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 > 0:00:12to terraced housing and tower blocks.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14But when it comes to interior design,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17we don't always make the best of the rooms we live in.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24So we're asking 24 amateur designers who believe they have got
0:00:24 > 0:00:26what it takes to be the next big thing in interiors
0:00:26 > 0:00:28to show us how it should be done.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32We'll travel across the country and through the ages -
0:00:32 > 0:00:34to Victorian avenues,
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Art Deco cul-de-sacs
0:00:36 > 0:00:39and Regency squares.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Each time, three would-be designers
0:00:43 > 0:00:46take on similar rooms in three neighbouring homes.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49I don't really hate it, but I'm not sure.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53I haven't upholstered cat beds before.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This is going really well.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Across eight heats, they'll compete for a place in the quarterfinals.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Judging them are designer
0:01:01 > 0:01:04and President Elect of the British Institute of Interior Design,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Daniel Hopwood...
0:01:06 > 0:01:09The really great designers have a level of flexibility
0:01:09 > 0:01:11and they can work round a client
0:01:11 > 0:01:13and can 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 > 0:01:25Now it's their imaginations and design skills
0:01:25 > 0:01:28that'll determine who'll come out on top.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39This time, our amateur designers will be making over one room each
0:01:39 > 0:01:43in three Regency era properties, here on Brighton's iconic seafront.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47Each of our three designers will work to their homeowner's brief
0:01:47 > 0:01:49in similar rooms.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Panic stricken a little bit, it's not what I needed right now.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53I'm exhausted!
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Yes!
0:01:55 > 0:01:58But only one of them can go through to the next round.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01I love the pop of pink, that's great.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03If she doesn't get those cabinets painted,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06- that whole scheme just falls to bits.- Yeah.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08The judges have had to make a decision
0:02:08 > 0:02:09about which of the three of you
0:02:09 > 0:02:12shows the potential to go forward to new challenges.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23The Regency period in the early 19th century
0:02:23 > 0:02:27was a time of refined and elegant architecture across Britain.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Some of the finest examples are in Brighton where the Prince Regent
0:02:33 > 0:02:35himself made his second home.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38And where he led, many followed.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43When the Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46investment money was freed up, creating a housing boom
0:02:46 > 0:02:49and Brighton was transformed, cementing its status
0:02:49 > 0:02:52as a fashionable playground for the rich and famous.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Most buildings in Brighton reflected a neo-Classical taste,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03like this - Regency Square - constructed from 1818
0:03:03 > 0:03:06and one of the very first squares built in Brighton.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11The Square may look respectable today,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15but 200 years ago, its residents indulged in the spirit of Brighton,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18encouraged by Prince Regent,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20leading Jane Austen to observe in a letter to a friend,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23"Here is a scene of dissipation and vice
0:03:23 > 0:03:27"and I begin already to find my morals corrupted."
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Now, three residents of the Square are putting their Regency homes
0:03:35 > 0:03:37in the hands of our amateur designers.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43I remember wanting to decorate my own bedroom when I was 12 years old,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46probably quite a strange thing for a 12-year-old boy to want to do.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50I went from The Jungle Book wallpaper to all bright orange.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54I've always had an interest in sewing and making things myself,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57so I started a little market stall making cushions and I definitely
0:03:57 > 0:04:00see a future for myself in design. I think that's the way forward,
0:04:00 > 0:04:01that's where I want to go.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04My whole life has sort of led towards this point.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11My interest in interior design has really come from my mum,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13she's always created a really lovely,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16comfortable family home to be in.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Having children, you just become at their mercy
0:04:20 > 0:04:24and I would really love to be doing something for myself.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29I'm very competitive by nature, so I'm always up for a challenge.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36I have the ability to walk into a room and see what's wrong
0:04:36 > 0:04:38and try and rectify it.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43I didn't really discover until I was 28 what I liked and didn't like,
0:04:43 > 0:04:48but it's not until I started going around the antique markets,
0:04:48 > 0:04:53picking up the older stuff, it's the French farmhouse look I really like.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57If I can bring that sense of being proud of your home
0:04:57 > 0:04:59to other people, that must be a great thing.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03And if I win, yeah, fantastic, how lovely would that be?!
0:05:05 > 0:05:09They'll each have £1,200 and 48 hours spread over three days,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13to create a new look room for their first ever clients.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20The first property belongs to Julie.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23She bought this former hotel 18 months ago
0:05:23 > 0:05:25to turn into a family home.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30We took on quite a lot, but we're so lucky to have got
0:05:30 > 0:05:32a whole Regency house.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Julie wants the unused raised ground floor
0:05:36 > 0:05:40to become a formal open plan sitting and dining room.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44The thing that I really like is Regency Hollywood.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49The Regency look, but still with that bling - glitzy, glamorous.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Judges Daniel and Sophie want to assess the potential of each room
0:05:55 > 0:05:57the designers will work in.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02I've seen some pretty expensive places in my time,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05but it's very, very rare that you get a nice bit of architecture,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08nice bit of scale, lovely little details.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12What is really lovely is the architraves.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Now what tells me this is Regency
0:06:16 > 0:06:17is the flatness
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and then the raised moulding, that's quite special.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23This originally would have been what's called the parlour.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25This would be where you received people,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28so they'd have calling cards and they'd arrange to meet
0:06:28 > 0:06:31and you'd sit in here and have a little tea and a chat.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34The first floor would be the main, what's called the drawing room,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36or as it was called, the withdrawing room,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39because you withdrew from the dining room and went upstairs.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42OK, but that's not really I imagine how this homeowner's going to
0:06:42 > 0:06:45want to use it now, they're going to want this to be their living room.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48I know this homeowner. She's just had these curtains quite newly put in.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51- I think she wants to keep them. - Really? Yeah?
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Fairly nice, neutral colour, I guess, for our designer to work with.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57But what I'm pleased to see she's done is she's put the track
0:06:57 > 0:06:59all the way to the edge and that's a nice little tip
0:06:59 > 0:07:03if you're wanting to maximise the amount of sunlight in your room.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Make sure the curtains, when they're drawn, pull all the way back,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09I think the brief is Hollywood, Regency, glamour,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- which is quite fun. - Ooof! It could work, that, actually.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18Charged with bringing a touch of Regency glamour to this bare shell
0:07:18 > 0:07:20is 30-year-old former actor, Jordan.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25The designers have all had a week to come up with a design plan,
0:07:25 > 0:07:29but this will be the first meeting with the homeowner in person.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33So, Julie, these are my plans for your space.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35- Oh, wow!- During the briefing,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Sophie and Daniel will be judging the designers on how well
0:07:38 > 0:07:42they present their design, how they form their client relationship,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45and how adaptable they are to their client's needs.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48How would you define Hollywood Regency for you?
