0:00:03 > 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 > 0:00:12to 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 > 0:00:25they have got what it takes to be the next big
0:00:25 > 0:00:28thing in interiors to show us how it should be done.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32We'll travel across the country and through the ages
0:00:32 > 0:00:38to Victorian avenues, Art Deco cul-de-sacs and Regency squares.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Each time, three would-be designers take on similar rooms in three
0:00:44 > 0:00:46neighbouring homes.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49I don't really hate it, but I'm not sure.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52I haven't upholstered cat beds before.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This is going really well.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00Across 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 and
0:01:09 > 0:01:13they can work around a client, and can yet give them a lot of style.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17And interior stylist and magazine journalist Sophie Robinson.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20What I'm looking for in this competition is designers
0:01:20 > 0:01:23who 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.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36This time, our three amateurs will be redesigning one living
0:01:36 > 0:01:40room each in three 1930s semidetached houses in the suburbs.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42Each designer will follow their homeowner's
0:01:42 > 0:01:44brief in very similar rooms.
0:01:45 > 0:01:46Done.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48I'm so annoyed.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50- What does that mean for you? - I've got no idea.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54But only one designer can win a place in the quarterfinals.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Her scheme is elegant and beautiful, but is it going to be that exciting?
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Your client has got really high hopes.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03You could really let her down if you don't get it finished.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04They've made a decision.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Which of you three is going to go through to the next round?
0:02:12 > 0:02:1754 million people in the UK live in suburbs -
0:02:17 > 0:02:19that's 86% of the population.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21This is Berrylands in Surbiton,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23affectionately nicknamed Surburbitan,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26often derided but more usually aspired to.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32A hundred years ago, there was little on this land
0:02:32 > 0:02:34ten miles from the capital,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37but a farm, a few cottages and some open land.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40But in the 1930s, between the First and the Second World Wars,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44a number of social and technological factors inspired the greatest
0:02:44 > 0:02:47house-building boom this country has ever seen.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50In 1919, there are eight million homes in this country,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53but this had shot up to 12 million 20 years later.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58And Berrylands is the archetypical development.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02In 1930, hundreds of new three-bed semidetached were built around four
0:03:02 > 0:03:07main roads, serviced by a new train station, shops, a cinema, a lido.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11This is where the hardworking family aspired to me.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14This is where you could truly live a suburban dream.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22These semis are still popular with families today, and three of them
0:03:22 > 0:03:26are about to get an injection of style from our amateur designers.
0:03:31 > 0:03:36When we bought our first house, I just sort of went a bit wild.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Our spare room was painted alternate turquoise and orange.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I think I just sort of went a bit crazy because I was like,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45"Ah! I've got freedom to do what I like now."
0:03:45 > 0:03:48I'm constantly styling my own home and
0:03:48 > 0:03:52if I could do that for a living then I'd love it. I'd absolutely love it.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00- Evening, Paula. - Good evening.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03'Me and my husband, we work an extraordinary amount of hours
0:04:03 > 0:04:06'every week just to be able to keep the place going.'
0:04:06 > 0:04:10When we're not working we are constantly renovating.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13The customers are quite used to finding that I've painted
0:04:13 > 0:04:16a wall a different colour or I've changed the pictures around.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20I'm really looking forward to going down a different path.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23I really think I've got a talent for interior design.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33I am currently in-between homes,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37but I've got my van, which is my own home comfort at the moment.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40It is nice to have my own little space even if it is in a van.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43So I've always been around interiors,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45working in these huge homes
0:04:45 > 0:04:50and seeing how, I guess, the other half live, you absorb styles and
0:04:50 > 0:04:55that's how I really got a like and a love and passion for interiors.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58This is my stage now to show people that
0:04:58 > 0:05:01I am the new amateur designer...best.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Now our amateurs will each work with their first ever client to
0:05:07 > 0:05:11transform a front room with just 48 hours spread over three days
0:05:11 > 0:05:13and a budget of £1,000.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21The first front room getting a redesign belongs to
0:05:21 > 0:05:25South African born Bev, her husband Richard, and their two children.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31At the moment, this room is hardly used at all.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36What we would really like is to have a family room-cum-study.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40I like some shabby chic stuff, but not too much.
0:05:40 > 0:05:46I don't like things too rustic, but I like some things slightly rustic.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Yeah, we're pretty open.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Judges Sophie and Daniel need to see the room's
0:05:52 > 0:05:55potential before the designer gets started.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Ooh. This is rather grand, isn't it?
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Well, it's a lovely room which is suffering that common problem -
0:06:03 > 0:06:06- it's been used as the dumping room, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- Beautiful bay window. - Glorious bay window.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Classically, in the 1930s when they built these semidetached
0:06:12 > 0:06:16houses, they grab features from other different
0:06:16 > 0:06:18periods of British architecture.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21The curved bay is classic regency architecture.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23But they're quite expensive to deal with, aren't they?
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Well, they are, exactly.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28You can get bay poles made, but that's very expensive.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31This has got a plastic track, which isn't very attractive.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34A nice quick idea here would be to just put a very simple board
0:06:34 > 0:06:38pelmet, not a fabric pelmet, that would probably be too traditional.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40For me, it's just too safe.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Yes, our designer will need to come and obviously make quite
0:06:43 > 0:06:46a difference and, like you say, inject a bit more personality.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Hoping to bring her personality
0:06:49 > 0:06:53and style to Bev's living room is mum-of-two Helen from Devon.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58The designers have been working on their clients' briefs for a week,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01but this is the first time they've met in person.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06- Right, so I've just... - BOTH LAUGH
0:07:06 > 0:07:08We'll clear some of this out of the way.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09During the briefing,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Daniel and Sophie will be judging how well they present their design,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15forge a relationship with their client,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18and adapt to their clients' needs.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20The window is beautiful.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23I'd love to be able to open that up a little bit,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27so my idea is to move the desk and get an ottoman,
0:07:27 > 0:07:33so you've got a little bit of seating but it's also storage.
