lag wrote:

Margaret - As a student of interior design I have really enjoyed hearing and learning from your feedback on the show. It is a great way to test my own instincts! In any case, I find that you are always on point. I would have liked to see Ryan leave last week, but I'm glad that he is gone now. He simply doesn't have the desire to be a designer. You are a pleasure to watch and I can't wait to see what happens next!

posted on March 7, 2007 at 11:25 PM

Nancy S. wrote:

This is the first episode on which I actually agreed with the judges. I think Ryan should have gone last week. He clearly does not want to be a designer.
I do think you were a bit hard on Andrea. She was a great team leader, and her design was fine. It was, after all, a garage, and the clients loved it, all but the office. Putting that in the shed was a dumb idea, anyway, and that was a client choice.
Good show. I look forward to next week. I do hope they get to do something spectacular.

posted on March 7, 2007 at 11:48 PM

Jay Anders wrote:

Margaret! I love you because you answer every question that I have while watching the show! and I agree with every word that you say!!
When Mark Rios said " organized but not composed" I couldn't believe it! What a pretentious ass! Matt's job was disgusting and he did it perfectly!! ( in fact, this challenge was disgusting!)
And when you looked sideways when Ryan announced that he wanted to say something- I did the same thing at home!! Just like you!! Thrilled that Ryan went home!! A "glass of Napalm" indeed!
YOU LOOKED FANTASTIC AS ALWAYS!!!!!!!

posted on March 8, 2007 at 12:02 AM

aj wrote:

I have really tried to enjoy the show- as I have been completely addicted to Project Runway and Top Chef - but this show seems to fall flat week after week. It seems a shame that Bravo has assembled such a large group of creative minds but completely stifled that creativity with ridiculous time constraints and group challenges. It is frustrating as a viewer to hear the judges point out incomplete elements or designs that should have been taken a step further when the designers did not have the luxury of a reasonable amount of time to put their ideas into fruition. My problem with the garage challenge was again the time limitation. In most instances, it would have taken an entire day to empty the space and sort through the many items - let alone incorporate everything a family of 5 is requesting and add "art". Even Trading Spaces allows their design professionals 2 days to completely renovate a space. Sorry Bravo - I won't be watching again.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 12:30 AM

Dee Zine wrote:

Margaret, why didn't you say any of this on the show??? Are you aware how badly you judges come off? A catty (or, in your case, a non-cat-ty) comment here, a smirk about one of the designers there, and you're done! You all never seem to take into account any of the real principles of real design, so the audience at home doesn't learn anything and the designers are humiliated. You all seem more interested in bashing the contestants than in critiquing their designs.

This is the first blog entry of yours I've read, and I was shocked! There should be more of this kind of comment on the show and a lot less bitchiness.

As for fireworks, they're probably from icky Micheael, so who needs them? What the audience would really like to see is great design and innovation, followed by a really good discussion of same by you judges.

So far, no good.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 1:27 AM

Turbo Geek wrote:

1. The crap should have been cleaned out of the garage before the work started. Top Design is about design, not who is going to star in 'Hazel, the Movie'. At least they could have called the man of the house "Mister B."

2. The shed should not have been allowed (by the producers) to be included in the project at the last second. Carissa stepped up to fulfill this request which drew her away from the main garage and targeted her for all of the "not a team player" critcism.

3. Where did all of the 'stuff' that was scattered about in the garage go? Certainly the furniture (white sofa or love seat) didn't go into bins. It was nowhere to be seen during the reveal. The loft (and it's contents) was never shown in the reveal.

4. If something absurd is going into a garage, such as a stage/set, then it's perfectly okay to have absurd grape and charcoal colored drapery around it, especially when grape (purple) was one of the colors in the client requested palette.

5. This challenge morphed into something truly surreal and bizarre which was not likely the intention of the producers.

--TG

posted on March 8, 2007 at 2:20 AM

Greg wrote:

Brava Margaret!

