Top Design’s second season should start with a bang–the first elimination challenge finds the design hopefuls working in teams of 4, armed with $2000 to be spent at a thrift store, a junkyard, a hardware store and the “Top Design Showroom”.

India Hicks is the first guest judge, and Jonathan Adler, Margaret Russell and Kelly Wearstler are back. Their criteria for this first challenge, at least, are “overall style, originality, taste, creativity, arrangement of merch”–and the judges are experts in these areas, allegedly.

Judging by the overflowing dumpster, the 80s never left. There’s wallpaper, flooring, fabric and junk food wrappers. We’re breathless with anticipation–could Cheetos be a real design trend?

Alissa Walker, co-editor of UnBeige, shares her expertise at a panel at ArtCenter College of Design– Worth 1000 Words: Writing About Design, Wednesday, June 27 at 7:30pm.

Watch in amazement as Walker, STEP editor Tom Biederbeck, and MIT Mediawork editorial Director Peter Lunenfeld, answer these and other questions:

What recent trends in design do you think are most relevant to design publications?

If a young graphic designer is interested in becoming a design writer or editor, what are the two most important things they should know?

We think that Jonathan Adler is the answer to that last question.

Who told Bravo that weird lips and a British accent get viewers? Top Design dragged Trudie Styler into the judges’ panel, and if we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a million times: she has hot tantric middle-aged sex with Sting, among others. She kept harping on Matt’s sterile bedroom.

But he won, Carisa didn’t and we still hate Bravo.

Project Top Design went to the party. And then they went to LAURA BENNETT’S to watch the show!

The Gilded Moose liveblogged. Best line:

Todd Oldham is so endearing. He’s sort of like a lesbian Don Knotts.

Blogging Top Design asks readers for only positive comments about Carisa. One and holding.

Jonathan Adler thinks bloggers should be glad to see his white, hairy ankles. So prep, don’cha know?

Linda Merrill deconstructs the loft challenge.

FBLA wonders why the LA Times Home section has barely mentioned this show. Shot here with designers from here–or is that too obvious?

Summing up: Top Design was just okay. Casting was decent, challenges were poorly conceived, judges adequate, production values good. B-/C+