Top Design - "Bachelor Pads" (Episode 204)

Preston is feeling pretty confident about his designs and said that winning the whole shebang would be an "amazing experience" because he's never had to compete for anything - he's always just been challenging himself. Wisit notes that Natalie "has never been in one of those elimination things." He felt bad that Big Daddy Kerry sacrificed himself to keep him in the game, especially because he felt Shazia should have been the one sent home. Shazia knows she's in the "hot spot" and needs to prove to the judges that she can "make it" in the competition. As everyone heads out of the loft, they all say "I miss Kerry." I do too. India says this week, the designers would be working with clients who "desperately" need their help, clients who are "stumped" about design and decoration - bachelors.

Shazia said that bachelors, including her fiancee, were "disgusting individuals." Nathan is excited about the prospect of working with a single man because "maybe he's hot...and I can flirt with him." (What would Wisit say?) The "bachelors" Bravo selected are far from the young bachelors I knew in my younger days. They looked like they came from central casting. Not a stained shirt to be found. Phonies. We have Obi (a web producer), James (a law student), and Eddie (an investment banker.) The remaining contestants are split into random groups of three to work with the guys. Preppy Eddie, Ondine and Natalie are working together. Nathan was disappointed that "bad luck Mary" Shazia was on his  team with he and Preston. Nathan was surprised that their bachelor, Eddie, was so clean cut and conservative (and "gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.") Bachelor James is working with Ondine, Eddie and Natalie, who sees her client as a beer-drinking, Miller High Life sign-hanging kinda guy. India tells the designers that they have a $10,000 budget for this challenge. They have many places to shop and, to ensure that they're able to get everything they need in the 2.5 days they have to complete the challenge, they will have professional painters, carpenters, wallpaper hangers and seamstresses at their disposal. Eddie's glad as he said his hands could use a break, as they looked like they belonged to a "Polish potato farmer...during, like, the famine." Ummm...if it was the famine, that meant there were no potatoes to be harvested...right? Andrea's glad that they can now focus on the things they really love, like buying furniture and accessories.

The designers get to see the spaces where they're working and, shy of some Spuds McKenzie posters (yeah, I'm that old. Shut up.), the apartments look like every sngle guy's apartment. Bare walls, spartan furniture and huge TVs (for playing Nintendo, 'natch.) James wants cozy colors (after a suggestion from preppy Eddie.) Ondine says he really had no opinion - but, and I still can't figure out how, preppy Eddie came up with the concept of "Panty-dropping Chic" for his place. Obi, working with Teresa, Wisit and Andrea, was really into Feng Shui and was looking for an "Asian modern" look. He wanted his barren bedroom to look "sexier." Obi actually clipped some things out of Elle Decor that he liked. I know no straight man who would ever even glance at Elle Decor, let alone cut pictures out of it. Too bad he isn't working with Nathan! Despite looking neat as a pin in his tailored suit, Eddie's apartment (being redecorated by Nathan, Preston and Shazia) was a "disaster area." Client Eddie stressed "conservative" (despite his mindboggling collection of multi-colored shoes...wait a minute...are there no straight bachelors in L.A.?) and said he wanted something "simple and classic." Preston says he shares his client's "style and taste." After meeting with their clients, the designers have 30 minutes to choose paint, wallcoverings and fabrics. Andrea thinks Obi is a "Burberry, Polo guy with a little bit of funk" but still has "good taste." Okay. Wisit says his team is going to go with something a little more urban, "a little more Kayne West." Right after that, Wisit said his client wanted a zen feel with Asian-inspired furniture, which, of course, is right up Wisit's alley. Teresa is already frustrated as Wisitand Andrea have already taken charge of their project. Preppy Eddie says his team is creating a "beautiful haven of good design" in James' place. Nathan said that the overall look of their pad is "clean, tailored and contemporary." They chose blues, greys and colors that are very much Preston's "style." Nathan said Preston was definitely the team's leader but Shazia was afraid her voice was getting lost. According to Preston, Shazia yells over peope and doesn't offer constructive criticism. Nathan said that Preston and Shazia were like "two pit bulls" and knew that shopping with them was going to be a "nightmare."