Mark Rios brought the expected "architects are Gods and designers are fluff" attitude to his judging (I would expect nothing less from an architect).

Thanks for the insight as to what was really thought about Matt, Erik, Michael & Carissa. What you blogged is what I saw on the episode. Glad to know the judges are more clued-in than they're edited and watered down to appear.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 6:00 AM

Ms. Place wrote:

Once again your blog was informative, giving us a behind the scenes peek. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 7:06 AM

Greta wrote:

Matt deserves a MAJOR award ... sorting through all that ... uh ... stuff (and I say that kindly as I certainly don't want my garage on display on national television. I'd just die!) Totally agree with your comment on Mark Rios ... let's see Mark do something artistic with mismatched items and moldy swimming pools! Send him to our house - we could use him! HA!

posted on March 8, 2007 at 8:13 AM

Samuel Uccello wrote:

It is a shame that the Judges were so hostile to Ryan, he is the only one to think out of the box of the interior designer (with the possible exclusion of Goil). I know he seemed angry to the "professional Interior Designers" but to not follow what is done ad nausium in the united states is refreshing. And tell me the truth, who on that panel would have taken that job in their own practice? No one of you I bet! And he was the only one to tell the truth that a lot of that "Stuff" should be gotten rid of. Shame on the panel, and shame on who ever came up with this challange. It may be the end of me watching the show.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 9:15 AM

Laura wrote:

I enjoyed last night's show but agree with you about the guest judge. It was amazing to get all the family's "stuff" off the floor, not "composed"! It was a huge challenge in a short period of time. I think Andrea did well as the team leader. Carissa needs to be careful, she isn't endearing herself to the others, which usually means no help in the end. Remember Marcel...

posted on March 8, 2007 at 10:07 AM

juni wrote:

It is a delicate balance between pleasing the client and creating truly great design that comes from an organic sense of the space and how it can be used according to the expertise of the designer. The Bells were asking for too much out of that one space, especially given their former use of the space as a dumping ground.

In their desire to go overboard to please the client, the contestants did not guide them enough so the space would have some kind of unified design look and feel. The room was scattered and the elements were disconnected from each other. A large graphic, across all walls, to tie the separate elements together might have been a solution. But Ryan, in his distaste for the project, turned up his nose and dropped the ball, when he could have taken leadership and made a solution a truly eye-pleasing event.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 10:13 AM

Barb P wrote:

Thank you Margaret for your concise comments. However, after reading the Production Assistant's blog the true facts of this design project were revealed. The project envisioned seven garages, but at the last minute only one garage could be found. Thus, the whole project was re-written and planned. This last minute planning explains the complete chaos with everything involved, except the wonderful construction, cleaning and orgainization of the design contestants! Almost everyone agrees with Ryan that the garage "stuff" needed to be culled with many items thrown away. If I were on the production planning team, I would have given the culling job to the family and made them go through everything before it was put away in bins. They would have had three categories: disposal, keep in garage, or store elsewhere/sell. The time constraints would have been lessened if the family members did the culling, cleaning and organizing! This episode really was poorly designed, planned and executed by the staff. I would have kept all the designers and "fired" no one. Ryan has no social skills, but he was absolutely correct in his thoughts. However, someone with social skills should have "edited" his proposal and convinced the family to help pare down their junk. Who chose this production staff and why is everything so chaotic, i.e. the beach challenge, the garage sale challenge and now this garage challenge? Please have someone answer this question in their blog. Good Luck next week!

posted on March 8, 2007 at 11:44 AM

angela wrote:

I love your blog and think you are an excellent addition, well, the best part of this show! Thank you for giving us more insight and details than an hour-long show allows!

