Design Star Season 4: Where Are They Now?

NataLee Callahan

How has your life changed since Design Star?
My life has changed quite a bit since Design Star. My stay on the show was much shorter than I planned or expected, and upon my arrival home, I learned I was expecting a baby. I had a little boy, Conner, around the first of the year. He is so adorable and looks just like his daddy.

Did you participate in any events or get a specific job because of the show?
Since the show I continue to stay active in the media (taking a short break with the birth of my son). I have a regular design segment on Studio 5 on our NBC's affiliate. I continue to be involved in an organization near and dear to my heart called Heart 2 Home, which does extreme home rebuilds. I am heading up the design for a project in April for a family who had a child die from the swine flu, and then their home burned to the ground shortly after. In addition, I started a website with great design ideas and where individuals can send in their design dilemmas to me and I evaluate and offer my solutions. It's called www.designedtothenines.com. I will also be posting podcasts and my opinion on many design topics. Also watch for updates on the H2H organization, my thoughts on this season of Design Star, as well as interviews with past/present Design Star contestants.

Have you kept in touch with fellow contestants?
I have briefly touched base with most of my fellow contestants. I have continued to stay in touch with Nathan and Jason the most. I have yet to collaborate with anyone, but would love to!

What was the most important lesson you learned from being on Design Star?
Wow. I learned a lot from being on Design Star. First off, don't go on a competitive reality show pregnant. (I had no idea I was, I swear.) Second, take care of yourself, drink lots of water. I was willing to sacrifice life and limb to achieve my dreams, but it ended up backfiring on me, because instead I looked weak and unfit. If you don't take care of you first, you can't get business done. Next, scale back your plans when working in a strange city and with new people. Plan a design you can do all on your own without counting on others to pull through for you to make it happen. Finally, when it comes to your dreams, don't let anything or anyone get in your way and never give up on it.

Which HGTV talent would you let have free rein in your house?
Since I think I could do the best job designing my own house for me, it would have to be Mike Holmes. I would love to be the president of his fan club. What can I say? The man is a stud with a big heart and his love for helping people in a construction dilemma aligns very nicely with my love of beautifying the newly constructed homes of those deserving families. Hmm, maybe he would collaborate with me on a project. Do you think he'd want to come to Utah and head up a Heart 2 Home project?

What's your home "secret shame"?
I am a fabriholic (as I call it). I have a really hard time going to the fabric store without leaving with at least one piece of beautiful fabric, especially if I think it is a good deal. As a result, I have a closet full of "fabric I will use someday" but may or may not ever use them.

What celebrity home would you most like to design?
I wouldn't consider myself a very star-struck person, so maybe a celebrity who has done something really kind for people that has gone unnoticed and has a room that needs some help. Someone who is deserving of it.

Which three books would you take on a desert island?
My scriptures, the Twilight series and something to read to my children