Reality TV Becomes TV Reality for "Design Star"

Kim Myles, the season two winner of the reality competition HGTV Design Star, wants to bring a different perspective to the Martha Stewart version of design.

Soon, Myles will get her chance to give design some diversity and cultural sensibility in front of a national TV audience.

Myles says she salutes B. Smith as the first African American woman to make a name for herself in the industry.

"I'm excited to be that new voice in design and I'm happy to stand on B. Smith's shoulders," Myles told AOL Black Voices recently.

The 34-year-old New York City-based hair stylist moved to Los Angeles Recently, where she'll begin filming her own design show that will premiere on HGTV in March 2008.

The yet-to-be-named show was her life-changing prize for winning the cable reality design challenge, which wrapped up in September. More than 900,000 viewers voted for Myles via text messages as their favorite designer.

Myles designs make large color statements (check out the gallery of her work above). She likes paneling out walls with color, deco designs, art nouveau and anything that has a little bit of a feminine sensibility. Her style is modern and contemporary.

Black Voices asked Myles to drops some design tips on her top three decorating no-nos:

Theme Rooms ... Don't Dare!

Are you guilty of decorating an entire room dedicated to, who knows, a wild-west or jungle theme?

"Take elements that you love of from a certain theme or culture and infuse that into a room, but an entire room dedicated to it from top to bottom, it's kind of tacky," Myles says.

No Body Bags for Furniture

"We all have grannies, and aunties that have the couch that was reupholstered in 1972 and it's still covered in plastic to keep it protected. It's sticky in the summer. It's cold in the winter. Take it off," Myles warns.

Forget Fake Flowers

Silk flowers, fake flower arrangements, throw them out.

"I think that's something that most designers will say drives them a little nuts. Personally, I understand the impulse. It's worth having the real thing, even if it's just a small cluster in a room. They don't collect dust. You enjoy them, and then they pass," Myles says.

Our Lens Sept. 1

Hector Jackson (C), who impersonates the late US pop star Michael Jackson, gestures while he takes part in the "I do dance Thriller" event which attempts to break the Guinness World Record for the biggest mass "Thriller" dance, in Mexico City, on August 29. Up to 15,000 people are expected to take part in a potentially record breaking mass performance of Michael Jackson's famed "Thriller" dance on the day he would have turned 51.

Omar Torres, AFP/ Getty Images

A long line of fire marches west towards the communities of Acton and Sunland-Tujanga on August 31 in Los Angeles, California. At least 18 homes were destroyed and 12,000 more homes and 500 commercial buildings are being threatened in the fire which already took two lives. The wildfire, which broke out Wednesday afternoon near a ranger station and the Angeles Crest Highway above La Canada Flintridge, has forced thousands of evacuations.

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images

Venus Williams of the United States reaches for a shot against Vera Dushevina of Russia during day one of the 2009 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 31, in Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.

Chris McGrath, Getty Images

A Kenyan Muslim child reads verses from the Quran, Islam's holy book, on the fifth day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in a Madrassa (Religion School), in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, Aug. 26. Muslims throughout the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk.

Sayyid Azim, AP

Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center on August 28, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Discovery is scheduled for a 13-day mission to the International Space Station.

Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Host Vanessa Williams performs with dancer Gilles Marini onstage at the 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at The Orpheum Theatre on August 30, in Los Angeles, California.

Jesse Grant, WireImage

A girl plays with tomato pulp during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta in the village of Bunol, near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26. Bunol's town hall estimated more than 40,000 people, some from as far away as Japan and Australia, took up arms Wednesday with 100 tons of tomatoes in the yearly food fight known as the 'Tomatina' now in its 64th year.

Alberto Saiz, AP

Tom Wainaina recounts the events that lead to his being burned over most of his upper body August 26 in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya. Wainaina was burned by a group of men during post-election violence in Kenya's disputed 2007 presidential election. Ethnic-tribal violence left over 1,000 people dead. The non-governmental organization (NGO) Concern, in cooperation with local Kenyan groups, has launched a campaign to provide the urban poor with cash grants to start a business or get back on their feet after suffering disproportionately from post-election violence in 2007. The money is transferred to the recipients via a mobile phone which insures a safe and simple financial transaction to customers who don?t have bank accounts. Wainaina is one of dozens of Kibera residents to receive the assistance of a cash grant. Hairdressers, grocery stores and food vendors are just some of the businesses that have been financed through the program.

Spencer Platt, Getty Images

People standing near the grave of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY) look at the grave of Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) at Arlington National Cemetery August 30, in Arlington, Virginia. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) was buried yesterday next to his brothers President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY) after he died of brain cancer on August 25.

Brendan Smialowski, Getty Images

US President Barack Obama takes out his daughters Malia (R) and Sasha (2nd L) and niece Suhaila Ng (L) to shop in the Alleys general store on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, on August 30, 2009.

Jewel Samad, AFP/ Getty Images

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