DIY House Crashers + HGTV Design Wars: Design tips from a Designer behind the scenes (Part 1)

With 2 HGTV Design Wars episodes plus almost 5 DIY House Crashers episodes under my belt (I'm talking a fab wide belt over my vintage men's tuxedo shirt, but I digress), I have learned a lot about how TV and interior design and decor work together. It really does seem like magic, even to me, when it all comes together and the cameras start to roll (phew!). The tight budgets and deadlines actually are a great way for me to brush up on my skills like resourcefulness, creativity and eco materials. Starting today, I'm posting a series where I'll share home design tips and tricks by focusing on a different episode time. Enjoy!

BEFORE DIY's House Crashers Basement Bonus Room in Riverside (HC601)
"Issues include a drab palette and vibe, plus a huge room with no defined areas/functions.""Plus, the fireplace had NEVER been used, per the layer of dust on the fake gas logs."

AFTER DIY's House Crashers Eco Elegant Lounge in Riverside (HC601)
"Aah, I immediately feel calm and want to hang out in all parts of this space."
"The fireplace simply got new tile, shelf removed and old fashioned logs replaced with glass."

BEFORE DIY's House Crashers Basement Bonus Room in Riverside (HC601)
"Would YOU want to play in this cave? Nah, I didn't think so."

AFTER DIY's House Crashers Eco Elegant Lounge in Riverside (HC601)
"Bye bye cave, helloooooo bar!"
"I found the pottery on the shelf in the yard with cobwebs. What treasures do you have?"

DESIGN TIPS FROM HC601
1. Break up a large open space with furniture and flooring to divide up the room to create smaller areas with different functions. Changing from cork floor to reclaimed teak in the area by the sliders and bar helps divide the space. Using brighter yellow paint, even on the ceiling, highlights the bar and clearly separates it from the adjoining area.

2. In a tight area by the fireplace (which was never used until I worked some magic), since no furniture would fit on the floor and allow people to pass by, I suspended a bench in front of the fireplace and it became one of the best features of this makeover!

3. Add luxury without spending boatloads by extending more of the same curtain along a non-window wall, either on a perpendicular wall or more of the same window wall but it must connect/almost touch the curtain covering the windows. Plus, by using up blank wall space, you save money by not having to cover it in art!

4. Think outside the box - there are NO rules! See how silly the old mantle looked on the fireplace? Consider no mantel to maintain a sleek look and allow your wall art to pop!

DESIGN SOURCES

• No VOC paint by YOLO  
• Reclaimed teak floor + swing by IndoTeak
• Reclaimed wood bar, console + trim by E and K Vintage Wood
• Bar counter by Cosentino
• Table by Cliff Spencer Furniture Maker
• Upcycled bar pendants + bowl by Bottlehood
• Pendant and lamp by Zia Priven
• Slider by La Cantina Doors
• Window shades by Blinds ETC
• Flowers by Wisteria Lane Flower Shop
• Pillow by Madison and Grow 
• Colorful painted wall art by Cassandra Tondro
• Mixed media art by Sarah Irvin

"Always fun with the team including Host Josh Temple, Nick Schreiber an Big Table Media!"

Watch the premier of my 4th and latest episode of House Crashers tonight 9pm e/p on the DIY network. Plus, check out my eco elegant Interior Design services on Thumbtack and more of my work and even tips for those looking to hire an Interior Designer!