The gang get 30 minutes and $3,000 in a furniture store. Eddie finds lots of panty-dropping pieces like an ottoman, a bench and an Asian-inspired cabinet. I'm a chick, and my panties aren't budging. Andrea and Wisit are finding lots of pieces to match their concept of "Masculine Zen." Wisit was worried coming into this challenge, since he was almost sent home last week, but he was thrilled that Obi trusted their judgement. Preston was tagging the same pieces that Shazia picked out for Eddie's "Tailored and Conservative" place. Nathan was over Shazia - he said the whole shopping experience was more like "babysitting." He said that Shazia was becoming "Needy von McNeederson." I'm loving Nathan more and more. The teams then got 30 minutes and $1,000 each to spend at World Market and the Container Store (if I could have one grand to spend at World Market, I'd be in heaven.) After the shopping spree, they get two hours to work on a plan with the painters and carpenters. Preston continues to shoot Shazia's suggestions down. He wants dowels for the curtains on the windows and Shazia insists on cornice boards. After a lot of deliberation, Shazia finally won an argment.

The next A.M., the teams went to La Brea Avenue with $2,000 to buy whayever they still needed (but they still had $200 to spend in the Top Design showroom.) At some frou-frou boutique, Ondine broke a vase. The (overtly queeny) manager said it was wirth $500, but Eddie wasn't having none of that mess and got into it with him. Eddie played the "Do you know who I am?" card and said he worked fo Martha Stewart Living, but queeny-ger didn't care. Eddie then said, "I'm a professional and I work for the best." The gals managed to cool the manager down and make a deal.

Todd showed up to check on the teams' progress. He liked Team Preston's color palatte. He loved what Team Eddie was doing with their soace and offered we poor decorating skills-deprived the suggestion that an entire room can change with the right hanging lamp shade. Andrea didn't know what to do with the piano in Obi's place. Todd didn't like the instrument so close to the dining area. I'm Irish, and one of my drunken relatives would tinkle the ivories right after dinner, so keeping the piano close to the dinig room was beneficial. I'm just saying. Todd says Team Wisit can move the piano around to make it look "less ferocious."  The teams only have five more hours to work on their spaces, but get a chance to shop for some last-minute items at the Top Design showroom. They arrive to Jonathan, Margaret and a surprise.

It's time for "Pop Design" - which is just like a pop quiz. This week's mini-challenge involves flowers. They have to create a "singular arrangement" - finding the flowers and vase that express their design style the best. They'll be judged on creativity, composition and use of materials. The winner of this flower arranging contest wins immunity for the challenge. Each designer has 20 minutes to complete his or her arrangement. Nathan goes for a "fresh approach" and went for a simple bouquet look - he was glad to have the chance to show off his own design sensibility without the others dragging him down. Ondine picked a "casual" assortment of blooms. They were so casual that Ondine didn't even know their names. Natalie picked a big, colorful arrangement, which she felt represented her personality (because no one knows of any dumb flowers.) Teresa foolishly chose to work with orange trees and found she needed a chainsaw to cut through the stems. Shazia's been looking at a lot of flower arrangements because of her upcoming nuptials and said she wanted to create something "small and sweet" that could "make someone smile." Eddie loved his monchromatic flower arrangement. Preston arranged flower petals around his arrangement and discovered (too late) that they were silk petals. How tacky.

The judges checked out what the designers createds. Wisit, who said he didn't like "complicated" arrangements and said his simple bouquet of lavender and white flowers in a blue and white vase because he wanted to "stick to his sensibilities of beauty. Whatever that means. Margaret noted that he took way more flowers than he used. She asked him if that was some sort of sabotage maneuver and he said it wasn't (Wisit's too mellow to be devious.) Natalie's arrangent was "grand" Ondine's was "casual" - like one you'd find in a country house. I loved Eddie's monotone arrangement of purple blooms in a green vase because keepiong everything one color made it more expensive looking. Andrea loved her arrangement, but Margaret didn't share those feelings, staring at her workwith her "piercing eyes." Teresa says she had no idea where she'd put her arrangement. Jonathan said Shazia's small bouquets were "sweet good, not sweet bad." Of course, Preston got called out for using the fake petals. He claims he thought they were real, but Margaret knew they were fake at first sight. Nathan's flowers were "chic and simple" and the judges said it was a "lovely surprise to see that side of him. The judges concluded that their least favorites were Natalie's "garish" blooms and Preston's fake petal extravaganza. They loved Nathan's "restrained and pretty" work and Eddie's blooms, which Margaret said displayed a "beautiful color palette" but she wants to be "wowed" a bit more. The winner of the challenge was Nathan. Oh goody! More witty quips next week! (But can he top "Needy von McNeederson?") Shazia's worried that if her team fails in the challenge that she's going home.