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Well, I think you've actually encapsulated it on this particular
0:07:51 > 0:07:55thing here, the idea of glass and I can see the grey, fantastic.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58The grey and muted tones, I think, are going to work amazingly in here
0:07:58 > 0:08:01with the fireplace and the curtains that you have already.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- I've got that downstairs, I love that colour.- Ah, have you?
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Really, really good neutral, but got some warmth to it,
0:08:06 > 0:08:08so it's going to feel comfortable and relaxing.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11The layout's not going to change too much. I'm still going to keep
0:08:11 > 0:08:14one half of the room as the dining room and this half as a sitting room.
0:08:14 > 0:08:15And what about the floor?
0:08:15 > 0:08:20The floor we're going to carpet, a really pale, smart carpet
0:08:20 > 0:08:23throughout the whole space. It's going to look very elegant.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27OK, brilliant. Sounds good! No, no, it looks lovely.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Jordan's take on Hollywood Regency is traditional,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33with dark grey panelling on the lower walls,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36relying on key pieces to deliver the glamour.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39The mural that you can see here, I've got a big plan for that
0:08:39 > 0:08:41on one of the walls, so I won't tell you which one,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43not this particular mural, but along those lines.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Fantastic. Well, I'm excited to see the end product.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49Yeah, I can't wait to get started on it. The space is amazing.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52That seemed to go, on the surface, really well.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54It was very quick though, wasn't it?
0:08:54 > 0:08:56I think they were just being a bit polite with each other.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58I didn't feel that they got into those mood boards
0:08:58 > 0:09:01and discussed them and started working through them.
0:09:01 > 0:09:02I was concerned about that
0:09:02 > 0:09:05because she kept saying, "Oh, yes, how lovely, how lovely."
0:09:05 > 0:09:07They're talking the same language, aren't they?
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Maybe they have just really clicked.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Jordan now has three days, £1,200 and a builder
0:09:16 > 0:09:19to put the glamour back in this Regency home.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24I'm just knocking in the nail heads
0:09:24 > 0:09:28and obviously we need a flat smooth finish before we can lay underlay
0:09:28 > 0:09:30and carpet on top. We don't want any nails sticking up
0:09:30 > 0:09:34that's going to hurt anybody. Quite tedious, but very important.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39This home is one of only five remaining complete houses
0:09:39 > 0:09:42on the Square. Most have been divided into flats...
0:09:42 > 0:09:46like this property a few doors down.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48When converted, this first floor flat
0:09:48 > 0:09:52retained the vast double reception room as the main living area.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56It's home to Eric, Marta and their two daughters.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59I really like the size,
0:09:59 > 0:10:03because we've got two kids, so they've lots of space to play.
0:10:03 > 0:10:09However, we don't use this area very much. It's a bit of a dead space.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Being the first floor drawing room means it's a hallway's width bigger
0:10:15 > 0:10:17than the parlours below.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23This is beautiful. This is the grand first floor drawing room, isn't it?
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Have you seen the view? You can see the sea.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Out of these huge windows?
0:10:27 > 0:10:29In that period, you'd have an ornamental balcony,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31sort of Romeo and Juliet style,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34but you wouldn't particularly go out on it
0:10:34 > 0:10:36because people didn't sunbathe.
0:10:36 > 0:10:37The flat's rented,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40so the design must suit both the tenants and the landlord.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44The big crime in here is the pine fitted units.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48I would match it in very closely with the wall colour and this is
0:10:48 > 0:10:50really easy to do and the paint companies do the work for you.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54You can get those paint strips where you get the different shades
0:10:54 > 0:10:56of colour, literally go up or down a shade,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59rather than paint them a contrasting colour to the wall,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02where you're still going to really see them.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Taking on Eric and Marta's brief for a contemporary, minimal look
0:11:06 > 0:11:11is 37-year-old Alice, who trained as an art therapist.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13She's decided that now is the time
0:11:13 > 0:11:16to follow her dreams of becoming a designer.
0:11:16 > 0:11:21The first thing I felt about your home is to zone it off,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24because it's a really multi-functional space.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28We've got the lounge area, the dining area,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32the kids' area and the DJ work area.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37The dining room area, I just thought, so lucky to be able to sit here
0:11:37 > 0:11:40and have a balcony and these lovely windows.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45So, I'm going to keep it in this space, but I'm going to completely
0:11:45 > 0:11:49update it for you, so get you nice, new contemporary chairs.
0:11:49 > 0:11:56The kids' area, what I really want to do is take away that big table
0:11:56 > 0:12:00- and chairs and they like messy play, right?- Yes.- OK, good!
0:12:00 > 0:12:04My idea is to paint a big chalkboard on the wall,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08so that they can have just free playing on the chalkboard.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12So, the last area - DJing and working -
0:12:12 > 0:12:15leaving your DJ set-up as it is,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19but again, I'm just going to update that for you. I'm going to rip out
0:12:19 > 0:12:23the bottom bit, keep your shelf but then put really nice lockers.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27Alice's aim is to help the family use each corner of their room
0:12:27 > 0:12:30to maximum effect, and she's keeping the decor simple.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32I'm going to go all white walls,
0:12:32 > 0:12:37that's your kind of blank canvas and add some pops of colour.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39I know you're not so keen on bright colours,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41but you look beautiful in bright yellow.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44I'm going to change your mind about this!
0:12:44 > 0:12:49I'm an amateur, so I'm kind of just working from what I know and do.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52I don't know how a professional interior designer would have
0:12:52 > 0:12:56presented the mood board, designed the mood board, I've got no idea.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59She's really thought about how they're going to use that space
0:12:59 > 0:13:02with the work and the children and relaxing adult time
0:13:02 > 0:13:04and she's creating these different areas.
0:13:04 > 0:13:05I thought that was really thoughtful,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08but then I wanted to know what's it going to look like?
0:13:08 > 0:13:11I would have liked to have seen those areas on a plan.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15That's where you start an interior design, the spatial planning,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- and there was nothing there.- Sketch it out for them.- Sketch it out.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24I'm ready, I have the equipment,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27It's all going to happen from this moment on.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Because the grand drawing room
0:13:30 > 0:13:33is larger than the other ground floor rooms,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Alice has a lot of painting to do.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Oh, look! Oh, I'm wedged in!
0:13:43 > 0:13:46The third room is on the raised ground floor
0:13:46 > 0:13:48in a house down the street.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50It's being used as a kitchen and dining room.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Trix has lived here for 15 years.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57I've never felt quite satisfied with it. The floor, for example,
0:13:57 > 0:14:02I've never felt the floor, having half carpet and half the floor wood,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05really looks very nice. It doesn't feel like one room.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11My first reaction with this room is that I really love the colour.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13We've got this fantastic cherry wood dining table,
0:14:13 > 0:14:17and if you put that...opposite side of the spectrum is this lovely
0:14:17 > 0:14:20sort of deep blue sea green and they really work together.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24They've hit on quite close to a very good Regency colour.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28During that period, they loved these sort of apple emerald greens,
0:14:28 > 0:14:32puce... Great word puce. Very few people know what puce looks like -
0:14:32 > 0:14:35it's sort of like a pale blood colour.
