Ellen's Design Challenge - General Discussion

[NYGirl]

She couldn't even show up to announce the final two.  It makes me shake my head.  Damn Gaspar I liked you and I liked your desk.

 

Tim FTW as far as I'm concerned....and I'm from Brooklyn NY where Katie is from.  I just don't like her aesthetic and her voice.

 

What are the odds of Ellen showing up next week?  Well ok...we know she's going to be there.

 

Also what's up with the carpenters arguing with the designers?  Um...their ass is on the line..not yours and you're only there to do carpentry.  Am I wrong??

Edited February 24, 2015 by NYGirl

[Rhetorica]

Katie?!?! A chair too heavy to move with a seat that looks like potholder made by a second grader... I'm tired of Wayfare girl talking about dude furniture. I guess I'm not a girl's girl, because I like Tim and Gaspod's designs.

[mlp]

I was hoping we'd be seeing the last of Katie with her awful voice and LOOK AT ME goofy clothes and flirtatious mannerisms.  I thought Gaspar's clever use of materials was far superior to her nothing but acrylic desk.  Those two women who are judges are more marketing types than designers and seem to be looking for trendy rather than good design.  If HGTV does this show again, I hope they find some judges with serious credibility.

[CruiseDiva]

So, wow--what "luck" that Katie just happened to find those big, thick pieces of her favorite acrylic material in the junk yard.

 

C'mon, show, give us a break. Her thrift store clothing and awful voice are like fingernails on a chalk board.

 

Gaspar got robbed. (I hope I got the spelling of his name correct.)

Edited February 24, 2015 by CruiseDiva

[Shopgirl]

I'm tired of Wayfare girl talking about dude furniture. I guess I'm not a girl's girl, because I like Tim and Gaspod's designs.

 

YES! Thank you. I'm a super girly girl 75% of the time regarding what I find aesthetically pleasing, but I'm also so sick of her stereotyping. The thing is, the average person is pretty diverse when it comes to design or else just doesn't care that much. People go through phases where they want one theme and then a few years later change out for another theme. And I don't think a lot of what Katie has done is particularly "girly" since I don't really equate quirky with "girly" and I know plenty of guys who are into that whole look too (they have rooms that look like Devo threw up on them ahaha).

 

Semi-on-topic - I also find it hilarious that she harps on "feminine" week in and week out and then last week Carley made the most feminine thing she's ever made (arguably?) and it was the item that sent her packing. Then again, the WF woman literally seems to change her opinion based on whichever other judge is talking at the time so, I've pretty much given up any hope of the elimination decisions being handled professionally or even reasonably.

[Shopgirl]

So, wow--what "luck" that Katie just happened to find those big, thick pieces of her favorite acrylic material in the junk yard.

 

C'mon, show, give us a break. Her thrift store clothing and awful voice are like fingernails on a chalk board.

 

Gaspar got robbed. (I hope I got the spelling of his name correct.)

 

I honestly can't tell anymore if she's just a plant so that the other finalist is the automatic winner while increasing her exposure or if it's all one really elaborate set up to have her "win" and get massive exposure in the magazine and with WF. At this point, it could literally go either way because so much of the show is off kilter that the latter option wouldn't even be that surprising to me. Of course there's always that off chance she really is just lucky (and by lucky I mean happens to have an aesthetic/personality that the judges are gaga over and a penchant for finding an acrylic needle in any haystack) and is legitimately clueless to how fake it all appears to the audience.

 

And I second your opinion that Gaspar should be in the finale. 

[biakbiak]

How has Katie not had her mouth permantally stapeled shut by someone who couldn't handle her voice, do all of her acquaintances wear ear plugs and pretend to be deaf? Her acrylic looked like shit, so much for polishing it.

I loved when Gaspar said he needed to add some color and than selected the white boat.

[GaT]

No surprise as to the final two, it's exactly what I was expecting.

Also what's up with the carpenters arguing with the designers?  Um...their ass is on the line..not yours and you're only there to do carpentry.  Am I wrong??

THIS. I still don't understand the carpenters role on this show. Why did Tim have to get Chip to agree with what he wanted to make? The way the carpenters act seems like they're competitors, not just assistants to the designers.

 

I'm tired of Wayfare girl talking about dude furniture. I guess I'm not a girl's girl, because I like Tim and Gaspod's designs.

She just really pissed me off when she said that no woman would have that piece of furniture in their house, what bullshit. I'm sorry, but my house is not decorated in pink, sparkle, & ponies, I would definitely have Tim's piece in it.

