. Then, he only shopped at Martha for the elimination challenge.
10/25/08, 7:38 AM
I can't believe you didn't mention Eddie's comment during the Pop Design that he didn't like one-stop shopping and likes to go to many different stores. Then, he only shopped at Martha for the elimination challenge.
10/25/08, 11:29 AM
I, for one, would love it if Preston could complete an entire challenge without the words "boutique hotel" once leaving his lips.
10/25/08, 12:12 PM
simon WAS great. can he be on every week? maybe replacing India?
I felt a little sad that there was a chandelier with the word "sock" right in its name. how can a "sock" anything be truly fabulous?
and i clearly have depressive taste, because - i kinda like Ondine's tea-stained (or is it tear-stained) room.....however. it was not up to snuff for this challenge.
Eddie needs a kick in the pants. and I wish the judges had called him out on going Martha Stewart - it felt like - cheating, or just laziness/cheesiness. i dunno.
and i was shocked - shocked! - that several designers placed their chandeliers against boldly patterned papers. even *I* know better than that, and I'm a design moron.
I was very, very sad about the Mean Girl-ing of doll Preston. to not let the guy help roller in paint? really? REALLY? after he offered so sweetly to help?
(oh, and when they showed Preston lounging against the wall, waiting for the judges, in his little nice pants and shirt - swoon!)
i thought Andrea was doing very well until the paper and the Seashell Planter. i loved the sofa she chose.
ah well.
I'm still Nathan for-the-win.
10/25/08, 12:23 PM
okay, after reading ALL the comments: I like Preston. I think he's a duck and a doll (and, to whoever mentioned it, I think he's gay too. I have the abysmally bad luck of being a straight girl eternally attracted to gay boys - and ergo, Preston's gotta be gay). His little interview moment this week, when he said he's quiet or reserved or whatever, told me A LOT; non-quiet, extroverty types rarely know how to cope well with an introvert/shy/quiet person (I've been on the introvert end of the stick all my life). And I DO like Preston's taste; I liked this week's room very, very much.
Also, really - Martha Stewart must be appalled at the behavior of her employee. If she isn't, she should be.
I like Nathan a lot, and I like his aesthetic, but this room baffled - I HATED the smeary purple-lime-green-blue wall art. And the "bratty teenager" theme didn't work for me. That icicle light was my favorite, and I didn't think he showcased it terribly well.
still adorable and charming, but the nastiness to Preston made Nathan sink in my regard. I *can't* give a pass to bad behavior just because Nathan's hot as all hell.
10/25/08, 12:49 PM
frogboots said: "I *can't* give a pass to bad behavior just because Nathan's hot as all hell."
Am I losing my eyesight at an early age or is Preston not the hot one?
10/25/08, 1:05 PM
Andrea was a poser, starting with the picture she selected of herself and husband Rick to keep on her bed table in the apartment. She stated that she didn't want her identity as Mrs. Rick Shroeder to influence anyone's opinion of her~not buying it, sorry. She kept using the excuse of having her children early to insulate her from any criticism that she was not performing up to a professional design standard. Did you catch how she tried to (briefly) manipulate the judges into letting her be special and see her family for 'just a minute' so she could continue to stay and whine? What Andrea did to Ondine was unforgivable, in my opinion, and the stony look of disgust on Jonathan's face said it all. It was a perverse, passive aggressive way of letting Ondine know that she was only getting to stay because she had made it possible~which I suspect allowed her to feel superior and was supposed to make Ondine eternally grateful to her. Ondine was much more lovely and gracious about it than Andrea deserved. Don't like her attitude, don't want to know her, don't want to see any more of her Hollywood housewife hobbiest interior design work...buh-bye now!
10/25/08, 1:35 PM
I thought Nathan was the only one who thought about the shape of the lamp when designing the room and used that shape (or the shadows) in the design. I was really expecting each of them to say "Well I echoed the rectangle here and then used the circles as contrast blah blah blah".
Eddie needs to remember Karma is a bitch and no one cares you flew on Martha's plane.
I wish we could see more of Todd and his opinions of the designs.
10/25/08, 1:50 PM
So Eddie thinks he's kssing up to Martha by using nothing but Martha Martha Martha for his challenge? Based on the reaction he got, if I were Martha, I'd have a long chat with the boy about his future...
10/25/08, 1:54 PM
edison said...
frogboots said: "I *can't* give a pass to bad behavior just because Nathan's hot as all hell."
Am I losing my eyesight at an early age or is Preston not the hot one?
************************************
It's that "to each his own," "a matter of taste" thing that Mr. Gunn resorts to when the judging baffles him. (though he says the former in French).
As someone who finds Nathan attractive, *I* look at Preston and nothing resonates: "healthy farm-boy-jock look, quiet, possibly uninteresting, and if so, unlikely to have time to become interesting given the daily time spent maintaining his precisely balanced, excessively muscled physique. Ho. Hum."
Others see the same thing with a whole different spin, I know.
