0:00:04 > 0:00:07In Britain, we have an amazing array of places we call home,
0:00:07 > 0:00:09from thatched cottages and conversions
0:00:09 > 0:00:11to terraced housing and tower blocks.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14But when it comes to interior design,
0:00:14 > 0:00:16we don't always make the best of the rooms we live in.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23So we're asking 24 amateur designers, who believe
0:00:23 > 0:00:26they've got what it takes to be the next big thing in interiors,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28to show us how it should be done.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33We'll travel across the country and through the ages
0:00:33 > 0:00:38to Victorian avenues, Art Deco cul-de-sacs and Regency squares.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Each time, three would-be designers take on similar rooms
0:00:44 > 0:00:45in three neighbouring homes.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50I don't really hate it, but I'm not sure!
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Haven't upholstered cat beds before!
0:00:53 > 0:00:55It's going really well.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Across eight heats, they'll compete for a place in the quarterfinals.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Judging them are designer and president-elect
0:01:02 > 0:01:06of the British Institute of Interior Design, Daniel Hopwood...
0:01:06 > 0:01:09The really great designers have a level of flexibility
0:01:09 > 0:01:13and they can work round a client and yet give them a lot of style.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17..and interior stylist and magazine journalist, Sophie Robinson.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19What I'm looking for in this competition
0:01:19 > 0:01:23is designers who have a high level of creativity.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24Now it's their imaginations
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and design skills that'll determine who'll come out on top.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40This time, our amateurs are redesigning one room each
0:01:40 > 0:01:44in three Georgian almshouses built in the mid-1700s.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Each of our designers will be working on a living room
0:01:47 > 0:01:49to very different briefs.
0:01:49 > 0:01:50We are running behind, yet again.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53I think there are things that I know are problematic.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54It will be up to the judges
0:01:54 > 0:01:57to decide who will go through to the next round.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01God, that sideboard painted looks like an old sideboard painted!
0:02:01 > 0:02:04She shouldn't have lost that battle, in my opinion.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08The designer going through to the quarterfinals is...
0:02:18 > 0:02:20I'm in the heart of Southwark in south-east London.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22In the early 18th century,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24all this would have been marsh lands and gardens.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27And the only real landmark would have been St Paul's Cathedral,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29just across the Thames.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Now it's dwarfed by all these modern buildings.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34London's a constantly evolving city.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38There are buildings going up all the time, as you can hear.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42But there is a little survivor, tucked away just over there.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55These are Hopton's Almshouses.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58In the 18th century, it was a fashion for rich men
0:02:58 > 0:03:02to secure their place in Heaven through generous acts of charity.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06In 1742, this patch of land was purchased with trust money
0:03:06 > 0:03:08left by wealthy benefactor Charles Hopton
0:03:08 > 0:03:12with the express aim of housing poor, decayed men of the parish.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17The original residents were retired watermen, gardeners and fishermen -
0:03:17 > 0:03:21the kind of people who once worked on the Thames, just over there.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Today, the Almshouses are still run as a charity.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Now, three are getting a new-look living room
0:03:35 > 0:03:36from our amateur designers.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43'So I think that would be great - to transform someone's space,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45'and them actually really love it.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48'I think my style is quite quirky.'
0:03:49 > 0:03:54In a way, I'm seeing it as, like, updated granny chic.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59'A career in interior design would just be a dream come true, really.'
0:04:00 > 0:04:04I would say my style is contemporary and sumptuous,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06cosy, but a space that you can really live in.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10'It is interiors'
0:04:10 > 0:04:13that really makes me tick. And to be able to have
0:04:13 > 0:04:18that as a profession, for me, that would be the ultimate dream.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22I'd say my style was eclectic. Going against the grain is so important.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27They'll be working for their first-ever clients.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31Each designer will have £1,000 and 48 hours spread over three days
0:04:31 > 0:04:33to transform their room.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41The first sitting room is in an apartment on the upper floor,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44lived in by cycling fanatic Nigel
0:04:44 > 0:04:46who, after a long stretch of homelessness,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48moved here three years ago.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Having a home is basically what it was all about for me,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57somewhere I could call home at last.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Nigel works as a bicycle mechanic.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02He wants his room to be dual purpose -
0:05:02 > 0:05:05part bike workshop, part living room.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07I just want to make it more like home.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12I want this place to be a living room that's lived in and loved.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16And at the moment, I think the room lacks a bit of love.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Judges Sophie and Daniel need to see the room's potential
0:05:19 > 0:05:21before the designer gets started.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Loads of stuff in here, isn't there?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I mean, I can't imagine, as a living space, this is terribly relaxing.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34The room hasn't been designed for the purpose in any way, has it?
0:05:34 > 0:05:38- No, but it's a tiny room.- Clearly, something's been boxed in here.
0:05:38 > 0:05:39Big lump of an old fireplace.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42On this floor, this would have just had a tiny little fireplace
0:05:42 > 0:05:46where you brought the cinders up in a big pan and dropped them
0:05:46 > 0:05:49into a little grate at the front. You probably see them in bedrooms.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53You never had a fire. You just had this old sort of cinder glow.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56But there is one charming original feature.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59We have the original sash windows.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Sash is a great design
0:06:01 > 0:06:03cos it creates great ventilation through a room.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Cos if you slide them up towards each other, it comes...
0:06:06 > 0:06:08The air comes in from the bottom and out through the top.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10That's why they work well.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Sash windows originate in the late 17th century
0:06:14 > 0:06:17but it's in Georgian architecture that they've become commonplace
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and they're the only original feature left in this room.
0:06:20 > 0:06:26So the brief here is to create a comfortable living area
0:06:26 > 0:06:30but then also allow him to work on his bicycle repairs.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33And so that's really a great example of how our designer is going
0:06:33 > 0:06:35to have to really listen to the client.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Taking on Nigel's living room is father-of-two Neil from Brighton.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44The designers have been working on their clients' briefs for a week
0:06:44 > 0:06:48but this will be the first time they'll meet in person.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Shall I talk you through some of the ideas that I've had?
0:06:50 > 0:06:52- Yeah, please do. Yeah.- OK.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Daniel and Sophie will be judging the designers' presentations by
0:06:55 > 0:06:59looking at how well they put forward their design, forge a relationship
0:06:59 > 0:07:04with their client and how adaptable they are to their clients' needs.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06I mean, I know, obviously, you know,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09you've got your own bicycle repair shop and you're really into cycling.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13So particularly, I was thinking something like the Tour de France,
0:07:13 > 0:07:17taking some of those colours as, like, a really good highlight colour,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20almost a really, really light grey for the walls
0:07:20 > 0:07:25but running this sort of like a yellow rail running through.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27It's probably just going to be a line, like,
0:07:27 > 0:07:28a nod to a finishing line.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32- Yeah.- I'm going to put some shelving into that alcove,
0:07:32 > 0:07:36hopefully, recycling some old doors so it'll have a bit of character.