0:07:33 > 0:07:39It's also a slight shabby chic style without going too overboard.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43But obviously if we were going to get rid of the desk we'd
0:07:43 > 0:07:45still need to have an option,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49so I've been looking at bureaus, which you can pull down and
0:07:49 > 0:07:53have the desk, but it can be shut away again at the end of the day.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Hmm.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59- I'd like to replace that sofa. - Right.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02It would be a neutral colour sofa.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I've got some fabrics to make the scatter cushions in
0:08:05 > 0:08:08to bring it all together.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09Helen aims to create a light
0:08:09 > 0:08:12and neutral base for some South African touches.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16I found this wallpaper for the chimney breast.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21It's actually agapanthus, which originates from South Africa.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26Ultimately I'd love to keep the room very light, natural,
0:08:26 > 0:08:30earthy tones with more storage.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33- How does that sound? - That sounds good.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I really liked how Helen kicked off with her presentation.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39She guided us around the project very well, but her confidence
0:08:39 > 0:08:45started to wane because I feel that she wasn't carrying Bev with her.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48That's right. I think Helen's biggest challenge, actually,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51is trying to improve what is already a very nice scheme,
0:08:51 > 0:08:55and Bev's already got some very nice pieces of furniture, like that
0:08:55 > 0:08:58little red sofa. She's almost changing things for the sake of it.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04After a hesitant presentation,
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Helen will have to work hard to get Bev on board with her design.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11And the first thing is to convince her that the second hand
0:09:11 > 0:09:15bureau she bought for £40 is an adequate replacement for the desk.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20It's 30 inches wide...
0:09:20 > 0:09:24which is just over half of the desk.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26It's being delivered tonight,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30- and you can see if you think it'll be all right or not...- All right.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33..before we make a decision.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38A few doors down is the second living room,
0:09:38 > 0:09:41the front section of an open-plan room which belongs to Julia,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43husband James and their three children.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49We don't really use this as the proper formal living space.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52The children pelt through and throw themselves at the sofa,
0:09:52 > 0:09:53but that's about it.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57What we really would like is a family television room that we
0:09:57 > 0:09:58can all be comfortable in, really.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00I don't want the room pimped up too much.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03I think like a little cocktail bar in the corner
0:10:03 > 0:10:05probably wouldn't be too much use to us.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11A sweet little room.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13It's lovely, isn't it? Not a bad size.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18There's not a lot left in this room that would say it was 1930s,
0:10:18 > 0:10:20but this door does.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23It's high-hipped panelling, it's at a higher level,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25and you see that in a lot of 1930s houses.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30It was really just because it had a nice cottage feel, mock Tudor.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34In terms of our designer coming in and making this look very different,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37giving it a new identity is going to be quite tricky cos Julia's
0:10:37 > 0:10:40already got quite a strong and rather nice sense of style.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Taking on Julia's front room is 44-year-old,
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Johnny who may have decorated many rooms, but he's never designed one.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53- I have my little mood board. Let me sell you my wares.- Great.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56Oh, I like the look of this.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58- You're liking that? - Yeah, I do.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03The design I'm trying to create for you is more of a contemporary...
0:11:03 > 0:11:05modern feel.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09It will feel like there's more space within the room.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Johnny's modernist design centres around one key feature.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19I was hoping to create for you an open staggered bookcase
0:11:19 > 0:11:23area in that alcove that just overlaps the chimney breast.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29I was going to bring it just slightly into the entrance,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32but they will be open shelves, so it's not like it's blocking up
0:11:32 > 0:11:35the doorway as such cos you've still got that feel of openness.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39- Oh, I love that colour.- I've got this lovely chenille fabric here,
0:11:39 > 0:11:44which I was hoping to cover part of the sofa with.
0:11:44 > 0:11:45Ooh, lovely.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- I really like the look of all this, I really do.- You do?
0:11:48 > 0:11:52I'm pleased about that because that may have made my job easy.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- You can stay. We like you. - Am I staying for dinner?
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Yes, you are. You probably can move in if you do a good job.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Johnny has charmed his client, with his ideas for a contemporary
0:12:01 > 0:12:04room with a crisp white and green scheme.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07When he came out with that board she just fell in love with it
0:12:07 > 0:12:08and it was a great board.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11You saw how Julia was feeling all the chenilles. I don't know,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13it was quite good, it got her really excited.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Yeah. And I loved his ideas for the fitted shelving.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18It's an ambitious amount of construction though.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21He might have taken up more than he can chew,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23and we could end up with a mess at the end, you know?
0:12:23 > 0:12:25He might not be finished.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Johnny has his client so on-side she's been inspired to go
0:12:33 > 0:12:36straight out to buy a new television.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Hello, Johnny China.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41And he's called to check the colour will work with his design.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Hi, Julia. How are you doing?
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Are you missing me?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47I think, yeah, that'll look lovely actually.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50It's a bit different to everyone else having a black TV, isn't it?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I think that'll be great. See you in a bit. All right, darling, bye-bye.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58I'll put it down to luck.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03I don't want to say it's because I have style, even though I do.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05HE LAUGHS
0:13:08 > 0:13:12The third front room on the same street is owned by Celia
0:13:12 > 0:13:13and John and their two girls.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21The whole of our downstairs links through, so the kids love it
0:13:21 > 0:13:24because they run round and round in a circle constantly,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26but it feels like you are constantly tidying up.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30I would love it if I could have a really adult space where
0:13:30 > 0:13:31I can feel like a grown-up,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36and where me and my husband can instantly relax, would be great.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Well, quite a nice, bright, fresh room, isn't it?
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I know they want to separate this room off slightly and use
0:13:48 > 0:13:51it as a grown-up space, so she's got a different flooring from this room.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Yeah, that's interesting, isn't it?
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Cos usually, with open plan spaces,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58we put the same floor throughout to create the flow,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00which is what they've done here with the carpet.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02They're going to have to really work hard to make sure this all
0:14:02 > 0:14:03still hangs together.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07The only thing I'm not very keen on is this funny little mouse
0:14:07 > 0:14:08hole of a fireplace.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11They would have had one of those old, heavy fireplaces, 1930s,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13which would only have been about this height,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16and they had those nasty mottled tiles on them.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20You know, maybe in 20 years' time everyone will be putting them back,
0:14:20 > 0:14:21but for the moment, no.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I have a feeling that this room screams out for quite a sleek
0:14:24 > 0:14:26interior, actually.
0:14:26 > 0:14:31Re-designing Celia's living room is 43-year-old pub landlady
0:14:31 > 0:14:33Paula from Herefordshire.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37I tell you what I'll do, I'll lift this out like this.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Let's do it like this.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41I'm trying to achieve somewhere a little bit
0:14:41 > 0:14:45warmer in here for you, hopefully a little bit more elegant.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Nice pinks, nice greys.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50That's nice and muted. That's exactly what I like.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Absolutely, yeah. It's nice, isn't it?
0:14:52 > 0:14:54The biggest thing is going to be the floor.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58In your brief, dark walnut floor.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01So, basically, praying that when we pull the carpet up
0:15:01 > 0:15:04we're going to have some floorboards down there to be able to sand
0:15:04 > 0:15:07and stain. How does that sound to you?
