A marching band serenade, an HGTV cheer and mascot Oswald the Tiger greeted the final five designers as they arrived for the season's fifth challenge on the campus of Occidental College in Eagle Rock, Calif.
Five Designers Left
Brooks, Tiffany, Boris, Jeribai and Anne enjoy the show as they wait for David to spill the challenge details.
Going Greek
This week's challenge? The designers will split into two groups and redesign common rooms for the Alpha Lambda Phi Alpha sorority and the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Sorority House: Tiffany and Anne
Tiffany and Anne took on the sorority house common room.
Sorority House: The Design Plan
The sorority sisters request a sophisticated, comfortable room that's formal enough for alumni functions but casual enough for chapter meetings, group dinners and social events.
Sorority House: Before
The sisters used the Alpha Lambda Phi Alpha colors—red and white—to create this living room's design, but it lacked a cohesive design plan.
Sorority House: After
Anne and Tiffany reinterpreted the room's color scheme with soft gray, red-orange and cream to create a softer, more sophisticated space.
Sorority House: Framed Crest
The sorority sisters requested that their crest remain in the living space after the redesign. Anne had the crest printed onto textured wallpaper, then she added trim around the edge to create a wall-mounted frame.
Sorority House: Floral Arrangements
Tiffany filled beer mugs monogrammed with the sorority's Greek letters as whimsical vases for the room's dining space.
Sorority House: Cozy Living Room
A new soft gray sectional sofa provides room for the sisters to settle in for meetings or movie night.
Sorority House: Fireplace Makeover
This room's old fireplace jutted out into the room, taking up valuable square footage. Tiffany decide to remove the plaster facade and have the team's carpenter rebrick and add a mantel. The judges loved the makeover, but wished Tiffany had added more finishing touches. "I wish the mantel was a little bit more accessorized," judge Vern Yip said.
Sorority House: Extra Seating
Anne added color and comfort to the room's existing window seats with a coat of red-orange paint and a patterned cushion.
Sorority House: Chevron Console
A chevron console table juxtaposes the more traditional pattern of the drapes. A large mirror allows the house residents to check their hair and makeup as they step out the door.
Sorority House: The Judges' Verdict
Anne and Tiffany's sorority house was the judges' favorite space of the night.
Sorority House: The Reveal
David reveals the finished space to the sorority sisters.
Fraternity House: The Team
Jeribai, Brooks and Boris teamed up to redesign the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. The design plan: Create a gentleman's lounge with plenty of space for lounging, dining and studying.
Fraternity House: Jeribai Vs. Boris
Boris treated Jeribai more like a carpenter than a fellow designer. "We have Jeribai to execute things," Boris said. But Jeribai was intent on having his design voice heard: "In the past I've been stuck building things; this time I'd really like to focus on design," he said.
Fraternity House: Before
Mismatched furnishings and all-white ceilings, walls and floors made this seem more like a classroom than a residence.
Fraternity House: After
Gray walls, leather furnishings and vintage accessories punch up the sophistication.
Fraternity House: White Linen Sofa
In addition to the room's leather chairs, Boris selected a hard-to-keep-clean white linen Chesterfield for the fraternity house. The judges were perplexed by his choice. "Beautiful couch, wrong client," said judge Genevieve Gorder.
Fraternity House: Leather Loungers
Leather armchairs and a tufted ottoman create a classy-yet-durable lounge or study area in the made over fraternity house.
Fraternity House: Vintage Details
A vintage grain sack stands in for a traditional seat on one of the room's armchairs.
Fraternity House: Sophisticated Billiards Space
Brooks and Jeribai worked together to select the room's new pool table, a judge favorite. The yellow top and purple crest reflect the official Sigma Alpha Epsilon colors.
Fraternity House: Dining Table Makeover
With Boris' urging, Jeribai agreed to refinish the room's existing dining table. He stained the light-wood table a dark finish to blend in with the lounge vibe.
Fraternity House: Tabletop Accessories
Brass accessories and lighting add ambiance to the finished dining table.
Fraternity House: Wall Details
Boris printed and mounted the fraternity's crest on foam core to use as wall art, but the judges' thought the art pieces made the space look cheap. The art also obscured Brooks' well-executed wall detailing and chair rail.
Fraternity House: The Big Reveal
David reveals the new space to the fraternity brothers.
Bye Bye, Boris
Boris' sofa choice and art missteps made the judges say, "We will not be producing your show." See what he had to say about going home.
