Ellen's Design Challenge Season Two: See Kyle Huntoon's Designs
See the work of fourth-generation woodworker Kyle Huntoon and HGTV carpenter Matt Muenster.
Meet Kyle Huntoon
Kyle Huntoon, a fourth-generation woodworker, is a furniture designer and business owner in Detroit, Michigan. He says he is inspired by the clean geometric lines of midcentury modern design and loves to incorporate traditional joinery techniques in his works. He uses a variety of American hardwoods in his designs and specifically likes to work with black walnut — his favorite trees from his great-grandparents' farm.
Kyle + Matt
After his original carpenter, Ali, had to leave the competition, Kyle is paired up with Matt Muenster of HGTV and DIY Network's Bath Crashers.
Challenge 6: A Sofa for 'The Ellen Show'
The remaining four designers pose on the original set of the TV series Friends while visitingThe Ellen Show's set on the Warner Brothers lot. Ellen's latest challenge involves her flagship show: Each designer will create a sofa to replace the tired, uninspired one in her show's green room.
Challenge 6: The Sofa, Before
The show's green room sofa, before the designers tackled its replacement.
Challenge 6: The Design
A sketch of Kyle's sofa design reveals his plan: Add a punch of style to the space with angular arms, curvy legs and bright upholstery.
Challenge 6: Under Construction
Kyle and carpenter Matt flip their sofa in order to put on the finishing touches.
Challenge 6: Kyle's Finished Design
Kyle created this marigold-hued, angular sofa to replace the basic model in The Ellen Show's green room.
Challenge 6: Bright and Tufted
The striking golden upholstery features a tufted detail in the center of each cushion.
Challenge 6: Design Detail
A circle motif adds a design detail to the edge of this piece.
Challenge 6: Modern Legs
The slim legs, made of teak, add a modern touch.
Challenge 6: The Judges' Decision
Even with a strong design, the judges' decided Kyle's minor mistakes were enough to send him home. Goodbye, Kyle!
Challenge 5: Ellen-Inspired Design
This week, it's personal, as Ellen gives each designer a copy of her new design book with a personal note instructing them to build a specific piece of furniture for her. Kyle's directive: An armchair.
Challenge 5: From Sketch to Reality
Kyle's plan for his chair for Ellen? He decides to create an armchair that exposes what's typically on the inside of an upholstered piece.
Challenge 5: The Assembly
Kyle and Matt Muenster assemble the finger-jointed parts of a walnut armchair created for Ellen.
Challenge 5: The Finished Chair
Kyle Huntoon's walnut, finger-jointed, Frank Llyod Wright-inspired chair gets its moment before the judges.
Challenge 5: Design Detail
Inspired by the inner workings of an upholstered chair, the 1950s-inspired upholstery sits inside the finger-jointed frame.
Challenge 4: International Inspiration
For the competition's fourth challenge, Ellen asked each designer to create a piece inspired by one of her favorite travel destinations. Kyle's draw? Morocco.
Challenge 4: Dining Table
Inspired by the communal dining so common in Moroccan culture, Kyle decided to create a convertible dining table accented with traditional graphic motifs.
Challenge 4: The Finished Table
The country's design is characterized by rich colors, intricate woodwork, graphic tile and metalwork motifs — all elements Kyle worked in to his finished table.
Challenge 4: Design Details
The expandable communal table features a lift-out tray in the center with a traditional carved detail in bright turquoise.
Challenge 4: Design Details
The legs feature a modern metal take on a classic relief pattern.
Challenge 3: China-Inspired Design
For the show's third challenge, each designer must create a dining table inspired by a china pattern. Kyle chose this ultra-feminine pink pattern with a silver polka dot detail.
Challenge 3: Kyle's Design
Kyle's table is a modern take on his china choice, with metal rods and dots to emulate the polka dot pattern. Here, he measures for placement of the table legs.
Challenge 3: Finishing Touches
Kyle and Matt add the ash legs and suppport beams, complete with polka dot-inspired metal inlays, to their dining table.
Challenge 3: Table Test
Designer Kyle Huntoon tests his fine china-inspired dining table.
Challenge 3: Kyle's Finished Table
A modern take on the more traditional china, Kyle and Matt's finished table features metal details and a modern shape.
Challenge 3: Kyle's Finished Table
The table legs, attached to the top by metal rods, appear to float below the table.
Challenge 3: Table Detail
The metal rod detaiil on each side appears to flow into the top of the table, with seven dots of metal inlay directly above the rods on each side.
Challenge 3: Table Detail
The ash table base, connected to the table by the metal rods, provides a minimal yet strong foundation for this modern table.
Challenge 3: Set the Table
Kyle's finished table, displayed with the complementary china pattern. The metal details on the table echo the gilded edges of the plates, while the light wood tone complements the china's pink hue.
Challenge 2: Outdoor Designs
For the show's outdoor furniture challenge, Kyle and Ali are tasked with creating an outdoor daybed. Kyle's inspiration? A pangolin (an Asian armadillo) with a round, layered exterior.
Challenge 2: Shingle Siding
Kyle and Ali made more than 300 rounded shingles for the exterior of this daybed.
Challenge 2: The Finished Daybed
Kyle's oversized daybed is stage-ready! The bright yellow upholstery was inspired by flowers he saw in the inspiration backyard.
Challenge 2: Shingle Detail
Here, the finished armadillo-inspired shell is layered with shingles.
Challenge 2: The Judges' Take
Judges Chistiane Lemieux, Cliff Fong and guest judge Peter Dunham test out Kyle's design. Though they think it lacks the finish work of his previous work, they can't deny its comfort.
Challenge 1: A Foot of Fun
Carpenter Ali and Kyle pose with a measuring tape as they plan the design for the first challenge: Create a signature bed.
Challenge 1: The Finished Bed
Inspired by the beaches of Lake Michigan, Kyle added a carved detail on the wooden side of the bed (meant to emulate footprints in the sand dunes) and a wave-like accent on the blue headboard, inspired by a topigraphical map.
Challenge 1: Detail
Kyle dressed up this modern bed frame with an abstract, sand-inspired design.
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