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Archive through September 01, 2009

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2010 - 2: HGTV Design Star Season 4: ARCHIVES: Archive through September 01, 2009 users admin

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Dipo
Member

04-23-2002

Sunday, August 30, 2009 - 10:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dipo a private message Print Post    
hmmm, I think the only reason that Dan is still on the show is that Apple room that he did. But I do believe that team leader should be responsible for the money and design, so Torrie would be the one to go.

Vsmart
Member

02-10-2003

Sunday, August 30, 2009 - 11:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vsmart a private message Print Post    
Why a white plastic pergola? For a few hundred dollars they could have constructed a tropical style one from giant bamboo from the local garden center.

Curlyq
Member

07-10-2002

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 1:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Curlyq a private message Print Post    
Dan knew he had $5000 in the van and said so. I can understand why he later remembered the $10,000 figure because it had been said by others, but he knew how much he had. I don't know why he signed off on that. That was just bad shopping and completely on him. Torrie took the fall for that only because of Dan's prior work. If not for that and his "it" factor they would've let him go. Other people have been let go for less. Honestly at this point I'm not sure I'd watch a show any of these people hosted, but I still tune in to see how they handle the challenges.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 3:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
I wished they had addressed Torrie's camera presence more as the reason she went home.

Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 4:39 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lilfair a private message Print Post    
Again, another design that was common, mediocre, average. The price of the pergola seemed very pricy. Did he even ask for a discounted price? I think the right person was sent home. I don't think it was too late to cancel the pergola order. The end product was very nice but since these people are supposed to be professional and I haven't seen anything great from them even the apple room.

Tishala
Member

08-01-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 4:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tishala a private message Print Post    
It's been obvious to me since the beginning that this was going to be between Dan and Lonnie. I suspect that Lonnie is going to win because, even though Dan likes to show off his body almost as much as the Color Splash guy (yummy!), the leering at whatshisname shows him in a really negative light.

I didn't even catch that it was a plastic pergola, which is even funnier than when I thought it was made of wood. Unbelievable.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 5:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Having a degree in landscape architecture, I can tell you I was appalled at that backyard. It really had no design at all. It was "let's do a BBQ area; let's do a seating in the shade; let's do a playground; let's do a dining table... it was totally boring and uninspired. There was so much that could've been done with all that space. And all that grass! Good lord peeps, do you not know that we are having a drought in southern California and there are watering restrictions in various areas? The cement around the pool, with a total and utter lack of plantings or anything of interest, was a big yawn. The only element I liked was the water wall, and even then it seemed to be off by itself.

Torrie deserved to go if she was the leader of that project. Besides the over budget bit, she certainly didn't lead a single thing, other than the color bits added.

Bor-ring!

Dipo
Member

04-23-2002

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 10:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dipo a private message Print Post    
ITA, Costacat. It really wasn't a very inspired project. But once again, I wonder if they (meaning the show) have created a lack of inspiration based on the time factor. I wish they would give them a timeframe for planning, then say you have x time to complete the project. That yard was huge and I would have liked to see them do a better job.

Plus!! I can't believe these people don't get the drought issues! And did they have a sprinkler system because I was worried about that sod being tended to properly while it was trying to take!!

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 10:39 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
I agree, the yard didn't flow at all! And it was all flat with no contours.. the square pergola emphasized that, too. I'm guessing a big hunk of the $10k went for assembly; they really did buying, not building.

The water wall was already there and Antonio, I think, got it working again, but of course it couldn't be relocated.. still that was a nice touch and one where it wasn't just built, assembled and plunked down.

If they are given two vehicles I would assume they would have cell phones and if they had them, should have been checking in.. like.. OK, I have selected the pergola, price is.. is that ok?

Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 10:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lilfair a private message Print Post    
Anyone could have did the same job as these folks did. No need for a degree or even and eye. But I think they are looking for personalities not real designers.

I think Antonio should win. He's the one I'd be most interested in and the one I feel confident with as far as trusting his judgement. He's the most unique of the final 3. There are lots of Lonnie's on HGTV already and lots of Dans. If HGTV is looking for the same old types then either one of them will fit the bill. If they are looking for someone a wee bit different then Antonio should get the job.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 11:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Designing a landscape is totally different that designing a room in a house. That said, there were "living areas" that could have been designed. And weren't.

With regards to the flatness, they could've done an English garden area, with seating inside. Or mounded areas surrounding the pool. Or raised planter beds. Or raised gardening beds (vegetables and herbs). They could even have gotten really abstract and created a mini maze out of hedges in the area near the playground (great for hide and seek).

They had no pool furniture to speak of, other than a couple of lounge chairs and chairs in the shade (which were a good idea).

And everything was just so disconnected.

They had plenty of time as they had four landscape contractors to do the heavy lifting and they had people installing the playground and pergola.

I'm not so sure about Antonio. I think it's his way or the highway, and if I were a client, I would not want to work with him. The visual interest that the rock stream created would have been a good idea and yet he vetoed it. They could've used different rock to delineate the stream from the surrounding area. (I dunno who bought all that rock, either, if the original goal was a rock stream and not a rock bed. They overbought rock.)

I'm not sure I like Antonio's designs. His construction is good though.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 1:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Costa - I agree w/your assessment of Antonio's work last night. Last week, I really thought his dinosaur room was the best. This week, he certainly didn't do their design any favors. IMHO, he doesn't appear to "play well with others."

