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[Photo: ® HGTV/Photographer: Mark DeLong]
Great news for reality fans! HGTV’s hit reality competition, Design Star is back for its third season. We all saw the first two winners, David Bromstad & Kim Myles, struggle to the finish of this show and now we get to see the next design star emerge.
This time, there’s a bit of a surprise for us when the series premieres. We won’t know who the ninth competitor is until June 8th. The two semi-finalists have been up for the audience vote and the winner will be revealed on the premiere episode. Be sure to tune in for that on June 8 at 9/8c on HGTV! But until then, get to know the finalists.
Meet the HGTV Design Star Finalists:
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Jennifer Bertrand Olathe, Kansas Age: 33 Growing up in a military family, Jennifer spent her childhood moving to different Army bases all over the world. She says her passion for design began when she saw her mother “magically” transform their modest surroundings into an elegant environment each time they moved. The years she spent living abroad further shaped Jennifer’s love of design where she found inspiration throughout Europe, from decorative grand palaces to rustic outdoor antique markets. After teaching art in elementary schools in Italy and Kansas, Jennifer, along with her English husband, Chris, now own a design business. Jennifer views herself as a talented artist with a bubbly personality and says she loves to inspire others to enjoy the design process. |
(click on “Read More” for the rest)
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Tricia Beaudet Shelby Township, Michigan Age: 37 Tricia, a self-taught designer, has co-owned a successful design business since 2002. Equipped with the design motto “A spoonful of honesty and the design knowledge to wash it down,” this self-described fun, vibrant and stylish mother of three says she isn’t afraid to express her opinion. Although she describes her design style as timeless, sophisticated and traditional, Tricia believes that each room should always have an unexpected element, whether a standout print, texture or color. |
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Dwayne Paul DeRouen Lafayette, Louisiana Age: 33 Dwayne, also known to friends as “D.Paul,” began his career as an architectural designer after graduating from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. Dwayne believes that his formal training instilled a “function before aesthetic” approach to his design style and that the most important element of design is a proper space plan. This married dad of four little girls says he is at his most creative when he’s asleep. In fact, he keeps a journal by the bed to record his design dreams and relies on music to keep the creativity flowing. Despite Dwayne’s beliefs about preparedness and space planning, his approach to life is a bit more spontaneous. Dwayne says he “works hard, plays hard and is willing to take a risk to create something beautiful.” |
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Tracee Dore Louisville, Kentucky Age: 36 Tracee, a designer with 14 years’ experience, grew up in the building business by her father’s side. After earning a bachelor’s degree in interior design from the University of Kentucky, Tracee opened her own interior design company in Louisville. During her years as a professional designer of residential and commercial interiors, Tracee developed masterful drafting, painting and building skills. Her work has been featured in local magazines and design shows. She says that her favorite eras – the ’30s and ’40s – best reflect her design style of simple sophistication with a touch of “bling.” This mom of three views herself as confident and determined and insists that she doesn’t follow style trends, she sets them. |
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Matt Locke Los Angeles, California Age: 38 Matt developed his love for design at an early age. His architect dad and artist mom provided him with a wildly creative home where he was allowed a great deal of artistic freedom. By age 6, Matt had planned his first bedroom and by age 27, he had built his first house. This Princeton grad also studied fine art and industrial design at the university level and for the past five years has operated his own custom furniture, lighting and interiors company. Matt describes his design style as warm and modern and looks to the great architecture of the world for inspiration. |
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Jerome Scott Miller Winston-Salem, North Carolina Age: 40 Since childhood, Jerome, or “Scottie” as he’s better known to family and friends, has always considered himself to be an artist. Growing up, Scottie says he was fascinated with drawing and color and was very curious about how these elements interacted visually. Scottie, who works as a property manager for the county school system, is a skilled carpenter who enjoys designing and building custom framing for wall art. He describes his design style as a “modern interpretation of traditional lines” and says he believes that a beautiful room is easy to accomplish regardless of the budget. Scottie says that with proper accessories, furnishings and, most importantly, window treatments, any room can become a work of art. |
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Michael Stribling College Station, Texas Age: 23 As the competition’s youngest finalist, Michael attributes his success as a designer to his fresh and youthful approach to style. In fact, he says he feels like “a big fish in a small pond” of designers in his hometown of College Station, Texas. Michael describes his design style as elegant and fun and says that it is best reflected when he uses great fabrics and creative lighting. He also says clean lines and smart accessorizing are the keys to his design philosophy: keep it simple, trust the first instinct and always listen to the client. |
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Michael Verdugo Hollywood, Florida Age: 33 Michael, a bilingual police officer in Hollywood, Florida, spent his teens working alongside his father in a kitchen design business. A few years later, Michael, or “Mikey V” as he is known to his friends, found a creative outlet for his building and design passion by “flipping” homes that he renovated and redesigned in his spare time. The venture was so successful that he runs his own home staging company when he’s not out on patrol. Michael also is an avid artist who describes his design style as industrial, modern and minimalistic, yet comfortable. With his knack for using unexpected materials to create an edgy, ultra-modern style, Michael plans to bring a new design sensibility to HGTV audiences. |
lm going to vote for tricia beaudet becuse l saw her reation towards jennifer bertrand of her behaver to tricia . and l saw her anger towards tricia l like warn the judges to cancle jennifer show is cancled . she was getting saying things to tricia and she was realy crying about it l now how you feel tricia , my name is greg gibbs lm watching the design with stars