posted on March 8, 2007 at 12:07 PM

Gary Edwards wrote:

i invited 8 friends over last night, ordered a ton of sushi and a Mille Crepe cake from Lady M, so that we could have a Top Design marathon and enjoy the fashions of You and Kelly!
Instead, we had to suffer through those angry sous chefs and the queen with the big hair on TOP CHEF!!
The people at Bravo ruined our evening! Is it impossible for Bravo to correctly identify upcoming programs? Am I reaching for the stars here?! Not really!!
However, when Top Design FINALLY came on, we cheered! We LIVE for you and we are loving poor Kelly- even if we don't agree with her Ryan assessment. Keep up the great work!! Can't wait til next week, providing Bravo remembers what time your show comes on!

posted on March 8, 2007 at 1:16 PM

Gary Edwards wrote:

i invited 8 friends over last night, ordered a ton of sushi and a Mille Crepe cake from Lady M, so that we could have a Top Design marathon and enjoy the fashions of You and Kelly!
Instead, we had to suffer through those angry sous chefs and the queen with the big hair on TOP CHEF!!
The people at Bravo ruined our evening! Is it impossible for Bravo to correctly identify upcoming programs? Am I reaching for the stars here?! Not really!!
However, when Top Design FINALLY came on, we cheered! We LIVE for you and we are loving poor Kelly- even if we don't agree with her Ryan assessment. Keep up the great work!! Can't wait til next week, providing Bravo remembers what time your show comes on!

posted on March 8, 2007 at 1:21 PM

bf wrote:

Margaret: Thanks you for saying what I think most of the viewers were thinking...Mark Rios needs to get his head out of his {EDITOR'S NOTE: COME ON FOLKS. LET'S KEEP IT CLEAN} and get back into the real world. Organized but not composed? That has to go down as one of the stupidest and yest most arrogant comments from any of the guest judges. Storage is about functionality, not about being pretty and Matt deserves all of the kudos that he's getting for taking on the worst and most disgusting job in that projects. As for who got eliminated...yes, Ryan needed to go. I'm not sure why he was ther in the first place but maybe they can get him back for Top Art Snob when that airs. That being said, How much longer are you guys going to let Carissa slide by? She's annoying, selfish and nowhere near as entertaining as Michael. Please dispose of her ASAP!

posted on March 8, 2007 at 2:44 PM

Linda from ::Surroundings:: wrote:

Hi Margaret,
Thanks so much for your honest and clear insight into the show. It's frustrating to watch and you are one of the high points of the whole thing.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 3:40 PM

Jenny wrote:

I don't want more drama. I want good ideas, examples and demonstrations of how to create beautiful design. Can the production team focus on the Design? This show has been so focused on showcasing drama (footage of eyerolls and huffs instead of creation and implementation) I stopped watching after the beach cabana episode. What a disappointment.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 3:46 PM

Jenny wrote:

I don't want more drama. I want good ideas, examples and demonstrations of how to create beautiful design. Can the production team focus on the Design? This show has been so focused on showcasing drama (footage of eyerolls and huffs instead of creation and implementation) I stopped watching after the beach cabana episode. What a disappointment.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 3:53 PM

Linda wrote:

Ok Margaret, I am happy that Ryan is gone gone gone! I just knew he had been voted off by the way you said "yes" with such determination when the judges were asked if you all agreed. And thank you for seeing thru Ryan and his what should I say - -his psycho babble and his larger than life image of himself!! The lady judge to your right does not get it yet I'm afraid. Thank goodness you are on the panel.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 5:09 PM

Alona wrote:

Fireworks are okay, but there are a million reality shows out there that we can watch if we want fireworks. We're here for the design! I was disgusted by the behavior of the contestants on Top Chef and do NOT want a repeat.