0:15:07 > 0:15:10Paula's idea for an elegant retreat is to create a modern
0:15:10 > 0:15:14streamlined feel with a palate of pink lilacs combined with
0:15:14 > 0:15:17rustic textures like wicker and wood.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20The next part of the room would be the fireplace.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Plenty and plenty of options.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26We can free float on just a mantel shelf at the top,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30whether we do something out of plain timber
0:15:30 > 0:15:33and clad it in and frame it all the way round.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Or we can frame it and just do a mantelpiece
0:15:36 > 0:15:38out of the reclaimed timber.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40The other thing was the built-in cupboard.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Would you like a straight line going across?
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Would you like a higher or lower line?
0:15:45 > 0:15:48From this cupboard here, same height mantelpiece
0:15:48 > 0:15:50and then same height as the cupboard.
0:15:50 > 0:15:51What should I do?
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Should I choose a mantelpiece higher than the cupboards?
0:15:55 > 0:15:58Or should I choose it the same height as the cupboards?
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- I don't know... - No, that's a fair question.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03The look doesn't seem...
0:16:03 > 0:16:06We're not really going... It doesn't really match at all.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10- Should I have it higher or lower? - To me, to add a bit of interest,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13it might be nice to create the different levels.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16It did feel a little bit unprepared.
0:16:16 > 0:16:17She's got three days.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21She's got to make decisions on that second and get moving with it.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I got a little bit lost what she wants to do with the cupboards.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Celia was trying to ask her questions, saying,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28"You need to tell me.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30"You're the designer. Should it be high? Should it be low?"
0:16:30 > 0:16:34But I did really love her colour scheme. I thought that very soft,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37nudey pink with the grey was really beautiful, very fresh.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41She's actually got a really lovely scheme, she just didn't sell it.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52The first big job Paula wants to tackle is the floor,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55so she's keen to see what state the floorboards are in.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01I don't know why I was expecting them that way.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04If they'd laid it up from the window going into the house
0:17:04 > 0:17:07it helps spread the light around the room a bit better.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Yeah, it's not perfect but it's workable.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Our designers have made a start updating the living rooms
0:17:17 > 0:17:21in these three semis on this archetypical suburban street.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25A street that looks the way it does thanks to a unique
0:17:25 > 0:17:29set of circumstances that fuelled the 1930s building boom.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Technologies developed during the First World War spawned new
0:17:34 > 0:17:37industries - aeronautics, engineering cars
0:17:37 > 0:17:39and created new job opportunities.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42And people who before the war might have worked in domestic
0:17:42 > 0:17:46service took on new independent, more lucrative employment.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48They became white collar workers,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50part of the new aspiring middle classes.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54The expansion and affordability of the railways meant that more
0:17:54 > 0:17:58people than ever before could work in town and live on the outskirts,
0:17:58 > 0:18:02giving rise to that culture of commuting, still the norm today.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07At the same time, it became easier than ever before to
0:18:07 > 0:18:08own your own home.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Britain may have been financially suffering after the First World War
0:18:11 > 0:18:14and then the Great Depression, but banks found it easier to lend.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16So, for the very first time,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19even many within the working class could afford to buy their own home.
0:18:21 > 0:18:27In 1930, these houses cost £775 and were marketed under the banner
0:18:27 > 0:18:28"Happiness Within".
0:18:31 > 0:18:33Our designers are hoping to bring their own brand of
0:18:33 > 0:18:35"Happiness Within" to Berrylands.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40But having only ever decorated to please herself,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Paula is finding it hard to make decisions for someone else.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Before we cut the carpet, final decision,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48just wanted to get you back in.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Not to put the pressure on you. Not to put the pressure on.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Her plan was to sand and stain the floor dark brown,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58but now she's giving her client other options
0:18:58 > 0:19:00and suggesting click laminate.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03We could have put the click flooring down and had it spotless and lovely.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- Have you got click flooring?- No.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I can go and get click flooring.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09- What does that mean for you? - I've got no idea.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Looking at how we can trim things down,
0:19:14 > 0:19:16it's going to be things like...
0:19:16 > 0:19:18We can make a decision on the curtains and the blinds
0:19:18 > 0:19:20because that's going to save money.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Well, if we kept the curtains and the blinds...
0:19:22 > 0:19:24If we kept the blinds that you've got...
0:19:24 > 0:19:26I'm boggling you even more now, aren't I? Sorry.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28You're going to have to make some decisions.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Yeah, I will make some decisions, yeah.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Paula is having to re-jig her budget
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and find around £200 for the laminate.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43In her everyday job as a landlady, she's actually used to balancing
0:19:43 > 0:19:47the books and to decorating with other people in mind.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50There's a different thought process in designing a place where the
0:19:50 > 0:19:54public is going to be as opposed to your own private rooms.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57It can't be offensive to anybody.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01It has to appeal to a broad range of people.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04This pub in Herefordshire is just the latest in a long
0:20:04 > 0:20:07line of renovation projects Paula and her husband have taken on.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13We moved to France and we renovated an old property over there.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16It was your typical live-the-dream scenario -
0:20:16 > 0:20:20holes in the ceiling, holes in the roof, no toilet, no shower -
0:20:20 > 0:20:22there was nothing there.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24When we left there was eight bedrooms, five bathrooms,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27two kitchens, three reception rooms.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30I love my interior design because I find it so relaxing.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33There's nothing better than stepping back and thinking,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35"Yeah, I did that."
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Back in Berrylands, Paula still hasn't made a final
0:20:40 > 0:20:41decision about the floor.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45We've gone down the route of click flooring at the moment.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48We're going away from the dark walnut because the rest
0:20:48 > 0:20:51of the furniture in the house she's got a light oakish colour.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55So, why don't you make that decision and get it ordered?
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Press that button and say, "Flooring in."
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Yeah. Have you got the button?
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Yeah, I have actually. It's great.
0:21:02 > 0:21:03You just do that.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06I want the floor to come by Sunday, yeah.
0:21:06 > 0:21:12Now, at present, you've got this big cupboard here.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14I'd like to lower it, if possible,
0:21:14 > 0:21:18or maybe floating it as well and running the floor underneath it.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22What I'd really like to do is float it across,
0:21:22 > 0:21:23keeping this the same level.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Whether there's a break or not in-between,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- I think maybe just carry it on. - Carry on.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Remember, it's you who's in control of this.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33You're the designer and she's the client.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36All this is all about confidence, for me, you know.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39Whether I've got the confidence to stand there
0:21:39 > 0:21:41and say, "No, actually, I think I'm right."
0:21:41 > 0:21:44I think that's going to be a bit of a learning curve for me.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49After a resounding endorsement from his client,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Johnny gets his builder started on his feature shelving unit.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55These will be the height of the books,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57so the books will just slide in there.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01While he puts his decorating skills to good use.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07When painting the ceiling, always stick to starting at the window,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11where the natural light's coming in...
