the antonio project

A lot of you made your feelings heard about Antonio Ballatore winning this season of Design Star by commenting on a post I wrote earlier this week. The scruffy and tattooed LA. designer has tons of fans (just check out his Facebook page), but a lot of HGTV watchers couldn't warm up to his unconventional designs and slacker dude persona.

Me? I'm a fan. The guy is obviously talented. I like his edgy designs and his laid back everyman attitude. His new show, The Antonio Project, will definitely be something different for HGTV. It won't be for everybody, but it'll be refreshing to see a guy like Antonio host a show on a cable network mostly populated by dull yuppie types.

The HGTV Web site has a preview of this Sunday's premiere of The Antonio Project. The former set designer will have to redesign his own home in five days. By the looks of his house, the network is doing Antonio a favor. The place looks like a crime scene or an abandoned strip mall. Head after the jump to see a pic.