0:14:35 > 0:14:36..yellows,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40they were just discovering ways of using chemicals to create
0:14:40 > 0:14:42very, very strong colours and they got excited about it.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45This is an old period house,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48but actually, for modern day living it's great. You've got a lovely,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52big, well-planned, spacious kitchen onto quite a good sized dining room.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Yeah, it works well.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57In fact, actually what they've done is pulled the kitchen
0:14:57 > 0:14:59up onto the raised ground floor from the basement,
0:14:59 > 0:15:03because, of course, kitchens were originally down there.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05The owners of the house would not use them,
0:15:05 > 0:15:06even in the smallest of houses,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08they would have had staff who would have run the kitchen.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10I'm going to be really interested
0:15:10 > 0:15:13to see what our designer's got planned for this.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18There are different things you can do but this isn't a very expensive kitchen,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21I don't think anybody would mind if you painted it, for example.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26- Right.- I did a kitchen once - I put wallpaper inside the Shaker panels.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29- Yeah.- Couple of coats of varnish on top so it's really durable
0:15:29 > 0:15:33and it was a few pounds to do, it was a really cheap weekend project.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36There's an awful lot to do here, there's a whole floor to lay,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38that's going to be really time-consuming.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42If they're going to be painting cabinets, I'm a bit worried.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Taking on the challenge of this space is 44-year-old Jenny
0:15:45 > 0:15:48who's taking a break from the family soap-making business to try
0:15:48 > 0:15:51and make it as an interior designer.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54The brief was your natural colours that you've said,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57so we've chosen this for your dining room which will give it
0:15:57 > 0:16:01more of a formal look and this one for your kitchen.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06I'm going to probably paint-effect the cupboards for you.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10Where this frame has been painted and distressed and aged, I'm going
0:16:10 > 0:16:17- to do on the cupboards and that's got a nice rustic feel about it.- OK!
0:16:17 > 0:16:21What I've tried to do is work with the natural materials
0:16:21 > 0:16:24- and texture, as well.- Mmm.- I'm very much into, like you said,
0:16:24 > 0:16:30- the natural linens with a little bit of luxury and interest.- Interest, yes.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Jenny's plan is to create a rustic, French-country kitchen
0:16:35 > 0:16:40with a brown colour scheme and new wood-effect floor.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44- Is this laminate?- It's laminate, but it's a very good quality one,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46so it's not something you'll be disappointed with
0:16:46 > 0:16:48- It's quite durable? - It's very durable.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52It's actually a major thing, is to have one type of flooring.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55That's where the major budget went,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and I think the wood grain will pick up all your old wood as well.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Excellent presentation, I love the mood board, very tactile.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Because it was on that frame and everything, which was super.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Yeah, I thought she put a lot of care into it.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11But I just felt that the design was going a little bit more mundane.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13- A bit beige.- A bit beige.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16- Well, it all just looked very bland. - Yeah.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21And it seems homeowner Trix also has concerns about the colour.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23I like that one.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Which room would you put it in?
0:17:25 > 0:17:27This room rather than this brown?
0:17:27 > 0:17:28Probably this...
0:17:28 > 0:17:30OK, so if we get that and that colour,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33when you put it with that blue it makes that grey.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36You're right.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38You actually lose the beautiful fabric.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42- You're right, yeah. Yeah OK, no, you've convinced me.- Yeah.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49With Trix persuaded, work is now under way in all three rooms.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53The designers are creating
0:17:53 > 0:17:55VERY different looks in each of the interiors.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00And on the outside, these Regency houses
0:18:00 > 0:18:03aren't all as alike as they may first appear.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05This was one of the earliest squares in Brighton
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and in many ways it helped shape the rest of the city.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12In the early 1800s, architects were just beginning to be recognised
0:18:12 > 0:18:15as professionals at exactly the moment that this city
0:18:15 > 0:18:19was rapidly expanding. So, the architect William Mackie,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21as soon he finished his design, he hopped off to the next one
0:18:21 > 0:18:24and left the builders to finish off the job.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27But with builders' whims, investors' opinions
0:18:27 > 0:18:31and corners being cut, the finished buildings were far less uniform.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35Even on this one terrace, you've got three completely different designs.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Some have got bow fronts right up the top, others haven't.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Some have got canopies, others have got nothing at all.
0:18:41 > 0:18:42It's all a complete mishmash.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48While Mackie's vision wasn't properly realised,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52other architects used it as a prototype for their own designs
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and Brighton's seafront is lined with even grander squares
0:18:55 > 0:18:57built in the Regency heyday.
0:19:01 > 0:19:02And it's the Regency spirit
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Jordan is trying to capture in his design scheme.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10It looks really good, even if I do say so myself.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13It's a relief, not that I didn't have complete faith in myself.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18While each of our designers' rooms are similar in size, they have
0:19:18 > 0:19:22different requirements on how their £1,200 budget should be spent.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Jordan's bare shell of a room means
0:19:25 > 0:19:29he's prioritising his budget on updating the floor and walls.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32What are your plans for the mural? Really intrigued about that idea.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34I'm really excited about it myself.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36It's going into that half of the room,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40it's like a wallpaper and it's a Regency conservatory scene
0:19:40 > 0:19:43so it's got little people and loads of big tropical plants.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46They usually cost a fortune, don't they?
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Yeah, they're not cheap, it's a hefty chunk of my budget
0:19:48 > 0:19:51but it's going to look phenomenal, it really is, I hope.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53HE CHUCKLES
0:19:53 > 0:19:58The mural cost Jordan £250, and he's ordered it in advance.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00The mural looks quite smart.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Oh, right, beg to differ.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06No, I like that, and I love the way he's being quite bold and courageous.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08I'm going to put this away safely now.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19In Jordan's immaculate South London home, his love of interiors is self-evident.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Coming home should be like putting on your favourite record and, I think,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26that's really important, it should be a feeling as well as a visual.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28My father-in-law invested in a hotel,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32he asked my partner and I actually to do two bedrooms there
0:20:32 > 0:20:35so it was a real opportunity to experiment and learn a huge amount
0:20:35 > 0:20:38about interiors in quite a small space of time.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Lovely, thank you very much.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Nowadays, Jordan and his partner run a coffee shop.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47It's a really cute small place, really vintage style,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50very different to my home which is quite contemporary.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54I really would love to be a professional interior designer.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56I think this could be it for me.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03This is one of Julie's original pieces from the room, a Rococo mirror
0:21:03 > 0:21:06which works brilliantly in the Hollywood Regency style.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Rococo was a popular style during the decades leading up to the
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Regency era...