The designers head back to work on their spaces for the last day. Ondine starts decoupaging a wall with prints of different animal species. It was weird. Teresa said her team had a lot to do. Shazia was not confident about the cornice boards she fought so hard for, as they're taking longer to install than she anticipated. They had to hastily paint them instead of cover them in fabric like she had imagined. Eddie and Natalie thought their space was "a-maz-ing!"

The judges arrived to see what the desingers were able to do. Kelly must be out buying new hats, so replacing her this week is Bravo reality star Jeff Lewis from "Flipping Out" a bachelor himself (I can't imagine why!) They first checked out Eddie, Natalie and Ondine's "Panty-Dropping Chic" space. The bedroom now featured a faux fireplace and they attached a table to the wall in the front of the place to create a vignette (fancy decorator talk for a place to throw all your crap when you walk in the house.) but the decoupaged animal screens Jonathan loved the vignette, but said it wasdn't the most "23-year-old bachelor thing" he's seen. Jeff asked if this was a true collaboration or if someone's vision was dominant and theey said they did everything together. Jeff said the bedroom looked like someone else had designed it (Eddie did.) Next up is Wisit, Teresa and Andrea's "Masculine Zen" apartment. Wisit said it was very suitable for a bachelor and was "nature-inspired and a little bit calm and peaceful." Wisit told the judges that he was "channeling his inner masculinity" and giggled. Jonathan said the bed "so well-styled." Nathan, Preston and Shazia's place is "clean and contemporary" with art deco chairs and lots of shelving. Nathan adds that the space has "clean lines" and is "tailored." Shazia's window treatments didn't impress at all - Margaret, who hides nothing, asks if the bedroom is "more finished" and gives the gang her trademark blank stare. Nathan knows that the judges aren't happy and they know the room is unfinished. After the judges breezed through, the bachelors came back to see the transformation. Eddie loved the place except for the stripes on the living room wall, which he didn't see as very conservative. Obi loved his new screening room and loved the argyle pillows. James didn't like the decoupaged screens. Nobody really would. James said "they may be off the balcony tomorrow."

The judges assembled the teams in the warehouse. Jonathan said they all did impressive work. The winners are Andrea, Wisit and Teresa! Jonathan said their bachelor loved his new digs and was exactly what he wanted. And "the bedscape was tres, tres chic." That could be the gayest thing I've heard on this show. Teresa says it was really Andrea and Wisit's win. Eddie, Natalie and Ondine had some great ideas but their client didn't like it. Jonathan said that as decorators, they were also shrinks - they didn't decorate a place for a "23 year-old dude." Jeff said men don't know what they really want until their in their 30s and added that he finally figured out what he really wanted in life about "six months ago." Jeff said a 23-year-old "looking to score" wouldn't be able to get girls into the bedroom (which was the only room they really liked.) Margaret said if she walked in and saw the screens, she wouldn't think she was in the house of a straight bachelor. Jonathan sarcastically said "the name of the show is 'Top Design,' not 'over-the-top design.' Ouch. Team Preston's space was not pretty and there were no surprises. Jonathan wanted to know Who mis-managed things and Preston blamed the downfall on Shazia's "too ambitious" window treatments. When asked who the team leader was, Nathan and Shazia both passed the buck and Preston stepped up to the plate. Shazia complained that the boys didn't remember she was there most of the time,  and Nathan disagreed. Preston said Shazia "pitched a fit" and called him an "a-hole." She then threw Preston under the bus and said if anywone on their team should be eliminated, it would be him. I'm sure team a-maz-ing was pretty confident that they were sticking ariound. Ondine's screens were a bad idea for a 23 year-old, straight law student. India said their place wasn't a "shag pad" and all knew the bedroom was all Eddie. If one of them had to go, Jeff said it should be Ondine, because he hated the screens "that much." As for Team Preston, Jonathan thinks Shazia has less design sense than her teammates. Backstage Shazia was mad that Nathan made her look like a "f-in bitch" on TV. Jeff admired Preston for owning up to being the captain on this ship of fools.

The judges made their decision. Team Eddie "misread their client" but they had some great ideas. Team Preston was good in places but was "incomplete" overall. Team Preston is the losing team this week and, since Nathan won immunity, it's down to Preston and Shazia for elimination. Anyone who didn't see that Shazia was the one heading home wasn't paying attention. Props to Andrea, who didn't mention her husband one time this episode! Next week, it's a decorating triathalon!