0:07:36 > 0:07:37Yeah, yeah.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39I know it mentioned in your brief that you'd really like
0:07:39 > 0:07:41- to go to a wooden floor. - It'd be an improvement.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44And then I'm going to try and house these bike wheels,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- maybe on a racking system.- Yeah.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Neil's bicycle-themed design is going down well with his client.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53But Nigel's not giving him completely free rein.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55I might repaint this in another colour.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58I'm going to think about spraying it grey.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- Over my dead body! All right? - What, this?- Yeah, this.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- You don't want me to colour it? - I don't want to colour it.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08- I want it as it is. I like natural. - OK.- I'm a natural man.- OK.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Well, maybe I can just... I think it'll be fine.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14I've got another one, hopefully, that's going to sit with it
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- so I'll keep that natural as well. - Yeah.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19It might pox up the colour design and stuff like that.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23I'm glad I asked you about that. If I'd just painted it...
0:08:23 > 0:08:26The other thing I was thinking - how do you feel about having
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- some bike parts used to create bits of furniture?- Excellent.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I've got old frames and old bits of biz and old wheels.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- More than enough to keep you happy for the rest of your life! - Oh, brilliant.
0:08:37 > 0:08:38A really promising start.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Neil was really able to, like, get him on side and get him
0:08:41 > 0:08:43really involved in the process.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47But unfortunately, Neil is wanting to give him this slightly quirky,
0:08:47 > 0:08:51funny, amusing space, where Nigel really needs something that's
0:08:51 > 0:08:55very practical and is... In fact, it's going to be his first home.
0:08:55 > 0:08:56He's going to live there.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03Neil now has three days, the help of a builder and £1,000
0:09:03 > 0:09:05to turn his vision into reality.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08We're going to take this carpet up
0:09:08 > 0:09:10and see what the floorboards are like.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14There's loads to do, there's loads to do, there's loads to do,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16but I guess we'll get it done.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19It's fine. I'm not really stressy yet. Give me, like, two hours!
0:09:24 > 0:09:27The second property is a one-up, one-down.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31The downstairs room is slightly larger than the last living room
0:09:31 > 0:09:33with a small kitchenette on the side.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Its home to jazz musician Shamus Dark.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41The songs that I sing were mostly written in the 1930s and '40s
0:09:41 > 0:09:43and at that time, of course,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46it was the golden age of Hollywood and it was film noir.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49They got all the fashions there
0:09:49 > 0:09:52which I think are absolutely fantastic.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Shamus knows what he wants - a room with a Casablanca, film noir feel
0:09:56 > 0:09:59that makes the most of his vintage pieces.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01He also knows what he doesn't want.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04No chintz, no pink and no chandeliers.
0:10:04 > 0:10:05Thank you very much.
0:10:10 > 0:10:11So, here we are in Shamus's house.
0:10:13 > 0:10:19- It's got everything in it. Kitchen, living space, studio.- Study.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- The lot. Library.- He's actually planned it out quite nicely.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25I can see, actually, that he's got this space working quite well.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28And actually, the way that he's living in this space
0:10:28 > 0:10:31is exactly the way that it has been for the last 250 years.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34On this side here, would have been a big fireplace which would
0:10:34 > 0:10:37have in fact been a range, or what's called a register, which would
0:10:37 > 0:10:40have been cast iron and it would have a tiny little oven.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42It'd keep the room warm.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46It's almost sort of like... It's open-plan living in miniature.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50So the challenge for our designer is to work within quite a small space
0:10:50 > 0:10:52which has got lots of different areas.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55So you've got to think about how all those will work together.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58But also, not to lose sight of who Shamus is.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01The guy's got style and we don't want to iron that style out, do we?
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Given the task of transforming Shamus's multi-functional living room
0:11:08 > 0:11:10is full-time carer Lorna.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12This will be her first chance
0:11:12 > 0:11:14to put her interior design diploma into practice.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20- Welcome to my hovel! - Oh, it's a pleasure. Thank you.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22This is hopefully putting all the pieces
0:11:22 > 0:11:24and ideas together that I've got.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28I'm really keen to use the things that you love
0:11:28 > 0:11:31and hopefully, they will be incorporated in the design.
0:11:31 > 0:11:32The oil lamps as well?
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Yes. There's an eclectic amount of woods and textures.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38I know they're from different eras.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Bit of Moroccan twist, a bit of film noir.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44- Absolutely, yeah, yeah. - So I'm thinking Casablanca.
0:11:44 > 0:11:45Play it again, Sam!
0:11:45 > 0:11:47We have! We've got a bit of a mix of various styles
0:11:47 > 0:11:49but I believe it will work.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Lorna's mood board doesn't include a floor plan,
0:11:52 > 0:11:56making the job of explaining her design to Shamus harder.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59So how about the layout of the room?
0:11:59 > 0:12:01For me, it would be pretty similar, not exactly.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04We'll have a few twists on it, hopefully.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Just having slightly different angles
0:12:06 > 0:12:07on the table and your seating.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11I wasn't entirely clear on perhaps what she had in mind
0:12:11 > 0:12:14in terms of the... Of moving stuff around.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I mean, I hope it's going to be all right.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Lorna had, on that mood board,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21a couple of really quite interesting images
0:12:21 > 0:12:25where I thought she pinpointed him exactly!
0:12:25 > 0:12:28But actually, she didn't seem to ever really talk him through
0:12:28 > 0:12:30what her ideas behind those images were.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36The judges and Shamus may not be clear what Lorna's design
0:12:36 > 0:12:38will actually look like,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41but she seems confident in her vision for the room.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44The picture of my design that I have in my head,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47it will be quite eclectic and it will be a different...
0:12:47 > 0:12:48All different styles.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52A lot of things that may not actually go in style or trends
0:12:52 > 0:12:54but they will go for Shamus.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57So for me, it should go absolutely amazingly.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03The third property is a 1950s addition
0:13:03 > 0:13:05to the rest of the almshouses,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09built slightly larger, for the site manager of Hopton's.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12The living room is long and narrow, larger than Nigel's room
0:13:12 > 0:13:15but around the same size as Shamus's.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Mum-of-one Deborah has lived and worked here for 12 years.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21It's never felt like home.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24I've come to realise that the walls are closing in on me
0:13:24 > 0:13:26and there's just too much stuff.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29I look forward to the day when I can spend more time in here
0:13:29 > 0:13:31and feel comfortable in the space.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Well, first impressions is there's a lot of clutter.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43But I think it all probably just needs editing a little bit.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45There's obviously storage issues here.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47This is an interesting house, this one, isn't it?
0:13:47 > 0:13:51This is, in fact, an extension of the original building,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54built in the 1950s, so, what, 200 years later?
0:13:54 > 0:13:56And yet, they've built it on the outside
0:13:56 > 0:13:58in the same style, which is,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01I think, in the 1950s, quite interesting
0:14:01 > 0:14:03because that time was a brave new world
0:14:03 > 0:14:06and everybody was building new architecture.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09There are some little details which I think is quite 1950s.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12The bit that's jumping out at me is this parquet flooring.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14- It's beautiful, isn't it? - Parquet's back!
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Everybody wants parquet and they've got it.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19It's here and it's rather an expensive one.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21What do you think about the room itself?