0:21:13 > 0:21:16..but as ornate pieces fell out of fashion,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19the clean-edged lines of Regency became all the rage.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25Rococo has lots of details. A piece like this I would generally spray
0:21:25 > 0:21:31but I couldn't get a spray of the same paint as the walls.
0:21:31 > 0:21:32We could have used a spray gun
0:21:32 > 0:21:36but for a piece this size I think it's just as quick for me
0:21:36 > 0:21:40to go at it for half an hour with a brush and get it done.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I'm going to have an aching wrist by the end of this mirror, I think.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Alice must be creative in her design,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54as the landlord has asked that features like some cupboards
0:21:54 > 0:21:57and the carpet remain, but she can make alterations.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Do you think we can just twizzle it round or would
0:22:00 > 0:22:02we have to turn the base round?
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Yeah, yeah. OK, hello! Brilliant!
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Her zoned design includes an area
0:22:09 > 0:22:12for part-time DJ Eric to keep his decks.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14So, what I'm going to do is keep the top,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16but rip out all of this
0:22:16 > 0:22:19and then I've got some nice lockers
0:22:19 > 0:22:23that he can lock away his vinyl so his kids can't get to it.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- Shall we take this off completely? - Yeah.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35Until now, the main outlet for Alice's passion for interiors
0:22:35 > 0:22:36has been her Lewes home.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40I haven't done any professional interior design anywhere else,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42really just my own home
0:22:42 > 0:22:45but I do have friends that come round who are like -
0:22:45 > 0:22:48"Oh, you didn't have a sofa there last week," or, "Oh, your room wasn't black last week,"
0:22:48 > 0:22:51because I'm always doing something new to the house.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Alice is a full-time mum,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58but any spare time she has is spent on the house.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03What I really love about interior design is you can change it
0:23:03 > 0:23:06over time, because my style changes with the seasons
0:23:06 > 0:23:11so I like the fact that everything's changeable.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14I just really believe in that kind of transformative feeling
0:23:14 > 0:23:15you can get.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21Transforming the lighting in this room is a true test of her creativity.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25My thinking is I've turned it upside-down
0:23:25 > 0:23:28because the light can then bounce right off the ceiling, OK,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31but I'm going to have to source some more shades.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Why?
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- Because, seriously?- Yes.- This is why.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39But they're the least of your worries at the moment, it's like decorating.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42You've got a lot of coverage to do because this dark red is going
0:23:42 > 0:23:45to bleed, you're going to need quite a few coats on that.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49- Yeah, it's going to be hopefully just two coats, hopefully.- Yeah.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54While Alice is hopeful, there's no doubt in Jenny's mind that
0:23:54 > 0:23:58persuading client Trix to go for brown was the right decision.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04What'll be quite nice is once this dark blue's gone,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06it'll actually make the room feel fresher.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10What do you think to this colour then?
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- This is the first coat.- That's nice.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17It's a bit different to the blue but I think it'll give a fresher look.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19- Time for change.- Yeah.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Mum of three Jenny lives in Devon
0:24:26 > 0:24:30where she's helped build the family soap business from scratch.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35I have a lovely life! I've got three shops so I have a lot to do with the
0:24:35 > 0:24:41design of what the shops look like, what the soap's decorated like.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44I think I have good taste, it's a personal taste to me
0:24:44 > 0:24:48but I think it's a very easy-going liveable taste.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52I like slate, wood, natural materials, I suppose.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55People don't realise that their live-in space could be improved
0:24:55 > 0:25:00just by moving some furniture around, just by changing the colour.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Jenny's passion for interiors started 20 years ago
0:25:07 > 0:25:10when she took a paint-effects course.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Now she plans to use her skills to achieve her rustic theme.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16You look a bit unsure.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19OK, what colour were you thinking of painting it?
0:25:19 > 0:25:22This colour, like the frame, do you remember the frame, of ageing it?
0:25:22 > 0:25:27- Yes.- It's just making the best of what you've got because it's lovely.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29- Yeah OK, all right.- OK?
0:25:29 > 0:25:30BOTH CHUCKLE
0:25:32 > 0:25:35I don't really understand why she's gone for all these
0:25:35 > 0:25:36putty beige colours.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39It's a Regency house and they're designed to pull
0:25:39 > 0:25:43a lot of light in with those big bay windows, they will soak in colour,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46they're designed for it, and yet we're being safe with beige.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52And by the end of the first day, Jenny is having doubts.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54My biggest fear is that it's safe,
0:25:54 > 0:25:59but what's the point of spending time doing a room if someone hates it?
0:26:02 > 0:26:05And she's not the only designer with worries.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10This is the second coat, I'm thinking it now might be
0:26:10 > 0:26:15three coats that we need, we really want it to be a nice strong white.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Still painting.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38It's day two.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42The designers have until lunchtime tomorrow to finish their rooms.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45After a busy first day, the floors have been ripped up
0:26:45 > 0:26:47and the painting's in full swing.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50But taking everything out has only gone to show
0:26:50 > 0:26:52just how big these Regency rooms are
0:26:52 > 0:26:55and how much work there still is for our designers to do.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00To make their £1,200 budget go further,
0:27:00 > 0:27:02the designers have to be creative.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Right, so let's have a look at this wardrobe.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06But Alice has been frugal furnishing her different zones
0:27:06 > 0:27:10and has found a £31 bargain for the kids' play area.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13This is my internet purchase.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16I'm just debating whether to keep this green colour on,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19this is the wallpaper that's going to go on there.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Is it going to go with the green or do I need to paint that?
0:27:25 > 0:27:30I'm going to do it, I don't like the green. It's going white.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Another thing to paint.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35The high ceilings and dimensions of her first-floor room mean
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Alice has been working her way through 25 litres of paint.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43You've covered the walls, that's quite a job, actually.
0:27:43 > 0:27:44- Yeah.- Have you been up all night?
0:27:44 > 0:27:45Yeah, and it's still going.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48I think I'm still going to have to do one more coat.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50And then these are being painted as well?
0:27:50 > 0:27:55OK, so these, I really want these painted but time restriction,
0:27:55 > 0:27:56we're just really up against it
0:27:56 > 0:27:59and I'm just not sure we've got the time so I said leave them
0:27:59 > 0:28:05until last because I just feel everything else is more important.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07We've got big eyes looking at you right now.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11- You can't leave them. - No.- They are a crime, I'm so sorry.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16I know! But the painting, I've got so much painting!