[buttercupia]

Poor Gaspar. He made some of the best furniture on the show. The challenge he should have won (the couch), they said ha, no winner.  He made the only piece that fit in the space, aesthetically.  Carly's couch was gorgeous, but not suited to the space. Katie's couch was ugly and too big.  Tim's couch was a miss on several levels. This week he makes a very clever and creative desk and gets sent home.  Because Vocal Fry girl is the chosen one, I have no doubt.  Gah.

[Lola16]

Katie is very Project Runway - the kind that gets cut half way through.  Not sure who is more off putting - her or the bitchy one that was cut in the 2nd episode.  Toss up really.  I'd think by now her cutesy act would have grown old even to the judges but guess not.  She's 25 not 5.  A box of crayons.  Smocks.  Oversized clothes that look like she's playing dress up.  Child's hairstyle.  All the squirming and hair twirling.  Gah. 

 

Also what's up with the carpenters arguing with the designers?  Um...their ass is on the line..not yours and you're only there to do carpentry.  Am I wrong??

I wonder if the carpenters are paid by the episode so there's an incentive for them to progress?  And they probably are following the tried and true reality format of fighting = good tv (no, no it does not.).

 

Katie?!?! A chair too heavy to move with a seat that looks like potholder made by a second grader... I'm tired of Wayfare girl talking about dude furniture. I guess I'm not a girl's girl, because I like Tim and Gaspod's designs.

The basket weave wasn't finished and she was still playing with the wires after they called time.  It's OK, she's young (snort).   Gaspod's design was neutral I thought as was Katie's.  Tim's was more on the masculine side but I didn't get man cave out of it.  The wood was too chunky for me but otherwise, it was a cool piece.

 

I was hoping we'd be seeing the last of Katie with her awful voice and LOOK AT ME goofy clothes and flirtatious mannerisms.  I thought Gaspar's clever use of materials was far superior to her nothing but acrylic desk.  Those two women who are judges are more marketing types than designers and seem to be looking for trendy rather than good design.  If HGTV does this show again, I hope they find some judges with serious credibility.

I'm sure they'll need to have a Wayfair employee as a judge but they could pick 2 others that are competent.

[Shannon L.]

 

So, wow--what "luck" that Katie just happened to find those big, thick pieces of her favorite acrylic material in the junk yard.

Coming out of lurking for a minute:  My husband works at that yard.  In fact, he's the guy that they go to to set up filming at the yard (he's also dealt with CSI filming there and has just given a tour to location scouts for True Detectives).  They do interior demolition and those acrylic sheets were from a job they did for a bank.  They were the large pieces that go in front of the bank tellers.  What wasn't exactly true was the one hour.  They had more like an hour and a half.  Some of the stuff they wanted was buried and it took most of the rest of the day for my husband and the IRS crew to dig it out and deliver it to them.  As for the designers, he said that all three of them were really nice, but Tim's carpenter was way too opinionated during the whole process.

 

I'm tired of Wayfare girl talking about dude furniture. I guess I'm not a girl's girl, because I like Tim and Gaspod's designs.

Although I liked Katie's desk and chair last night, Tim and Gaspar have made my favorite pieces all along.  Even our 14 year old daughter has loved most of their stuff.  So, yeah, it's irritating the hell out of us, too. 

[Madding crowd]

I don't think it is fair that the judges assume all women want frilly furnishings in their places, and that the man's opinion doesn't count. I thought Tim's piece was very cool and I thought it could be used for a book shelve, especially since I usually add pictures, candles etc to my bookshelves. I thought Katie's piece looked plain and the chair looked unfinished and the wires sticking out would bug me. Gaspar does very nice work, but he played it a little safe with the desk.

 

Yes, Katie looks like a little girl with the odd coats and smocks, the twirling and affection. I would rather have had Gaspar and Tim in the finals. For the first time, the carpenters bugged me too. I guess the carpenters see themselves as the stars along with the contestants and they want to look good. They should at least attempt to make what the designers want.

 

I hope Tim wins. His craftsmanship and attention to detail is always spot on. I admit that I am not a fan of acrylic or the very modern design that Katie makes, and yes Wayfair judge I am a woman.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Madding crowd

[magdalene]

This show seems so fixed towards the Valley girl winning. I knew last week that Gaspard was going home next. And so he did - and very unfairly too.

Edited February 24, 2015 by magdalene

[CruiseDiva]

I was stunned by the "shabby chic" judge saying that Gaspar's table would be better suited for use in the kitchen with the removal of the curved metal trays on the sides.