0:14:21 > 0:14:23- Actually, it's quite long and narrow, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26The TV is miles away from the sofa and then you've kind of got
0:14:26 > 0:14:29this empty space in the middle with everything pushed to the sides.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- Yeah.- A big challenge for this interior designer's going to be
0:14:32 > 0:14:34to see through all this clutter
0:14:34 > 0:14:37and make some sense of how this space is actually going to work.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Taking on Deborah's cluttered living room
0:14:41 > 0:14:45is self-proclaimed perfectionist Jane from Kent.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48So your brief was for a very relaxed,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51warm, cosy, Moroccan-feeling living room.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55For the layout of the room, I thought we'd move this sofa
0:14:55 > 0:14:57to the other end of the room
0:14:57 > 0:15:01and then move the television away from that space, basically,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03and utilise the fireplace and the alcoves
0:15:03 > 0:15:07and the shelving around it and make more of a feature of that.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09I think we'll keep a sideboard. Maybe that could be upcycled.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11You could paint it, you know.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14But it encourages me. This is the thing. Look at the top of it.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17It encourages me to do that. That's what I want to get away from!
0:15:17 > 0:15:19- OK. So you want clear surfaces?- I do.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23I absolutely want to be able to walk into a room and be able to breathe.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25I'm looking forward to actually getting it cleared.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27- You've got a challenge, that's for sure!- Thank you.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31It's going to take two days to clear it, though!
0:15:31 > 0:15:32We flagged up, straightaway,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34that we felt it was quite a long and narrow room
0:15:34 > 0:15:38and the layout was going to have to work hard to address that problem.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40I don't see she's really thought that out. In fact,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42she has just flipped the layout.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45The other thing that I feel's quite important, given how much stuff
0:15:45 > 0:15:48is in that room, I mean, she still is going to need
0:15:48 > 0:15:49a fair bit of storage,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52and all I can see in that plan is just using that sideboard.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I would imagine that, actually, during the building process,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57she's extremely organised,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00she's ticking all the boxes and she's going to go for it.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01- Take the chair.- It's quite heavy.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08- OK?- Jane is single-minded when it comes to clearing Deborah's clutter.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11But her client still needs some persuading.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13I just thought this can go in and I thought, oh, I don't know.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17- You could float candles in there. - No, you can't.- It's chipped.- No.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- It's my natural instinct.- You're a hoarder. What about this?- Huh?
0:16:21 > 0:16:22Um... I just bought that!
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Work is under way, but there's a lot to do before the amateurs
0:16:32 > 0:16:35bring their new-look designs to these historic buildings.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41At 260 years old, Hopton's is a youngster.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44The oldest surviving almshouses in the UK are in Worcester
0:16:44 > 0:16:47and they were built more than 1,000 years ago.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Then, as now, almshouses provided accommodation for those in need
0:16:51 > 0:16:55and they're still home to some 35,000 people across the UK.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01The traditional three-sided open quadrangle design of these houses
0:17:01 > 0:17:03was designed to create a sense of security
0:17:03 > 0:17:06and safety from the outside world.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08And right at the centre, there was usually a chapel.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11These were normally set up by church institutions
0:17:11 > 0:17:15and they wanted to remind the residents of the importance of God.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Here, though, there was a parish church just around the corner,
0:17:18 > 0:17:19so it made it unnecessary.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Instead, the quad was left empty for a garden,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25and a fountain was situated in the middle
0:17:25 > 0:17:27where the residents could draw water.
0:17:29 > 0:17:34Inside, the buildings have been reconfigured many times over the years.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Neil has the smallest room to redesign
0:17:38 > 0:17:40but the most difficult brief -
0:17:40 > 0:17:43to include a workshop and a living room.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45With a budget of only £1,000,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47he needs to make the most of what's on offer.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Unable to afford a new floor, he's decided to strip back
0:17:53 > 0:17:55the original floorboards.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Yeah, we had a bit of a quandary on the floorboards.
0:17:58 > 0:17:59I think a few of them had been patched up.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Historically, some are uneven.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04We're just worried that it's going to take time
0:18:04 > 0:18:07to obviously get rid of all the nails and then sand them.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Sanding a floor is a time-consuming job.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Even a room this size will take several hours.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18In preparation, you need to remove or bang in any protruding nails
0:18:18 > 0:18:22with a nail punch so that they don't damage the sanding machine.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29To achieve her Casablanca-style design,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33Lorna wants to paint the walls in Shamus's room a light grey.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36But to avoid the paint bubbling or appearing patchy,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39she has to wash away years of tobacco stains
0:18:39 > 0:18:43using an alkaline product called sugar soap. A tedious job!
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Finish will actually look better in the end.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50That's really important to me, to be able to get a good finish,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52something that Shamus is pleased with.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58At her home in Birmingham, Lorna likes to get a good finish
0:18:58 > 0:19:01on all the old pieces of furniture she lovingly restores.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04It's really important to me to recycle
0:19:04 > 0:19:07and re-use anything that we have.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Hopefully, not to be of a disposable mindset.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12This is the piece I really like.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17It was actually sourced from a garage and it was in the rain,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19underneath drainpipes.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24I ended up taking it and treated it with oil and brought it back to life
0:19:24 > 0:19:27and I didn't realise that there was the detail on the handles
0:19:27 > 0:19:31as much as there was because that was all full of mud and everything.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34It actually feels good to be able to say that this is mine
0:19:34 > 0:19:38and I have this and I made this and there is a reason for it.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Lorna had to give up a job in retail to take care of her grandmother.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45But now she wants to change direction.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49My children said, "Come on. You need to follow, you know, your dreams.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51"You need to follow your passions
0:19:51 > 0:19:53"and go and do doing something about it."
0:19:53 > 0:19:54So I was prompted by them.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I enrolled into an academy
0:19:56 > 0:20:01and then I qualified last year for becoming an interior designer.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Despite her training, Lorna's never worked with a client before.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08A lack of experience meant she didn't have a room plan
0:20:08 > 0:20:12to show Shamus, only her mood board of images.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15- Hi, Lorna.- Hi.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Did you look for your inspiration from a specific sort of '40s,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22- '50s time?- Yeah. '40s, '50s, as well as Moroccan.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26They're very different styles, but I believe that it will work.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- I'm curious cos I'm looking at fusion going on here.- Yes.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31A lot of fusion.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Time will tell if Lorna can make her mix of different styles work
0:20:35 > 0:20:37or if fusion will become confusion.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43For her Moroccan sitting room,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Jane's builder is painting the walls pale grey.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52With only £1,000, the designers must make their money stretch.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55So Jane is upcycling Deborah's cabinet,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58sanding off the layers of old varnish.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02'We were going to replace the handles but given that there's 10 of them,'
0:21:02 > 0:21:07and the budget won't allow for too many more things,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09we think we're going to try and work with those.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16As a mum of two young boys and a part-time events co-ordinator,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Jane's used to multi-tasking.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22So I work two days a week and the rest of the time
0:21:22 > 0:21:25I'm running round after two very active boys,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28ferrying them to football, tennis.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31'But now that Thomas is now at school, I've got time for...
0:21:31 > 0:21:35'to do something that I really enjoy, so I think it's just something'
0:21:35 > 0:21:39that's inbuilt and something that I really love and want to pursue.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Jane has renovated a series of family homes
0:21:43 > 0:21:47where her eye for perfection is clear to see.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51I can stand in a room for about 15 minutes, just staring into space,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53while I visualise what's going to be in there.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54It's just a passion, really.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57It's something that I'm really interested in.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58So this is Charlie's room,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01At the moment, I've got the luxury of it being the way I want it,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03but I should think, in a few years' time,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06there'll be posters and nasty bedspreads
0:22:06 > 0:22:10and all sorts in here, but this is how I would ideally decorate
0:22:10 > 0:22:12a children's room.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16I just wanted to kind of create a boutique-y, hotel-y type feeling.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18So, I'm definitely a perfectionist.
