Interior Design Masters - General Discussion

[aradia22]

Netflix is really churning out these competitive reality shows all of a sudden. Desserts, makeup artists, and glass blowing and whatever they might think would appeal. It reminds me of Bravo in the wake of Project Runway when there was Work of Art (gallery artwork), Project Accessory, and another home/interior design show that I cannot remember the name of.

I was drawn to this one because it's so visually appealing. Also, it seems like the contestants know what they're doing (unlike on Glow Up, the makeup show). I know he's busy with an actual business but if he wanted his own show, it feels like Bobby Burke would be a great host for an American version of this show.

EPISODE 1: Kyle's living room seemed warm and inviting. Hideous curtains though. I didn't love every piece of pottery and decor he picked but I liked the overall vibe.

From the early glimpses, I didn't think I would like Trish's guest bedroom, but it wasn't bad. The curtains looked so cheap and the velvet pillows were a weird choice but I got what she was going for overall. Middle of the road. 

Frank's master bedroom was like a mid-range to slightly pricey hotel. Nothing super upscale but definitely a place where some designer had ideas. It felt a little too young. Not expensive enough but also not approachable enough.

Verity's kid's bedroom was kind of a lot. You have to REALLY love yellow. It felt like the bedroom of a character in a quirky teen indie movie. A bit too specific for a model home.

I really like Ju's aesthetic so far. She's the Brazilian woman who loves florals. I think the contrasting wallpaper was a wrong choice for her room but I loved the way her own home was decorated and her choice of florals make me happy. 

Jim's living room was full of choices. I liked some of them but even though there were some classy touches, it felt VERY youthful. Walking in to that room, I would think about how I would transform the space. I wouldn't buy the house intending to keep that room the way it was. It was a bit too Instagram friendly without being chic enough. It felt like a room an amateur had tried to fix up.

Cassie's study made more sense. It still looked a little cheap but less so. I got the modern vibe with all the silver and glass. It definitely felt like a house that was being marketed to a young person.

Terian's guest room surprised me. I liked it. It felt very fresh. A little funky but not too crazy.

Jerome's kid's bedroom looked cheap. I liked some of the toys and books he set up but there was not enough design in that room. It looked like some IKEA furniture and some cheap bedding.

Nicki's master bedroom was a real fancy hotel. I liked that it seemed a little more upscale but it doesn't feel cozy. It doesn't feel like a place I want to live. I think the amount of black on the walls was too much. 

[aradia22]

I was surprised that

Spoiler

Jim went home in episode 1. He seemed to have more skills than Nicki who relied a lot on the builders and Jerome whose room fell flat. 

I had a sense that maybe he was less willing to take criticism than the others and defended his choices a little too strongly. It's okay to stand behind your vision but you have to understand where you made mistakes in order to improve. 

EPISODE 2: I didn't expect them to go over the top with different shades of brown but I didn't expect the designers to be SO resistant to the chocolate thing. 

It's very interesting to see spaces that might be more appreciative of people coming in to do whatever design work they want... but that might be cheaper or in disrepair. It's easy to make a great space look beautiful. What can you do with a troubled space?

Team Milk Chocolate

Frank: I don't see the chocolate. I think he was also hurt by the weird ceilings. The wallpaper just does not look right. It was an awkward space to wallpaper and the wallpaper just accents the weird shapes in the ceiling. The blue gives it a lift but using more brown might have actually been a good way to tie together his patterned wallpaper and the pops of bright color. 

Cassie: It would have made more sense if she was on Team Dark Chocolate. I do think a sort of caramel color could have pulled together the colors she wanted to use with the theme more. It feels like a bordello except then the decor goes grandma. The higher elements on the bed (the lace, the tassels) looked rather cheap. I can see taking the general ideas and adding more dark browns for a luxe dark chocolate feel. But this missed the mark.

Terian: It was a pretty room. More black and white cookie than milk chocolate. It felt very modern. It was my favorite of the three because I really only liked the wallpaper in Frank's room and not any of the styling but yeah, this team completely failed on the chocolate thing.

Team Dark Chocolate

Verity: I didn't love everything in the room but it worked as a whole. The blues lifted it up and made it feel fresher but you still had the luxe deep browns. 

Jerome: Also a bit black and white cookie but I liked the deep brown carpet and the artwork featuring chocolate. Having those two elements warmed up the black. It also felt like a very chic hotel room. I'd think it was an expensive hotel.

Kyle: It was a bit boring. Not ugly by any means but it felt too much like being at home for a hotel.

Team White Chocolate

Nicki: I think the checked wall and the blue and pink threw it off a bit. It was a little more bathroom/kitchen and beachy and candy than white chocolate. The bedspread did make me think of jawbreakers. Putting aside the challenge, I did like the room aside from the way the headboard seemed to be floating and that checked wall. Way too kitchen/bathroom. 

