NEW YORK -  Ellen Degeneres' Design Challenge show, in which furniture creators get an assist from carpenters to build new furniture designs, will return for a second season. The reality program hit a bump first season when the winning entry, a desk by woodworker Tim McClellan of Western Heritage Furniture, was withdrawn following charges its design was copied. 

 I promise this season is going to be bigger, better and armoirier.

Premiering January 18, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, the season will showcase ten competitors as they sketch, design and build furniture to avoid elimination. The contestants were introduced to viewers on New Year’s Day in a one-hour special Ellen’s Design Challenge: Meet the Cast. Now they will be tasked with such challenges as designing furniture for the greenrooms where celebrities ready themselves for The Ellen DeGeneres Show. 

 

At the end of the season, the last competitor standing will receive a $100,000 cash prize courtesy of Wayfair.com and see their work featured in HGTV Magazine.

 

“Ellen’s signature style and wit make her relatable and so much fun to watch on HGTV,” says Kathleen Finch, programming officer at HGTV.  “Ellen’s Design Challenge lets fans see her like they never have before—expressing a personal passion for home and furniture design.”

ARTICLE How a stint on HGTV led this furniture builder to add a CNC Tim McClellan, owner of Western Heritage Furniture in Jerome, AZ, was already  well established before the show.

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During each episode, the competitors will face design challenges that inspire their creativity and, since the clock will be ticking, they will be paired with an expert HGTV or DIY Network carpenter to help them complete the task at hand. The experts include Chip Wade, Matt Blashaw, Jeff Devlin, Matt Muenster, Karl Champley, Brooks Utley, Stephen Zimpel and Ali Azhar. Each contestant also will have access to a “build team” and a large workshop.

The weekly challenges will be judged by Cliff Fong, owner of the interior design firm Matt Blacke Inc., and Christiane Lemieux, executive creative director of Wayfair.com, online furniture retailer. 

 

Guest judges will join the panel each week, including Sean Yashar, owner of interior design firm The Culture Creative; interior designer Peter Dunham; Wendy Goodman, design editor for New York Magazine; furniture and industrial designer Karim Rashid; Adam Blackman, owner of furniture gallery Blackman Cruz; Thomas Lavin, owner of Thomas Lavin home furnishings; Rodman Primack, Executive Director of Design Miami; and Mallery Roberts Morgan, Los Angeles correspondent for Architectural Digest France.

 

 Ellen’s Design Challenge is produced by Ellen’s production company, A Very Good Production, and A. Smith & Co. in association with Telepictures.