0:28:17 > 0:28:20She has got an enormous room there to paint.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Yeah, but she hasn't had a floor to lay down
0:28:23 > 0:28:25and the other two have had to get floors sorted.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27If she doesn't get those cabinets painted,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30- that whole scheme just falls to bits.- Yeah.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Jordan's two-tone colour scheme forms
0:28:35 > 0:28:38a line around the room above the panelling.
0:28:38 > 0:28:39To create a spacious feel,
0:28:39 > 0:28:43he wants that line to continue seamlessly across the furniture.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48I've masked off the darker grey line and I'm going to paint that in.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Blending the furniture into the walls will create
0:28:50 > 0:28:51an illusion of space.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55But, to work, the line must be precise.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00I've just done the second coat, so now I'm going to take the masking tape off
0:29:00 > 0:29:03and we should have a really clean line, fingers crossed.
0:29:04 > 0:29:05Boom.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Once the wet paint goes onto the tape it forms an adhesive,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11so it's best to remove it while the paint is still wet
0:29:11 > 0:29:14so that you get the cleanest line possible.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22Ta-da!
0:29:22 > 0:29:24So, Jordan seems really cool, calm and collected,
0:29:24 > 0:29:26painting everything two shades of grey.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Yeah, not 50 shades of grey but if it doesn't move
0:29:29 > 0:29:30he's painted it in grey, everything.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33Everything, and I really like what he's done with that cabinet,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36he's done it very nicely, he's got that line nice and neat
0:29:36 > 0:29:38because if you are going to do something like that,
0:29:38 > 0:29:40it's got to be millimetre perfect, hasn't it?
0:29:40 > 0:29:43But having focused on details,
0:29:43 > 0:29:47Jordan still has panelling to fix, the mural to hang and carpet to lay.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52A few doors down, Jenny's getting practical.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56It's going to be a work island, in the middle of the kitchen.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59So, before it was a piece that was blocking out
0:29:59 > 0:30:01the light of the window,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04where I think, actually, when we manoeuvre it in the kitchen,
0:30:04 > 0:30:09at the right position, which is probably about here,
0:30:09 > 0:30:14Trixy can then move from the sink to the cooker to chop...
0:30:16 > 0:30:18..and then to walk round.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22So yeah, no, chuffed with that. Chuffed, chuffed.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25But Jenny wants to make sure this unfitted kitchen fits with
0:30:25 > 0:30:27her rustic French scheme.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32You've started distressing it, is that the effect you're going for here?
0:30:32 > 0:30:35I have, I'm going for an aged effect.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38So this wax, this is just like a furniture polish, is it?
0:30:38 > 0:30:40You can get it in any DIY store...
0:30:40 > 0:30:43And any colours? Because you've gone for quite a dark colour there.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47I've gone for a dark colour cos I want that aged effect.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49So, you're really working the wax,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52sort of with the grain of the wood actually, isn't it?
0:30:52 > 0:30:54With the grain, and then what we tend to do is finish with
0:30:54 > 0:30:56a nought-grade wire wool.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00A lot of distressed furniture, especially ten years ago
0:31:00 > 0:31:03was really streaky and showing lots of the underneath colour,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06but this is actually a very subtle effect.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12These rooms have had many different changes of decorative style
0:31:12 > 0:31:15made to them over the past 200 years.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19But it's a different story outside.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21These houses are as fashionable today as they would have been
0:31:21 > 0:31:25when they were built and, though they were only listed in the 1970s,
0:31:25 > 0:31:28the original landowner had the forethought to put in place
0:31:28 > 0:31:31some rules that would protect the look of the square.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35A covenant stated that stucco plaster, a mixture of sand and lime,
0:31:35 > 0:31:37be kept below the balcony level,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40with yellow-coloured local brick on display above.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42In fact the brick is thought to be so local,
0:31:42 > 0:31:46it was cut from the land beneath our feet when the foundations were dug.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49SEAGULLS CALL
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Oh, it's nice to get a bit of sea air, ahhh!
0:31:55 > 0:31:58The designers are halfway through their challenge.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04And Jordan needs to start some of the bigger
0:32:04 > 0:32:06jobs on his Hollywood Regency theme.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08We're just clearing the room,
0:32:08 > 0:32:12the carpet is going to be fitted in about 20 minutes' time
0:32:12 > 0:32:14so we need to clear the space completely,
0:32:14 > 0:32:16which is quite nice actually
0:32:16 > 0:32:20because it'll be the first time I've seen it completely clear...
0:32:20 > 0:32:23And I think the carpet's going to bring it all together.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28But there's a problem.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31You know this carpet's too small, don't you?
0:32:31 > 0:32:35No, how much too small is it?
0:32:35 > 0:32:39You've ordered 8 metres, and I've got 8 metres to here.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Right, let me go and find somebody.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47They've just measured the carpet and it appears to be about
0:32:47 > 0:32:52half-a-metre short, which could be a complete catastrophe.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Panic stricken a little bit, it's not what I needed right now.
0:32:58 > 0:32:59Oh, God.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11Down the street, queen of the paint-effect Jenny
0:33:11 > 0:33:14is in her element ageing the kitchen.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Look at this, it's picked up the grain,
0:33:16 > 0:33:20it's going to make these cupboards not look as cheap as they are.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27And it'll match the flooring so I'm glad I opened me tin.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30It's lime wax so what it'll do is just bring the colour out,
0:33:30 > 0:33:35it'll take the yellowness out of the wood
0:33:35 > 0:33:38and actually make the cupboards stand out a bit more.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Oh, I like it when it goes well!
0:33:55 > 0:33:58I think 6.99 well spent.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03But Jenny may have got a little carried away.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05What I've just realised is that I was actually going to run past
0:34:05 > 0:34:10with Trix whether she would like the lime-wash effect,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13but as I'm now into the design quite a bit,
0:34:13 > 0:34:15I've actually gone with my own gut instinct
0:34:15 > 0:34:17and gone ahead and done them.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21I think the client needs to be led, they have a comfort zone,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24and as a designer, it's nice to push those boundaries.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27Fingers crossed Trixy wants to cross those boundaries with me...
0:34:27 > 0:34:29SHE LAUGHS
0:34:29 > 0:34:32..otherwise I'm going to be a bit in trouble!
0:34:34 > 0:34:38She's about to find out as Trix arrives home.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40If you look at this one here.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Oh, yes, fantastic.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- This one, that is how the effect will look.- Yes.
0:34:45 > 0:34:46That's really nice.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49Yeah. Oh, that's good because I trusted my judgment.
0:34:49 > 0:34:50Amazing.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Oh, I'm pleased you're pleased!
0:34:52 > 0:34:54You're pleased, I'm pleased.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56- See you later.- Thank you.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03Alice's contemporary design is all about zoning,
0:35:03 > 0:35:07and she's making sure she designs areas for all the family.