Sammi
Member

03-31-2008

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 1:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sammi a private message Print Post    
In the state I live in there is a rule and all pools must have a fence around it. They had a 2 year old. What was suppose to prevent him from falling in. To me that was the worst thing about the whole back yard. I can't believe that it wasn't even addressed by the panel. Didn't like the redo at all.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 1:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
I thought of that, Sammi, but the entire yard is fenced so I think that takes care of the pool fence. I don't think you have to fence around the pool if the yard is also fenced. Assuming they know the limitations of their kid, I doubt they'd let the kid play outside alone. At least I'd hope so.

Teach, yup... doesn't play well with others at all.

Dipo
Member

04-23-2002

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 1:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dipo a private message Print Post    
hmm, Sammi, now that you mention it, I thought California had that law as well. Maybe it is just that the public can't have access. And then homeowners put an additional fence around it to protect their own kids.

Tntitanfan
Member

08-03-2001

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 2:10 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Tntitanfan a private message Print Post    
In TN a pool is classed as "an attractive nuisance" and must be fenced. HOWEVER, the fence can go around your entire property OR just around the pool.

Willsfan
Member

09-04-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 4:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Willsfan a private message Print Post    
We also have the fence around the pool law but it has never been enforced to my knowledge. The people next door have had a pool for years and they don't even have a fence around their yard. (my fence is on one side of their property) It's a wonder a kid or animal hasn't fell in and been unable to climb back out.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 4:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
I just looked up California code and I think they are likely within code. I don't know what county the house was in, but California code says if the pool existed before 1998, the enclosure isn't required. After 1998, the enclosure must be to separate access to the pool from the house. It also states that if any structure over $20K is built on the property and that requires a permit, the enclosure must be added. So I think they may have gotten grandfathered in without needing an enclosure.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 8:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
I would put up a fence around that pool ASAP so the kid could use that great play structure. Would probably have a cam that showed the pool from inside the house too.

Sugar
Member

08-15-2000

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 10:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sugar a private message Print Post    
They took down a pool fence and I was really surprised they didn't replace it with a toddler in the house. Shame on them, IMO. I was stunned the parents didn't say anything before and after.

Vsmart
Member

02-10-2003

Monday, August 31, 2009 - 10:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Vsmart a private message Print Post    
We put in the pool fence before we moved in. Our first summer we had 2 drownings. Luckily both times, we were by the pool & DH was able to jump in and rescue the kid.

Trueheart
Member

09-12-2006

Tuesday, September 01, 2009 - 1:03 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Trueheart a private message Print Post    
I'm sorry but I've gotta defend Dan here. Yes, it was a bad decision. But he didn't just dream up the 10,000 budget himself. Early on in the show they played the WHOLE car scene several times and then later on they seemed to ONLY replay the part where he said "$5,000 for the pergolla" but if you can recall the earlier scene, the whole scene...right after Dan says that in the van, Antonio goes "no, didn't you hear her, she said $10k" and he hands him another packet of bills.

Dan's mission was to get the pergola and he was given a full $10,000 dollars. I'm sure he was iffy on whether it was supposed to be 5 or 10 grand. I'm sure his instincts were screaming that it was too much, but he was the only person there and he was on the spot and I'm sure Antonio's words rang in the back of his head and the fact that he was actually given $10k in cash.

It is also reinforced by the fact that I thought Antonio got rather defensive about the budgeting on it and kept playing it off as a communication issue. I think it was because he felt guilty about his part in the whole thing.

Also, I must admit it kind of ticked me off when Antonio made that ridiculous comment about how all Dan does is "take his shirt off". I must admit I was a bit prickly about that. I know he meant it in jest but I also think he was trying to criticize him too. He knows Dan is his biggest threat here.

The fact is Dan has worked very hard. He has been the back bone of many of the group challenges and has shone in the individual ones. He has great carpentry skills and they only had a few mild issues on his first presentation. Many times the judges called out both of those guys as being the silent leaders/powerhouses of the bunch. So I was kind of like "Yeah, give me a break Antonio!" Dan has definitely proven that he does more than take his shirt off. I think several challenges pitted Dan with the worst group, while Antonio was paired with more competent workers and yet Dan was able to be a huge contribution to his team.

I don't know, all I'm saying is that Dan has certainly earned his spot IMO and Antonio's comment, even in jest, irked me a lot!

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Tuesday, September 01, 2009 - 4:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Nope, sorry, I disagree. When you have a total budget of $25,000 and that much space to design, you never ever spend almost half the budget on one single item. The fact the pergola was butt ugly doesn't have anything to do with it.

Lilfair
Member

07-09-2003

Tuesday, September 01, 2009 - 5:01 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lilfair a private message Print Post    
It's really laughable to think spending 10k out of a 25k budget on that pergola. That's really a no brainer. My think was why didn't the cancel the pergola or even renegotiate the price. If I was the team leader I'd be on the phone with them asp or even get in the van and talk about this in person. I am so sure something could have been worked out.

I really like Antonio and think he's got talent on both sides....construction and design. And I like that he's got opinions and the drive to take control. But like I said before they aren't looking for designers they are looking for TV personalities.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Tuesday, September 01, 2009 - 6:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
I wasn't impressed with the way Dan handled that situation. Granted he was the only one around, but he could easily have said he needed to confer with the others and he'd call 'em if he signed the contract.