0:22:20 > 0:22:21And true to form,
0:22:21 > 0:22:24she wants a perfect finish for Deborah's cabinet.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27We're going to do a couple of layers of undercoat
0:22:27 > 0:22:29and then put the satinwood on top.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34Acrylic satinwood paint gives a matt finish without a glossy shine.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Oh, my word. Bright.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40She wants bright colours but not everywhere,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43so the best thing to do is to do it with furniture.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47- Anyway, we can but try.- Bringing a new look to this old cabinet
0:22:47 > 0:22:52is costing Jane little more than time and £12 worth of paint.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54She's obviously gone away and talked to Deborah
0:22:54 > 0:22:57and talked her round into up-cycling that sideboard,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00got her on board with the bright colours and accessories,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02so that's really encouraging to see.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05- So, it's all moving in the right direction for Jane.- Really?
0:23:05 > 0:23:06Really? Do you think so?
0:23:06 > 0:23:10God, that sideboard painted looks like an old sideboard painted.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I don't think it does anything for me.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18So the sander's here.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21It's sort of like a royal visit from the sander,
0:23:21 > 0:23:23and now we can get on and do the floor.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28But the uneven floorboards immediately take their toll
0:23:28 > 0:23:29and disaster strikes.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35The two heads of the screws that hold that on have sheared off,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37I think because the floor's so uneven.
0:23:37 > 0:23:42It's not great really, but I think maybe some of the more crafty things
0:23:42 > 0:23:44that I think I was just logically going to do later,
0:23:44 > 0:23:46I'm going to start doing some of those now.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51The home Neil shares with his wife and two daughters in Brighton
0:23:51 > 0:23:54is a shrine to his finds and improvisations.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00It's trying to work on clever ideas, or coming up with a way
0:24:00 > 0:24:03to use something in a different way.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06I've got two girls and this is their room.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10I really like this idea,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14because we really needed to have handles for this wardrobe,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17and then sort of just had one of those good moments
0:24:17 > 0:24:20where you're like, "Oh, we can use those old cotton reels."
0:24:20 > 0:24:24I just kept all the old cotton on, so they add a little pop of colour
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and also so you can really see what they are.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29His creative side had an early outlet.
0:24:29 > 0:24:34The first thing I can remember where I was interested in interior design
0:24:34 > 0:24:38was asking my mum and dad if I could paint like a Cure album sleeve
0:24:38 > 0:24:42on a bit of my bedroom, which just must have looked horrific
0:24:42 > 0:24:46because my mum and dad had, like, that awful textured wallpaper.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51For his latest creation, he's making bicycle art,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55wrapping one of Nigel's old bike frames in Japanese washi tape.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59Washi is a hardwearing, patterned and coloured masking tape
0:24:59 > 0:25:02made from bamboo, rice, hemp or wheat.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07I am really loving Japanese washi tape at the moment
0:25:07 > 0:25:10and I think everything I do, I'm just like,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12"We could put washi tape on that."
0:25:17 > 0:25:19It's the end of day one.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Lorna's painting her room,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23but she's now doubting her colour choice.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27It's not as light as I wanted it to be.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31I think what's happening is, it's reflecting that colour.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Yeah, but you're looking at the darker areas here, yes?
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Yeah... I'm looking everywhere.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39So I've actually sourced another colour.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42It's not really what I need this late in the day.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Lorna's change of mind means she must work into the night.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00After a busy first day,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03all the rooms are prepped, apart from Neil's floor.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04But on the crucial second day,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07they should be really moving on with their designs.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Well, it's sort of like this yellow flex...
0:26:11 > 0:26:13The designers have a lot to do,
0:26:13 > 0:26:18and with a budget of only £1,000, they must remain focused.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Neil set out a clear vision for a Tour de France themed room.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26But he's become distracted, opening up the fireplace,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29creating a problem he'll have to solve.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32I think there are things that I know are problematic.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35I've got to source a fire surround and sort out that fire.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Hopefully it'll be easy, but it might not be, there might not be anything I like.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42So there's things that I don't really know are going to work out till we do them.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46You instruct and I'll follow.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Jane's vision to create a clutter-free, modern,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Moroccan living room is on course.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55But her client Deborah has a major concern.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59I just want a little chat, just to see where we're going with...
0:26:59 > 0:27:03- I've got a couple of questions really.- Yeah, no, definitely.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Jane's design lacked storage
0:27:05 > 0:27:08and while Deborah wanted to scale back the clutter in her room,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11she's now getting cold feet.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13I was hoping maybe we would put some kind of,
0:27:13 > 0:27:17almost like a children's toy box around the perimeter.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22- Certainly two sides, facing the room, with a lift up.- Yes.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24So you can put all that stuff back, but it's hidden.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27- So I think there can be a lot of improvements.- OK.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Now I'm really... Just a complete change.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35OK. So, now we need to think of more storage.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41This morning, Lorna feels back on track
0:27:41 > 0:27:43but her last-minute change of paint colour
0:27:43 > 0:27:45means her schedule is behind.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49I'm feeling that I can deliver the vision today of the design
0:27:49 > 0:27:52if all the elements come together,
0:27:52 > 0:27:54like the floor, the kitchen cupboards.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58The work schedule that I have is - AM will be...
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Thank you, Shamus.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Sorry.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07- There's Shamus. - I was earwigging.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11No chandeliers, all right? No chandeliers.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14No chandeliers, Shamus. No nightmares this morning.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Like Shamus, the original occupants of Hopton's were male.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25If a man married, he had to seek permission from the trustees
0:28:25 > 0:28:27for his wife to live with him.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Once he died, his wife would have to move out.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32But other terms were more generous.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38In 1752, the original residents were not only give accommodation
0:28:38 > 0:28:42but also £6 a year and a single chaldron of coal,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45about 1,400 kilos or the weight of a sports car.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48In return, they has to stick to a strict set of rules.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51They could be fined for swearing, resorting to ale houses,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54or for railing bitter or uncharitable speech.
0:28:59 > 0:29:04No uncharitable speech from Neil, as his floor sander is back in action,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07so he decides to leave his builder to it and go shopping.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13We're looking for a fire surround and an old door,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16like, hopefully, an old Victorian panelled door
0:29:16 > 0:29:19that we're then going to chop up and make into shelves.
0:29:19 > 0:29:20Who knows if it will work.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25Neil's in his element at a salvage yard.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27With a background designing shop displays,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29he has an eye for details.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Well, in a way I was thinking to just buy a fire surround,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37but now I'm thinking, can we just get a fireplace that would just drop
0:29:37 > 0:29:41into that hole in the wall because that would be amazing.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45But then, yeah, I don't know I've got enough money to do that.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48There's just so much stuff here, I need to just have a quick recce,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51get a handle on what there actually is
0:29:51 > 0:29:53because they've just got tons and tons of stuff.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55It is amazing.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Without a clear plan, Neil's busking it.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04I don't have the budget to buy a fire surround and a door to cut up,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07so I'm going to go with a slightly different idea
0:30:07 > 0:30:10and go for a fireplace and then use an old floorboard.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13I don't mind, I like having to change your mind.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15It's sort of the nature of the beast.