0:22:11 > 0:22:16because you can see where you've painted as the light's hitting it.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24As a painter and decorator, Johnny is used to following other people's
0:22:24 > 0:22:29designs, but now he wants to move to the next level and create his own.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31People will say, "Can you come and paint my room?"
0:22:31 > 0:22:33So, I say, "Yeah, OK."
0:22:33 > 0:22:35But I've always wanted to do something other
0:22:35 > 0:22:37than paint the wall white.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42Creativity is something I have, you either have it or you don't.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45I did study for two years in interior design,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48but I didn't really learn much from that because I already had it.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54I'm a father of four children, which I'm not a full-time father to
0:22:54 > 0:22:57any of those children, so it hasn't been easy.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59If I was to win...
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Well, when I win this competition...
0:23:01 > 0:23:04I don't want to be too big-headed.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07But it'll mean a hell of a lot to me.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09It'll allow me to feel like I've achieved something
0:23:09 > 0:23:12that I've been trying to do for so, so long.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Johnny has Julia fully on board with his contemporary Modernist design.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22From here it will look lovely because you'll be here
0:23:22 > 0:23:24and you still feel part of that room,
0:23:24 > 0:23:29and you'll be able to see straight through the actual open shelf.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35While, a few doors down, Helen's client Bev isn't sold on all the
0:23:35 > 0:23:40colours and fabrics she's proposing for her South African-inspired room.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Only because everything is, it's cream walls
0:23:44 > 0:23:47and you wanted to put in another cream sofa.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50I was wondering whether we keep the terracotta sofa.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53There's no reason why we can't keep it.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55I mean, a lot of these fabrics,
0:23:55 > 0:23:59you can still pick out, if you had scatter cushions in these
0:23:59 > 0:24:06and maybe a couple of neutral ones on there, that'd still work.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Helen is confident she can make the terracotta sofa work...
0:24:10 > 0:24:15..because fabrics are actually her area of expertise.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18From a shed in her garden, she creates her own soft furnishings.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23I'm a bit of a fabric-aholic in the fact that I see fabric
0:24:23 > 0:24:25and I will buy it.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28I go to vintage fairs and antique fairs all the time,
0:24:28 > 0:24:32so I'm constantly seeing things that I think, "Oh, that's gorgeous.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36"I love it." Not necessarily knowing where it's going to go or what
0:24:36 > 0:24:37I'm going to do with it.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41I'd absolutely love to style rooms for a living,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43I think it'd be really exciting.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I've never thought that it could be an option
0:24:46 > 0:24:49because I'm not trained in any way.
0:24:49 > 0:24:55Things I'm not fond of are when everything matches.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59I've just got to, I guess, stay true to myself
0:24:59 > 0:25:03and do what I love doing, and if that works then brilliant.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11- The bureau has just arrived. - Right.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Each step of the way,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Helen's working with her client on key aspects of her design.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21I don't feel like my design's been taken away from me
0:25:21 > 0:25:25and I think we are going to achieve something that she is happy with.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Yeah, I'm pretty sure of that.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30I'm hopeful of that anyway.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38It's near the end of day one.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Paula's laminate has arrived
0:25:40 > 0:25:44and the issue of the flooring is happily resolved.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46- Lovely. - OK, thank you.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53Paula is finally finding her confidence.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Up until now I've only ever done it for my rooms
0:25:56 > 0:26:00and so it is quite scary...but I think I'm getting there.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04I think I'm getting there with my confidence a little bit more.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Tomorrow's another day.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Hopefully it'll be as plain sailing as it has been.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30After lots of ideas chopping and changing
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and varying levels of confidence, day two is
0:26:33 > 0:26:36when our designers' plans have got to take shape.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Paula has started the day with a clear plan of how
0:26:40 > 0:26:43she wants her builder to construct the single low level shelf
0:26:43 > 0:26:46that's central to her modern-yet-elegant design.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48- Where do you want it to finish?- OK.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51I think somewhere sort of around here. What measurement is that?
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- 140. - Sounds good to me, yeah?
0:26:54 > 0:26:57And then that allows for things like drops for curtains.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Is that all right, yeah? Wonderful. Thanks, Steve.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05A few doors along, Helen needs to pin her clients down on essential
0:27:05 > 0:27:08aspects of her South African design,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10including the fabric for the cushions.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14- Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, no, no. - Brilliant.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17- We would like to use the bureau... - OK.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20- ..but we would like to have the desk as well.- Right.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24I think we can do that. We need to, sort of, get going.
0:27:25 > 0:27:26Further down the road,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29the basic frame for Johnny's complicated shelving unit is made,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31so he and his builder
0:27:31 > 0:27:35now need to work out the dimensions of all the staggered compartments.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Follow that line around to just about here.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42It's a risky design for a suburban semi
0:27:42 > 0:27:45and Johnny needs to make sure he gets it right.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48We've got to try and not make this look too uneven.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54This is actually a really unusual design, isn't it?
0:27:54 > 0:27:56To keep everything asymmetric.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Quite often, when you've got a chimney breast, people do
0:27:59 > 0:28:01the same thing either side - keep the symmetry in the room.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03But you're kind of mixing that all up a bit.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Well, I try to change the space with that design.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09I'm curious about how that's going to work in the corner where
0:28:09 > 0:28:12you've taken the shelf beyond the opening, but I like the idea.
0:28:12 > 0:28:13I'm with you on that one, too.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17MDF goes together very quickly,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19but getting the finished edges nicely done.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21And because this is a very clean, crisp look,
0:28:21 > 0:28:25the paint finish has got to be pukka, hasn't it?
0:28:25 > 0:28:26Exactly. It has to be.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Julia, your client, has got really high hopes.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31She's not interfering,
0:28:31 > 0:28:35but you could really let her down if you don't finish.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40Johnny's modernist shelving unit might not fit with the safe suburban stereotype,
0:28:40 > 0:28:42but it is actually in keeping with
0:28:42 > 0:28:45the era in which these houses were built.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49In the '30s, some architects were busy creating clean-lined modernist
0:28:49 > 0:28:52buildings, but these homes were designed by builders themselves,
0:28:52 > 0:28:54builders who knew what sold.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58To cater for the restrained tastes of the suburban masses meant
0:28:58 > 0:29:01harking back to old English style, with pseudo Tudor,
0:29:01 > 0:29:03or Tudorbethan features.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08All the semis on this street have their own
0:29:08 > 0:29:10little pseudo-bethan twist.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14This one's got the classic Tudorbethan fake beams
0:29:14 > 0:29:17mixed in with replicas of the original leaded panes to give it
0:29:17 > 0:29:20that really Tudor feel, all combined though with that most modern
0:29:20 > 0:29:23of features, a built-in garage, although this garage is too small
0:29:23 > 0:29:26now for the average huge family car, so they keep the bikes in it.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Now this one is plastered in pebbledash.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Pebbledash gets a bit of a bad wrap, but I rather like it, and it's
0:29:35 > 0:29:39got a long and very venerable history in British architecture.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41The Romans used it, we had it back again in the medieval times,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44and it came back with a vengeance in the late 19th century,
0:29:44 > 0:29:48with arts and crafts architects, after a spot of rusticity.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53HE MUMBLES
0:29:56 > 0:30:00At the halfway point, Helen has all the decisions
0:30:00 > 0:30:03she needs about furniture and furnishings.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06- Nice, isn't it?- Yeah. - Quite soft actually.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- It is actually, isn't it? - It almost feels like fabric almost.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13And at last she can start to inject some of her ideas
0:30:13 > 0:30:16for South African-inspired tones into the room.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20The task that Helen's got with Bev is she's got to re-invent
0:30:20 > 0:30:23an existing look, if you like, and give it her original twist.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Most people with their houses have got stuff already,
0:30:25 > 0:30:29really quite decent things, so you don't start from nothing.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32But what do you do to make the room feel that bit different?