Trish: Cute. It felt upscale but a little kitschy. The houndstooth, the headboard pattern, the faux gilt mirrors... it reminds me so much early 2000s design.

Ju: Beautiful. It felt appropriate for a seaside resort but light and fresh. It was white chocolate in a way that wasn't literal. A little Greek but with a bit of French refinement. This room and Jerome's room are the two I would most like to stay in.

[aradia22]

EPISODE 3: This is such a cool idea to redesign stores! 

Nicki and Cassie's Knitting Shop: Cute enough. I liked the new storage but otherwise it wasn't a great space. It would have been nice to have more color on the walls/ceiling or darker wood. It didn't feel cozy. I didn't like the green tile or the weird carpet at all.

Frank and Jerome's Skateboard Shop: OK. I'm not sure about the chandeliers. Seems a bit fussy. It's hard to redesign too much because they want to have all the merchandise out.

Ju and Kyle's Vintage Clothing Shop: It looked the same? The weird lighting didn't make a huge difference. I needed to see a before and after.

Verity and Terian's Women's Clothes Shop: It would have been better with a prettier curtain. It was safe in a way that seemed to fit the style of the clothes. Preppy but not at all offensive. J. Crew meets Eileen Fisher.

[aradia22]

EPISODE 4: Student housing... brilliant! This would have been good for a lot of the eliminated contestants. Cheap and cheerful isn't so bad for student housing.

Ju's studio looked good. It was definitely a decor magazine/furniture store version of a college dorm room. The lighting and the geometric prints were a little fancy. But it was pleasant. I didn't love the black on the walls. It closed off the space. The magnetic wall was a great touch.

Frank's studio was alright. It felt more gender neutral. It felt age appropriate. Not too fancy. And he left space for a student to move in and put their own personality in the space. I didn't love all the weird triangles.

Cassie's studio was very bright and open. I'm not sure if it's a positive or a negative. That is, I can see moving in here but I wouldn't keep her design. I'd repaint the walls and furniture and change the bedding and decor. But the barebones give you the most room to put your own spin on it. 

The kitchen is a little kitschy. I don't think it's for everyone but it does feel like it was designed for students. I think it will age poorly but it has some personality.

Jerome's studio was fantastic. I loved it. The black wouldn't suit anyone but it looked expensive but still youthful. Having a lower bed made it feel more open. I get the idea of raising the bed to put storage but when the room is shaped with a little nook like that, having a high bed feels claustrophobic. I don't want to be tucked in a corner and also closer to the ceiling.

Kyle's studio was similar to Cassie's. You can imagine moving in and painting and putting your personality into the room. Is that good design? The bed seemed shoved in there and while I appreciate the work, I think a lot of the storage spaces made the room feel smaller. 

Nicki's studio felt unfinished. Even if her storage had fit under the bed, I still think it would have looked unfinished. It also felt too Instagram-y. It felt like an adult designing for a young person. It wasn't actually cozy or practical.

Team Two's kitchen was much better. That was a bright, lovely communal space. I loved the colors. 

The judges are bonkers. Team One's kitchen was a terrible eyesore. And they really went after Jerome. I agree that he could have done more with storage but under the bed storage wasn't necessary. An elevated bed would have felt claustrophobic in that space. Also, everyone isn't tall enough to enjoy a very high bed.

Edited January 22, 2020 by aradia22

[aradia22]

EPISODE 5: It's feeling less fun as everyone stresses out. 

I agree with Kyle and Frank. Cassie's ideas are terrible. I don't know if I love the birdcage but it would have looked better than her big ugly rattia fixture. And exposed wood can work but lovely beachy exposed wood, not just any exposed wood.

Nicki and Ju's master bedroom was lovely. Like a fancy soap brand's packaging. Light and fresh but a little feminine. The guest bedroom was a little more cutesy and feminine but still pretty. It did feel a touch more tropical than the master bedroom which was more English garden.

The living and dining area was improved but it was kind of a lot after the softness of the bedrooms. I don't think the colors quite worked. A lot of things were just slightly off.

Frank, Kyle, and Cassie's terrace was very cute. Personal preference if you really want to sit by the road and if you like all the choices but I liked the idea of it. 

The master bedroom felt more gender neutral. It was bright and open but the lighting made it feel a little cozier. I don't think I like the decor as much. It feels less like a room designed for a particular person's taste and more like a hotel/spa space that doesn't get in your way. The wallpaper was the one strange choice. And it was specific in a bad way.

The guest bedroom felt very standard. The pillows were cute. That's about it. 

The living/dining area felt too cluttered. Too much stuff. I also hated the wallpaper. The exposed wood looked dirty.

Spoiler

Kyle being sent home both was and was not a shock. On the one hand, he's massively talented as a builder and he's done some great rooms. On the other hand, he's really been slipping lately and it's become clearer that he's not great with colors or decor. He designs the space but he doesn't know how to finish it with paint and furniture and lovely objects.

