Wayne Newton's Guesthouse From Design Star Challenge 5

By Vern Yip

In typical Todd fashion, he decides the team should address the space-planning issues through a dynamic component. This translates into seating placed onto a custom-built rotating platform. With a new flat-screen television mounted to the wall opposite the window, the platform, depending on how it is positioned, allows the seating to face the television, fireplace or window.

In principle, the platform is a good idea. In practice, however, a space plan that keeps the furniture on the ground would have been a more successful solution. The fireplace, window and ceiling heights are made slightly more awkward when the furniture is placed on a platform. Another option would be to place the television above the fireplace, put one sofa against the television wall and place another sofa orthogonally, opposite the fireplace. This would have provided a non-moving, space-planning solution that would have saved time and endured for the long term. The rotating platform also hides the beautiful new wood flooring and chops up the narrow room even more. Further highlighting the television with a heavy frame makes it an unattractive focal point. Hung above the fireplace, the TV would blend in with the heavy stone and more easily disappear.