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Helen needs to play to her strengths, you know,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38she's somebody who's passionate about textiles.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41This is an opportunity for her to really show what she can do
0:30:41 > 0:30:44and give Bev something that she would never get out of a catalogue.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49The wallpaper wasn't cheap at £54 for one roll,
0:30:49 > 0:30:53so rather than throwing away what's left over,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56she's using it to customise some £2 box files.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00I've traced out the sides and the front and the back
0:31:00 > 0:31:04and I'm just going to use wallpaper paste and glue it on.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Doesn't look too bad.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15Choosing to work with his client's existing furniture,
0:31:15 > 0:31:20Johnny is going to repair and recover the three seat sofa.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24He's sent the original loose cover to a seamstress to be copied.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28One of the arms is broken so he unpicks the stitching,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31removes the broken board and replaces it with a piece of MDF.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35A perfect fit.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42The foam padding is simply stuck back in place using gaffer tape.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45You won't notice once that's back up.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49The kids will be able to jump on this all day long now. Solid.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Oh, wonderful.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56Johnny's new cover has been made from green chenille fabric.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59He bought 14 metres for the bargain price of £70.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02The base will be covered in one shade of green,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05and the seat cushions in another - creating a two-tone look
0:32:05 > 0:32:09- in keeping with his modernist design.- Snug.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13I hope Julia will be as pleased as I am. I'm sure she will.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16That is really nice fabric
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and also it's my favourite colour, which is green.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Just down the road, Helen is painting the second-hand ottoman
0:32:26 > 0:32:29she bought for £30 in duck egg blue
0:32:29 > 0:32:34and giving the bureau a new identity with chalk paint -
0:32:34 > 0:32:37a short cut way to paint waxed or varnished furniture.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Hopefully it's more chic and less shabby.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47As a good friend of the other homeowners,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Bev has some gossip about the competition.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Julia was saying that Johnny had been a bit too laid back.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55Ah, right. OK.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59And that he was spending all the time outside smoking and chatting.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03When I woke up and went into the room,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05it just looked very much like a building site
0:33:05 > 0:33:08and I was thinking, the clock's ticking.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13Despite being bowled over by his design,
0:33:13 > 0:33:18- Julia needs a little reassurance. - We're more or less on target,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21the huge working is obviously the shelving.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24- But we're going to stay calm. - Breathe. It's going to be fine.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27- It will be.- I've still got confidence in you.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30- I'm glad you do. - Now you can crack on.- Cheers.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Further up the road,
0:33:39 > 0:33:41Paula's anxieties seem to have all but evaporated.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48And the key to her new-found calm? Knitting.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51I've never seen anybody who's got just under three days
0:33:51 > 0:33:54to do a room over knitting their own cushions. I really commend you.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58Well, yeah. It is a bit of stress therapy as well.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00If you knit a row, knit a row and knit a row,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03that's called garter stitch, which is what I'm doing here.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06And then you can just hold up your cushion pad, I guess,
0:34:06 > 0:34:09and work out how you're doing and how much further you need to go.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12If I can't get it looking neat and tidy, I can cut this,
0:34:12 > 0:34:14take some stuffing out,
0:34:14 > 0:34:16stitch it back down and make the cushion fit the cover.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18And then the opening, what are you using?
0:34:18 > 0:34:21I've got some lovely toggles here, nice wooden ones.
0:34:23 > 0:34:28- Just use some wool to create a loop, sew that on and...- Bob's your uncle.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30So I've got a bit of a cheat's way of doing this,
0:34:30 > 0:34:32you can use old jumpers, can't you?
0:34:32 > 0:34:35So it might be something that you don't wear any more.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Put it on a really hot wash, plenty of washing powder,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41so it shrinks and what that does is felt it,
0:34:41 > 0:34:43which means you can cut the wool without it fraying
0:34:43 > 0:34:47- and then just stitch it up on a sewing machine.- Brilliant idea.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49I have to admit, it's lovely seeing you so relaxed
0:34:49 > 0:34:51but how are you feeling generally?
0:34:51 > 0:34:54It's been head-spinningly awful in parts of it,
0:34:54 > 0:34:56but other parts of it I've really enjoyed it.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59It's nice just to take ten minutes out just to get your head clear.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02- There's an awful lot to do. - And a lot of cushions to make too.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04There are, I'll be happy with one.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Also turning her attention to cushion-making is Helen.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13These are a crucial part of her South African-inspired design,
0:35:13 > 0:35:17and key to getting her own sense of style into the scheme.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22- I'm so annoyed. - But there's a problem.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25I forgot my lead.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29I forgot my sewing machine lead and I left it at home.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32And I purposely brought my sewing machine
0:35:32 > 0:35:35so that I could use my sewing machine to make these cushions
0:35:35 > 0:35:38that I really want to make for Bev.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42OK, it's a bit different.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46She's got her hands on another much more basic machine
0:35:46 > 0:35:49but is hoping the leads will work with her own.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53I'm going to just plug it in and see if the peddle works.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55It's actually coming on.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- If I...oh! - MACHINE CREAKS
0:36:01 > 0:36:03SHE LAUGHS
0:36:03 > 0:36:06I've got to make all the cushion covers on this!