 

I thought those metal trays were genius--they were meant to hold cords & chargers. I also thought the "floating" aspect of the table top was visually appealing. I'd buy a table like that before a shabby chic piece of crap.

[NYGirl]

I also noticed that Ellen is shown on every commercial making us think she is actually there.  The one episode she was there they must have filmed a bunch of scense for commercials.

 

Am I bitter about this?  Why yes..why do you ask?  It seems I say it in every post.  That's how much it annoys me.  I guess I'm used to Brother vs. Brother where the Scotts are hands on in every episode or the Best Handyman where we see Mike Holmes and Scott advising and talking to the contestants.

[jbrecken]

It bothers me when a trio of design professionals confuse "industrial" with "masculine."

 

And if you're going to complain that Gaspar's wood doesn't look distressed enough when we know that's because Brooks put a lot of work into cleaning up that used lumber, you'd better also ding Katie for having all that smooth polished acrylic.

 

Many people with small apartments use their computers in the kitchen.

 

Katie's desk would work well as a vanity, coordinating with a bunch of those transparent plastic makeup organizers.

 

I wonder if this show will put a twist on the standard reality show formula of bringing back the eliminated contestants to assist the finalists and instead bring back the eliminated carpenters.

[Frost]

I think Katie's acrylic desk and chair would be a nightmare to keep clean.  It's hard to use a desk without touching it!  Fingerprints, scratches, etc would mar the surface pretty quickly.  I'm not a huge fan of Gaspar's aesthetic, but his desk was clearly more practical and I thought it was beautiful.

 

I just saw the couch episode and Carly's couch is about the only piece of furniture made on this show that I could see myself purchasing.  I loved it!  I agree it didn't coordinate with the lounge furniture, but it looked so comfy and perfect for reading.

[Shermie]

Even girly types who enjoy dresses and bling don't necessarily want to live surrounded by it. And many women live with men, who don't want to live in Barbie's Dreamhouse. In fact, I loved Barbie and I loved doll houses, but I hated most Barbie houses because of all the damn pink.

My fear of Katie winning, or even placing second, is that she'll turn up again on HGTV as a guest judge or home stager or some such. "So, like, if you place an armoire heeerrrre, it makes a bolder statemeeennnttt." (Flips hair, wriggles for no reason, and bats eyelashes coyly from under bangs)

Edited February 24, 2015 by Shermie

[CruiseDiva]

 

I just saw the couch episode and Carly's couch is about the only piece of furniture made on this show that I could see myself purchasing.  I loved it!  I agree it didn't coordinate with the lounge furniture, but it looked so comfy and perfect for reading.

I want a couch like that in my bedroom.

 

Someone needs to tell Katie that just because something is round it's not necessarily "art deco." Not only did her couch not coordinate with the other lounge furniture, it was fugly and (JMHO) not really a couch in the strictest sense.

[candall]

Well this was fucked up.  I had to go back and double check Katie's . . . desk.  Three slabs of acrylic, no drawers, no cubbies, no nothing except a potholder chair.  And they said Gaspar's computer desk, with a couple of thoughtfully built-in tech components, made a better kitchen island?  Have any of them ever seen a kitchen island?

 

 

I guess I'm disgusted because I watched the couch episode right before this one and Katie's couch was a mess, too.    The judges complained about curved arms and powdered steel arms, but didn't see a problem with "no arms."   (Plus, one of the bolsters was noticeably wider than the other one.) The judges said proportion was problematic when a 5'1" person found the seating awkward--which:  of course--but failed to mention Katie couldn't get herself boosted up out of her own couch.

 

They started heading down Project Runway Blvd. when the designers had to scrap or modify their best/first designs because of time constraints or outside influences beyond their control (Upholsterer:  "Nope.")   Now the pro-votes sweeping Designer X into the finale are becoming way too obvious as well. 

 

Furniture crafting is such an interesting process to watch--can't they just play it straight? 

 

P.S> I totally agree that watching half a dozen designers throughout the whole competition would make the best show.

[crimsongrl]

Speaking of fixing the show: I think Ellen should've filmed two pre-taped segments for every episode. One at the beginning to talk about her love of design while showing a piece she loves/owns and a segment at the end about the eliminated designer and what she appreciated about their work. Then eliminate all the "funny" Ellen videos and she could show up for the finale.

Another lady here who loves Tim's designs! I'd put his shelf in my dream apartment I saw on House Hunters in Philadelphia. :)

I'm more offended by Katie's chunky boots than her voice at this point.