 

[aradia22]

EPISODE 6: Hmn, not that interested in restaurant design. I think it's one of those things you have to experience. You can't just look at it and know that it works. I appreciate the judges really poking about for this one.

Cassie is kind of terrible. How did she manage to skate by so far into the competition?

Cassie and Ju's restaurant was pretty. I'm not sure how much it said Spain. The mosaic didn't seem to be finished that well but I liked the idea of a mosaic. The lemon decor was cute. It felt pretty and fresh but non-specific. The transformation of the exterior was great.

I didn't love Frank and Nicki's restaurant. The blue felt dark and heavy and didn't say Mediterranean at all. With the dark wood furniture and the black and white floors, it was just so closed off and heavy feeling. When I think Southern Mediterranean I think vacation and beaches and lightness. You can conjure that without doing a stereotypical white and blue Greek color scheme but it should still feel light and breezy. The pink banquettes also looked old and I imagine the fabric will be hard to clean and thus won't age well. As for North African, I can kind of see it in the color scheme and I know they didn't want to be obvious but because the design is so basic, you don't sense it at all. I think they needed to have tiny touches in the decor. Some patterns. More interesting lighting fixtures. Something.

Spoiler

I think she made the right call. Nicki might be a stronger designer because she has more experience but she's too inflexible. 

 

[aradia22]

EPISODE 7: Hair salon doesn't really jump out as a semi-final challenge. I don't know the geography of England well enough to understand how much they've been traveling around. Though they always return to Michelle's studio so I don't think the traveling is a good excuse for the order of the venues they've been redesigning. It feels like the stores would have been good for a later challenge. 

Ju did a lot of things I really liked with her salon. I do think the blue and white accent wall was weird given the aesthetic the client wanted. I also thought that while a few plants would have been nice, there were too many plants. And the plants she chose didn't evoke a particular place. I don't know if the medium-sized hanging mirrors are the most practical choice. And I do feel a feminine touch where the client probably wanted something with more... Edge.

Frank's salon is very classy. I think the tile could have been a more vibrant purple, closer to eggplant than mauve. I didn't get a lot of whimsy. The lighting that was giving him so much trouble didn't seem worth it. The fixtures felt very clinical/industrial. To be honest, I thought they were a bit ugly.

Cassie's barber shop was hideous. It felt like she hadn't redesigned it. That is, it felt like a space that was equally bad or worse than the original design. The walls were painted an offputting color. You want to spend time in a barber shop. I don't want to spend time here. If she wanted green, it should have been a rich hunter green. I don't know what the owner meant by retro, but I don't think it was a bunch of weird antiques and skulls. It looked old and shabby. This is the first time I didn't trust the judges' critiques at all. 

Spoiler

That was insanity. Ju and Frank had issues this week but they clearly wanted to carry Cassie to the end of the competition. Even though this was a low drama show by American standards, I feel like they carried Cassie through to create drama. Her design aesthetic isn't good. She's bad at finishing projects. She's argued with most of the people she's worked with and she hasn't been good at adhering to the clients wishes or working with her teammates. Ridiculous.

 

[aradia22]

EPISODE 8: I've liked a lot of Frank's designs, if not all of them. I think I tended to prefer Ju and Jerome as designers but Frank was often in the middle of the pack for me. Cassie has generally been a mess throughout unless she's been working with someone else. I don't think it's an accident that the two designers who were the most involved in drama (aside from Nicki) and noted for being inflexible or not good team players are the two who made it to the end. I sense production here. Though maybe it's also the nature of the judging/challenges that these two were able to skate by some weeks when they had weaker designs. 

I would get it if Cassie liked a certain style the way Ju likes florals and a feminine vibe. But she seriously just paints everything terracotta. That's not a style. That's just one color. You can't force people to deal with unpleasant oranges and greens. I think of the colors she likes as pops of color you might wear as part of an outfit. They shouldn't be colors you paint on most of the walls. It's an eyesore. You want comfortable living spaces, hangout spots, stores, etc. Cassie's design did not feel boho. It felt exactly like the chocolate room she did.

Why does Cassie keep making cheap, ugly curtains???

I appreciate that Cassie's living room felt light. But the curtains looked cheap and ugly and I don't think she found a way to make the exposed brick work. It should have been covered or she should have chosen a color scheme that matched better.

The kitchen was pretty enough if not all that great. The island looked disgusting. Exposed wood doesn't mean something you dragged out of a landfill. 

The dining area did not feel very cozy. I wouldn't want to eat there as a couple or entertain there. 

THERE WAS ZERO THOUGHT PUT INTO THE BABY. The home did not seem baby-proofed at all. It didn't seem designed for a young family. 