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Helen wants her cushions
0:36:13 > 0:36:16to add a touch of handmade individuality to the room.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21There may be a current fashion for hand-madeness,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24but in the 1930s, despite their Tudor-bethan exteriors,
0:36:24 > 0:36:29these houses were all about modern conveniences, or mod-cons.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32When they went up, these houses were the embodiment of the ideal home.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Building on cheaper land meant that you could be far more
0:36:35 > 0:36:38generous in size than the cramped homes in town.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42Estates almost exactly like this one were repeated from Glasgow
0:36:42 > 0:36:47to Manchester to Cardiff, inhabited by the new commuting middle classes.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51Inside was everything you could possibly want from a modern home -
0:36:51 > 0:36:53electricity, an indoor loo, a sense of space and light
0:36:53 > 0:36:55and generous garden.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59And it was this generosity of space that meant that later generations,
0:36:59 > 0:37:04like our homeowners, had plenty of scope to extend
0:37:04 > 0:37:07and create fashionable open plan living spaces.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Paula's brief is to redefine the front room to create an elegant
0:37:10 > 0:37:15grown up retreat, and key to that is the brand-new laminate floor.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Having the floor get put down just feels brilliant.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20It's starting to look how I envisaged it looking this morning.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22I had a picture in my head
0:37:22 > 0:37:25and was praying we were going to get there and I think we are.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29I think Paula's scheme is elegant and beautiful
0:37:29 > 0:37:33- but is it going to be that exciting? - Well, actually I think it is,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36because she's doing something that's very sleek and modern,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38and also rustic and charming.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41I've never really seen those two put together,
0:37:41 > 0:37:43and that fusion could really work.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47One of Helen's bespoke cushions will have a fabric word sewn,
0:37:47 > 0:37:49or appliqued, onto the front.
0:37:49 > 0:37:54I'm actually using a South African word which means good or great.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58Helen has traced the letters onto double-sided adhesive webbing
0:37:58 > 0:38:03used to stick fabric to fabric, which costs £3.50 a metre.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07The letters are ironed onto felt, cut out,
0:38:07 > 0:38:10and then ironed again so they stick in place.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15What this does is then it keeps it all in place when you're sewing.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23It's just going to take ten times longer than it should.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33It's near the end of day two, and Johnny's shelves are built.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39Before they can secure them in place he's adding some LED lights.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43These come on a 15-metre strip and cost £53.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46The lighting will be hidden behind the unit
0:38:46 > 0:38:50and comes with a remote control to change the colour.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52I'm going to grab it from here.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Go on, I've got to come to you.
0:38:58 > 0:39:03- It's against the wall here, you need to go over.- Yes, we're in.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07That was a bit sweaty.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11They may be built, but getting a good finish on these MDF shelves
0:39:11 > 0:39:15will be no mean feat - every surface will need several coats of paint
0:39:15 > 0:39:18and Johnny is starting to feel the pressure.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Maybe I should have put three shelves up in the alcove
0:39:21 > 0:39:23and dealt with it like that
0:39:23 > 0:39:26but I wanted to design something that is not the norm.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30I'm more creative than that.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33I don't know if my design is going to stack up against my competitors,
0:39:33 > 0:39:37I've got no idea what they're doing, but to be truthful,
0:39:37 > 0:39:41as long as Celia and John are happy with it, I'm happy.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47I still haven't done my cushions and I don't have any light.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52I stand as much chance as the other two of winning,
0:39:52 > 0:39:55hopefully more, but we'll just have to wait and see.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Today's the day the final designs will be completed
0:40:09 > 0:40:12and seen by the homeowner.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15What they think of their rooms will help the judges determine
0:40:15 > 0:40:17who will go through to the next round.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23It's a picture rail so it should go up that way.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26Helen is making headway
0:40:26 > 0:40:29and has put floating shelves either side of the chimney breast,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32and is facing them with a piece of picture rail moulding.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- Yeah, that does look nice. - It does look nice, doesn't it?
0:40:35 > 0:40:37- That echoes the top. - Of course, yeah, it does.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45Despite forking out for flooring, Paula has managed to find
0:40:45 > 0:40:49enough money for new voile curtains to enhance the existing blinds.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54That'll do, have you got the pole? I'll get down.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57Being a landlady, I've got to make decisions constantly.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01Staff decisions, budget decisions, menu decisions.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05Now the landlady's definitely back, she's half in charge, I think.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10With just a few hours left, Johnny is still painting the shelves,
0:41:10 > 0:41:14and hasn't paid much attention to the rest of the room.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18The success of this design is based around the book shelf
0:41:18 > 0:41:20because it is the main feature in this room,
0:41:20 > 0:41:24so obviously it needs to be finished off to a good standard,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28so getting hot and flustered at the moment, trying to get things done.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33Since the three front rooms our designers are working in
0:41:33 > 0:41:36are slightly different, the judges want to get an equal measure
0:41:36 > 0:41:38of the designer's creativity,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41so they've given them each an identical vase.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44Paula is adding a rustic twist.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49What I'd like to do is just to wrap some wool round it.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Helen is completely transforming it.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58It's a light fitting that's advertised as putting
0:41:58 > 0:42:02in the top of a wine bottle, so it's making a wine bottle into a lamp.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07Hopefully it's going to keep that in place.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12I ain't got time to worry about the vase, seriously.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15And Johnny is literally just throwing something together.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Let's try. Yeah, that's nice.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Done.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Time is running out for our designers.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39I daren't say I'm on track to finish but we'll see.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42Johnny's confidence has vanished.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46It's dawned on him that the shelves simply won't be finished,
0:42:46 > 0:42:49at least not to the standard he was aiming for.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52In hindsight, I wouldn't have been so ambitious.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54I really didn't calculate the time.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57I feel I am letting myself down in this
0:42:57 > 0:43:01because I wanted to showcase what I'm good at and I know I'm good at.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04And he's realising how much is at stake.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08I want to make a few people proud, you know, my boys.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12But I've got to do this, I've got to do it.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16I want to make my kids proud of me, that's all.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25Johnny knows he needs more than just shelves to show off his talent.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28He has some eleventh-hour inspiration
0:43:28 > 0:43:31- for a piece of handmade furniture. - Coffee table.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41Helen has left her most complicated cushion until last.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44It's got loads of little holes which are going to be
0:43:44 > 0:43:47the patches on the giraffe's skin.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49I'll try and do it as neatly as possible
0:43:49 > 0:43:52with really shaky hands and not much time left.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59Why did I build that shelf?
0:43:59 > 0:44:03I've got 35 minutes. 39 minutes.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08OK, what I'll do is I need to get the cushions in these covers,
0:44:08 > 0:44:13I need to... Oh, my God. We're not going to have time,
0:44:13 > 0:44:16we actually aren't going to have time.
0:44:18 > 0:44:22The amateur designers have had 48 hours spread over three days
0:44:22 > 0:44:25and £1,000 to transform the living spaces
0:44:25 > 0:44:28in three 1930s suburban semis.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31I want it lower, lower, that's good.
