Design, What's Up
July 15, 2010
By Susan Huls
Editor’s note: In this second of two posts, Olson shares her thoughts about Design Star and offers advice to aspiring interior designers.
This summer, HGTV’s Design Star began its fifth season. Twelve creative professionals compete in fast–paced design challenges for the opportunity to host and design for a new series on HGTV. Acclaimed interior designers Genevieve Gorder, Candice Olson, and Vern Yip do the judging.
Candice attributes the show’s success to several factors, including the challenges, the array of talent, great design, and—of course—the drama.
She’s amazed by what the contestants accomplish in the challenges with so little time or resources. “We’re really getting them to flex their design muscles,” she says. “It’s more about what inspires you. How does it manifest itself in the design?”
She admits that the judges had a very difficult time selecting the winner. It was such a close competition that they had to leave the set for a few hours to determine who would receive the grand prize.
“It’s a reality show, but in this case something happens after the filming is over,” she adds. “There’s no other show where you win the opportunity to host your own show. That’s a huge prize. The winner is catapulted to something that took me 15 years to achieve.”
Her advice for aspiring interior designers who crave success?
“Don’t expect to graduate and be successful without a whole lot of work behind you. It’s a business. Get out there and market yourself or run and grow your business. You need to understand the business side of it, otherwise it’s just a hobby.”
Photos via hgtv.com
Design
July 8, 2010
By Susan Huls
She’s the host and designer for HGTV’s popular Divine Design and back as a judge for another season of HGTV Design Star. She’s a mother, author, and manages her own brand of home decor products. Delightful, elegant, savvy, and the person you wish was your next-door neighbor—Candice Olson is passionate about helping others realize the power of design.
She understands that her clients are after a certain look, style, and service. She keeps her design approach fresh by incorporating elements from areas such as fashion, travel, and history.
For example, Candice keeps her finger on the pulse of fashion and fashion-forward ideas. Zink magazine is her favorite design publication to read because of its approach to fashion and creativity.
She also appreciates and admires fashion designer Ralph Lauren because of his design vision and longevity: “He’s had his own brand for decades, and he always manages to keep it fresh and reinvents himself. He does it so perfectly.”
Travel also is important to her because it is much more accessible to her customers than when she began her career: “People at one time requested English Country as a style, without ever traveling to the English countryside. Now, their travels and experiences impact their design style, so I’ll ask them to bring these travel interests to the table.”
She also believes in the importance of including traditional and historic references in her projects—these are the touches that provide a nod to the past and keep a space classic and current.
Reflecting on the rising popularity of Divine Design and Design Star, she notes, “Design is so exciting now. People are realizing the power of design. Design can change the way they live—their lives can change for the better. They can feel better, entertain better, love better.”
She thinks back to a time when there was no HGTV network or shelter magazines—interior design was for the rich: “People are living design and understanding what tools they need to make their lives better. This is one of the rewarding parts, and that’s why I’m still in the business.”
Photo via: www.hgtv.com
Watch Candice on HGTV’s Divine Design, Saturdays at 8 p.m. EST, and Design Star, Sundays at 10 p.m. EST.
Next week, look for the second of two blog posts featuring Candice and her thoughts about this season’s Design Star.