* I love this forum! What's everyone watching after the finale for their design fix?

[candall]

Speaking of fixing the show: I think Ellen should've filmed two pre-taped segments for every episode. One at the beginning to talk about her love of design while showing a piece she loves/owns and a segment at the end about the eliminated designer and what she appreciated about their work. Then eliminate all the "funny" Ellen videos and she could show up for the finale.

* I love this forum! What's everyone watching after the finale for their design fix?

Excellent idea.  I, Cynicalgrrl, believe Ellen when she says she loves furniture!

 

And I'm also interested in recommendations for design shows, or really, anything creative where talented people demonstrate their skills.  Project Runway has passed joke level and is now travesty.  I'm bored with cooking.  You wouldn't let the hacks on Inkmaster near you with a Sharpie.  Sometimes I catch a rare one-shot "White Room" challenge, but you can't win unless you suspend the couch in mid-air, which doesn't work for me. 

 

I keep hearing FaceOff has a pleasing dynamic, but I don't grok.  Are they making movie monsters?

 

This furniture design competition really hit the spot; what else does everyone like?

Edited February 24, 2015 by candall

[Puffaroo]

 

* I love this forum! What's everyone watching after the finale for their design fix?

 

"Framework" is acceptable if you fast-forward past all the manufactured drama.

[Shannon L.]

 

I keep hearing FaceOff has a pleasing dynamic, but I don't grok.  Are they making movie monsters?

Most of the time, yes.  Sometimes, even when it's not necessary, a few of them will put some sort of monster aspect into their work.  It's the only complaint about an otherwise great show to watch. 

[TwirlyGirly]

I noticed that when Tim's bookcase was being judged, the editing was bad. When the turntable first displayed the bookcase, the fan blades were behind the piece. Then in the next shot the bookcase was turned around with the fan blades in the front. The back to front shots/scenes flipped several times, proving the editing showed the exchange between the judges and Tim and the carpenter were cobbled together out of sequence. Those types of continuity issues really annoy me.

 

Almost as much as Katie's voice. Oh, and I also noticed that much of Katie's affectation goes away when she forgets she's being filmed - like in a few long shots in which she's talking to her carpenter and her back is to the camera .....

[Wings]

I like Katie, her personal style and acrylic as used it in her first 2 pieces.  I didn't care for her chair and desk this week though.

 

She is young and will grow out of her affected speech.  I think she has a future in furniture design and will be hired by a design house.

 

Her clothes are fabulous.  She wears dusters (I have 2 of them!)  and they are very much in style.  No thrift shop stuff at all.  I will venture to say her clothes are expensive.

 

You could as easily say the others work with wood all the time if you are going to moan about Katie's using acrylic a lot.  

 

I thought Tim's piece was way too heavy and I would not want that in my house.  I saw it as very masculine.  The furniture in my home is modern with mid century touches.  

 

Gaspar's desk was odd, to me.  It didn't look like a desk or kitchen island.  Just didn't like any of the pieces this week.  

 

And I don't understand all the Katie hate.  

 

Shannon L,  very cool to learn they went to where your husband works!  I always love a little inside information.  I am glad to learn the acrylic was there and not planted for Katie.  

[jumper sage]

I really liked Gaspard's desk.  I did not get the kitchen island reference at all.

[Shopgirl]

I thought Tim's piece was way too heavy and I would not want that in my house.  I saw it as very masculine.  The furniture in my home is modern with mid century touches.  

 

And I don't understand all the Katie hate.  

 

As another poster pointed out, Tim's work isn't really masculine. It's industrial. It's society's ingrained gender stereotypes that cause us to read it as masculine (or even use masculine/feminine as descriptors in general), ignoring that men can lean toward other styles, like the modern and/or mid century options you mentioned, just as much as women can lean toward industrial. You saw Tim's piece as heavy and that makes sense. I saw it as sturdy and good for holding things. Both interpretations work and shouldn't be dependent on a person's gender.

 

I know you're probably asking a rhetorical question about Katie, but I thought I might give some insight into my thought process about why she's difficult for some people's palates. It really could be anything. And my apologies for getting psychological about this. I can't help it. It's in my wheelhouse. 

 

-Her being the teacher's pet might be a pet peeve for some people, as it is in my case.