0:30:16 > 0:30:21Neil comes away with some old floorboards and a cast-iron Art Nouveau fireplace for £50.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32At the almshouses, Jane has been thrown
0:30:32 > 0:30:35by her client's storage concerns.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39- I had a quite interesting chat with Deborah this morning.- Right.
0:30:39 > 0:30:40She wanted a few changes.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44She just desperately wants us to get some more storage in.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48Storage is a really key element in a design. I think you can do
0:30:48 > 0:30:51the most beautifully designed room, but if the client then brings in
0:30:51 > 0:30:54all their knick-knacks, it can completely kill it.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57So, I see there are two clear routes where you can go.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59One is to actually give the client,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03I'd say, rule of thumb, 30% more storage than they think they need,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06so they've got added space in which to grow and expand into
0:31:06 > 0:31:09because you do end up buying more books and magazines.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11So that's one way to look at it.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15The other way to go is to actually really give them quite mean amounts
0:31:15 > 0:31:18of storage with very shallow shelving, or shallow cupboards,
0:31:18 > 0:31:21so they can't stuff loads of stuff that gets lost at the back.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23So what you don't want to do is just shift the problem
0:31:23 > 0:31:26- from one place to another. - No, definitely. OK.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32Lorna's open-plan room presents its own challenges.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36To make her £1,000 budget go further, she's decided to give
0:31:36 > 0:31:40the kitchen a facelift by simply re-fitting new doors to the cabinet.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44This low cost trick comes to no more than £200
0:31:44 > 0:31:47and makes a vast difference to the overall look.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50But so far, the doors have not arrived.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Time's been blown out the window. It's held me up quite a bit today.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56This stuff was supposed to be here in the morning,
0:31:56 > 0:31:58so we are running behind yet again.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03Lorna's lack of a clear plan earlier has had a knock-on effect.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Now her builder is behind schedule making the alcove cupboards.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10But Lorna is blessed with Shamus's high-quality furniture,
0:32:10 > 0:32:13meaning she hasn't had to buy new items.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17I mean, I'm loving what changes you've done on his kitchen table.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19Interesting you're using linseed oil as well.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21I mean, it's a good way of polishing up.
0:32:21 > 0:32:26- I know some people actually mix it with other things as well, don't they?- Yes.- Vinegar, I believe.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29Sometimes a bit of beeswax, mix it all together.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32I've done beeswax before, but it brings up a different finish,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35to be honest, and I wanted a distressed look.
0:32:35 > 0:32:36I'm trying to age it.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40Beeswax is good for protecting and polishing hardwoods
0:32:40 > 0:32:43but for a weathered look, Lorna's using linseed oil,
0:32:43 > 0:32:46which soaks into the wood and brings out the grain.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48And I think also what's been quite successful
0:32:48 > 0:32:50is painting the black underneath.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54It's actually making the wood look more alive.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58For the cost of £5 for a pot of linseed oil and a £10 can
0:32:58 > 0:33:02of black emulsion, Lorna has transformed the table.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06The black was actually to try and bring the theme of a period,
0:33:06 > 0:33:11because Shamus is really quite happy with '30s, '40s and '50s type furniture.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13So, you know, sort of late '50s, early '60s.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17That was the dark woods, the blacks and stuff like that.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20I've been left very confused about the period
0:33:20 > 0:33:22that Lorna's trying to replicate.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25You know, she started off talking about film noir and '30s and '40s.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28And then were talking about '50s kitchen tables,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32'60s, so she's gone for almost a whole half a century.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Neil is back and fitting his new period fireplace.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41It's just not the right period.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47I wasn't expecting to see an Art Nouveau piece or a fireplace in here like that.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49I think that Neil has done the right thing.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53There was a chimney breast here and it was just screaming out for a fire surround.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56If you live in a period building with its fireplace stripped out,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58do you really need to put something like that back?
0:33:58 > 0:34:00It's a bit like a face losing its nose.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03It would be a bit sad so, yes, I think he's done the right thing.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06If you don't have that, if you live in a modern building
0:34:06 > 0:34:08and you put something in like this, it would just look awful.
0:34:08 > 0:34:14Neil's Tour de France theme includes a painted yellow stripe around the room.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16It will be the height of a dado or chair rail,
0:34:16 > 0:34:19a Victorian wooden strip designed to protect the walls
0:34:19 > 0:34:20from the backs of chairs.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25I want to see him start that yellow line around the wall
0:34:25 > 0:34:27because it's not going to be easy as he thinks.
0:34:27 > 0:34:33If he doesn't get that line straight, it will look really toshed out and messy and amateur.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39Right. The sideboard is going to go there.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Then I might put that chair that I've got in there up there
0:34:42 > 0:34:45and then bring those two Moroccan benches in.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47It's late afternoon on the second day.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Tomorrow is the deadline for all three designers
0:34:50 > 0:34:52and there is still a lot of work to do.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55But Jane is already moving furniture back in
0:34:55 > 0:34:57so that she can perfect her layout.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00Hey, how is it going?
0:35:00 > 0:35:03We thought we would bring some of the furniture in to get an idea of
0:35:03 > 0:35:06the space because Deborah wanted some more storage.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09It's not clear how Jane is planning to solve the storage issue,
0:35:09 > 0:35:14but Sophie has some pointers for other ways to maximise the sense of space.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17I noticed you've gone for quite a cool, light colour on the walls.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20I think that's an excellent choice. That will help open up this space.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23And another piece I'm really glad to see is a huge mirror,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26- and where do you plan to hang that? - I'm going to hang it up there
0:35:26 > 0:35:28and, hopefully, it will throw some light across the room.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33For me, I think you're missing a trick there. This is a very long,
0:35:33 > 0:35:37narrow room and there is a way that you can make it feel a little wider.
0:35:37 > 0:35:42I think by putting the mirror here, you are creating extra dimension
0:35:42 > 0:35:47this way and also, you're reflecting more sunlight into a dark room.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51OK. I will take your advice.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55I have a confession to make. That chest of drawers -
0:35:55 > 0:35:58I hated the idea of Jane painting it,
0:35:58 > 0:36:02- but, actually, it looks really good. - Oh, wow. She's won you round.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05Well, especially because we convinced her
0:36:05 > 0:36:07to put that green mirror above it,
0:36:07 > 0:36:11and that green and that red will look really great together.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14- It's a beautiful combination, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17The judges may like it, but not everyone is convinced.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23I don't get as much enjoyment seeing it there as I do there,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26- to be perfectly honest with you. - OK. Yes.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29Explaining your design decisions to your client
0:36:29 > 0:36:31is a crucial part of the job,
0:36:31 > 0:36:35but Jane doesn't even try to talk Deborah around.
0:36:35 > 0:36:41It's beautiful, and to have it there is kind of hiding it a bit.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Yeah, yeah, yeah. You want to look at it.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47The rooms are starting to take shape,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50but Lorna is still playing catch-up.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53I'm pretty anxious at the moment. I'm really aware that I'm behind,
0:36:53 > 0:36:55I'm really aware of time that we've got left.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02The exterior of Shamus's house looks perfectly in line with other almshouses.
