HGTV ‘Stars’ Top Design Tips

Be picky with your art and bold with your paint.

by Josie Cellone


For an episode of HGTV’s “Design Star,” a reality competition where designers compete for their own show on the network, teams had 22 hours and $10,000 to remodel base housing for two military families.

Contestants Lonni Paul and Torie Halpert gave MSM their best tips for how to make a big design change with your spare change:

Design Tip
Lonni: “If you can’t afford art, just get a piece of plywood and cover it with an interesting pattern of wallpaper. It looks like beautiful painting in the background. Look for modern and geometric patterns or landscapes. You can also use fabric inside of a frame.”

Torie: “Paint is the easiest and the smartest way to transform a space anytime, anywhere. On top of that, just really stick with your gut and go with what you like. Don’t worry about appeasing anyone else. Find one good element you really, really love and make it the focal point of the room.”

Small spaces
Lonni: “An easy way to change up a space is to use a slip cover. Sew up a pillow, and if you use an envelope fold on the inside, you don’t even need zipper.”

Torie: “If you’ve got a small space and you’re getting new furniture to spruce it up, always start by measuring your space. When people go into the big, sprawling open furniture stores, it looks like the piece will fit anywhere. Always measure your doors – the furniture has to fit through it. And do not use dark paint!”

Design Mistake
Lonni: “Don’t get furniture that matches. It’s much better to have interesting pieces that work together rather than an entire set that matches.”

Torie: “Go through your pieces and think, ‘Do I really want this out for everyone to see?’ Less is more, but there are ways of doing collections that are classy. Do it in moderation, in a creative display, spaced out along a wall.”