The bedroom did not seem boho. It was like someone was trying to do a yoga studio on a budget. Slightly exotic but nothing that unique and authentic. I guess it was boho in the sense that if you told me it smelled of patchouli scented candles, I would believe you.

The nursery was just awful. What child wants to grow up in that weird black and white bedroom??? Also, nothing was child-proofed. All her weird furniture just screams injuries, tetanus, lead paint poisoning, etc. 

Frank's living room was very pretty. I'm not sure if it was Scandinavian but it felt very comfortable. The guest bedroom was rather a lot with the wallpaper. It was too aggressive for me. It would make me dizzy after a while. The master bedroom was lovely. I like the choice of soft lighting throughout the apartment. The blues and grays do feel very relaxed and calming.

Spoiler

Come off it. There's no way you could look at those two apartments and want to live in the Cassie apartment more. Frank did a much better job utilizing his budget. Cassie bought a bunch of weird old things that would be hazards for a baby. The fix was in. She should NOT have won.

A quick google tells me that the few other people who watched were also infuriated by the winner.

[heckkitty]

I haven’t watched this through yes, but you’re saying Cassie won? She of the bordello hotel room?!😳

Edited February 19, 2020 by heckkitty

[heckkitty]

Lol. Frank’s was so much better it was laughable. I had such hopes for this show. I must be blind; I think Cassie should have been beaten by Nikki & Ju too. 🤷‍♀️

[oldCJ]

On 2/19/2020 at 5:46 AM, heckkitty said:

Lol. Frank’s was so much better it was laughable. I had such hopes for this show. I must be blind; I think Cassie should have been beaten by Nikki & Ju too. 🤷‍♀️

Totally in agreement!!

[GaT]

On 1/24/2020 at 2:28 AM, aradia22 said:

Frank's salon is very classy. I think the tile could have been a more vibrant purple, closer to eggplant than mauve. I didn't get a lot of whimsy. The lighting that was giving him so much trouble didn't seem worth it. The fixtures felt very clinical/industrial. To be honest, I thought they were a bit ugly.

I actually watched this show before, but didn't realize it until a few episodes in. I have no memory of who wins, so I'll keep watching. Anyway, as to the above.

Spoiler

Any idea if Frank went back & completed doing the tiles? I would hate to think the show left the owner hanging with that crappy installation.

 

[NYGirl]

Just binge watched and I'm livid!!  Cassie should have been gone from the beginning when she did that antique bedroom with all those ugly terra-cotta colors!!

Frank's was head and shoulders above hers..how the hell did that happen?  What was that idiot judge smoking?

[Cheezwiz]

I just finished binging this, and like everyone else, I enjoyed the series, but was about to burst a blood-vessel at the conclusion:

Spoiler

 

There is NO WAY Cassie should have won that competition. Her aesthetic (if it could be said that she has one) is hideous. She should have been eliminated in the hotel round with that tacky lace canopy over the bed. The only projects she did that were halfway presentable were ones that she did with others. Each week I kept anticipating her elimination, and she mysteriously kept skating by.

What is her obsession with hideous paint colours? Terracotta? Booger green? not just on the walls, but the ceilings too? And I do like traditional furniture and I'm all for giving older pieces new life, but the ones she chose were always awful. I didn't always like Frank's choices either, but I could usually see where he was going, and he was trying to learn and be flexible. Cassie pretty much ignored most of the brief. I don't know that either of them should have made it that far, but I certainly would have chosen Frank's space over Cassie's. 

I'd LOVE to know what the real behind-the-scenes story is about this particular competition, because it definitely seemed like a fix to me. Cassie isn't fit to paint a room let alone handle a big commercial account. I pity the hotel that got stuck with her.

 

 

 

[phoenics]

So I just binge watched and I am so mad at who won.  That person's style is just horrid and he/she kept forcing it into everything and it was just ugly.  I felt punked at the end like - they can't be serious!

The other finalist was robbed.

I wouldn't let the winner anywhere near my home - just the worst style ever and consistently (except ONE week) bad design choices.

I'm so mad, lol.

Maybe I just don't get British design?  Because I'm appalled that person won.

[Cheezwiz]

3 hours ago, phoenics said:

Maybe I just don't get British design?  Because I'm appalled that person won.

I was flabbergasted. I don't think it had anything to do with British design. I figure the show had to be fixed - there was no way that win was earned. I'd love to know what the real behind-the-scenes inside story was. That contestant should have been booted when they re-did the inn. Just hideous & ghastly.

[conquistador]

So - Cassie’s hair salon client outright told her that he hates the color green, and in response she paints all the walls AND the ceiling in a shade of green that is particularily offputting? That was offensive to me. You don’t need to accommodate all the client’s wishes, but I think you also need to respect that this is where the owner will spend all of his worklife.