10/25/08, 2:14 PM
I am now changing my dogs old new name from Tugboat to Sparkle Shady!
DebraKay
10/25/08, 4:21 PM
Personally, I think that both Preston and Andrea could have "framed" their light fixtures with the wallpaper, instead of letting them get lost in front of them. Look at how striking the peridot fixture looks against the plain painted wall, with the deco green wallpaper on the left.
10/25/08, 7:59 PM
Andrea is the epitome of a spoiled, privileged American wife and mom. These women careen around gobbling resources like mini Marie Antoinettes--galling in their lack of self awareness. "This is so hard! I'm going home to my rich husband and my power position with our spawn!" Bite me, Blondie. Some of the other contestants don't have a luxury opt-out available to them.
10/25/08, 10:22 PM
formerlyAnon said:
It's that "to each his own" thing that Mr. Gunn resorts to when the judging baffles him . . . I look at Preston and nothing resonates.
I love it when Tim says
chacûn a son goût.
10/25/08, 11:35 PM
edison, darling!
I think Preston is delightfully, um, hot.
adorably, charmingly, blisteringly hot.
so is Nathan.
i like them both. Nathan seems to have won the beauty pageant here at TLo, but I prefer Preston. And after he was all "I'm quiet, I don't say much" this week, I was even more madly in television-love with the boy.
Nathan's got some hotness going on too, though. credit where credit's due.
so what does it say about MY taste level if both Nathan AND Preston are "mon gout"?
10/26/08, 2:31 AM
Just wanted to let you know, that while watching this episode's ending, my first thought was "I can't wait to see what those two bitches have to say about THIS!"
If anything, I wish you two bitches had said MORE about it.
Keep up the good work. You two are awesome!
10/26/08, 5:23 AM
When I saw Eddie's room, I really liked it, but when TLo pointed out that it looked like an Ethan Allen showroom, I was like "gee whiz, you're right." It doesn't make me like it any less, but it is a different perspective, kinda like liking Suede's collection but knowing that it is not fashion.
10/26/08, 9:39 AM
Thank you, Bill! I was reading through, astounded that no one had noticed that Ondine had taken Great Grandma's silk running suit. That was the ugliest shirt I've seen in ages. Day-um. Of course, Our Kelly could have paired it with a fez and jodpurs and totally rocked it.
I'd love to see that cherry blossom branch chandelier--anyone found it?
10/26/08, 9:50 AM
Oh, and I think "Sparkle Shady" is from the new Urban My Little Pony collection.
10/26/08, 10:51 AM
I am trying to find Preston and Nathan hot -- maybe a combination of the two. Eddie is possibly the least bearable reality TV personality I have ever seen, and I'm including Flo (Amazing Race) and Omarosa (Apprentice) in that category.
Notwithstanding my high school guidance counselor's advice that I go into interior design, I clearly do not know anything about it, because I thought all of the rooms failed if the aim was to showcase the chandelier. In every room, the chandelier just disappeared. Part of that is surely TV, which flattens everything. Maybe in real life the chandeliers popped more, but I would have gone with something much plainer.
10/26/08, 1:21 PM
I am on the fence about Andrea being allowed to leave. At the risk of sounding harsh and like a possessive partner, if I were a judge, my response will be, "you go when we say you go." Otherwise, who's to say that the point where a contestant knows that a win isn't in the cards for him / her, s/he decides to drop out. Andrea leaving is no biggie, if other designers down the road don't follow suit, but this should be the first and last time this is permitted, other designers should not be allowed to drop out when they feel like it, it disempowers the judges.
10/26/08, 1:34 PM
Yes, darlings. The judges did fail spectacularly in their mission of judging the room as a frame for the chandelier. But if that had been the sole criterion for judging, there would have been no winner - the chandelier wasn't the focal point of any of those rooms. Instead, we got mini psychological profiles of the designers.
Andrea - Mostly tasteful, but lacking the creative spark or talent that would put her on the same level as her colleagues or her husband. By camouflaging the most spectacular element of the room, she showed that she's only comfortable being the center of attention at certain times, and she's completely uncomfortable having her life examined from all angles.
Ondine - Tea-stained. Doesn't know what to do with fabulous when it's staring her right in the face. Allows Baby to be put in the corner, whether baby is the chandelier in the room or herself at the judge's table.
Eddie - So desperately needy for parental approval that he wraps himself in a perception of what Mom/Martha wants him to be instead of being himself. You have to wonder how far back into the closet he was pushed as a kid.
Preston - Has to achieve clean perfection, whether it's his waxed chest or the symmetry of a room. Completely incapable of spontaneity; God forbid a chair be askew. He probably folds his stripped-off clothes before having sex.
Nathan - Mischievous, fabulous, and completely comfortable with the skin he's in. Doesn't live for the approval of others or fear failure, and has an easy, sexy chemistry with everybody in the room.
10/26/08, 1:39 PM
oooo, nice Dr. Freud!
