Top Design
Ubiquitous
BRAVO'S 'TOP DESIGN' MEASURES UP 12 ASPIRING INTERIOR DESIGNERS IN THE
SERIES PREMIERE ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31 AT 11 PM ET/PT, FOLLOWING THE
SECOND SEASON FINALE OF 'TOP CHEF'
Series Moves To Its Regular 10 PM ET/PT Timeslot On Wednesday, February 7
Famed Designer Todd Oldham Joins Series As Host; Designer Jonathan Adler
Serves As Lead Judge; Editor-In-Chief Of ELLE DECOR Magazine Margaret
Russell And Interior Designer Kelly Wearstler Serve As Series Judges
NEW YORK - December 7, 2006 - Bravo turns the spotlight from the culinary
arts to interior design with the series premiere of the new one-hour
10-episode competition reality series "Top Design." Off the heels of the
critically-acclaimed "Top Chef" and the Emmy-nominated hit "Project
Runway," Bravo's newest reality competition series "Top Design" offers a
behind-the-scenes look at the creative, competitive and client-driven
interior design business. Popular designer and personality Todd Oldham
hosts and is joined by renowned designer Jonathan Adler, as lead judge,
and series judges Margaret Russell, editor-in-chief of ELLE DECOR
Magazine and interior designer Kelly Wearstler. "Top Design" premieres on
Wednesday, January 31 at 11 PM ET/PT, following "Top Chef's" season two
finale, and moves to its regular 10 PM timeslot on Wednesday, February 7.
The announcement was made today by Lauren Zalaznick, President, Bravo.
Bravo's nationwide search has resulted in a group of 12 of the country's
hottest new interior designers, artists and architects, who will draw
upon their creativity and expertise and compete to create the "Top
Design." Photos of the designers are available on Media Village at
www.nbcmv.com/bravo. The aspiring interior designers will vie for a
$100,000 grand prize from LendingTree, as well as a brand new 2007 Acadia
vehicle from GMC. The winner also will be rewarded with an editorial
feature in ELLE DECOR Magazine, plus the chance to showcase their design
skills at ELLE DECOR'S Dining By Design, NYC, a lavish affair where
designers, celebrities, and the who's who of fashion convene for a night
of style, drama, excitement, and spirited collaboration.
"Bravo has successfully brought spirited competition to both the fashion
and food industries," said Zalaznick. "Now our passionate viewers will be
rewarded each week when they 'watch what happens' as the creativity and
drama unfold through each pressure-filled design challenge."
In "Top Design," high stakes, eccentric personalities and creative egos
combine to fuel the competition. Aspiring and professional interior
design contestants will converge and compete in a series of challenges to
create the "Top Design," while living in a decked-out studio loft as they
are inspired and critiqued by professionals who are leaders in their
chosen field. In each episode, host Oldham will reveal one challenge for
the designers and send them off to sketch their rooms and shop for
paints, furniture, fabrics and other supplies. Lead judge Adler will
deliver the news of the chosen winner and loser with input from regular
series judges Russell and Wearstler, as well as the surprise guest
judges.
The 12 contestants will reside in West Hollywood and most of the season's
production activity will be centered around the Pacific Design Center, a
designer's paradise that serves the needs of the design, entertainment
and arts communities.
THE DESIGNERS:
Name Age Resides in Originally from
Michael Adams, 23 New York, NY Athol, MA
Goil Amornvivat, 33 New York, NY Bangkok, Thailand
Heather Ashton, 36 Los Angeles, CA Gainesville, FL
Felicia Bushman, 38 Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA
John Gray, 39 Chicago, IL Chicago, IL
Ryan Humphrey, 35 New York, NY Ashtabula, OH
Andrea Keller, 36 Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA
Erik Kolacz, 28 Chicago, IL South Bend, IN
Matt Lorenz, 32 Chicago, IL Comfrey, MN
Elizabeth Moore, 48 Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA
Carisa Perez-Fuentes, 26 New York, NY Highland Park, NJ
Lisa Turner, 48 Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA
THE JUDGES:
Known as one of the most beloved designers working today, Oldham joins
"Top Design" as host, delivering challenges and inspiring the designers
to be their most innovative in their pursuit of creating the "Top
Design." Originally a New York fashion designer and the host of "Todd
Time" on MTV's "House of Style," Oldham's career has evolved to include
all areas of design, from interior design, film and photography, to
furniture and graphic art. Oldham is the author of Hand Made Modern by
Regan Books, and has hosted HGTV's "Hand Made Modern" series of specials.
Oldham designed his own line of dorm room furnishings for Target and
currently designs a line of furniture and accessories, Todd Oldham By
La-Z-Boy. Oldham also designed The Hotel in South Beach, as well as The
Fairfax Hotel, South Beach, to open in 2007.
Famed designer Adler, the lead judge of "Top Design," has been celebrated
for the mod shapes, vibrant colors and organic eye-popping patterns that
are the signature of his work today. His business encompasses seven
retail outlets in Soho & the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Los Angeles,
East Hampton, Miami, San Francisco and Chicago; a thriving interior
design business, responsible for the re-design of the Parker Palm Springs
hotel in modernist style with a comfy residential feel; a burgeoning
licensing business under the brand name Jonathan Adler Happy Home that's
expanding into bedding, bath accessorie, stationary, dinnerware and table
linens at accessible prices; and originally-designed sold in high-end
boutiques around the world.
As editor-in-chief of ELLE DECOR Magazine, "Top Design" judge Russell has
infused the magazine with a singular sense of sophistication, while
helping to preserve its mission to inspire designers, architects, and
homeowners with the best in interior and product design. In July 2000,
Russell was promoted to editor-in-chief of the magazine she helped found.
Since then she has spearheaded an award-winning redesign of the
publication -- one of 23 ELLE DECOR editions worldwide -- and shifted
coverage to portray an increasingly diverse array of talents through
images and articles that blend striking graphics with incisive,
personality-driven text.
"Top Design" series judge Wearstler ranks among the design industry's
most influential new tastemakers. Acclaimed for trendsetting designs,
Wearstler is the founder and principal of the award-winning Los
Angeles-based firm Kelly Wearstler Interior Design.
Bravo has partnered with Stone & Company Entertainment to bring viewers
this new competition series searching for America's next great interior
designer. Stone & Company Entertainment's Scott Stone and Clay Newbill
serve as Executive Producers.
Patricia Martin Steward
wrote:
>Here are excerpts from the Bravo press release:
>
>Known as one of the most beloved designers working today, Oldham joins
>"Top Design" as host, delivering challenges and inspiring the designers
>to be their most innovative in their pursuit of creating the "Top
>Design."
He must not be THAT inspiring, as he clearly can't deliver a speech
effectively. Most of his spiel sounded like he read it, and while he
was talking they showed the designers watching, not his mouth moving.
Once there was a short clip of him speaking, maybe two or three
seconds, and it looked like it had been voice-overed.
--
Face your fears.
Live your dreams.