Failing to work with team members or for the sake of the clients was a recurring issue in this group of highly individual artistic people. Admittedly a more pronounced problem early in the season, but it remained all the way to the end. Ju was beaming when the client told her to do what she wants and apparently took that as a sign that she didn’t need to accommodate whatsoever. Somehow the masculine industrial look turned into feminine shabby chic with birds on the wall.

[phoenics]

Cassie and her absolutely hideous style on full display over on Apartment Therapy: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/winner-of-interior-design-masters-cassie-nicholsons-victorian-home-in-bristol-36837229#comments-36837229

The house tour literally gave me Show PTSD and made me mad all over again at the show's outcome.

[Cheezwiz]

8 hours ago, phoenics said:

The house tour literally gave me Show PTSD and made me mad all over again at the show's outcome.

Same. Clearly her style hasn't evolved - it's still hideous! I'm all for incorporating older furniture into surroundings, but it needs to be selected judiciously. Everything looks cluttered, and instead of interesting patina that can come with age, the furnishings all look cheap, shopworn and banged up. She also seems to love drab droopy fabrics everywhere. Again, strong paint colours can be striking, but her choices always look dark and oppressive. You don't need to paint the ceiling to match ALL THE TIME. That bedroom! Ugh! The only room that looked tolerable to me was the bathroom because it was white and mostly empty. I now have smoke coming out of my ears after looking at this dreck. Infuriated all over again!

[oldCJ]

On 11/24/2020 at 6:33 PM, phoenics said:

Cassie and her absolutely hideous style on full display over on Apartment Therapy: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/winner-of-interior-design-masters-cassie-nicholsons-victorian-home-in-bristol-36837229#comments-36837229

The house tour literally gave me Show PTSD and made me mad all over again at the show's outcome.

Her hallway is the same vomit green as the paint she chose on the show. Ha. Looking at her color choices, it does seem like she might be a little color-blind. I truly do not comprehend anyone feeling “at home” in those garish rooms. 

[Aulty]

The second series of this just startet on the BBC, so I assume its just a matter of time until its available on Netflix. Chatty Man Alan Carr is the new presenter.

The first episode was decent and they cast a good group of designers. I enjoyed most of the colour schemes and in general the results looked a lot less crafty than last year. Although to be fair, the first challenge didn't require them to build many elements themselves - it was more of a buying and decorating challenge.

Alan is his usual self, which is not a pared back presenting style at the best of times. I enjoyed Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Michelle, like a pair of someliers, trying to come up with flowery comments about the rooms. Michelle looked STUNNING when she interviewed the contestants in her studio.

One fun fact about Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen: On Dave Grohl's (Foo Fighters, Nirvana) birthday many people on Twitter wish him Happy Birthday by posting pictures of people who kinda look like Dave but aren't Dave, many of them using pictures of Laurence.

Edited February 3, 2021 by Aulty

[oldCJ]

Very excited about this new season. Interesting  they added Alan Carr’s name to it. Maybe more people will watch this series. 

Love Micaela, former doctor Peter, and Jon with no confidence who gets his inspiration from drag. 

The sooner Charlotte is gone, the better. “You need the designer to build the entirety of your plan for the room? No. I need him more to screw something basic in and remove plastic as I lie on the mattress recovering from all the energy I expended being so passive aggressive. I couldn’t possibly do physical labor myself.”

[Aulty]

Whats with all those curtains? To get any noise dampening effect they need to be really thick curtains that properly close off the area.

The ping pong table was such a cliche. Even if the people in that office wanted to play the occasional match, there wasn't anywhere near enough space either end. It also might in theory be height adjustable, but - and especially with a table that size - unless its pneumatic (this one was manual) nobody will do that.

The 'stadium' and swings - also clichee. There were 50cm at best between the wall and the swing - what good'll that do? A 30cm level change with comfy couches might have achieved the same effect.

I've been to modern offices where they have all that stuff - swings, ping pong, slides between floors, basketball, foosball, etc. - but they have designated areas, especially for noisy, fun stuff. They have large rooms with high ceilings for theatre style seating, closed off themed offices/meeting rooms and sound proved micro offices (like phone booths with a small table and comfy seating) to take phone or voice calls.

While the meeting room table in the Beauty office looked great, plants that size all down the centre are a bit unpractical as they will obstruct the view.

I liked all the colour schemes, Paul's wallpaper and the whimsical artpieces. I'm neutral on the mural. Loved that team Beauty incorporated mid-century brown furniture.

The room dividers from team Tech worked well and putting one on the diagonal was inspired.

I was surprised that Amy got the boot - I thought the ping pong doctor would get the chop.

[Aulty]

Nothing sais Interior Design Competiton more than the look on the tradespeople's faces during the opening bit. One of the most entertaining things with those shows is to watch the carpenters' and decorators' expressions when the designers try to explain what they want them to do and the timeframe they want them to do it in.