 

-It could be her affected speech alone. Whether or not she'll outgrow it really isn't the point. She's 25. At this point it's a conscious decision to fake something. It's difficult to really trust people who are willing to put on a fake act for attention. It's juvenile and off-putting for a lot of people. Whether those people are being harsh and quick to judge/assume, that could also be argued, but it's still a valid reason to be leary of a person's authenticity. Obviously, if she truly is age stunted, then, yes, it's in bad taste to judge her for it, but we can't tell from a reality show alone.

 

-She could just plain make people feel uncomfortable and that's okay too. Most people judge others based on past experiences with similar people, based on their inner moral compasses, based on natural bias, etc. In Katie's case, maybe somebody knows women with vocal fry in real life and now cringe and judge whenever they hear it because of the formed opinion that the person is fake, attention-seeking, and so on. Or maybe her cutesy, childish demeanor (oversized clothes, the voice, twirling her hair, squirming) makes people feel uncomfortable because they know her age and read it as, for lack of a better terminology at the moment, lolita-ish; it just ticks that part of their inner person and sends up a red flag like "this isn't what I have come to believe is normal behavior." 

 

-Or it could be another subjective reason. She looks like somebody they don't like/trust in real life. They just don't like acrylic. They don't think she's shown any proof of being a good designer. The list goes on and on. 

 

Does any of that actually change her ability to create good furniture, or at least furniture somebody will like? Obviously not. So that's when it becomes a personal decision. Some people won't look at her pieces any more objectively than the judges who like her do. Others will try their hardest to ignore her and pay attention to her pieces, whether they like them in the end or not. Obviously, the second option is ideal :)

Edited February 25, 2015 by Shopgirl

[Shopgirl]

While on the subject of Katie's pieces, the only thing of Katie's I would buy, personally, was her first piece. It didn't wow me or make me go "wow" as much as the judges, but I'd own it. It was aesthetically pleasing to me and practical. (I didn't get how it was so innovative though? The overall structure was a box.)

 

I can't say that about any of her subsequent pieces. Especially not that armoire that the judges lapped up as though perfection. And that's kind of the only reason I'm making this post: that armoire. I just DON'T get it. At all. Call me crazy, but I'd much rather have her cow table than a fire engine red, imo - eyesore that doesn't even have practical mirrors (I can only imagine it would be like a funhouse + could you actually see your shoes in tiny mirrors so far below your line of vision?). Is there anyone who liked it, or at least understood it, who can actually explain to me why it would make the judges take notice so heavily? For reasons other than the decorative, whimsical aspect of it, of course.

[Wings]

 

As another poster pointed out, Tim's work isn't really masculine. It's industrial. It's society's ingrained gender stereotypes that cause us to read it as masculine (or even use masculine/feminine as descriptors in general), ignoring that men can lean toward other styles, like the modern and/or mid century options you mentioned, just as much as women can lean toward industrial. You saw Tim's piece as heavy and that makes sense. I saw it as sturdy and good for holding things. Both interpretations work and shouldn't be dependent on a person's gender.

 

 

This is a subjective topic and that usually ends up in a debate.  I am not into doing that.  I saw Tim's piece as masculine and not industrial. It was man cave decor.  Again, that is my personal take.  

[Lola16]

I think all the sofas failed.  Gaspar's was the best imo and I didn't mind the arms curving in. Yes, if you're as long as the cushions, you could bump your head if you were laying down on it.  And I thought his looked best in the room.  Tim's looked horrible in the room but on the dais, it didn't look as bad.  The proportions were completely off.  If he had gotten that correct, it might not have sucked as much.  Carly's also looked better on the dais and she didn't factor in the room at all or the other furniture.  It just didn't go.   Katie's looked like something in a Barbie's dream house.  It did not go with the room either in shape or fabric.  And she couldn't get up from it.  To me, Gaspar's won and Tim's lost. 

 

She is young and will grow out of her affected speech.  I think she has a future in furniture design and will be hired by a design house.

 

Her clothes are fabulous.  She wears dusters (I have 2 of them!)  and they are very much in style.  No thrift shop stuff at all.  I will venture to say her clothes are expensive.

 

And I don't understand all the Katie hate.  

 

 

One can only hope Katie will stop with the cutesy behavior and voice but I don't know that she'll grow out of it.  I work with a 40 year old woman who still acts like this. It makes it hard to take anything she says seriously with the hair twirling, vocal fry and weird mouth thing.  It's like a valley girl Shirley Temple.

 

Clothing style is in the eye of the beholder.  Dusters to me say Golden Girls.  Only place I see them is in Greenwich CT on 50+ year olds.  There's a boutique in town that sells them. 

 

I don't hate Katie but I see more Katie blind love in this thread than hate.