But besides from that, I think you're doing a great job as a judge on Top Design and can't wait to see more in future episodes!

posted on March 8, 2007 at 7:35 PM

Theresa, Illinois wrote:

I had a swing / trapeze in my basement when I was growing up. It was the most fun! I have many fond memories.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 10:26 PM

joker wrote:

margaret, I appreciate your taste and commentary but ryan was really the only one with a true editorial point of view regarding this challenge. he was right to tell the richie riches to cull their crap. he worked hard on the overall project and his post modern view of design might not be your cup of tea but it is unique and thoughtful. I suggest that it is carissa and michael who exhibit both immaturity and bitchiness and were the problem children not ryan who you sadly never seemed to understand.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 10:33 PM

Bobby wrote:

Garages are not exciting. Period. Please, for next week, give us something that is more interesting.

posted on March 8, 2007 at 11:39 PM

KenS wrote:

Just a quick post - Garages are not living spaces, if you do not believe me ask your local builder / inspector / city registrar. To even suggest mixing work & play into this toxic atmosphere was amoral at the least. Let me know when Bravo gets some sensibility behind their programming and then I will decide whether to put in the word design.

posted on March 9, 2007 at 1:25 AM

Maleko wrote:

Margaret, I’m a convert. I like your style and the way you write. I think the designers did the best they could under the given parameters. I think Ryan was absolutely correct to speak the obvious – the Bell family had a lot of STUFF crammed in that little space, and perhaps they should think about getting rid of it. The look of horror on Ms. Bell's face said a mouthful – it’s not like they were storing any precious antiques. By the way, when the challenge was over, where was all that STUFF at the final unveiling? I don't believe I saw one piece restored to its rightful place in the garage. Oh, and one more thing, when did the outside shed become part of the project? I don’t recall it being mentioned in the initial challenge? The real deal here is - the Bell Family was simply too lazy to clean up after themselves and their own garage.

I’m not sure I agree with the judge’s choice about eliminating Ryan packing (granted he may be angry, but he was contributing), and would have preferred that Carissa be sent packing simply because she did not really contribute to the success of the real project, redesigning the garage space.

posted on March 9, 2007 at 10:45 AM

Alex C wrote:

I decide to post this is in an official bravo website rather than other forum because I sincerely hope that you, Ms. Russell, or perhaps the producers would read this comment and take it into consideration.

Something about this challenge doesn't sit quite right with me (well, most of the challenges do not sit quite right with me, but this one more so than others).

The demands from this challenge is woefully unrealistic. Granted, you may argue that that's the premise of the show - testing these designers with seemingly absurd requests and see how they respond and adapt their talents to the task. But for this challenge, it was barely even about designing. The judges, youself included, admitted that this was more of an organizer's job rather than a designer's job. You and your fellow judges want them to go above and beyond the task and insert their personalities and design aesthetics into the project, but you did not even give them time to do so.

The options left for these 'designers' are merely: perform the tasks and get critiqued for not being a designer (Ryan and Matt) or take time to incorporated their design aesthetics and get critiqued for not being a part of the team (Goil and Carisa). Given the time they have to finish the project (18 hours I believe? and less than 10 on-site?), you are asking them to take out the junk, sort said junk, clean the garage, make addition to the garage, make additions to the garage, paint, and finally decorate. I leave decorating at the very end of the list because that's the order in which those things get done. For those who got assigned real tasks (Ryan as construction foreman and Matt as organizer ), they wouldn't be able to really 'design' anything simply because they didn''t have time. Yet, you (or at least the editing team) made it seem as if they deliberately chose not to design and hence was their downfall.

The elimination of Ryan, to me and probably most viewers, was not based on his performance in the challenge. From the show, it's clear that judges eliminated him because of his views with regards to interior desiging industries. I am not here to argue whether his past performances could be considered good designs, but in a challenge NOT having any relation to do with design, he performed and he performed well, both as an individual and as a team player. To dismiss him not on that basis, but on other, perhaps emotional basis makes the show even less creditable than it already is.

I am surprised, and appalled, that you and perhaps other judges didn't fully understand what their task was. You admiited it here that you only briefly saw the picture of the before state of the garage. How can you effectively judge a performance of a task if you do not comprehend the full extent of what they have achieved given all the constraints. Doing so only result in snarky and condescending comments that Bravo can edit and use as one-liners in their promos (which perhaps is the whole point, but that would just discredit the show even further). As a result, it makes you and your fellow judges look unprofessional and are merely people sitting on a pedestal (almost quite literally, given the white room) looking down on these poor mortal designers.