Its also great to see some familiar faces again - some of the carpenters and decorators have popped up in other shows like the Interior Design Challenge.

I hate shoddy woodwork, and ping pong doc's arch was really bad. His carpenter tried to warn him. I also can't with painting shelves after they've been mounted on the wall without putting up any tape to protect the newly wallpapered wall. Same with skirting boards.

Can I also mention how fugly those rooms were before the designers got started? I'm sure turning a stately home into a hotel is quite a challenge, but sticking those port-a-loos in the corner next to the (sometimes only) window?

Edited February 17, 2021 by Aulty

[oldCJ]

Maybe I missed it but why did Charlotte get three carpenters/decorators and Jon one while everyone else had two?

[Aulty]

For some reason Charlotte gives me major Cassie vibes.

I am not that keen on the shop makeover episodes. Thats a very specialised field and - no offence to the brilliant tradespeople on this show, they have to handle all that fugly MDF in riddiculous timeframes - some stuff does not look hard wearing. The designers, especially this year, really edited back the stock in the shops and I wonder how long until those spaces are stuffed to the rafters again.

I am not a dog person, so I can't say much about the pet shop, but I think the combination of wallpapers looked great in the space. I think that wallpaper is more instagrammable than their social media fireplace. The colours in the photography shop were horrible and I find the seating area really unpractical because there was no proper table to put cameras, books or instruments on.

The kitchenware shop didn't blow me away either. The register area was alright and the windows looked good.

[TVbitch]

Enjoying the new season. I also recognize some of the carpenters from Interior Design Challenge. I just learned my favorite's name  -Nick- as he got to speak a bit. (The tall skinny gent with shaggy hair.)

I do hate that now shops are expected to be a "destination" where you can hang out and take snaps for your instagram or whatever. Retail must be so tough these days.  

[Aulty]

That was a lot better than the Beach Hut challenge they had on the Interior Design Challenge a few years back.

Charlotte really didn't feel her brief and it was quite obsious early on that she would be in danger of going home.

I really liked Michaela's and agree with what she said about her interpretation of 'homely' during the judging. The Diner and Tiki Bar huts were well done, but are not for me. Loved the tiles in the ice cream hut.

Its a shame we don't get any feedback on whether the owners liked it or not.

[TVbitch]

The right person went home, but I also thought the Diner and the Tiki went too far into kitsch or party themes. It might be fun for a few hours, but if you are spending a long time there or going day after day, you are going to feel like you are stuck in Mel's Diner or a Tiki lounge.  It's so specific. And how is going to look once a family throwing towels, swim gear, and other items that don't fit the theme all over the place. 

If these are huts that the owners rent out every day to people visiting the beach, then maybe I can see it. That wasn't made very clear and I also would have liked to hear from the owners. 

[BellaR]

I really enjoyed the show this week. I wasn't crazy about this season when it first started, but the final four are very talented. I can't believe that Siobhan and Micaela didn't realize that having storage is a good idea for a barber shop. I think that Paul and Siobhan actually get the need to pair style with functionality, but it is something that Micaela still hasn't grasped. I wouldn't be surprised if Paul and Siobhan wind up being the final two. 

[Aulty]

Great that we finally got customer reactions, and that Michelle didn't force an elimination. Did they plan for an extra semi-finalist when they organised the spaces for redecpration?

I will never understand this country's obsession with fake plants. The fake garden view was an inspired idea, the mural was rally busy.

The barber shop felt incredibly dark. Hated the colour on the ceiling. When the owners described what they were after I imagined something completely different.

[TVbitch]

Micaela darling, when my honey, builder Nick, looks at you like you are insane and then flat out says "Why not make them real cupboards and give them some storage?!!" then it's time to re-think your decision. That was just nuts. 

I HATE fake plants! I would rather see NO plants. Fake plants have no warmth or vibrance, they are just plastic tchotchkes that make me feel sad. And being practical, who in the hell is going to keep them clean. What a nightmare trying to dust all the nooks and crannies of those things. 

[Aulty]

29 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

I HATE fake plants! I would rather see NO plants. Fake plants have no warmth or vibrance, they are just plastic tchotchkes that make me feel sad.

One of my guity pleasures are First Year Uni Haul videos on Youtube where teenagers who are about to start uni and move into halls show off everything they bought - from kitchenware and towels to sheets and hangers and plan how to decorate their rooms. I swear everybody buys the same damn fake plants from IKEA, the set of 3 artifical succulents and the helix hanging plant.
You are of age, you should be able to take care of a real spider plant or a cactus.

They (its 95% girls who do those videos) also all go for the same colours, its always pink, white and grey/black. And fairy lights.

Edited March 11, 2021 by Aulty

[BellaR]

On 3/10/2021 at 2:48 AM, Aulty said:

Great that we finally got customer reactions, and that Michelle didn't force an elimination. Did they plan for an extra semi-finalist when they organised the spaces for redecpration?

