Showbiz Comes to Oakmont with Filming of "Showhouse Showdown"

Almost 400 people stopped over at Edgewater at Oakmont on Sunday to participate in a new HGTV television show.

HGTV and Stone & Co. Entertainment have partnered with Pittsburgh’s Heartland Homes to film part of the new Showhouse Showdown series at . The show filmed in Cranberry in August.

Showhouse Showdown pits two experts against each other in competition to design the best model home. In this case, two side-by-side townhomes were designed.

Local designers Lizzie Bennett Farley and Christine Jones had a $50,000 budget and seven days to execute their vision over five rooms in each home. They both auditioned to be a part of the show.

Farley, a Fox Chapel-based designer, said she's excited to hear what people have to say about her work. She said she was inspired by the landscape and natural beauty of the area, as well as the architectural style of the townhome's exterior.

Jones, a Delmont-based designer, said HGTV is one of the reasons she got into interior design. She said she was inspired by the site's status as a former steel mill.

Marty Gillespie, president of Heartland Homes, saw the interior of the homes for the first time on Sunday. He said it was difficult not to have a say in the way the homes were designed, but both turned out beautifully.

"It was nerve-wracking," he said. "The decorators did a really, really good job. They decorated to our target audience, and I am happy things turned out great."

The first 100 members of the community to registered acted as judges. They toured each home, discussed what they liked and didn't like on camera and picked the best look. Alternate endings were filmed, so the winner won't be revealed until the show airs.

Cathy Grabiec of Sarver, who also attended the filming in Cranberry, acted as a judge in Oakmont.

"It's exciting to see some different designs," she said. "I wanted to come see some more."

Former season four Bachelor Bob Guiney—or Bachelor Bob—hosts the new series. He was on site mingling with the community in between takes.

The Oakmont episode was the ninth episode to be filmed and is expected to air in October. Showhouse Showdown premieres on HGTV tonight, Sept. 12, at 10 p.m.