10/26/08, 2:50 PM
I fucking LOVED Nathan's room. I love over-the-top things, and that was definitly over the top. Preston's was okay, it just felt so small and show-y to me.
I feel bad for him, though. We don't get to see much of what he acts like around the other contestants, but I can't help but just feel like he's very shy and afraid to get to know them. He seems very nice, though.
10/26/08, 3:16 PM
As a working single mom, I am so glad Andrea is gone. Honestly, a competitive workplace is not where you look for sympathy regarding your family life.
It's much more fun to kick a** in the workplace and not talk about your personal life. When sooner or later your colleagues discover your multiple outside responsibilities, you are regarded with certain amounts of respect, awe and fear. As it should be. :)
10/26/08, 4:19 PM
This picture is the reason I can't quite join in the Nathan swoonfest. It looks like he's trying too hard. He has a sweet personality (minus the bitchiness to Preston), but something about that stance burned my corneas. Chacûn a son goût.
10/26/08, 4:29 PM
Eddie's laugh is completely demonic. I fear the boy has mental problems.
10/26/08, 6:55 PM
sixgables said,
I'd love to see that cherry blossom branch chandelier--anyone found it?
It's called "Blossom" and was designed by Tord Boontje. (At his site, go to "Projects", then "lighting", then "Blossom Chandelier".)
10/26/08, 7:02 PM
My Nathan love is based on:
the eyebrow
a few choice phrases
the nice jeans
and the Wisit connection
He's putting it in jeopardy with Preston.
With Preston it is all about Mama Bear protectiveness. He mentioned his mother and we mothers LOVE that.
10/26/08, 7:30 PM
Apparently Eddie is actually that obnoxious in real life--I know several people that know him. so there ya go. He is painfully immature but talented--a little humility can go a long way. Too bad he doesnt have any!
10/26/08, 8:45 PM
TLo said...we CAN'T STAND perfectly symmetrical rooms.
I see your point, and I'm not fond of simple minded symmetry but at the risk of sounding stupid, Preston's symmetry is sooo symmetrical / mirror like.
10/26/08, 10:09 PM
Ahhh! The crotch on those pants (Nathan's Bravo bio) is INSANE!
Oops...sorry. Wrong show!
Though I don't watch TD, I do read the blogs, which are far more entertaining. And simply by looking at Eddie, I want to smack him. Thankfully, there's no sound on these here computer pages.
10/27/08, 12:13 AM
Thanks Lilithcat for the Tord Boontje link. Some very nice lighting that I'll have to think long and hard about trying to knock off without looking too pitifully plastic beads & glue gun.
Sad truth: nothing will look as good as crystals properly mounted.
sigh.
10/27/08, 9:12 AM
I have this episode of TD on DVR and find myself re-running the ending of it over and over because I cannot believe how insipid Andrea was.
I think I need help.
10/27/08, 10:33 AM
I agreed with India that Andrea didn't plan on saying all that. My feeling is that she pulled a, "You-can't-fire-me-I-quit!" play. She probably would have been the next to go - Preston, Nathan and Eddie are more professional and experienced and educated. She knew she was going and wanted to be the one to pull the plug and not have the plug pulled on her.
I didn't like how it was her decision and Ondine is now still in because of a technicality.
10/27/08, 11:34 AM
Bill said...
Random thoughts:
I agree that the floral branch chandelier that apparently wasn't one of the choices was the real to-die-for piece.
http://mirrormirror.typepad.com/
mirror_mirror/
2008/09/gwyneth-obnoxio.html
Gwyneth owns the plum branch.
10/27/08, 2:02 PM
Verily, my children, I do LUST after those two glitterbox chandeliers. The horizonal one would look absolutely fab in my very traditional dining room. Y'know, traditional and modern can work very well together; I don't understand why the two traditional rooms ended up looking like such graveyards.
I also loved Nathan's chandelier, but I don't think he used it to its best advantage at all. It just got lost among all the other hoo-ha in the room. That white furniture was so ponderous it dragged down the effect of the chandelier, and I'm so with you -- the horse must go!
10/27/08, 8:48 PM
WTH - didn't Eddie CLEARLY start out saying he wanted to go super modern, classy - and tehn the minute he saw Martha stuff - give us whiplash with the 180?
And then when talking to the judges LIE and say that this was his direction all along???
Preston could have mover the wallpaper (which I strongly disliked) out and placed the chandelier against a solid part of the wall.
Ondine should have played with the contemporary with her "sock" - a mirrored chest could be nice, but bring that room more modern.
Or as a take off on what torridpaige wrote - how about a non-bedroom?
you can make make one hell of a foyer/entry hall with a statement light.
Anonymous said...
I, for one, would love it if Preston could complete an entire challenge without the words "boutique hotel" once leaving his lips.
October 25, 2008 11:29 AM
DITTO!
10/28/08, 2:31 PM
You wanna know why those two are playing mean girls? because Preston is better looking and won't sleep with either one. And why oh why must we be tortured with the site of Eddie's fat buttcrack?
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