0:35:08 > 0:35:13Chalkboard paint is a really cheap, good way of just having
0:35:13 > 0:35:17one dedicated space that the kids can get creative on.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Not everybody has a room that they can dedicate to a playroom
0:35:21 > 0:35:25so if you can, try and paint one of your walls
0:35:25 > 0:35:29either in your kitchen, or your living room or the hallway.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32A small tin costs £10
0:35:32 > 0:35:38and to get more colour into the room Alice has an old-school technique.
0:35:38 > 0:35:39I'm going to get crafty...
0:35:39 > 0:35:43So, what we've got here is a very nice juicy potato.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47Alice is planning to create an original canvas
0:35:47 > 0:35:51by potato printing onto cloth with neon acrylic paint.
0:35:51 > 0:35:52Fingers...
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Splodge that on there.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00What I do recommend first is just having a little practice go.
0:36:00 > 0:36:06I have to think about what pattern I'm going to do.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08I've just done it wrong!
0:36:10 > 0:36:14The bits that haven't come out, I'm just going to dot them in.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20Very tempted to cut this straight into chips, pop it with
0:36:20 > 0:36:25a bit of oil in the frying pan, about 200 degrees Fahrenheit?
0:36:26 > 0:36:29I don't want it to look perfect, it is supposed to be...
0:36:29 > 0:36:33to kind of go with the style and the colour of the fabric,
0:36:33 > 0:36:37nice and uneven. It's basically a DIY piece of art.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40It's going to look great.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46Alice may feel optimistic about her artwork,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48but she does have other concerns.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51It's just a few more little tweaks,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54again it's these wall lights are causing me a bit of a stress.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55Any solution on those?
0:36:55 > 0:37:00Yes, I did manage to find a round glass ball which goes with
0:37:00 > 0:37:03the contemporary feel but I'm tempted to spray-paint them
0:37:03 > 0:37:05a colour because then they are going to be all white.
0:37:05 > 0:37:06Just do it.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10- I don't know, I don't know if that would be a bit too much. - No, never too much.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13- There's a lot of wall lights, there's six.- Yeah, yeah.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15I think you've got to punch some colour
0:37:15 > 0:37:20and design in here to stop it just all being one big lovely white room.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25After discovering the carpet measurements were wrong,
0:37:25 > 0:37:27Jordan needs to order more.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31So they roll it out to see how much extra they need.
0:37:31 > 0:37:32Pretty close, you know.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34I guess, at that...
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Looks like we've got an end of the roll so the people have left
0:37:37 > 0:37:41the extra metre on the end of the roll and that's saved our day.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45It's been measured short but just through chance there's enough.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50You got an end-of-roll piece of carpet... So we're fixed...
0:37:50 > 0:37:51through luck.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Oh, my God, we lucked out, thank you so much,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57you're like my guardian angel.
0:37:57 > 0:37:58HE LAUGHS
0:38:09 > 0:38:12The new carpet has cost around £340,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15so he's using a clever but cheap alternative to create
0:38:15 > 0:38:18the illusion of panelling with strips of wood.
0:38:18 > 0:38:19I've got this in my own home,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22and once he's painted one colour, it just gives that impression
0:38:22 > 0:38:26of a panelled room, and I think it's going to look quite luxurious.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29Oh, look he's got his knuckles out, Jordan.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30LAUGHTER
0:38:30 > 0:38:35With panelling, you'll find it's usually best to have a little
0:38:35 > 0:38:39- less space at the top and a little more on the bottom.- Ah.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42There is, in classical architecture, that's how it works,
0:38:42 > 0:38:47there's a ratio, it'll visually balance it, it'll look a bit fake, if not.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49OK, cool. Thanks for that.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52I'm just not sure about all this glue-on moulding thing, you know.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54It's a bit naff.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57It's the wrong period too, it's actually quite Georgian
0:38:57 > 0:39:00rather than Regency, they were more panelled rooms then.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07With so much changing inside these rooms...
0:39:08 > 0:39:12..it's reassuring to know some things outside remain the same.
0:39:14 > 0:39:15It's easy to walk down a street
0:39:15 > 0:39:18and miss those telltale signs that show us how we used to live.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20This looks like a manhole cover
0:39:20 > 0:39:23but it's outside lots of the homes on this street.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26In fact, it's a coal hole, coal used to be delivered from the street,
0:39:26 > 0:39:30down a chute, into the basement of each individual property.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Also, notice how the pavement suddenly changes here,
0:39:34 > 0:39:38that's because originally this was a passageway to stables at the back,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42shared by all the houses, made into a complete home in the 1990s.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52To give the judges a benchmark of all three designers' talents,
0:39:52 > 0:39:56they've set an extra challenge to customise a Regency bust
0:39:56 > 0:39:58and include it in their scheme.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01Oh sweetheart, let's go and get rid of your acne.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05They're all relying on their signature looks.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07Alice gets her chalkboard paint out.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09I like the drips, right down her nose!
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Jordan is getting precise.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18I'm going to undercoat it and I'm going to spray the top half in gold.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20While Jenny's distressing.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22She's better olive, isn't she?
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Oh...!
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Day two is drawing to a close.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Tomorrow the judges will decide which amateur
0:40:36 > 0:40:39shows enough promise to go through to the next round.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41And Alice is relying on all the help she can get.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46I've roped in Eric to help with the dreaded pine cabinets.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50Aren't I lucky I've got a really nice homeowner?
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Tomorrow it'll be the mural, I'm really excited, actually,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58it's going to be fantastic, it's sort of the piece de la resistance!
0:41:01 > 0:41:05I thought the designer would come in and go, "Oh, put that over there, please."
0:41:05 > 0:41:09And, "Yes, I'll have that," and, "Darling, doesn't that look wonderful!"
0:41:09 > 0:41:11I don't like painting any more!
0:41:15 > 0:41:19I'm exhausted, it's completely dark, I've got to go to bed.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Today's the day the rooms will be finished
0:41:28 > 0:41:31and seen by the residents. Then they'll give crucial feedback
0:41:31 > 0:41:35to the judges, who'll decide who goes through to the quarterfinals.
0:41:38 > 0:41:39Good morning!
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Jordan has left hanging the dramatic centrepiece for the whole room
0:41:44 > 0:41:47until just hours before his deadline.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49It will have a huge amount of impact,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52everything else is quite simple and subtle.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55The pressure's on a little bit, I'm feeling a bit nervous this morning.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58It comes in four separate metre-wide panels.
0:42:00 > 0:42:01Oh, my God, I'm so excited.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04HE LAUGHS
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Heavy-duty wallpaper paste is applied to the wall
0:42:06 > 0:42:10and the mural can be positioned while the paste is still wet.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13You don't get a second chance.
