Some of the details that you might have missed in Corey’s room were spectacular: The authentic farmer’s table and real ranch fencing really gave us a trip to the outback. Corey mentioned that his grandmother always used a real lace table covering for their country dinners growing up, so I made a lace runner to accent his dining table along with fresh arrangements of assorted wild flowers including daisies and thistle arranged within old mason jars. There were even some faux roosters and chickens milling about!

Corey brought in some of his own candles that were known as traditional “home candles” along with his own “home” signage. Even amongst all of the pressure of getting his meal out, Corey didn’t forget his design concept and his personal connection to his dining environment. He stayed consistent and true through out the competition.

When the guests walked into Corey’s room they all said, “Oooh Country!” The whole ambiance screamed it and as the party continued the guests had no question about where they were and where they belonged. 

Corey’s “Mummified Shrimp with Avocado Citrus Salad” were encased in texture and taste; his design concepts and room certainly affirmed his signature style with a playful and gregarious approach.

I don’t know what airline Corey cooks for, but I will certainly be boarding that plane with my fork and knife party ready!

Nicole!

Spring Time in New York!!

After sitting with Nicole, I had to edit out a lot of words and try to hone in on the design. I loved the fact that Nicole was completely convicted, about her décor, but I wasn’t sure if she was listening to herself enough while she was quickly trying to get her concept out into the room. I felt like she was really stuck in the literal definition of "town," and not in the abstract creative versions of what "town" could be, and how to make it a “Nicole version” of the concept rather than what the world thinks "town" should be. This is not a bad thing because what Nicole chose to do was completely lovely and digestible, but I feel like we have all seen this before and it may have been a safe reinvention of the wheel.