[Guest]

I hate Katie but I disliked Gaspar's desk more than hers.  Ikea sells baskets just like that for adding to desks for cord management.  

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/workspaces/16195/

And it just looked like a plain table made of old materials, too small to be anything but a student desk.

 

If Tim doesn't win, I'll be annoyed.  I think each week I've liked his stuff best and it's not even really my aesthetic.  I'm a woman but I would totally have that fan shelving in my house.  

 

I'm laughing at all the spellings of Gaspar in this thread.  

 

[mlp]

 

I think Katie's acrylic desk and chair would be a nightmare to keep clean.  It's hard to use a desk without touching it!

 

Yes.  Also, a desk isn't really practical if it doesn't have drawers to hold your pens and pencils and legal pads and so on.  As soon as you'd add separate containers for those things to the desk's surfaces, you'd lose the aesthetic of the clear acrylic piece not to mention scratch it eventually.  The judges (who are biased toward Katie IMO) were quick to ding Tim because items placed on his shelves would partly obstruct the fan blade but they completely ignored function when it came to Katie. 

Edited February 26, 2015 by mlp

[Guest]

I actually use a black glass desk.  You add storage with other furniture pieces (drawer units and such), and used with a desk blotter and cleaned about weekly, mine looks nice, even with two large white hairy dogs and practically living at my desk.  

[Shopgirl]

This is a subjective topic and that usually ends up in a debate.  I am not into doing that.  I saw Tim's piece as masculine and not industrial. It was man cave decor.  Again, that is my personal take.  

 

I respect your opinion and hope you don't think I was trying to debate with you, single you out, or anything of the like :3 Your statement just struck a chord with me and I saw it as a chance for open dialogue about the different ways people describe furniture and how the judges are describing the furniture; I'm not always very articulate though. I just get really passionate about the shoehorning of inanimate items like furniture as better suited to one gender or another especially when the piece uses neutral materials (I see fans and wood as neutral because neither is bound to be owned by one gender and not the other). Similarly, and probably way more subjectively, I do think it was very rude of Christiane, and off putting to potential WayFair customers, to make a blanket statement about women just because of her ideas of what women want or should want in their homes. But like you, that's all just my very personal take and I'm always open to discussion (not heated debate!) with those who disagree. As I stated, psychology is in my wheelhouse and I like getting to understand where others are coming from :)

 

Anyways, I can see how you wouldn't classify his pieces as industrial. I don't always classify pieces in a category that others do and it gets frustrating when others write it off. And with this particular piece, I don't think it actually falls into one strict category anyhow (it's salvage so that makes sense I guess). Now that you've pointed out the man-cave imagery, I totally can see rustic as well in this particular piece since that would be more in line with the stereotypical man-cave aesthetic which harkens back to male lodges. The darkness of the wood and his choice of decor certainly would look right/good in that setting, no argument there! 

[Wings]

 

I respect your opinion and hope you don't think I was trying to debate with you, single you out, or anything of the like

 

 

Not at all!  :>)   And I agree, it was more salvage than anything!  

Edited February 25, 2015 by wings707

[CruiseDiva]

I saw Tim's fan/shelving unit as being an ideal conversation piece in a loft, as well as being useful.

 

Agree about the Wayfair chick.

 

BTW, has anyone successfully ordered anything from Wayfair? A friend bought a lamp and it was delivered in a million pieces, plus the shade was smashed. The shipper said they received the box damaged--it was noted on a sticker they placed on it. Plus, the packaging material was flimsy. So much for the "shipping is free" as advertised.

 

My friend had a terrible time getting them to stand by their product and finally had her credit card company intervene on her behalf.

[Shopgirl]

I think all the sofas failed.  Gaspar's was the best imo and I didn't mind the arms curving in. Yes, if you're as long as the cushions, you could bump your head if you were laying down on it.  And I thought his looked best in the room.  Tim's looked horrible in the room but on the dais, it didn't look as bad.  The proportions were completely off.  If he had gotten that correct, it might not have sucked as much.  Carly's also looked better on the dais and she didn't factor in the room at all or the other furniture.  It just didn't go.   Katie's looked like something in a Barbie's dream house.  It did not go with the room either in shape or fabric.  And she couldn't get up from it.  To me, Gaspar's won and Tim's lost. 

