PREVIEW: Interior Design Masters, BBC Two
Ten aspiring interior designers on the cusp of turning professional are taking part in the biggest design challenge of their lives.
Arriving at a design studio in London, they meet each other for the first time, before being welcomed by Series Host Alan Carr.
Former Editor in Chief of Elle Decoration magazine Michelle Ogundehin awaits them. Highly regarded in the design industry, Michelle is hard to impress and someone all the designers look up to. They are competing to win an extraordinary prize of a commercial contract with one of the UK’s top boutique hotels in the Lake District. It’s a life-changing opportunity for one of these ten designers.
Every week Michelle sets the designers a different commercial design challenge and will then scrutinize their designs alongside some big-name industry specialists. Episode one will see Michelle joined by renowned interior designer and guest judge Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. Lover of impactful design and bold concepts, Laurence is not backwards in coming forward on what he thinks makes great design.
Some weeks working in teams and some weeks as individuals, every week Series Judge Michelle will ultimately decide what constitutes a winning design, but also pass judgement on the weakest approaches. Alongside the guest judge she will decide which designer is eliminated, ending their dreams of making a name for themselves in the ferociously competitive design world.
Week one and for their first big commercial challenge, the designers must redesign Show Homes worth a million pounds in Oxford. Working in pairs, the designers are each given either a living room or a bedroom to transform within their Show Home, but they must work together to deliver a cohesive result that impresses the judges and is accessible to prospective buyers.
With just two days, £1,500 and two tradesmen, the designers get going on the first challenge to transform these bland spaces. Alan Carr will be on location to question their decisions, see the makeovers in action and find out how the designers are faring.
Judging the Show Homes, Michelle and Laurence give an honest and tough critique, as they have to decide which team has answered the brief and delivered a stunning Show Home, and which team has gone too far off-piste.
Challenge over, the teams return to Michelle’s design studio to hear the initial verdict from Alan. Relief and celebrations for one team, but for the losers, three designers have to face the judges and justify their design decisions. The first elimination takes place and just nine designers remain to face the next tough design challenge in episode two.
Interior Design Master returns this February on BBC Two.