To celebrate my year anniversary week here at Offbeat, we’re looking back at my top four favorite posts from each of the last 12 months.

Here’s August 2007…

50 Fresh & Juicy Slices of Offbeat Home Decor - this post is maybe the most popular post I’ve ever posted, at any blog, ever. What makes this post unique, is that along with my readers, I like it too. Usually I think a post should be popular, and it’s not, or my readers here LOVE a post that totally surprises me. This post makes everyone happy. And it’s cool.

HGTV Design Star Contestant Josh Johnson (”Sparkle Josh”) Chats with Offbeat Homes! - Josh was so nice; it really surprised me; I guess I misjudge people on TV, or, at least some of them. Plus I was way obsessed with Design Star season two, so this was a fun post to write.

10 Reasons Why Building Your Own House Sucks - I finally got this rant out of my system.

Treehouse Bling - if you don’t like treehouse bling, I wonder about you. Really. Treehouses rock. Even the overly expensive ones.

Which of these August finds was your favorite?

Yes - last season was a huge disappointment to me. Still, it doesn’t mean I won’t possibly hang around for season 3 of HGTV Design Star.

If I’m gonna watch, you should too, just so you know what I’m talking about when I start whining about it. This season the show is in Nashville. Personally I’m wondering why they never have the show anywhere I like. Vegas? Nashville? New York? I think they should go somewhere cool next year; like San Francisco, Italy, or Oregon.

What else, hmm. I haven’t paid attention at all to who is in the competition, so I’ll have to go on visual appeal until next week. Let’s visit the contestant site. Well, no one is looking too cool to me. Until I see how they act, I’ll root for Jerome, because he has the best smile. Of course, I’m likely to change my mind.

HGTV Design Star season 3 premiers in five days, Sunday, June 8, at 9 P.M. ET/PT.

Who remembers last year’s HGTV Design Star event? I sure do. We had the nice Sparkle Josh visit Offbeat and then no one I liked won. That was exciting. Well Josh was cool, I wasn’t quite so excited about the outcome of the show.

In any case it seems like it’s been simply years since the show ended, but finally, Kim, last year’s winner, has her show coming out. I figured I’d post about it because we did all follow along, and also, well, HGTV is always nice to me. They send me ideas, and tell me about events, and I don’t mind sending them some promo love.

Kim’s new show is called Myles of Style and there’s a special promo on tonight (March 16) at 10pm. The show picks up regularly on Thursdays at 8:30pm starting on March 20th.

Now, it’s no secret that I was not a huge Kim fan, that said, her show looks kind of fun. One, she seems nice, not fake, and two, I like the whole, let’s decorate on a budget slant. Take a look:

It looks alright, no? I say give it a whirl.
Secondly, right before Kim’s new show starts tonight, HGTV is announcing their HGTV Dream Home winner, plus the at-home winner who is getting a prize package during a live television special. That’s on tonight as well, at 9pm ET / 6pm PT. I’m not a big fan of this year’s dream home. I liked the home in Jackson Hole better. It’s a little tropical and large for my taste, but if you want to see one excited winner I’d tune in.

Lastly, there is some HGTV news I am excited about:

The HGTV Green Home. I’m excited in a, “I’m glad they’re doing a green home, and it will be nice to see some green building” sort of way. I’m not excited that they didn’t try for a more realistic budget slant. Most of us make less $ than what it would take to build this sort of green home. The upside; according to the email I was sent, “The home has received a significant Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and the Environmental Media Association’s (EMA) Green Seal Award for the production of the HGTV Green Home 2008 television special.” Not bad.

Pretty soon you’re going to be able to enter to win the green dream home, including all the furnishings, and a new GMC Yukon Hybrid. Total prize worth = $850,000.

This is a cool prize I suppose, but if you’d like to see how to live green on way less (WAY less) visit me over at Tree Hugging Family.

The national sweepstakes to win the green home, kicks off via the HGTV Green Home 2008 special hosted by Carter Oosterhouse on March 23, 2008 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Carter is cool he worked on the Red, Hot, and Green HGTV show that I reviewed here at Offbeat last year, and he always seems very eco-knowledgeable, so it should be a good special. Hopefully lots of green tips.

So to round up:

Tonight at 9pm - Dream Home winner.

Tonight at 10pm - Kim’s new show.

March 23 at 9pm - HGTV Green Home 2008 special.

Check your local listings for actual times.

Design Star news:

Yup folks the end of HGTV Design Star is drawing to an end. Will it be Kim or Todd? Who knows. It’s won’t be Sparkle Josh so it’s hard to care but still he is supposed to be on the final show so that’s exciting. I did vote and you should too. I had to vote at least once to make my world complete I suppose. I voted for….