0:44:32 > 0:44:36Maybe if I swap...that one.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43Down, down, Johnny.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46It's supposed to flow with the shelving.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49It will be up to Sophie and Daniel to decide which of them
0:44:49 > 0:44:51deserves a place in the quarterfinal.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53That's too big.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06SHE SIGHS
0:45:11 > 0:45:15First to be judged is Helen's South African-inspired design.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19Three days ago this room had good furniture
0:45:19 > 0:45:24and a coordinated scheme but had become an unloved dumping ground.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42Helen worked hard to get Bev on board,
0:45:42 > 0:45:44and has transformed it into a bright,
0:45:44 > 0:45:47multi-functional room with earthy tones.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51She's put floating shelves either side of the fireplace
0:45:51 > 0:45:54to raise the eye-line and make more of the alcoves,
0:45:54 > 0:45:57and used bold agapanthus wallpaper on the chimney breast.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02For additional work space and storage she's up-cycled
0:46:02 > 0:46:05some second-hand furniture for a touch of shabby chic.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10And she used her needlework skills to liven up the existing sofas
0:46:10 > 0:46:12with some bespoke cushions.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19I think it's great.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22This sofa, it looks lovely sitting in that bay window.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25That's really given it a sense of purpose now.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28There's a cushion over there with a giraffe on it, it's gorgeous.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31I was a bit confused originally, that she'd chosen such a wide
0:46:31 > 0:46:34range of fabric, but I like it.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38She's got a great eye for design and craft and fabrics.
0:46:39 > 0:46:43When Helen produced that rather nasty secretaire I just hated it.
0:46:43 > 0:46:47Looking over there with its new handles, painted up, it looks great.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50Remember when you said about you've got to keep the level high
0:46:50 > 0:46:53in this room, cos the standard of furniture is really good.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Well, that has reached that standard.
0:46:56 > 0:47:00That is brilliant. She's turned a simple vase into a lamp.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02She definitely gets ten out of ten from me,
0:47:02 > 0:47:05just for sheer ingenuity.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09Helen kept client Bev involved throughout,
0:47:09 > 0:47:12but this will be the first time she's seen the finished room.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14Come in, come in. Make yourself at home!
0:47:16 > 0:47:20- Close the door.- It is beautiful.
0:47:22 > 0:47:24Oh, I love it.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26I really, really do love it.
0:47:27 > 0:47:31- Oh, I'm going to get tearful, sorry! - THEY LAUGH
0:47:31 > 0:47:35- I can't get tearful. - You can, it's an emotional thing.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38Oh, look! And she's put "lekker" on it!
0:47:38 > 0:47:41That's a South African word. Oh, that's lovely.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44There's lots of patterns and colours going on,
0:47:44 > 0:47:46isn't there, but they all seem to connect.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Yes. It blends and it's still got a warmth to it.
0:47:48 > 0:47:52I think she's done it beautifully. I really do.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59Next to be judged is Johnny's modernist design.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03Three days ago this sitting room was a tasteful
0:48:03 > 0:48:06but neglected room that served no real function.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23Johnny has removed the shelves
0:48:23 > 0:48:26and reshaped the space with an ingenious asymmetric design.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30His main focus was the staggered shelving unit
0:48:30 > 0:48:32with hidden LED lighting.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35But he also managed to repair and reupholster the existing sofa
0:48:35 > 0:48:38in two tones of luxurious chenille fabric,
0:48:38 > 0:48:43build a floating shelf for Julia's brand-new television,
0:48:43 > 0:48:47make a bespoke coffee table from some found bits of wood,
0:48:47 > 0:48:50and added two modern light fittings.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04He's articulated this room into the corner, so he's off balanced it,
0:49:04 > 0:49:07so it almost stretches the room a little bit, doesn't it?
0:49:07 > 0:49:10And I like this configuration here as well,
0:49:10 > 0:49:13he's pulled the two rooms together by just having this little shelf.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15It's ingenious. I would never have thought of that.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18It actually feels a lot softer
0:49:18 > 0:49:22and feminine in here than I was prepared for.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26Love the colour on the sofa, how he's done a two-tone sofa as well.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29And I just love the way he's dressed it with purple accent cushions.
0:49:29 > 0:49:32You've actually got the layering of all three colours on there,
0:49:32 > 0:49:34it's made it really appealing.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37I'm looking at the vase at the top,
0:49:37 > 0:49:39little bit of Jackson Pollock about...
0:49:39 > 0:49:41It's a bit of Johnny Rock'n'Roll isn't it?
0:49:41 > 0:49:44I'm beginning to see a little bit of LED twinkle going...
0:49:45 > 0:49:48Oh, now that's beautiful.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51And that's going to look amazing at night, isn't it?
0:49:51 > 0:49:54But I'm concerned about project management skills.
0:49:54 > 0:49:56You look in this direction, it's working
0:49:56 > 0:50:00but you've just got to turn round here and it's incomplete.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08So Julia, welcome to your new front room.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14- So, come in. Let it sink in. - Oh, my goodness.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19Wow. Wow.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23Where's my old house?
0:50:23 > 0:50:26This is the most striking difference, isn't it?
0:50:26 > 0:50:29This massive construction, what do you make of that?
0:50:29 > 0:50:31I love it, I absolutely love it.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33The sofa! Oh, my goodness!
0:50:33 > 0:50:37That lovely fabric, and that's very sweet.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40My goodness! I hadn't even seen that!
0:50:40 > 0:50:42That is very nice. Really good.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45So does it live up to what he told you in his presentation?
0:50:45 > 0:50:50It does, he's given us a family room that's really actually a bit funky.
0:50:54 > 0:50:56Last to be judged is Paula's design.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01Three days ago this room was a plain and worn-out living space
0:51:01 > 0:51:03with little identity or style.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21After finding her feet, Paula has created an elegant,
0:51:21 > 0:51:23grown-up retreat.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27She redefined the space with an oak laminate floor,
0:51:27 > 0:51:29and soft lilac on the walls.
0:51:29 > 0:51:31She replaced the bulky cupboard
0:51:31 > 0:51:35and created a contemporary feel with a single low sleek shelf that
0:51:35 > 0:51:39runs the length of the room and is in proportion with the fireplace.
0:51:40 > 0:51:44And she's used her knitting skills to add some rustic textures
0:51:44 > 0:51:46to soften the modern edge.
0:51:53 > 0:51:55This fulfils the brief, doesn't it?
0:51:55 > 0:51:57Elegant, adult space.
0:51:57 > 0:52:01I think Paula's been quite canny in picking out a pinky lilac colour,
0:52:01 > 0:52:04that helps it feel quite calm.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07This unit works so well, and it's just sinuous.
0:52:07 > 0:52:12It's curving around the room, it takes your eye through.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15Because that shelf is forming a little bit like a mantle,
0:52:15 > 0:52:18that hole in the wall makes a little bit more sense, doesn't it?