0:42:13 > 0:42:14Yep, one shot.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20It's crucial that the first piece is absolutely vertical
0:42:20 > 0:42:22or all four panels will be wrong.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24It's all been building up to this moment,
0:42:24 > 0:42:27it sounds really cheesy but, yeah, it's making me smile a lot.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29HE LAUGHS
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Alice has finally finished painting her room a brilliant white.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Now she wants to get some colour into the scheme.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Which way is the wind blowing? That way, isn't it?
0:42:41 > 0:42:45I'm going to put some gaffer tape down so that when
0:42:45 > 0:42:50I've finished spray painting, the glass ball won't stick to the paper.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54Test patch.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58That looks fine, and you just need to do thin layers
0:42:58 > 0:43:01so don't go mad on your first layer because it will run,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04it will look heavy, it just won't work.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10And just keep shaking it every now and again as you're going along.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15Looks like a big bit of bubble gum.
0:43:15 > 0:43:16SHE CHUCKLES
0:43:18 > 0:43:21Just go down...yes.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24Oh, my God!
0:43:26 > 0:43:30Alice has kept down costs with £5 lampshades.
0:43:30 > 0:43:31Here it is...
0:43:31 > 0:43:35And she's commissioned a family portrait for just £30
0:43:35 > 0:43:36to personalise the room.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39I'm going to be really, really super careful with this
0:43:39 > 0:43:41because this is really special.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49That's really, really lovely.
0:43:51 > 0:43:55And for Eric's DJ zone, she's creating some pop art.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58I've asked Eric because he, obviously loves his music,
0:43:58 > 0:44:02to choose four of his favourite album covers that I can frame.
0:44:02 > 0:44:08It's a really nice, easy way of doing it.
0:44:08 > 0:44:11Look, that looks great!
0:44:11 > 0:44:15But not all of her handiwork is making it into the scheme.
0:44:15 > 0:44:20Potato painting, I've kind of put it to one side,
0:44:20 > 0:44:22in fact, I've put it in my bag, I'm just going to forget it
0:44:22 > 0:44:25because it's just looking a bit shoddy.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30Down the street, Jenny's found something else to give
0:44:30 > 0:44:33the rustic paint-effect treatment to.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37Not too fussed if some of the original basket is showing
0:44:37 > 0:44:41on the outside, because I think that that's quite nice, but I certainly
0:44:41 > 0:44:46want the paint to have a bit of depth rather than just a wash.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49So, two coats will have to be given.
0:44:52 > 0:44:57I just don't want it to look bland, that's my fear.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01But I actually quite like it bland, so that's also not a fear.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05But whether it's enough impact...?
0:45:06 > 0:45:08That's the bottom.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11That should be the very top of the dado rail, basically.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14Jordan's struggling to get his picture perfect.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17We're just moving the whole image up about an inch,
0:45:17 > 0:45:21when the second piece went on which has got these two gentleman,
0:45:21 > 0:45:23I planned for them to be standing on the dado rail,
0:45:23 > 0:45:25and when we put the second piece up,
0:45:25 > 0:45:27we were probably going to chop them off at the ankle.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30I'm such a perfectionist, I would have noticed it,
0:45:30 > 0:45:32anyone else probably wouldn't have picked up on it
0:45:32 > 0:45:35coming into the room, but just... when you've got something
0:45:35 > 0:45:38in your head a certain way, it's just nice to follow it through.
0:45:40 > 0:45:45The amateur designers have had £1,200 and three days
0:45:45 > 0:45:48to make these tired rooms fit for their Regency heritage.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53I'm ready to start dressing and getting my zones in order
0:45:53 > 0:45:55but some of the paint is still wet.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58It will be up to Sophie and Daniel to decide who has
0:45:58 > 0:46:01fulfilled their client's brief the best.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04What was that rule he was saying yesterday?
0:46:04 > 0:46:08The gap at the top should be bigger than the gap at the bottom?
0:46:08 > 0:46:11And all three are racing to finish.
0:46:12 > 0:46:16Dining area, flowers, vase, chairs, curtains, done.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21DJ area, bust, done.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24I'm feeling a little bit flustered.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28Well, I know I've done my best, whether it's enough, I'm not sure.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30Kids' area, rug, yes.
0:46:33 > 0:46:34SHE WHIMPERS
0:46:34 > 0:46:35Hey...
0:46:40 > 0:46:43First to be judged is Jordan's design -
0:46:43 > 0:46:46a glamorous Hollywood take on Regency style.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55Three days ago, this was a neglected dumping ground
0:46:55 > 0:46:57with no flooring and tatty walls.
0:47:13 > 0:47:17Now, it's completely transformed with brand-new carpet...
0:47:18 > 0:47:21..painted panel-effect walls...
0:47:23 > 0:47:25..and updated vintage pieces.
0:47:27 > 0:47:31Jordan kept colours restrained using two shades of grey,
0:47:31 > 0:47:34allowing key pieces of mirrored furniture
0:47:34 > 0:47:36and that mural to stand out.
0:47:41 > 0:47:43How elegant, eh?
0:47:43 > 0:47:44I've got a big smile on my face.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46Mural's working well.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Yeah, it does, it's very strong
0:47:48 > 0:47:51but I do think he chose the right wall for it.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54Because while you're sitting down relaxing...
0:47:54 > 0:47:55BOTH: You don't have to look at it.
0:47:55 > 0:48:00The only thing I'm unsure about is this room was perfect architecturally,
0:48:00 > 0:48:01he's added the chair rail,
0:48:01 > 0:48:07he's added the panelling, which was not necessary, it wasn't required.
0:48:07 > 0:48:11Jordan's used his Regency bust as a table decoration.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14I think this shows that Jordan's got a really nice stylist's eye,
0:48:14 > 0:48:19it's just a nice little cameo, it's almost like a still-life painting.
0:48:19 > 0:48:24Also, it's really simple, all he's done is dip it half into gold paint
0:48:24 > 0:48:28- which lines up with that perfectly.- That idea.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30Most people if they were going to paint it two colours
0:48:30 > 0:48:33in the first place, they'd paint the colour up to here
0:48:33 > 0:48:37and then do the rest, but actually by creating the line here
0:48:37 > 0:48:40it's almost created this cool, camouflage effect.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43It all just coordinates, let's say.
0:48:43 > 0:48:46Well that'd where I'd be moving into criticism,
0:48:46 > 0:48:50I do feel everything's painted with the same pot of paint.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52I would have liked a bit more punch of colour,
0:48:52 > 0:48:55something just to highlight the room a bit more.
0:48:55 > 0:48:59How well each designer fulfils their brief is crucial to the
0:48:59 > 0:49:01judges' decision.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05Homeowner Julie hasn't yet seen the finished room, until now.
