design turd contestant #3: meet trent hultgren

the next DT is named trent...

you might know him better from his other show...

Age: 41

Hometown: Venice, Calif.

Trent says that before he found success as a design business owner, his life had been on a far different track. Growing up in Winton, Calif., Trent spent much of his childhood working on his family’s cattle farm and attending church. He later earned a degree in theology, but after more than a decade traveling the world as a missionary, Trent says he wanted to learn more about life and explore his dream to be a designer. He taught himself the principles of design and decor and, with hard work and determination, he launched a career as a designer. In business, he adheres to his design philosophy to “tweak” a space by enhancing the existing room design. Trent believes that he has an edge on the competition because, after years as a pastor and world traveler, his ability to genuinely connect with people will help set him apart from the other competitors.



ok...let's see what kenneth trent brings to the table:

ok...here we have an impersonal pottery barn photo shoot..and not even as good as pottery barn...

sea grass rug, sea grass table AND sea grass chairs???

blah....

i am fairly certain those orchids on the mantel are fake which is a HUGE no no in my book...

this guy loves a palm...

i would have chosen a different table...perhaps one of those gnarled grapevine/glass top numbers...

just..weird...and again with the palm..

this seems like a pleasant enough outdoor area...

fuck me!!! palms everywhere!!

i do like this one best so far though..

he seems to hate window treatments..

meh..

meh..

palm.

fake flowers but no palm..

 a note to stagers/stylists/decorators everywhere..

trays on a bed are stupid.

so here is my take on this guy..

he doesn't suck like DT number 1...but there is a lack of personality in his work.

could be his demise.

and he clearly loves sea grass and palms which might be his safe place.  breaking out of this might make him scream like rainman.

design turd contestant #2: meet tom vecchione

after yesterday's contestant we can only hope for something better right?

i think this guy is light years ahead of yesterday's turd..

Age: 46

Hometown: New York, N.Y.

For 23 years, Tom has worked at one of the world’s largest architecture firms. Now a design director, he regularly oversees projects for international clientele, many with building budgets in excess of $100 million. His parents encouraged his creativity, leading Tom to study architecture at Cornell and earn a bachelor’s degree in architecture at the New York Institute of Technology. Friends and coworkers describe Tom as a leader and compare his personality to a Jackson Pollack painting: bright, vibrant and filled with dynamic energy. Although he has an established career doing what he loves, Tom says his experience, energy and ability to thrive under pressure will make him a standout competitor on HGTV Design Star.



where tera's aesthetic was all manufactured, gross and uninspired i think tom's is easy, found and fun:

loving the worn green dresser and yellow garden stool...and assuming the styling is all him, i think it's great.. he has a great eye.

simple. even a little underdecorated...but i never scoff at blue and white dishes...especially a shit ton of it..

let's get a closer look at those dishes...

nice.

love the blue door, LOVE LOVE the rugs...

not loving the knotty pine panelling throughout the house.

if it were me i would have painted all of it white.

again i think painting all the panelling white would have brought attention to the gorgeous furniture and art in this room. loving the styling though. gay guys have the best rugs...and lots of them.

see? much more inspired don't you think?

i think for a country/lake/vacation house this place looks elegant and relaxed.

i am excited to see what this guy brings.