0:37:02 > 0:37:07But there are telltale signs that not all is quite as it seems.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11The brick work on this house is a completely different shade
0:37:11 > 0:37:12to the brick work on this house.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16This is because this house was completely rebuilt after it was hit
0:37:16 > 0:37:19by an unexploded bomb during the London Blitz.
0:37:19 > 0:37:24In late April 1941, seven of Hopton's houses were hit by bombs.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27One of them fell right here where Shamus lives.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30It didn't go off, but the house collapsed, miraculously leaving
0:37:30 > 0:37:33the buildings on either side untouched. So after the war,
0:37:33 > 0:37:37this house was rebuilt in the original Georgian style.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41It fits perfectly with the look of the original build,
0:37:41 > 0:37:43proving each generation appreciated the value
0:37:43 > 0:37:45of these exteriors.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Inside, our three rooms vary slightly in function and shape
0:37:53 > 0:37:57so the judges want a yardstick to measure the designers' creativity,
0:37:57 > 0:38:00giving them each the same plain lamp to up-cycle
0:38:00 > 0:38:03so it's in keeping with their scheme.
0:38:03 > 0:38:08I want it to fit in with this Tour de France cycling theme,
0:38:08 > 0:38:13so I'm just destroying this map of France.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Neil's approach to up-cycling his lamp is true to form.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21I'm sort of just making it up slightly as I go along.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26My approach to up-cycling is like the punk rock of interiors.
0:38:26 > 0:38:31You know, because you don't have to read music, you don't have to play an instrument. You just do it.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Jane, meanwhile, is taking a much more measured approach.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42So I'm simply drawing around the tin to make circle shapes,
0:38:42 > 0:38:48which I'm then going to cut out and then they're simply going to be stuck on to the lampshade.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50You know, you could do it with a map,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53you could do it with some photographs you've printed off,
0:38:53 > 0:38:57and it's an easy way to add a bit of colour and a bit of detail.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59This is phase two of the lampshade.
0:38:59 > 0:39:04The idea is to make the shade like a red polka dot
0:39:04 > 0:39:08to be a bit of homage to the Tour de France shirt.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11I don't think it's going to work.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Yeah, I'm going to have to have a rethink.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17The lamp is the last thing on Lorna's to-do list.
0:39:18 > 0:39:19Get the cupboard doors done,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23get the shelves done, get the floor laid
0:39:23 > 0:39:25and the kitchen cupboard doors.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27So, I'm really apprehensive about finishing on time.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31I think we are going to be sort of cutting it fine.
0:39:31 > 0:39:37So now I'm going to draw dots on and just paint them in fabric paint...
0:39:37 > 0:39:40This is awful. It's a big red splodge.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44Just a slight change of plan.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48This is going really well. Oh, God.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52"How's the shade going?" It's here, this is it.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58It's the end of the second day.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02Tomorrow, Sophie and Daniel will decide which amateur designer
0:40:02 > 0:40:03shows the most potential.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07It's hard to say who's going to win frankly.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12I think that Lorna's key to success is if she can distil
0:40:12 > 0:40:14Shamus's sense of style.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17At the moment, the only person I would hedge any bets on is Jane,
0:40:17 > 0:40:20because she appears to be the only person at this stage
0:40:20 > 0:40:23in the competition who is organised.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26I'm looking for someone who's a bit more rebellious.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30I'm sort of hoping Neil does that and pulls it off.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33My sort of hunch with Neil is he's somebody who's
0:40:33 > 0:40:37a very talented designer in the small pieces,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40but are they all going to look like random elements scattered about
0:40:40 > 0:40:42or is it going to be a cohesive scheme?
0:40:42 > 0:40:44With the use of that yellow line.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46- Is that all he's got to pull it all together?- Yes.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Better be a good yellow line, that's all I say.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09Today, the final designs will be finished and seen by the residents.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Their feedback to the judges will be crucial in determining
0:41:12 > 0:41:14who goes through to the quarterfinal,
0:41:14 > 0:41:16so, big day for everyone.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Jane is still contemplating where to hang the mirror.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24So, we need to decide also where the mirror is going to go,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26so I need to decide whether to go with Deborah's choice.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31While Lorna is still struggling to get essential things finished.
0:41:31 > 0:41:32I'm really aware of time
0:41:32 > 0:41:36and the massive amount of things that we've got to do.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38The kitchen doors have finally arrived,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40so the race is on to fit them.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Neil is busy on finishing touches,
0:41:45 > 0:41:49creating his own bicycle-themed items to dress the room.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53I just bought one of this bike print but I'm just doing it with
0:41:53 > 0:41:59fabric paint to do a repeat print on a couple of cushion covers.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03And making an original piece of artwork for one wall.
0:42:03 > 0:42:08I've just had this...a bit of a random idea that I could just make
0:42:08 > 0:42:12some lettering out of wire that just says, "Tour de France".
0:42:12 > 0:42:14I have never done that before.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16I am a bit stressed about the yellow line
0:42:16 > 0:42:19because I still haven't painted the yellow line.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25With only £1,000 and just under three days,
0:42:25 > 0:42:29the amateur designers have impressively risen to the challenge
0:42:29 > 0:42:33to transform the rooms of three Georgian almshouses.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36It will be up to Sophie and Daniel to decide which of them
0:42:36 > 0:42:38has best fulfilled their client's brief.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47Jane finishes with some time to spare.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52- I think that's it. I think were done.- Yeah.
0:42:52 > 0:42:53Neil's not too far behind.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03And Lorna is racing to the last.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06The stool is outside. I'm going to get to it, get to it, get to it.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22First up for the judges' scrutiny is Jane's design.
0:43:24 > 0:43:25Her vision was to create
0:43:25 > 0:43:29a contemporary, clutter-free living room with a Moroccan flavour.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35Three days ago, this room was cluttered and cramped
0:43:35 > 0:43:37and verging on the claustrophobic.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50Jane has reconfigured the layout,
0:43:50 > 0:43:53moving the sofa to the opposite end of the room,
0:43:53 > 0:43:55revealing the feature fireplace.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58She has installed some shelving in one alcove.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04And up-cycled Deborah's old side cabinet.
0:44:04 > 0:44:06And she's added colour through cushions and accessories.
0:44:10 > 0:44:14- It feels like a completely different home, doesn't it?- Yes.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16And it does feel calming.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19- Deborah wanted somewhere she could walk in...- I feel calm.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21The grey is very tranquil, isn't it?
0:44:21 > 0:44:25The mirror - why did she let Deborah talk her into moving it there?
0:44:25 > 0:44:27- I think that is a shame. - Yes, it would have been better here.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30I wonder if she really put forward a good argument?
0:44:30 > 0:44:33I mean, we both gave her our expert advice on that.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35Yes, she was wrong, we are right.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39She should not have lost that battle, in my opinion.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43And then the other big issue is the storage. I am not convinced
0:44:43 > 0:44:47she has given Deborah an awful lot more storage,
0:44:47 > 0:44:49considering most of the things on there are ornaments.