 

I didn't understand why Gaspar's was called out for the curved arms either unless they were more curved in person than they appeared on screen. I've sat on many sofas with curved arms. And I don't see how having curved arms was enough not to give him a win based on at least having something that fit in the space and featured technical craftsmanship in its inclusion of the pull out. I can't recall if his was the one the 5'1'' judge complained about, but I didn't understand that complaint either as anything that should be factored in. I'm 5'4'' and can almost never find any couch where my feet hit the floor. Yes, it's extremely frustrating, but even as a non-designer I realize it's because average furniture pieces are made for average heights. It would be just as annoying for someone 5'10'' to sit in something designed toward 5'1''. 

 

Carley's is the one I would buy for my own home as I really loved how it looked on screen - reminiscent of something in a coffee shop. But in that particular room, nope, not at all. She was right to be dinged for it. Sent home? Debateable, but inevitable. IMO, she never had much of a chance to make it to the final two.

 

I hate Katie but I disliked Gaspar's desk more than hers.  Ikea sells baskets just like that for adding to desks for cord management.  

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/workspaces/16195/

And it just looked like a plain table made of old materials, too small to be anything but a student desk.

 

I definitely think it works as an economy desk. Student or small living space. Either for writing/paying bills or laptop. I don't know if the dimensions of it were big enough for corded items that would need all that extra cord space so I'm iffy on where I stand on them. Having them built in vs. having to buy an add-on would be something I would consider before even purchasing a piece and based on my needs I guess. 

 

The judges (who are biased toward Katie IMO) were quick to ding Tim because items placed on his shelves would be at least partly obstruct the fan blade but they completely ignored function when it came to Katie. 

 

This reminds me of Carley's unpopular opinion about the shelving piece in Ellen's home that was presented as inspiration to the designers. She said something along the lines of just seeing a pole running through the middle of the shelves. So that's kind of interesting to me. 

 

 

Not at all!  :>)   And I agree, it was more salvage than anything!

 

Phew! I'm always really self-conscious of how I come across to others, especially when it's all in print. 

[MsChicklet]

I think Katie's acrylic desk and chair would be a nightmare to keep clean.  It's hard to use a desk without touching it!  Fingerprints, scratches, etc would mar the surface pretty quickly.  I'm not a huge fan of Gaspar's aesthetic, but his desk was clearly more practical and I thought it was beautiful.

 

 

This is why I'm not a big fan of the ghost chairs. They're a pretty idea, but when it comes to execution in the real world, they get smudged and scratched. There was a bar I went to once that used them and it seemed that they show wear very easily.

 

Gaspar's scale also worked better for me. Home offices are getting away from the big desk to something that's big enough for just a PC or a laptop. His was something that could be tucked into a guest room or living room and work (as well as look nice) without being obtrusive.

[Lola16]

I didn't understand why Gaspar's was called out for the curved arms either unless they were more curved in person than they appeared on screen. I've sat on many sofas with curved arms. And I don't see how having curved arms was enough not to give him a win based on at least having something that fit in the space and featured technical craftsmanship in its inclusion of the pull out. I can't recall if his was the one the 5'1'' judge complained about, but I didn't understand that complaint either as anything that should be factored in. I'm 5'4'' and can almost never find any couch where my feet hit the floor. Yes, it's extremely frustrating, but even as a non-designer I realize it's because average furniture pieces are made for average heights. It would be just as annoying for someone 5'10'' to sit in something designed toward 5'1''. 

 

 

 

I believe it was Tim's couch that the one judge dangled her legs on.  I'm just under 5'10" and every sofa is too short for me.  I have extra memory foam cushions that I use on my own sofa so that I am at a good height.  I don't think it was a valid criticism coming from a 5'1" judge but overall, I think Tim's couch was wrong in height, width and proportions.  It was very thick and clunky looking, worse than stuff from This End Up.

[ethalfrida]

So many outstanding observations here! I totally agree about Gaspar, Katie and the judges. And I too find it annoying that someone would think all woman can hand with a masculine environment or furniture. Personally I do not like curtains, ruffles and frill. It's not saying no one should like them but for some of us industrial, muted colors and a whole myriad of selections are liked.

 

I have never cringed so much as when I have to listen to Katie speak. Something like this doesn't usually register (Valley Girl was delightful) but VF is totally unnerving.

[magdalene]

I think Katie is a talented designer but it's hard for me to take her seriously because she comes across like a vapid and affected valley girl. A type I am unfortunately well acquainted with in real life. 

 

If this show were to play half way fair Tim could win this if Katie does another cow table like design in the finale. I just don't see that kind of design selling well on Wayfair.

[Rhetorica]

Excellent idea. I, Cynicalgrrl, believe Ellen when she says she loves furniture!

