The Untold Truth Of Ellen's Design Challenge

"Ellen's Design Challenge" is DeGeneres' baby from start to finish. According to Deadline, she was the one who came up with the idea for the popular series before pitching it to HGTV. Her company, A Very Good Production, planned out the entire series, picking the judges and determining the format of the show. DeGeneres did have some help, however. Her company also worked with A. Smith & Co. Productions. DeGeneres does not only work behind the scenes of "Ellen's Design Challenge," but she is also in front of the camera. She appears on the show now and then to delight contestants with her jokes and design savvy. The star also does a sit-down with the contestants where she asks a few questions about the specific challenge (via HGTV).

The gamble to produce her own design competition series has certainly paid off. The show was the highest-rated series in HGTV history during the first season. It managed to attract a total of more than 12 million viewers and was a top 10-rated cable program in its time slot. The first season was so popular that it was quickly renewed for a second season.

It pays to have design skills. The winner of "Ellen's Design Challenge" is handed $100,000 in cash and the promise to be featured in the HGTV magazine, per HGTV. However, it takes a lot of work. Contestants must create furniture designs that are eye-catching and unique. They go into a workshop with all the necessary tools and supplies and have to ensure the entire process goes smoothly from start to finish. As Katie Stout told Sight Unseen, "It was really surreal. A highly skilled carpenter helping me out and an incredible shop is not something I have access to in real life. And I didn't have to think about all the logistics you usually have to think about when you're designing and making in New York, like where to keep the work or how much it's going to cost." There are typically some bumps along the way and no shortage of stress, so it's a good thing the successful contestant earns a nice payoff.

Stout won the first season of "Ellen's Design Challenge" in March 2015. As Stout told Dwell, "On the show, I used a lot of plastic. Until that point, I had never used plastic in my designs." Stout is an artist who grew up in New Jersey and lives in New York City these days. Since her win, she has done very well for herself. Her work was exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, and the Swiss Institute (via Venus Over Manhattan). In season 2, which aired in 2016, the winner was Vivian Beer from New Hampshire (via HGTV). Her work is modern, and she likes to use industrial materials with a sculptural feel.

There was no controversy over the winner from season 2 of "Ellen's Design Challenge." She was chosen and, happily, could keep the $100,000 prize. The lucky winner was Vivian Beer, a contestant from Bar Harbor, Maine, according to HGTV. She won over the runner-up, Sef Pinney, from Los Angeles. Beer likes to work with heavy metal using a big blow torch. On the show, she used a grinder to re-create a famous metal dining table with curved legs and a see-through acrylic top. Her designs are sleek and sexy yet functional for everyday living. For Beer, the best part about being on the show was the collaborative process.

These days, Beer makes stunning industrial-style pieces with her partner, carpenter Matt Blashaw. You can find some more dynamic work on her Instagram page, including one that looks like melted metal with car paint on top. She gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at how she cuts, welds, and paints furniture pieces in her large studio.

On her long-running eponymous talk show, Ellen DeGeneres — a former stand-up comedian — had to crack jokes during her monologue and charm celebrity guests such as Jennifer Aniston and Hillary Clinton. She was never not on, as it was her charisma that set the tone for the entire hour-long variety show.

However, on "Ellen's Design Challenge," the Louisiana native did not have to play the role of the charming court jester. Instead, she could talk seriously about one of her great loves: home design. "Ellen's signature style and wit make her relatable and so much fun to watch on HGTV," said Kathleen Finch, the Chief Programming Officer for HGTV, Food Network, and Travel Channel, per BusinessWire. "Ellen's Design Challenge lets fans see her like they never have before — expressing a personal passion for home and furniture design." DeGeneres is such as natural on home design shows that she even appears on another one called "Ellen's Next Great Designer" with actor Scott Foley as a judge (via IMDb).

This talented craftsman and designer has been on plenty of other TV shows in addition to "Ellen's Design Challenge." The Atlanta, Georgia native starred on the HGTV shows "Designed to Sell," "Curb Appeal: The Block," "Showdown," "Design Star," and "Wise Buys." His most recent show is "Elbow Room" for HGTV and DIY Network. He hosts and produces the series, and also rolls up his sleeves for the tough construction work. His efforts have won the show multiple Emmy Awards. Wade also appeared as a guest on popular TV shows such as "Today," "Rachael Ray," and "Oprah," per IMDB.

Fame came by chance for Wade. He told Design & Living Magazine, "A lot of people think that everyone on television is seeking television out, but it was kind of the opposite scenario for me. I started out as an engineer. I went to Georgia Tech, studied engineering and then one day, as I was sitting in my cubicle doing my engineering, nerdy work, and an email came across my desk and it said there was a show called "Designed to Sell" that was moving to Atlanta, so they were actually looking for people to renovate homes." No matter how famous Wade gets, he likes to stick close to home in Georgia because he has roots in the state. His entire family lives in the state and it's the home of his thriving business.

A lot of fans think DeGeneres is only a Hollywood star thanks to her daytime talk show and acting roles in films such as "Mr. Wrong," "Doctor Doolittle," and her voice work in the beloved "Finding Nemo" and the sequel "Finding Dory," per IMDB. However, DeGeneres is also skilled at flipping homes. She gets involved with the remodeling and decorating after she purchases a new property. She has worked on at least 20 homes since 2003 and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon (via Los Angeles Magazine). Some of her projects include a mid-century modern treehouse which used to belong to actor Heath Ledger. DeGeneres purchased the bungalow in 2004 and transformed the interiors with natural materials, greenery, and zen lighting. Another project involved a home with English Tudor-style architecture with beautiful gardens. DeGeneres sold the home to singer Ariana Grande for $6.75 million, almost twice the original price.

Her attraction to home buying and selling may have to do with her childhood when her family did not have much income. DeGeneres told Good Housekeeping, "We never owned a house when I was growing up. We rented, and we moved about every two years, just far enough to have to start at a new school. Also, my mother was a real estate agent for a little while, so I was always looking at houses with her. We couldn't afford to buy one, so it was a frustrating thing as a kid." Sprucing up properties gives her a nice profit. For example, DeGeneres purchased a Beverly Hills mansion in 2019 for $45 million and sold it in 2021 for $47 million (via Los Angeles Times). That means she made $2 million over two years — not bad!