The disdain Ryan has over the interior designing industries may or may not be justified, but I believe those comments come out more as a result of the disdain he has for the show itself (rather than the whole industries). And to his disdain that show is merely a ploy to make money and not a real designing competition, I sadly have to agree.

Best of luck for the rest of the show .

posted on March 9, 2007 at 1:21 PM

LK wrote:

Thanks for your great entries. You are taking this work seriously and I appreciate your comments.

Michael did get something like he was told, but a nice bright royal purple would have been more theater like. We burst out laughing at his solution "turn to the wonderful charcoal gray". Oh yeah, that' s much more lively than grape! He is color challenged, but as you've acknowledged didn't need to take the full blame for the idea.

Carisa seems to be doing set decoration. Everything has to be just so. She is too in touch with the guest judge who thinks storage in a garage should somehow be staged and contrived for some sort of look: who cares if its fit for the purpose.

But frankly I don't see how the wife could not have liked a clean bright space with shelves and file cabinets and desk. Her comment of it at least being better than before shows her lack of awareness of things like, life.

Ryan simply didn't fit the show. He can argue all he wants about what design _should_ be in his opinion, but the producers are working from a different page and included him to stir things up, as he was contrarian from the beginning. So Ryan did his thing, and lost for it, yet he can only blame himself of getting into a situation opposite of what he likes to do.

I'm disappointed at the lack of knowledge you guys are getting around the challenges. Shows a real strong manipulation on the producers' part to have a pre-determined outcome. Your interaction with the contestants is apparently strictly controlled as if you might become biased - but that has probably already happened. Besides, if they are to be judged strictly on their work (the intention I guess), then why see them at all, why be able to question them? Shouldn't matter right?

Again, thanks for your musings, its a good read.

On to the next episode we go.

posted on March 9, 2007 at 3:47 PM

Jill wrote:

I like the show but I don't like the attitude of the judges. They put each person down so much and most of the design tasks are rediculous if not impossible.

Just my thought on the subject cause the show would actually "Rule" if the judges were more kind and less catty....

It's like watching a bunch of jealous high school girls putting down the smart kids who are doing a great job in class......Stupid!

Seriously, I live in Bev Hills not far from the design center, and nobody is snobby like these judges. It's sad they are putting out such a negative image of the city.

Todd is cool though......He comes off like a normal person who isn't all full of himself...His attitude is really good and I like him. He's much more ture to the people who live in this fantastic town!

posted on March 9, 2007 at 5:30 PM

meliblu wrote:

Obviously, either you haven't pulled the Project Runway or Top Chef audiences in great numbers to Top Design (or they stopped watching) or Bravo hasn't advertised / publicized the website enough on the show because so few poster entries on the blog. Doubt that all of you are too critical about what is posted on the blogs. That's what I enjoy about Runway and Top Chef, the interaction with the other blog posters. Yes, love the shows, but so much insight from the blog posters and comments back and forth between posters, message boards aside. Well, you probably won't post this one either. Actually just caught up on reading your blogs. The production assistant was and will always be the first one I read because I was hoping he would reach Rucker of PR witty level and he has not disappointed. Hope you don't try to get rid of him now.

posted on March 10, 2007 at 10:26 AM

FanFare wrote:

Although it was Ryan's acidic attitude that ultimately got him dismissed, he was one thousand percent correct in telling that "model" family that their "stuff" should be reduced. This family deserves to live in "LaLa-land". They were so unrealistic in their request for a multipurpose room derived from a garage. Adding insult to injury, they decided to change their silly minds and make an office out of a shed! Didn't they have plenty of rooms within their big, comfy home to utilize a separate office or playroom for the kids? This challenge turned the contestants from "Top Design" into workers from "1-800-GOT-JUNK?"!