0:44:49 > 0:44:51I'm with Jane on this one - don't give Deborah
0:44:51 > 0:44:55storage because all she'll do is shove a load of rubbish in it.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57The judges want to see what creativity
0:44:57 > 0:45:00Jane bought to the task of up-cycling the lamp.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03She's got some decoupage on here. She's trimmed it.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06I'm just going to have a little look for her craftsmanship skills.
0:45:06 > 0:45:08Beautiful finish.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12Overall, I think it's calm, it's tasteful.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16- It's a place that you'd like to be in and I like it.- Yes.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19This is the kind of room I can see photographed in a magazine.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21It's well put together. She's accessorised really nicely.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24I like her styling. I like the way she groups items.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28I love the way she's grouped the family photographs on the wall.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31- It looks very...professional.- Yes.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38How well they have fulfilled the client's brief
0:45:38 > 0:45:42is a key criterion on which the amateur designers will be judged.
0:45:42 > 0:45:46This will be the first time Deborah has seen her room since it was finished.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51Well?
0:45:51 > 0:45:56- Is it what you wanted?- Oh, God. It's beautiful.- Is it?
0:45:56 > 0:45:58It's different, it's just ...
0:45:58 > 0:46:01- Is it what you wanted? Is it what you asked for?- It's really... Yes.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03Do you have any concerns looking around?
0:46:03 > 0:46:06Is there anything that you think, "Oh, not quite sure about that"?
0:46:06 > 0:46:10If there was anything, it's just the concern of where everything else is going to go.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12- So, there's a storage problem? - There is.
0:46:12 > 0:46:16- That's my only criticism. - So, is this room you?
0:46:17 > 0:46:23Yes, very much me. This is how I see myself relaxing.
0:46:23 > 0:46:24So, this is Deborah.
0:46:28 > 0:46:29Next is Neil's design
0:46:29 > 0:46:33for a Tour de France-themed living room cum bike workshop.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42Three days ago, Nigel's room was a jumble of bike parts
0:46:42 > 0:46:46and mis-matched furniture, which lacked any homely feel.
0:46:52 > 0:46:57Now it's a practical room with more defined seating and work areas.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02He's enhanced the original sash windows with blinds.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07Stripped back the wooden floorboards
0:47:07 > 0:47:10and has even added a fireplace.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16He's delivered useable storage for bike wheels and parts.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19Added a cork map for personal photos
0:47:19 > 0:47:23and used his creative skills to make original pieces from bicycle parts.
0:47:31 > 0:47:35Nice. I love this. Tour de France.
0:47:35 > 0:47:41It's very, very quirky, creative, arty.
0:47:41 > 0:47:45The fact that he's sourced that really giant-sized designer light bulb,
0:47:45 > 0:47:49so it creates that shadow is a really nice touch.
0:47:49 > 0:47:53- It's gorgeous, isn't it? I think the floor's great.- OK.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57- What do you make of the yellow line? - The yellow line.
0:47:57 > 0:48:01Well, it does remind me of traffic wardens, I must admit, rather than
0:48:01 > 0:48:04the Tour de France but it almost pulls it off,
0:48:04 > 0:48:06but it needs a bit more oomph.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09So, for example, the shelving there, which is very strong,
0:48:09 > 0:48:13could've been repeated, even if it was just that one eye line,
0:48:13 > 0:48:15because there's that saying, the eye needs to travel.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17I really like what he did with the lamp.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20He didn't really have a design for it.
0:48:20 > 0:48:24He was exploring the materials as he went along and trying stuff out
0:48:24 > 0:48:26and saying, "How does that look?"
0:48:26 > 0:48:28That's a true designer's approach to doing something.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30It's practical, it's got it all sorted.
0:48:30 > 0:48:33This is going to change Nigel's life.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36I do feel, slightly, like I'm in a shop.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39- Nice shop. - Nice shop, but a nice design shop.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42- A pop-up shop in Shoreditch or somewhere.- Yes.- Yes.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45So, if it's a shop, it isn't...
0:48:45 > 0:48:47A home.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52But is it homely enough for Nigel?
0:48:55 > 0:48:58So...Nigel, has he got it right?
0:49:01 > 0:49:03That's wonderful.
0:49:03 > 0:49:07It's taken the whole place and turned it magically around.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09I haven't stopped smiling since I walked in here.
0:49:09 > 0:49:14When I got back from my last travel, I came back with four bags
0:49:14 > 0:49:19and now I have a house, which I never have had for a long time.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22Having the bare floorboards just...
0:49:22 > 0:49:26reminds me of being out on the road, having...
0:49:26 > 0:49:29the bare necessities that I need.
0:49:29 > 0:49:35I've always wanted a home. I've always wanted a home...
0:49:35 > 0:49:36and he's answered it.
0:49:37 > 0:49:41- Man, you're getting me all emotional.- That's good.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44That shows that Neil has got it right.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47Neil has got it right 110 times,
0:49:47 > 0:49:50over and over and over again. He reflects what I feel.
0:49:55 > 0:49:59Finally, the judges will assess Lorna's Casablanca-themed room.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07Three days ago, it was a functioning but tired living room
0:50:07 > 0:50:12with kitchenette, with a messy mix of music equipment and collectables.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27Lorna undertook a lot of work,
0:50:27 > 0:50:31building in bespoke cupboards...
0:50:31 > 0:50:34reinvigorating Shamus's furniture
0:50:34 > 0:50:37and updating the kitchen units.
0:50:37 > 0:50:41She bought new handles for £25 to give a more traditional feel
0:50:41 > 0:50:44and has repainted the entire room to brighten it up.
0:50:50 > 0:50:51- Soaking it in.- Yes.
0:50:53 > 0:50:55Really nice.
0:50:55 > 0:50:57Her attention to detail - all of these have been...
0:50:57 > 0:51:00- I mean, this girl sanded... - She's sanded everything.- Everything!
0:51:00 > 0:51:02I thought she was going to sand me at one point.
0:51:02 > 0:51:06Luckily, not sanded his lovely chair.
0:51:06 > 0:51:09There's knowing when to do it and when to leave it, which is nice.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12And the colours that she's chosen in here have worked really well.
0:51:12 > 0:51:16Greens are always very calming, we know that.
0:51:16 > 0:51:18The grey as well... Grey is clever.
0:51:18 > 0:51:21It's actually a very soft colour to use. It can be quite dingy
0:51:21 > 0:51:25- if you're not careful, but she's warmed it up with the woods.- Yes.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28And it's stopped the woods feeling too orangey and hot, hasn't it?
0:51:28 > 0:51:29Yes. She's cooled it down.
0:51:29 > 0:51:33And actually helped the room feel bigger. Lamp.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36- It's pretty neat. I like it. - No, it's not neat, Dan.
0:51:36 > 0:51:39There's dribbles of varnish all round the inside.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41I can see bits of the fabric poking though.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44I don't want you to come round my house.
0:51:44 > 0:51:48I mean, the thing that screams out to me, OK, is those oil lamps
0:51:48 > 0:51:50and all those nice bits and pieces on there are lovely,
0:51:50 > 0:51:52but they're sitting on a Formica top.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55It boils down to the lowest common denominator.