Todd

Why? Because frankly Kim gets on my nerves and I honestly question her design skills. Todd has the fun edge. But I only voted once; I don’t like Todd that much. You can vote through Wednesday.

If you are aching to see the return of all the canceled designers watch the season finale on September 16, at 9pm e/p. Or if you fancy yourself a savvy design star in the making apply for season 3. Who knows you might be my favorite next year.

In cool Offbeat Homes news:

I got an email today from International Listings telling me that Offbeat Homes is being recognized as one of their Top 100 Real Estate Blogs in the Green Ideas category. According to their site, International Listings has been a leader in online luxury classifieds advertisements since 2001 and they do have an interesting selection of worldwide homes featured.

I of course, frown on McMansion style living but did find some nice villas and some glamorous but not huge homes at the site. Which made me happier than seeing all mega homes.

Overall I was pretty excited. Eco-living is so important to me and I try to insert a lot of green home info here at Offbeat. To be listed along side of sites like Jetson Green, Treehugger, and Inhabitat is a huge honor to me and made my week — so a hearty thanks to International Listings for the nod.

A tasty treat:

Obviously I used most of this post up talking about HGTV and Offbeat props so I leave you with some beautiful morsels of an offbeat home:

The home above; the Orchid House is just one of the amazing homes designed for Landmark Homes. The Orchid House is by Sarah Featherstone. The entire site is full of beautiful and offbeat designs and has a large eco-slant. The architects seem heavily into blending ecology with structure form which is one of my favorite things to hear. Pay them a visit.

Now, who are you going to vote for as the all new Design Star?

I’ve been putting off this post because I’m slightly upset that my boy sparkle Josh was eliminated from this Sunday’s HGTV Design Star challenge. As previously mentioned Josh Johnson is the Offbeat official choice for the next HGTV Design Star.

Notice I said “is.” The elimination doesn’t change Offbeat’s decision — our new stance is that the judges made a poor choice. Offbeat and I still think Josh is a sparkling star. If you can bear to watch the elimination again, here’s Josh’s video point of view after the fact.

The good news about this elimination is that my heart won’t pound each Sunday with anticipation. The bad news; my heart won’t pound each Sunday with anticipation.

What good is a reality TV show that doesn’t almost give you a heart attack?

I’m not the only one who feels this way; but more on that at the end of this post. We have bigger and brighter fish to fry today because Josh is actually in the Offbeat house! Josh was recently kind enough to answer some questions about his sparkling self and HGTV Design Star so that Offbeat readers could get a better glimpse into the shiny platinum world of Josh.

1. What exactly do you bring to the show that none of the other contestants can?

“Drag Queen Semantics.”

2. Watching the show it seems like you get along with everyone so well; has there been any behind the scenes controversy between you and another contestant – or are the relationships as chill as they come off?

“I adored EVERYONE- this collection of genuinely kind, caring, and talented individuals consistently blew me away as the show progressed…I never had any altercation or controversy arrive in “first” person with anyone…I only hope everyone continued to like me “behind the scenes”, as much as they appeared to in “reality.”

3. How would you explain your unique design vision?

“My design “vision” originates with making “luxury” function in your space- living with and utilizing all the wonderful and beautiful things you own, day to day.”

4. Where did your designing dreams originate from? Did you think growing up that you’d be where you are now?

“I can’t say that I actually had “design” dreams growing up; just dreams of making people laugh and entertaining an audience that really sees me for “me”- bringing REAL joy, comfort, and delight to people who value my contributions and recognize my talents.

I had no idea in past years, that I would be in the place that I am now…the majority of my design inspiration and flair originates from my late grandmother’s influence- a true picture of southern grace, inner and outer beauty, and contagious elegance that came from her heart.”

5. Now, we all know about the elimination but aren’t you curious about what Josh would have brought to the network (I am). Here’s what he had to say about that.

“If I were the next HGTV Design Star, my viewing audience would get my “REALNESS” first and foremost, because that is the element that has established my fan base in the first place….I would create an ostentatiously entertaining and vibrant series, showcasing many aspects of design coupled with my own personality…a design “variety” show of sorts.”

(Sounds to me like someone should snatch him up quick for a show! — don’t you think?)

6. What would you suggest to other designers who are trying to catch their big break? For example, if they’re trying to “Make It” in the world of design.

“Make a BOLD and FEARLESS contribution to your audience.”

7. Lastly, since many of our readers like to indulge in a little home decorating of their own; what’s your best tip for at home do-it-themselves designers?

“Firstly, analyze and identify the end “result” you want your space to have- function, aesthetic, presentation- and build your design plan from there.”

Well, can I just say; what a nice guy. Polite, friendly, really seemingly genuine. How can you not adore him. I’m positive that Offbeat made the perfect choice.

Now about the show. Will I finish out the HGTV Design Star season? Read more