0:52:18 > 0:52:21- Yes.- And the floor. - The floor's great.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24That is a really big change in here and actually,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27it doesn't look too bad against the existing cream carpet.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30And that's the customised vase,
0:52:30 > 0:52:33where she's added some wool.
0:52:33 > 0:52:37I like the fact that it works with the rest of the pieces.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40That knitted cushion is wonderful,
0:52:40 > 0:52:42I want to see a whole sofa full of them.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45Come on Paula, we want more of you, not less!
0:52:51 > 0:52:57- Come on in then, Celia.- Wow! - Bit different?
0:52:57 > 0:53:01- Oh, my goodness! - It's a bit different isn't it?
0:53:01 > 0:53:04That's amazing, I love the fact that she's knitted, look!
0:53:04 > 0:53:06She knitted them!
0:53:06 > 0:53:09Does it feel like an adult space? Does it feel like your space?
0:53:09 > 0:53:13It really feels... It just feels like you can rest.
0:53:13 > 0:53:17We'll just go, "Oh, the day is behind us."
0:53:22 > 0:53:24It's now up to Sophie and Daniel
0:53:24 > 0:53:28to decide who has impressed them the most.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30All the designers can do is wait.
0:53:30 > 0:53:35I don't think stress levels enabled me to do any better in that room
0:53:35 > 0:53:38but I'm most proud of just actually getting it finished on time
0:53:38 > 0:53:40and I just hope the judges like it.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43I'd love to go all the way into the final, you know.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46I'm not your average painter and decorator,
0:53:46 > 0:53:48there's more to me than just that.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53Oh, it's been brilliant. I want to do it again!
0:53:56 > 0:54:00So judges, how did our designers do in suburbia?
0:54:00 > 0:54:04Well, it's not been without its dramas, that's for sure.
0:54:04 > 0:54:09All our designers have found it a particularly challenging process.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13- Did Paula get her act together after her presentation?- Yeah, she did.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16She's created a beautiful interior which the client loves
0:54:16 > 0:54:19and I have to say, I rather liked it too.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21She's actually going to put a colour on the walls!
0:54:21 > 0:54:24It was clean, it was crisp and it was also very grown-up.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27I like the fact that she was blending both rustic
0:54:27 > 0:54:29and streamlined together.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32It was a fusion of two different styles and she pulled it off.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35How did Johnny do? Well, he had great ambitions, didn't he?
0:54:35 > 0:54:37Exactly, it was very exciting what he was doing.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39It was very innovative.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42what we see very typically is chimney breast,
0:54:42 > 0:54:45matching store cupboards and floating shelves above.
0:54:45 > 0:54:49And I've never really seen anybody go completely asymmetric on it.
0:54:49 > 0:54:53It challenged lots of questions about how to deal with a room
0:54:53 > 0:54:58that is integrated with another and yet not. Loved it.
0:54:58 > 0:54:59Helen.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02Yeah, out of all the designers she didn't have to build or
0:55:02 > 0:55:04design any bespoke furniture, she took the walls from a
0:55:04 > 0:55:06soft yellow to a soft cream,
0:55:06 > 0:55:09so that's not a very large transformation.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11But it did look absolutely beautiful.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Her cushions are really lovely,
0:55:13 > 0:55:16she's put an interesting blend of different fabrics together,
0:55:16 > 0:55:19and that is something Bev wouldn't have done herself.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21We've got a very middle-of-the-road design,
0:55:21 > 0:55:23but actually for the right reasons.
0:55:23 > 0:55:27She's moved that client one step further to having something which is
0:55:27 > 0:55:31more individualistic than she had, so she's handled it really well.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33So, a tricky one this time for you two.
0:55:40 > 0:55:45So, designers, I hope you've enjoyed your adventure in '30s suburbia,
0:55:45 > 0:55:47you've all worked incredibly hard.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50It's been great, absolutely great, real experience.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53I have to say, Daniel and I have particularly loved seeing
0:55:53 > 0:55:56the transformations you've created for all three families,
0:55:56 > 0:56:00who all absolutely love what you've done for them.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03Well, these two have deliberated long and hard, haven't you?
0:56:04 > 0:56:06But they've made a decision.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09Which of you three is going to go through to the next round?
0:56:11 > 0:56:14And that designer...is Johnny.
0:56:14 > 0:56:18- What?- Well done.- What? Really?
0:56:18 > 0:56:23- Fantastic.- Well done, darling. - Oh, that's brilliant!
0:56:23 > 0:56:26Honestly, I didn't expect that, I really didn't.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31That's amazing!
0:56:31 > 0:56:34Secretly you do want to win, but there is a
0:56:34 > 0:56:37great sense of relief that I don't actually have to do it all again.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39- Do you like it? - I absolutely love it.
0:56:39 > 0:56:43I'm so happy with my room, and I'm just over the moon
0:56:43 > 0:56:44that Bev loves it.
0:56:46 > 0:56:50I really want a very large glass of wine
0:56:50 > 0:56:53and a good night's sleep.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56Aw, cool!
0:56:58 > 0:56:59I'm shocked.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04- I like these.- Wow!
0:57:04 > 0:57:07- I love it, thank you. - Do you really?
0:57:07 > 0:57:09- Thank you so much. - I've got a tear in me eye now.
0:57:13 > 0:57:18We chose Johnny because we felt that he had the raw talent,
0:57:18 > 0:57:23and he actually really redesigned the space in that home.
0:57:23 > 0:57:24Lovely meeting you girls.
0:57:24 > 0:57:28'When Johnny does his next room, I want to see a completed room.'
0:57:28 > 0:57:32He's got lots of potential, but if he doesn't manage that process
0:57:32 > 0:57:34then he's not going to go anywhere.
0:57:34 > 0:57:37It means a lot, it really does mean a lot.
0:57:37 > 0:57:41I want to pull it off, I want to get into the final and, erm...
0:57:44 > 0:57:47..you know...that's it.
0:57:50 > 0:57:53It's easy to dismiss suburban architecture for a lack
0:57:53 > 0:57:56of sophistication, but the fact is we won't build homes like this
0:57:56 > 0:58:00for such generosity of space and so well, for some time to come.
0:58:00 > 0:58:03In the '30s these were dream homes, and they still are today,
0:58:03 > 0:58:07especially now our designers have added their sophisticated touches.
0:58:07 > 0:58:09They remain perfect for the modern family -
0:58:09 > 0:58:11close to the city, but a world away.
0:58:14 > 0:58:17Next time, Grand Regency homes.
0:58:17 > 0:58:19They're designed to pull a lot of light in with those
0:58:19 > 0:58:22big bay windows, and yet we've been safe with beige.
0:58:22 > 0:58:25But Regency dimensions mean a huge task.
0:58:25 > 0:58:29Panic-stricken a little bit, it's not what I needed right now.