0:51:55 > 0:51:59If you've got something really dreadful in a room
0:51:59 > 0:52:02then everything else fails around it.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05We can really commend her on how sensitive she's been
0:52:05 > 0:52:08to Shamus's own personal style.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Has she improved his lifestyle? Yes, she has.
0:52:16 > 0:52:20Shamus was never clear what he was getting from Lorna.
0:52:20 > 0:52:21He's about to find out.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25So this is the ta-da moment.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31Oh, where am I? Do I live here?
0:52:31 > 0:52:35- Pinch me, Tom. Pinch me. - It's yours, it's yours.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37What grabs your eye? What do you think?
0:52:37 > 0:52:41The cupboards. Fantastic.
0:52:41 > 0:52:45And the table, because Lorna has transformed it.
0:52:45 > 0:52:46So, of all the residents,
0:52:46 > 0:52:49you had the clearest idea of what you wanted.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51Has it delivered? Is this what you wanted?
0:52:51 > 0:52:53Oh, yes, definitely delivered, yes.
0:52:53 > 0:52:56It think this was probably one of the most difficult things to do,
0:52:56 > 0:53:00because it's my living space, it's my kitchen space
0:53:00 > 0:53:04and it's my work space, so, from that point of view,
0:53:04 > 0:53:06Lorna's done a magnificent job.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15Jane, Lorna and Neil face an anxious wait.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19The judges now have to decide which amateur has delivered
0:53:19 > 0:53:21the best design and deserves a place
0:53:21 > 0:53:23in the next round of the competition.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28I would actually really like to go through to the quarterfinal,
0:53:28 > 0:53:31because I think it would affirm my passion for interior design
0:53:31 > 0:53:33and it would give me the next step,
0:53:33 > 0:53:35level of confidence that I probably need.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38Maybe I could win but I just need to think
0:53:38 > 0:53:41I might not, so I don't feel gutted.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Finished on time. I'm really happy with it actually.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46I hope it ticks all their boxes.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49So let's go through them one by one. What do you think of Jane's?
0:53:49 > 0:53:53It looked very together, very professional, very coherent.
0:53:53 > 0:53:54I loved her sense of colour.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56It's tasteful, it's elegant
0:53:56 > 0:54:00but at the same time, there was nothing hitting you.
0:54:00 > 0:54:04- It was by the textbook design. - Right. What about Neil?
0:54:04 > 0:54:08As an interior designer I think it's a risky process,
0:54:08 > 0:54:12this winging it approach he has to design.
0:54:12 > 0:54:13I wonder if he'd get unstuck.
0:54:13 > 0:54:17- Dan, what did you think?- He's a great inventor, he's a mad inventor,
0:54:17 > 0:54:21but it's product design that he does. There's nothing cohesive about it.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24How about Lorna's vintage room?
0:54:24 > 0:54:28I was utterly confused how this eclectic period melange
0:54:28 > 0:54:35was going to work. It worked better than I envisaged.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38We all love Shamus's style and I think that actually created
0:54:38 > 0:54:40more of a challenge for Lorna.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43- Because Shamus's taste was so strong?- Yes, exactly.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47- How was she going to deal with that? - Have you come to any conclusions?
0:54:47 > 0:54:52I've got a head and heart argument raging on here.
0:54:52 > 0:54:57- In my head... - Go on.- ..it's Jane. She's obvious.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00She's organised, she's through.
0:55:00 > 0:55:04Lorna's done from the heart. She really wanted to succeed,
0:55:04 > 0:55:07she wanted to give him a good service.
0:55:07 > 0:55:09You can't not like Lorna.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12I'm excited by Neil. I think he's an exciting designer.
0:55:12 > 0:55:16I think he's original, but I wonder whether he's a one-trick pony
0:55:16 > 0:55:20in this quirky modern, you know, slightly left, wacky look.
0:55:20 > 0:55:25Enough debating. You know, there are three anxious designers out there.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27- OK.- We've got to put them out of their misery.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Who's going to go through to the quarterfinals?
0:55:40 > 0:55:42Finally, the moment of truth.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45Which two designers will be out of the competition
0:55:45 > 0:55:48and which will be back for the next round?
0:55:49 > 0:55:52Designers, you've all done truly amazingly well
0:55:52 > 0:55:55and, most importantly, the clients were really impressed.
0:55:55 > 0:55:59You're amateur designers, you only met your client for the first time three days ago.
0:55:59 > 0:56:03This is completely new process for you and you've all really exceeded my expectations.
0:56:03 > 0:56:08You've certainly improved the lifestyle of the people living in these almshouses as well.
0:56:08 > 0:56:12These two have been at it like cats and dogs, arguing,
0:56:12 > 0:56:16so it's been genuinely very, very close.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18But...
0:56:18 > 0:56:20only one of you can go through,
0:56:20 > 0:56:24so the designer going through to the quarterfinal is...
0:56:25 > 0:56:28- ..Neil.- Well done, Neil.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31- Well done.- Thank you.
0:56:31 > 0:56:34'Really, really pleased for Neil.'
0:56:34 > 0:56:37He's put a lot of work into it and didn't expect it at all
0:56:37 > 0:56:39so it's gone to the right person.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41- Well done.- Thank you.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45I'm obviously a little bit disappointed,
0:56:45 > 0:56:48but it's been a really, really good experience.
0:56:48 > 0:56:49Really good.
0:56:49 > 0:56:53- Thank you.- Well done! Congratulations!- Thank you.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56I can't believe that I've won actually.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58- Really impressed.- Thank you.
0:56:58 > 0:57:00But it's brilliant
0:57:00 > 0:57:02to have won and to be through to the next round.
0:57:02 > 0:57:08Neil has that very, very rare commodity of an extreme talent
0:57:08 > 0:57:13and creativity, and you can't let that one go.
0:57:13 > 0:57:17I think Neil has been a very, very lucky boy today.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20I think he was taking some chances.
0:57:20 > 0:57:24He was winging it and my advice going forward would be
0:57:24 > 0:57:28don't do that again. Have a plan.
0:57:28 > 0:57:31Have a vision of what the finished room is going to look like.
0:57:31 > 0:57:34Don't think in the detail, look at the bigger picture.
0:57:34 > 0:57:38- Thanks a lot. Cheers. - I want to give you a hug. You're bigger than me.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46The historical and spatial constraints of these 18th century almshouses
0:57:46 > 0:57:49have given our designers a tough old challenge,
0:57:49 > 0:57:52but they've shown that through imagination and creativity,
0:57:52 > 0:57:54they cannot only fulfil the brief,
0:57:54 > 0:57:57but they can make a small space seem much larger.
0:57:57 > 0:58:01For me, it's been fascinating to find out the history of these buildings
0:58:01 > 0:58:03and to see how our designers can bring a modern touch
0:58:03 > 0:58:06to buildings that are 250 years old.
0:58:06 > 0:58:09Let's just hope their designs stand the test of time
0:58:09 > 0:58:12as well as these buildings have.
0:58:12 > 0:58:17Next time - 1930s semi-detached houses.
0:58:17 > 0:58:20- That's too big.- Done.
0:58:20 > 0:58:23But nothing is straightforward in suburbia.
0:58:23 > 0:58:26You could really let her down if you don't get it finished.
0:58:26 > 0:58:27I'm so annoyed.