I dunno. When i watched this episode i thought that some things were good, but now as i’m looking at the pictures i have some worries, and i’m just generally…unexcited. Yes, thats a good word for it. Here’s what i’m trying to constantly remind myself of: a. their individual stregnths and b. the shopping constraints.
So here we are:
Mark, Meg, Karl, Tanika, Kellie, Leslie and Kevin.
The challenge: a whole house, divided up by rooms – and they each get their own room. They are all on their own, yes!
Karl got the master bedroom: (before)
And here is what he did:
Drastically better. I love the West Elm bedding, and those side tables are cute, too. The taupe/blue color palette is fine, and the chandy works.
I have never and will never be a ‘basket on the wall’ kind of girl, but its also very very hard to fill the wall space on TV, so i don’t hate them.
I like the stool but hate that chaise. Ultimately without West Elm, this room would be way too ‘contemporary’ for me. And by contemporary i mean stuff that is out on the shelves in stores right now that barely references any past styles or any global styles. It’s the stuff that dudes love, dark woods, dark leathers with top-seams and sleek lines, just overall so personality-less. Like the bench at the end of the bed.
The headboard he made was good, the lamps work and the side tables are cute. Overall, it feels very catalogue to me, BUT it is probably exactly what the homeowners want and its the most pulled together, with the fewest red flags. I like Karl on camera. He is very personal and engaging and just overall adorable. I just think style-wise we speak different languages. ‘Contemporary’ is the style i like the least. It’s the style that gets dated the fastest in my opinion.
Alright here is Kellie’s kids room before. She had the little boy who wanted a ‘locker room themed room with bunk beds’. And here is the after:
I like her 10 million times more than i like this room. Yes, i remember that these challenges are hard, but man that rug on the angle, the drapery thats hung short, and the fact that the kid is going to absolutely fall off his bed on night number one, all make me sad. I see her thought process – she didn’t want to do anything too literal for the boy – nothing that would be too juvenile in a couple years, but this is no ‘locker room bunk bed’ room.
It’s totally underwhelming. 
This is a cute idea, though.
It’s kind of a disaster, even though she is pretty adorable. It’s too bad because kids rooms can be super fun because you can go out there a little more than adult spaces.
Below is Kevin’s ‘before’ living room:
And here is what he did:
And over here:
And he turned it into this:
The room does look pulled together. I don’t mind that he painted the brick, but that mantle is totally Mr. McDinkersons. So small, but i think he knew it..he was desperate. The coffee table in front of the fireplace is weird, all the accessories, excpet the West Elm stuff, was meh. On TV, it looked pulled together, but when you stare at the pictures i realize there is nothing I really want to take home with me.
Instead, Kevin went home. I’m sure he’s hilarious, but i was a little ready.
Here is Leslie’s kids room, ‘before’:
And here is waht she did:
Its pretty unfortunate. It looks messy, accidental and the judges were right – not very ‘kid’.
The gigham drapery is cute, though. The rest of it looks like every kid bedroom in america – just kinda messy and accidental.
I don’t want to rake this across the coals. I just didn’t like it one bit and clearly she didn’t either, and that is the worst feeling, knowing that you are going to dissapoint not only yourself but the homeowner. Ick.
I didn’t mind the closet doors, though. There, i said something kinda positive. Poor Leslie had to go home. It was her time.
Next Up? Mark.
Here is his ‘before’ dining room. And here is the after:
Much, much better, but i’m pretty over him using so much reclaimed wood. In fact i’m over everyone in the world using reclaimed wood so much. BUT, i think that this room is more successful than a lot of others. His slab table will be coveted. i just don’t know why the wood starts and stops over there. God, i’m being so negative, i just feel a little ‘meh’ about the whole thing. I feel like we’ve seen the raw edge table three times in the kitchen challenge.
That wood partition that seperated the dining room from the living room was smart. And I think a lot of people would totally want this. I like him. Here’s the rest of the before and afters:
after:
I have no idea what is happening on the floor with those rugs. I think i might like the leather ottomon, though. Super simple, low and looks high quality. I can’t believe they take the ‘before’ photos with more natural light than the ‘afters’. I’m sure its a timing thing, but my god, its not doing these rooms any favors.
After:
I don’t mind this record wall. Whatever.
I hate to rake Mark across the coals because i do like him, but that side table on an angle, the styling of the coffee table and the rug pushed up against the sofa are all three major problems for me. I’m asssuming they didn’t have access to good rugs (although they did get to go to West Elm) because those two next to eachother aren’t exactly working for me. BUT, maybe they took this picture before he finished. Regardless, i still like him and this room made the home-owners really happy. Just not me.
Lastly Meg. She had the foyer area. Before:
After:
All the furniture is tasteful, it just looks super unfinished. And generally unexciting.
Here’s the sitting area upstairs before:
And after:
And the other side, before:
And after:
I mean, nothing happened. She must have spendt her time shopping and didn’t find what she needed. I don’t mind her lantern wall, It’s very Pottery Barn, but its fine. I like that ottomon, and her paint choice and huge pendant light was good. But where did the time and money go?
I liked Meg on the camera challenge, though. She’s comfortable and likeable and seems like she genuinely wants to win this thing.
But overall, there was really nothing in this house that i wanted in my own except for the West Elm accessories. I don’t know if they didn’t have the proper resources or what. Mark and Karl definitely did the best and Leslie and Kevin failed on both the design and the camera challenges, so Kellie and Meg remained safe because i think ultimately the judges kinda like them.
Sorry this post is so boring. I leave for New York in 6 hours on an early flight, my computer is broken (being fixed) and i can’t seem to blog from my ipad because squarespace is at times very user unfriendly, so i’m trying to squeeze some posts in, otherwise no bloggity blog for me and you the next few days.
I know i’ve been phoning it in lately and i’m so sorry….the Holiday special totally killed me time-wise, then i went to Portland to see my family/get away where i didn’t have wi-fi at my brothers house, then i broke my computer the day before i came home. Starting next week i will be back at it, full content, daily with pretty pics and some, oh i don’t know, maybe even some personality. These designs bored me, my blog is boring me, even bearcat is just sitting here yawning, so i guess its all appropriate.
Back to the post….who do you guys want to win right now? We are down to Mark, Kellie, Meg and Karl.
Who do you think will be crowned DS 6?