I will never understand this country's obsession with fake plants. The fake garden view was an inspired idea, the mural was rally busy.

The barber shop felt incredibly dark. Hated the colour on the ceiling. When the owners described what they were after I imagined something completely different.

I liked the color, because it really did look like a gentleman's club. I wouldn't use it for a multi sex salon, but I think that it worked well for something that is meant to signal that it is just for men.

[Aulty]

This did not go as I expected. Lindsey was a no brainer for the final. LOVED the mural. But I was surprised that they picked Siobhan over Paul.

What is it with Siobhan and her black pudding coloured ceilings? Her and Paul's designs are both really cluttered and a lot to take in, but at least with James I don't get the feeling I should start adressing the ceiling with Robert Burns quotes.

I really wonder why we didn't get customer reactions this time, and I wouldn't be surprised if the eggshell cafe owner was a bit pissed that they completely ignored his branding colour and that the scheme wasn't cohesive at all. Michaela's comment that the owner should take their designs as an opportunity to rebrand was very unprofessional. And from the person who designed Barbie's Yorkshire dream home.

I don't enjoy Alan pitching in from the sidelines. Its like early Project Runway before they made Heidi Klum a judge.

Yay! They are already looking for contestants for the next series!

Edited March 17, 2021 by Aulty

[BellaR]

I'm happy for Siobhan. I agree with Michelle that she is the one who has grown the most over the course of the season. I will admit that I wrote her off in the first episode, and I thought that she was a joke contestant, but she proved me wrong. That being said, even I knew that the dark ceiling didn't make any sense for a space that is mainly used during the daytime.

Paula stood out throughout the season, but his look was cluttered. He and Micaela disappointed me, because I loved how well they worked together a few weeks ago. Micaela just seemed dead set that they would not collaborate in order to make both floors look cohesive. I don't understand her attitude in not doing that, and pretty much going against everything that they owner wanted. I like her, but she just didn't seem to have a firm grasp on what interior design is, or how she can incorporate her style with the brief..  I think that Michelle and the other judge should have been harsher when they talked about the total lack of cohesion.

[BellaR]

5 hours ago, Aulty said:

 

I don't enjoy Alan pitching in from the sidelines. Its like early Project Runway before they made Heidi Klum a judge.

Yay! They are already looking for contestants for the next series!

Alan chiming in is weird, and takes away from the idea that Michelle seems to see this show as a way to teach the contestants how to be better designers. 

 

I'm so happy to hear that there will be a  third season. I just started watching these types of shows during the pandemic. Normally I don't watch any reality shows, but I started with a design show out of South Africa, and then found similar shows from other countries. I think that this one is my favorite. 

[TVbitch]

On the day, I think the right two went through and the owner was probably really happy with what Lindsey and Siobhan produced, even if he does repaint the ceiling. 

Paul and Micaela, I just don't know what they were thinking. They were told by the owner that the blue color was HIS BRAND. You do not just take it upon yourself to fuck with that. And they were told by Michelle that the two spaces had to have cohesion. Paul's was better, but Micaela's tangerine dream was awful. I really think Micaela should have been eliminated last week, and Paul might have gotten screwed by the decision to keep her in. Not sure what Michelle saw in her that warranted giving her so many chances.

@BellaR, check out Great British Sewing Bee, Great Pottery Throw Down, and Glow Up for more fun, creative UK programming in the same vein as this competition.  

[BellaR]

Thank you for the suggestions TVBitch. I found Glow Up on Netflix, and I love it. I do feel sorry for some of the models, because I don't know if some of the artists know what they are doing.

 

I agree that Micaela should have gone home last week. I still haven't gotten over the fact that she thought that the barbershop needed fake cabinets instead of real ones.

[BellaR]

I'm a fan of Siobhan, because more than anyone she grew over the course of the season, but the right person won. I wish that Siobhan did a better job of describing her choices, but I think it is a fair argument to say that she didn't follow the brief. That is something that I will never understand about these contestants. A good designer makes their style work with the brief, they just don't ignore it and do whatever they want to do. On the other hand, the winner of season one seemed to use colors that the owners of the apartments didn't want. I still don't understand how she was in the final.

 

I liked Lindsey's color choices, and she has a great eye, but for some reason, as Micaela stated, her designs never stood out to me. Despite that I think that she is going to be a good designer.

[Aulty]

7 hours ago, BellaR said:

I'm a fan of Siobhan, because more than anyone she grew over the course of the season, but the right person won. I wish that Siobhan did a better job of describing her choices, but I think it is a fair argument to say that she didn't follow the brief. That is something that I will never understand about these contestants.

