HGTV has released the names of its the contestants for the fourth season of HGTV Design Star, which will premier on July 19.
The show will run at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Sundays.
In the first episode,
viewers will meet 10 "fiercely competitive and creative finalists" who
have designs on winning their own show on HGTV. The contestants are Antonio Ballatore of Los Angeles, NataLee Callahan of Salt Lake City, Jason
Champion of Sarasota, Nathan Galui of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Jen
Guerin of San Diego, Jany Lee of Dallas, Tashica Morgan of Bowie, Md., Lonni
Paul of Los Angeles, Amy Sklar of Los Angeles; and Dan Vickery of Portland,
Ore.
In addition, for the first time in the series' run, the 10 competitors will decide which one of three semifinalists will join the competition.
Meet the HGTV Design Star Finalists, who each hope to be as successful as Season Two winner Kim Myles, above right, who still has her own popular show, Myles of Style:
Antonio Ballatore
Los Angeles, Calif.
Age: 40
New York City native Antonio Ballatore believed he would be a rock
star by age 40. While pursuing his dreams of music stardom, he spent
time between gigs learning how to build houses. This experience led
Antonio to design restaurants and clubs in Manhattan and, later, design
sets for world-famous photographers, including Annie Leibovitz and
David LaChapelle. Antonio also loves decorating and coordinating
interiors using his unique style that he calls "modern cave-dwelling
meets medieval contemporary."
NataLee Callahan
Salt Lake City, Utah
Age: 30
NataLee, who grew up in rural Idaho, earned a degree in broadcast
journalism from Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City. Although
NataLee enjoyed studying journalism, her real passion is interior
design. She got her start in floral and wedding design and later moved
on to interiors and home staging after becoming a licensed Realtor.
Today, NataLee is a full-time interior decorator and describes her
style as transitional, comfortable and fun. She also designs homes for
a local charity, where she transforms houses into comfortable
residences for families in need.
Jason Champion
Sarasota, Fla.
Age: 33
In addition to a 15-year career as a designer, Jason Champion, an
entrepreneur, also is a stylist and product designer. He describes his
personal style as vibrant, eclectic and comfortable, but says he is a
design visionary for his clients and can create beautiful rooms in any
style. After graduating from the Southern Institute Division of
Virginia College with a degree in applied arts, Jason relocated to
Sarasota, Fla., with his partner and two dogs. Jason also works as a
radio host of a weekly design show and writes a regular column for a
gardening magazine.
Nathan Galui
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Age: 25
Nathan, a native of Palm Beach, Fla., earned a bachelor's degree in
interior design from Drexel University in Philadelphia and studied
furniture design at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia.
Nathan's experience ranges from residential and hospitality design to
furniture and products. Nathan works as a freelance designer and
describes his style as urban, modern, eclectic and rustic. He says "If
you love a $2,000 vase atop that $20 coffee table, do not keep them
apart."
Jen Guerin
San Diego, Calif.
Age: 33
Growing up just a few miles from Canada, in Ishpeming, Michigan, Jen
Guerin was eager to begin her studies at San Diego State University.
After earning her degree in fine art, Jen also became one of only 151
color consultants in the U.S. certified by the International
Association of Color Consultation. This certification allows Jen to
select color palettes for public buildings, such as hospitals and
schools. In addition, Jen also is a business owner and an artist,
specializing in wax pigments, multimedia art, decorative plasters and
eco-friendly design. She describes her style as Bohemian and Baroque,
with touches of 1960s-inspired modern. Very eco-conscious, Jen says
that it's important to always "save it, re-use it or paint it."
Jany Lee
Dallas, Texas
Age: 35
Before her husband's job was transferred to Dallas, Jany owned her
own design business in Toronto. Her self-described style is classic,
contemporary and glamorous, which helped her find a niche flipping
houses and designing rooms for clients. Since moving to Texas, Jany has
undertaken the task of redesigning her new home and has tackled every
job from installing hardwood floors and removing walls to selecting
colors and accessorizing. Jany holds a B.A. in economics from Queen's
University in Ontario, Canada.
Tashica Morgan
Bowie, Md.
Age: 29
Tashica, known to family and friends as "Talko" because of her
chatty personality, says she always wanted to be a designer. Tashica
grew up in foster care and says she enjoyed decorating the drab places
she called home. The experience shaped her passion for design and later
helped define a signature style that she describes as "vintage posh and
urban glam." Although Tashica earned a bachelor's degree in pre-law
from the University of Maryland, her love for design inspired her to
enter the master's program for interior design at Marymount University
in Arlington, Va.
Lonni Paul
Los Angeles, Calif.
Lonni, a mother of three and a former fashion model, owns a
successful design business in her hometown of Los Angeles. She
describes her design style as contemporary and transitional, but also
loves anything with an Asian influence. Lonni designs both residential
and commercial properties and says that, despite her self-described
"spontaneous and goofy" personality, simplicity is the key to achieving
elegant design. She also says that her designs demonstrate an
effortlessly simple, upscale and modern look.
Amy Sklar
Los Angeles, Calif.
Age: 40
While growing up, Amy moved frequently with her family, living in as
many as 15 different homes across the United States. The wide range of
residences -- from a mid-century modern home in Maryland to a
century-old clapboard house in Long Island -- shaped her eclectic
design style. Amy's experiences defined her ability to merge modern and
classic aesthetics and also inspired her understanding of architecture
and interior styles. Amy is a graduate of UCLA's Professional Level
Program in Interior Design and Architecture and a graduate of Lewis and
Clark College, where she received a B.F.A. in furniture design. The
mother of two young children, Amy knows that design must be beautiful
but also functional and comfortable.
Dan Vickery
Portland, Ore.
Age: 27
Dan, who holds a degree in architecture from the University of Oregon in Portland, was inspired by design at an early age. Watching his mother and grandmother use fabric for quilting captivated Dan's imagination and eventually led him to a career in architecture and design. After graduation, Dan designed and built homes for a local construction company. He describes his design style as "hip and historic" and says that great design should be grounded in sound architectural aesthetics and accented with modern decor.
All of the finalists have enjoyed successful design careers and range in experience from interior designers and home stagers to architects and artists. Each one is ready to dazzle the new judging panel of interior design luminaries featuring Genevieve Gorder (Dear Genevieve), Candice Olson (Divine Design) and returning judge Vern Yip (Deserving Design). Hosted by Clive Pearse, the hour-long series, taped in Los Angeles, will air on Sundays through September 13.
"The finalists featured in this season's HGTV Design Star are
extraordinarily talented and ready to do whatever it takes to win,"
said James Bolosh, vice president, event programming, HGTV. "With so
many strong personalities involved, we have no doubt that viewers will
be captivated and entertained by the competition."
Viewers can extend the viewing experience online by visiting the HGTV Design Star show page. Online visitors will find special interactive features and a "virtual judging" experience that allows them to rate the finalists' work.