And I'm also interested in recommendations for design shows, or really, anything creative where talented people demonstrate their skills. Project Runway has passed joke level and is now travesty. I'm bored with cooking. You wouldn't let the hacks on Inkmaster near you with a Sharpie. Sometimes I catch a rare one-shot "White Room" challenge, but you can't win unless you suspend the couch in mid-air, which doesn't work for me.

I keep hearing FaceOff has a pleasing dynamic, but I don't grok. Are they making movie monsters?

This furniture design competition really hit the spot; what else does everyone like?

Face Off does have its monsters but much more. The beauty and fantasy makeup is delightful. A recent episode had them designing an entity based on sounds. Really inventive. Best of all, they show the competitors leaving for the day then cut with them entering the next. No drama at all and they actually help each other. I guess you can tell I'm a fan.

[auntjess]

Was Katie's cow table the week no one was sent home?  That was an epic fail.

And I thought her couch was incredibly ugly, with some redish upholstery, along with some gray fake fur.  It looked like something for the old Peewee's Playhouse.

Yet the judges like her, as much as they dislike Gaspar.

This show is advertiser-driven, and whatever Wayfair, and to a lesser extent, Dwell want, they'll get.  Not much editorial freedom here.
I'd love to see Tim win the money, but at any rate I imagine his business will get a big boost from this.

I don't agree that Tim's piece was strictly masculine/man cave furniture.

On the carpenters, I do think that since they have to execute the design, they have a right, and an obligation, to point out areas where there may be problems.

Several people here mentioned Framework, and I've watched 2 episodes .

I like it.  The contestants mostly hate each other, but I like Common and his judges better than the ones on here.

[Merneith]

Her clothes are fabulous.  She wears dusters (I have 2 of them!)  and they are very much in style.  No thrift shop stuff at all.  I will venture to say her clothes are expensive.

 

 

No, her clothes look like stuff she buys at the thrift store and then cuts apart so she can join it back together weirdly. He clothes always have stupid shit like the knees cut out in front to make reverse chaps or the arms cut away and then fastend back on with buttons. It all looks very homemade. It's all twee decorative alterations - it's not done for function or form, it's just slapped on decorations like in kids' garments.

 

Also - this is the part that really bugs me - it's a serious safety hazard. Wearing dusters and baggy dangling crap around industrial saws and drills is seriously dangerous. Big open cutouts and voluminous dusters will get a person thrown out of any professional machine shop. I know the producers wouldn't want them all wearing overalls but a professional furniture designer should understand safety wear.

[Shermie]

If Katie's clothes are expensive, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn she can buy. Since she has money to burn. Oy.

[Spooneroonie]

 

BTW, has anyone successfully ordered anything from Wayfair? A friend bought a lamp and it was delivered in a million pieces, plus the shade was smashed. The shipper said they received the box damaged--it was noted on a sticker they placed on it. Plus, the packaging material was flimsy. So much for the "shipping is free" as advertised.

 

My friend had a terrible time getting them to stand by their product and finally had her credit card company intervene on her behalf.

I've checked out the Wayfair site and thought it overpriced. If I'm going to pay that much for something, I'd rather see it in person, touch it, sit on it, etc. Plus, the commercial jingle is enough to drive me to madness...

[Mz Anthrope]

Regarding Tim's submission and the discrediting that women wouldn't have it in their home:

I was shouting at my husband (give him love to live with me) " I would TOTALLY have that in our home!!" 

I am not into whatever Wayfair Missy designates for 'wimmins'. 

[needschocolate]

I liked all three of the pieces, but Tim's is the only one I would put in my house - if I had the money and the space for it.  Katie's see-through desk would not go with the rest of my furniture (also known as "stuff that hides dirt well") and Gaspar's desk wouldn't have enough storage.  

[Koffee Kup]

 

BTW, has anyone successfully ordered anything from Wayfair? A friend bought a lamp and it was delivered in a million pieces, plus the shade was smashed. The shipper said they received the box damaged--it was noted on a sticker they placed on it. Plus, the packaging material was flimsy. So much for the "shipping is free" as advertised.

 

I have twice.   They had a counter height cabinet that matched a pantry I already owned and it was the cheapest I could find.   Also ordered a TV Stand and Shoe Bench for my mini mud room.   The first cabinet arrived super fast.   No problem with either order and happy with both purchases.

 

Glad to see I am not the only one who hates Katie's affected speaking and don't understand the decision to keep moving her forward other than Ellen said to.