Her answer to their first question, where she said she threw out the rule book and went with what she wanted to do set the tone for the whole conversation - which felt like an uber-awkward job interview. I cringed when they asked her what she wanted to do going forward and she listed pretty much everything that guest judge Matthew Williamson (love him!) is doing.
She did a great job on the house, very impactful colour choices, but it was too much for me in places. Loved her living room and the hall with that gorgeous artwork. She lost me with those ugly fake plants on top of a room divider upstairs and the bedrooms. The Pink and Yellow colour combo is dreadful and the difference Lindsey's kitchen island made became really apparent.

I share the judges view, that Lindsey should've made the two bedrooms more distinct. Apart from that, she did a stunning job.
Her husband joking that they could name the baby Michelle, if it helps his wife win, was cute.
I don't know when Lindsey is supposed to start on the hotel, but thats gonna be a lot with either a newborn or in the final stages of pregnancy.

All in all that was a pretty good series, wasn't it? A bit too much focus on commercial but maybe covid restrictions made working in private homes impossible this year. I enjoyed the comedy bits that included the craftspeople and their deadpan facial expressions more than Alan on his own.

[TVbitch]

I enjoyed the series a lot, and like both finalists, but both ladies disappointed me in the finale.

I think Siobhan is actually more innately talented, but she has not yet learned how to reign it in and choose her moments. It was all too much. There was zero consideration given that "family retreat" usually means younger children. As soon she said she thought about the brief but then decided to go all out in her own style, I knew she had lost it. I think Michelle wanted Siobhan to win and was actually defending her choices better than Siobhan was. Hopefully someone will recognize her raw talent and put her in a junior position somewhere. 

Lindsey comes off more professional and was much more well spoken about her choices. However, I really did not like Lindsey's "girl's retreat". I just kept thinking.... how old are these "girls?!" All that heavy dark blue and the granny florals. Where was the color and the fun? I mean, girls still wanna have fun, right? Everything was so dark. Having said that, she will do very well in the position she was given.

Finally, WTF was going on with those 5-star vacation retreats? It looked like a bunch of prefab units where crammed very close together in the middle of some farming country. Who would want to vacation there? I watch a lot of Escape to the Country and that did not look like a premier holiday let location! 

[BellaR]

54 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

I think Siobhan is actually more innately talented, but she has not yet learned how to reign it in and choose her moments. It was all too much.

Initially I liked where Siobhan was going with her main room, but she just kept adding on to the point where, as you said, it became too much.

[TVbitch]

Yes, you can REALLY see that in her home, where she clearly indulges her every whim. It was so crazy busy. A lot of it would be great, if it were used in doses as highlights or special spaces, but there was not a moment to breathe in that house! It would make me anxious to be surrounded by all that cacophony! 

[Oldernowiser]

On 11/27/2020 at 5:47 AM, oldCJ said:

Her hallway is the same vomit green as the paint she chose on the show. Ha. Looking at her color choices, it does seem like she might be a little color-blind. I truly do not comprehend anyone feeling “at home” in those garish rooms. 

She says her biggest splurge in the bedroom was the art...which she then plunked a chair, a table and a plant in front of so you can’t see it.

Putting cloth skirts over bottom kitchen units is some cheap, Ramen-eating, couch-change scrounging, scraping through grad school nonsense. I will never get how this woman has any credibility as a designer.

[Aulty]

I just spotted Siobhan (plus her mum) on an old episode of Bargain Hunt. Only caught the tiniest glimpse and immediately knew it was her 😅. Can't have been that long ago either as its a post-Tim episode.

 

Edited August 27, 2021 by Aulty

[Aulty]

Series 3 starts tonight at 9 on BBC one.

[Aulty]

Poor Richard. I loved Matthew Williamson paying him a compliment about his art, but also pointing out what he needs to improve. Also his comment about starting a design in the background, then going to the middle ground and that the foreground is for the home owner to decorate was proper insightful. Matthew and Michelle had a lot of fun BTS, he posted a lot of stuff on Insta. Not surprised he liked the Bahamas room - I vaguely remember him doing prints like that 😄
In that same vein, I appreciate Michelle saying that the conversation with the bottom 4 is not an interrogation but a discussion where they might get some useful tips.

Now, that design genius guru guy with the not so teal Pinterest wallpaper was doing my head in. What an arrogant prick. If you work with a professional print designer, ffs let her create an interesting wallpaper.

My other minor quibble was that  pipe planter the guy who made up the imaginary home owner put in the bedroom. Thats a sure way to get watermarks on the wall and I don't think it was easy to take off and clean out.

[oldCJ]

15 hours ago, Aulty said:

I appreciate Michelle saying that the conversation with the bottom 4 is not an interrogation but a discussion where they might get some useful tips.

I loved this. And with the critiques she gave, it was actually true. Her comments were very specific and actionable, which was great. 

[GaT]

On 3/8/2022 at 11:47 PM, Aulty said:

Series 3 starts tonight at 9 on BBC one.

I wonder when/if it will show up on Netflix