In addition, the comments about Carisa's weight are juvenile. Michael is hardly gorgeous himself and should mind his manners. He also seems ineffective, lazy and dumb.

I found Andrea too wimpy. She needed to reign in her clients unreasonable desires into something manageable. She also needed to take responsibility for her choices (fabric color, office location change, lack of creative wall art on bare walls, et al...). Carisa was told (by Andrea) to work on the office space. Due to the change of office location, she was forced to work apart from the team. At least Carissa completed her assignment.

Overall, I found this challenge to be a big joke!

posted on March 10, 2007 at 12:29 PM

Stephen wrote:

Margaret, have to agree with a few of the other commentators here about the judging so far. Your blog is much more interesting than anything you've said on-air; same with the other two and your guests. Constructive criticism is what we are looking for. If we want nasty sniping, we can always watch 'The Apprentice'.

Until I read your blog I had no idea how you could possibly have achieved the level of success in your business that you have. Push back on the producers, Dear Margaret; they know trash TV; you know design and it's the latter we are tuning in for.

posted on March 11, 2007 at 10:27 AM

kathy wrote:

i like your comments but wish they'd been said on the show. the garage show was horrid. send the bells over to clean sweep. shame on the show to have the designers cleaning up mess. whats up wiith the guest judge and his comments? i;d love to see him roll up dirty pools and stuff in a box. the whole show was a waste of time.

posted on March 11, 2007 at 8:53 PM

collette wrote:

yeck!!!!
What an awful episode!
I'd rather watch designers challenge. No one is yelling and making stupid comments and creativity is rewarded.
And frankly designers challenge it is a lot less boring than this project.
Honestly what a cruel thing to do to the designers and the veiwers---However I have to say you always handle it all with style and aplomb!

posted on March 11, 2007 at 9:28 PM

LeCorbu wrote:

Margaret,

I read your first blog and now this one as I was keenly interested in what you thought of this project. I was disappointed to find you gossiping about contestants. Is it really the public's business what Michael does off camera, flirting or otherwise? Why do you find it necessary to make such a comment as this and then go on to psychologize Ryan? Your blog is a reflection of your character, not those you attempt to analyze.

You do good work. Stick to the high ground. It suits you better.

posted on March 12, 2007 at 3:12 PM

Jay Anders wrote:

Dear Margaret,
I agree with Stephen!
You need open up a can of whoop-ass on the producers and editors.
They are so unrefined!
I can't wait until tomorrow!

posted on March 13, 2007 at 2:18 PM

Tweety wrote:

Absolutely agree with FanFare (posted comment on March 10 at 12:29pm) regarding the garage project.

Looking forward the next episode.

posted on March 19, 2007 at 9:57 PM

sarah6cats wrote:

Hi, Margaret,
You are by far the classiest judge! Just found the show last night, and I have to agree with Ryan and all the others who say get rid of the junk! Knowing the state of my own garage and my tendency to pack rat, my husband was in shock when i agreed about clearing out! I also thought it was unfair to make the designers clean out the garage before starting. The family should have had that task and not just sat back looking snooty. I know the shed was not part of the design plan, but part of being a designer is the ability to adapt to changes in the plan, right? Clarissa was not being uncommunicative, she was doing the office zone Andrea assigned to her, so I felt she was treated unfairly on that one. What did the others want, her to do all of the work for them, too? Being a purple lover, I liked the curtain, but who in the world would want to sit in the garage to watch the kids put on a play. It gets cold in the winter in my garage in TN and so hot with bugs you would not sit out there in the summer. I think organizing is best left to professional organizers, design to professional designers, and the garage for the cars and power tools. Can't wait for Wenesday night, if I have read the schedule right. Until then, I will be in the garage de-cluttering.
Sarah

posted on March 30, 2007 at 12:29 AM