Ellen's Next Great Designer

After a surprise call from Ellen and warm welcome from celebrity host Scott Foley, Urvi, Arielle, Cristina, Mark, Paul, Alejandro, and Erica are immediately given their first challenge: transforming the most basic materials into signature pieces of furniture. As the designers struggle with raw slabs of wood and stone, Scott and his co-judges Fernando Mastrangelo and Brigette Romanek must decide whom to send packing.

Ellen's wife and special guest Portia de Rossi provides the remaining designers with their next challenge: using a painting from her art publishing company as inspiration, they must create a piece of furniture that reflects the artwork's color, form, and general feeling - before facing their brutally honest judges.

Ellen and Scott drop by The Gallery to introduce the designers to their next challenge: incorporating a three-dimensional geometric shape into a furniture design of their choice. Back in their home studios, the remaining competitors execute their visions against the clock, while dealing with challenging materials – and rising tensions.

After taking a virtual tour of Scott’s new Connecticut home, the designers must create an outdoor play structure for his three children that incorporates seamless design, safety, and fun. As the artists draw inspiration from childhood memories, the judges are left to decide which piece will reside in Scott’s backyard – and which competitor will go home.

Playing on Ellen’s world-famous love of surprises, the designers are challenged to bring a hidden, unexpected element into a multifunctional piece of high-end furniture. Pressure mounts as the artists tackle their most ambitious project to-date, in a nerve-wracking effort to secure a spot in the finals.

For their final challenge, the remaining designers face the ultimate test: creating a cohesive three-piece collection for Brigette’s iconic Los Angeles home. Sharing a studio for the first time, the finalists move at a record pace to conceive their collections, source materials, and build pieces stunning enough to earn the title of “Ellen’s Next Great Designer” – and the $100,000 grand prize.