'Design Star: Next Gen': Upcycling Unexpectedly Unconventional Spaces

Designers pair off in this week's competition on Design Star: Next Gen. Challenged to repurpose three unconventional vessels – a train caboose, a city bus and an airplane – the contestants are forced to stretch their building and design skills. Though working in teams, designers are judged independently based on what they bring to their assigned space. If creative upcycles are your jam, this is an episode you'll want to see.

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Photo By: Rob Pryce/Lando Entertainment

An Unconventional Design Challenge

Designers are tasked with upcycling unexpected vessels into functional, livable spaces. Divided into teams selected by Eli, the previous challenge winner, the six remaining contestants are put to the test in reimagining how to decorate the interior of an airplane, city bus, and train caboose. There was only one stipulation defined in this challenge: the new space must incorporate a sleeping area.

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Upcycling an Old Airplane Into a Private Jet

Designers Justin and Tony faced a number of obstacles as they collaborated on how to transform an airplane into a living space. It’s no secret that these two designers have very different aesthetics, but they came together to form a cohesive space, transforming an old airplane into a luxurious private jet.

Streamlined Furniture in a Creatively Repurposed Airplane

The redesigned airplane married classic black and white colors with touches of dramatic gold. The interior of the plane and the overhead storage containers were painted black in the designated lounge area of the airplane. White flooring and minimal accents used in the entry make the high-end space feel as polished and luxurious as one’s very own private jet.

Black Walls and White Flooring in a Luxurious Space

Though an airplane is an unusual shape to reinvent, the designers realized that its natural daylight and built-in lighting accents could be leveraged easily to make the most of the space. The lounge incorporated comfortable seating and small accent tables. The overhead compartments and walls were painted charcoal black to offset the light-colored accents in the room; the dark color works very well in this bright room.

Herringbone Hardwoods in a Redesigned Private Jet

Herringbone wood flooring and a dramatic gold ceiling were installed to create a lively living space in the center of the airplane. Sandwiched between the lounge and the bedroom, both being spaces with moody black walls, this area contrasts with bright, white walls that reflect the abundance of daylight. The luxurious “private jet” experience continues throughout with leather couches, space-defining curtains and minimalist accessories.

Leather Sofas for Comfort and Luxury

Justin’s notoriously luxurious styling skills delivered accents throughout the airplane. Soft leather loveseats flanked the living space in the airplane and helped to make it feel like a relaxing environment. Greenery would thrive in a space as bright as this.

Twin Beds in a Luxurious Private Jet

The design team incorporated very few custom pieces into their redesigned airplane, but the twin platform beds in the bedroom were built and painted specifically for the space. The design challenge required the duo to consider how a sleeping area would be incorporated into the airplane, and to make it feel more luxurious, they coordinated the bedroom to the lounge by applying charcoal black paint to the overheads and walls.

A Secret Meditation Room

By installing twin beds instead of a large queen or king platform, the designers left room for an opening in the back wall that would lead into a secret meditation area. The relaxing space showcased Tony’s style and demonstrated an extra level of mindfulness when it came to reinventing the unconventional vessel.

Creating a Plan to Upcycle a Caboose

Partners Eli and Charmeon opted to upcycle a train caboose as a revived, livable, multifunctional space. The duo hoped to benefit from the caboose’s straight, squared walls, and small footprint, but learned quickly that narrow doorways and the inflexible steel construction would require serious creativity. Eli’s construction skills are put to use, while Carmeon focuses on the details of the design.

A Reimagined Steel Caboose

Reinventing a caboose was an unusual challenge for the designers. They masked old, steel walls and rigid nooks with bright paint, and presented the new space as a cohesive living environment. Upon entering the caboose, a narrow entryway table and bold handmade artwork adorns the space. Beyond the entryway is a small dining area and banquette seating.

Banquette Seating in a Modest Caboose

A custom bar flanked with PVC piping adds lots of love to this small space. The designers collaborated on its construction and proved to the judges the extent to which they were capable of building to accommodate a unique design.

With the bar to the left and ornate, handcrafted wall details to the right, Eli and Carmeon made the most of the existing steel architecture in the caboose and installed built-in banquette seating.

Double Banquette Seating

The designers concepted banquette seating to envelop obstacles in the caboose’s steel structure. The seating area offers function with stowed wicker baskets and pouf footrests. A bold black and white carpet complements the entryway artwork, while the application of pink floor-to-ceiling paint makes the space lively and welcoming.

Mauve and Olive Green Walls Make a Statement

Painted walls and built-in wooden details work to transform the caboose into a place that feels like a perfect apartment. Beyond the banquette seating is the entrance to the bedroom in the back of the caboose. Peek inside and spy the picture ledge that provides space for artwork along one wall. Thick, textured curtains and a velvet bedspread exude comfort.

A Bold Green Bedroom in a Small, Unconventional Space

The designers learned quickly that large furniture couldn’t be brought in through the caboose’s narrow door and small windows. To accommodate the limitations of the space, they were forced to retrofit to accommodate immovable steel walls and barriers in the existing structure. The platform bed in the sleeping area of the caboose was built in an orientation and height to accommodate an existing steel barrier, but you’d never know it by how well they masked the space with a daringly bold color, and textured decor.

Repurposing an Old City Bus Into a Living Space

Chris and Arianna were challenged to redesign the interior of an old city bus into a living space that represented both of their iconic styles. Chris targeted ways to embrace an old world charm, while Arianna sought ways to emphasize her love of shapes and appreciation for art deco elegance. The duo collaborated to make the most of both built-in obstacles and unimaginable opportunities.

A Bold Mauve and Red Entryway

Rich, red curtains flank the large windows inside the city bus. The foyer of the space greets visitors with mauve walls, and a gold tulip base table. The black and white checkered floor extends throughout the entire bus to make the design cohesive. The designers share a detail-rich style, and as such, invited small area rugs with a vintage aesthetic, and other worldly accents to define the space.

Worldly Accents in an Unconventional City Bus Overhaul

Much like the airplane, the designers approached this long, narrow vessel as a sequence of rooms. Mauve paint and red accents were applied to transform the bus dramatically. The first room presents as a grand foyer with an oval table and colorful accents. Throughout the bus, wallpaper is an element used on the ceiling – you might even be fooled into thinking that it's a luxurious tray ceiling. Tube lighting flows throughout the space, and the large windows invite lots of natural light into their design.

Banquette Seating in an Upcycled Living Space

Sit back and relax in the living space defined in the center of the bus. Cozy, red velvet upholstery accessorizes banquette couches that line the walkway. Accented with blue poufs and pillows rich with patterns, this area is inviting to anyone who passes through it. Look beyond the white columns used to differentiate the rooms and you’ll spy the sleeping area with a custom mural.

Patterned Wallpaper on the Ceiling

Chris and Arianna married their design styles in many ways, but extending a worldly, vintage-like wallpaper accent along the entire length of the bus tied together many of their loose ends and finished the space. Mauve paint and contrasting green foliage further merged the two designers’ styles for this small, unconventional design challenge.

A Custom Wall Mural in a Redesigned Sleeping Area

Arianna’s custom mural serves as a main focal point in the bedroom at the far end of the bus. The selected decor ties her signature “glamma” styling into this redesigned city bus, and marries nicely with Chris’ global aesthetic. The large, custom platform bed fits along the back wall of the bus and is further defined by white lighting.

Design Star: Next Gen