0:49:05 > 0:49:06SHE GIGGLES
0:49:06 > 0:49:07Oh...!
0:49:09 > 0:49:12It's fantastic. Yikes.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15It's absolutely what I would have wished for.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17Does it feel like home?
0:49:17 > 0:49:20It feels my fabulous home, my fabulous home!
0:49:21 > 0:49:24Next, is Alice's contemporary living room with different zones
0:49:24 > 0:49:26designed for all the family.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33It was a vast, cavernous space with old-fashioned decor
0:49:33 > 0:49:35and little in the way of style or personality.
0:49:50 > 0:49:56Now, it's crisp, clean and minimal, with freshly-painted walls
0:49:56 > 0:50:00and woodwork and some blasts of colour.
0:50:00 > 0:50:07Alice has created a children's play corner, DJ work-zone,
0:50:07 > 0:50:09and grown-up dining area overlooking the sea.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13As well as adding some very personal features.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Oh, it's really fun, isn't it?
0:50:17 > 0:50:19I'm liking being in here, aren't you?
0:50:19 > 0:50:23Yeah, she's got a really lovely sense of style.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26It's fun, it just says family to me, you know.
0:50:26 > 0:50:31I love... This is such a great zone she's created for the children.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34I love the pop of pink, that's great.
0:50:34 > 0:50:38I'm really glad she decided to paint not all but some of the lights.
0:50:38 > 0:50:44Let's come and have a look. It's so fresh. So optimistic, delightful.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47I love the mix of the two different styles, Eames-style chairs
0:50:47 > 0:50:50with the antique, I love that sort of blend.
0:50:50 > 0:50:52- And there she is!- There she is!
0:50:52 > 0:50:54So, this is what she did with her,
0:50:54 > 0:50:56- she's made her into a headphone holder.- Brilliant.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58I think that's so clever.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01Useful and beautiful, how about that?
0:51:01 > 0:51:05- Yeah.- My favourite bit is that bay window with the rather grand,
0:51:05 > 0:51:09almost French-style table, the Eames chairs
0:51:09 > 0:51:13and just casually the flowers in the old ginger jar, look great.
0:51:13 > 0:51:17What will Eric and Marta make of their reinvented room?
0:51:17 > 0:51:19Oh, wow.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Very nice.
0:51:21 > 0:51:27It's amazing, it's lovely. My God, look at that!
0:51:27 > 0:51:28It's become your home.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30BOTH: Yes, definitely, definitely.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35Finally, it's Jenny's design for a rustic country-style kitchen
0:51:35 > 0:51:37and dining room.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41Three days ago, it was a fully-functioning,
0:51:41 > 0:51:46if a little lifeless, room with blue walls and mismatched flooring.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03Now, it's a more unified room with new wood floor,
0:52:03 > 0:52:07toned-down colour scheme, and matching curtains.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13Jenny reconfigured the kitchen units to create a central island,
0:52:13 > 0:52:16and has used paint effects to age them.
0:52:17 > 0:52:22My first impression is it FEELS so much bigger,
0:52:22 > 0:52:27having this one floor unifying this space has transformed it.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29She's kind of made this room a little bit more classic
0:52:29 > 0:52:33and traditional which now matches in with that beautiful
0:52:33 > 0:52:35dining furniture that Trix really loves.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37And I like this idea, this does work.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39It really, really works.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42You can cook, you can reach, it's much more, because imagine
0:52:42 > 0:52:45you have to keep doing that and that, that'd be difficult.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47- Great logic. - I feel like Delia Smith.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50Yeah, you could, chop-chop-chop. Great idea.
0:52:50 > 0:52:51We like this bit of space.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55Yeah, I really think this end is very successful.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58I know she had quite a strong argument with Trix about wall colour.
0:52:58 > 0:53:02Jenny was like, "No, no, no, the wall colour has to match the curtains."
0:53:03 > 0:53:07And it does, and to a fault I would say, it's too monotone.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10- Do you think so?- I like to see the fabrics
0:53:10 > 0:53:12and the wall colour have some kind of contrast.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14I think it makes the room feel a little bit bigger by being
0:53:14 > 0:53:19the one colour, just that one thing which creates one feeling is
0:53:19 > 0:53:20all right for me, I don't mind that.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24We're looking for a splash of colour, I think
0:53:24 > 0:53:29the splash is the turquoise, but the turquoise is a bit too subtle.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32This is our Regency-inspired bust,
0:53:32 > 0:53:36no, I'm not surprised that it's had a distressed treatment.
0:53:36 > 0:53:39It's great, it's just not very inspirational.
0:53:39 > 0:53:43No, but, then, it is in keeping with the rest of the room.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47Homeowner Trix wasn't initially convinced by the brown scheme,
0:53:47 > 0:53:50but will now see it complete for the first time.
0:53:50 > 0:53:52Hi... Oh, wow!
0:53:52 > 0:53:54LAUGHTER
0:53:54 > 0:53:57This is just totally amazing.
0:53:57 > 0:54:02I think she's been so creative, and I love the colours, I love
0:54:02 > 0:54:05the blue it was before but it had been that colour for a long time.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07Well, it makes you stand out beautifully.
0:54:07 > 0:54:08LAUGHTER
0:54:08 > 0:54:11- I am now the blue! - You're the blue.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18For the designers, it's an anxious wait.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20I don't think I could have done any better.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22I really want to go through to the next round,
0:54:22 > 0:54:23I want to do it all again.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26This has just cemented the idea that I definitely want
0:54:26 > 0:54:29to go into interior design in a big way, the idea of creating
0:54:29 > 0:54:33a space for somebody to enjoy and live in is brilliant.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36I'd really like to get through, you do what you do
0:54:36 > 0:54:40and it's just nice that people appreciate what you can do.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45So, judges, how did our amateur designers do?
0:54:45 > 0:54:49Brilliantly well, I was astonished actually, it all went very smoothly,
0:54:49 > 0:54:52in budget, there was no fluster, in fact.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54Everybody seemed very in control.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57I thought Jenny did a really beautiful project,
0:54:57 > 0:54:59I had serious doubts about it in the beginning
0:54:59 > 0:55:03but it pulled together, there were some ingenious practical solutions
0:55:03 > 0:55:07which none of us even thought about and the end result was great.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11She had a client who loves colour and it's just saying to me
0:55:11 > 0:55:13perhaps Jenny can't work with colour.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17And then you've got Alice who isn't afraid of colour at all.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20No, I wanted more of Alice, I think
0:55:20 > 0:55:24she was just being a little bit too cautious about her scheme,
0:55:24 > 0:55:27I think her ideas were fantastic but there wasn't enough of it.
0:55:27 > 0:55:30It lacked a focal point, when you're dealing with a room of that
0:55:30 > 0:55:33large proportion, you kind of need somewhere to draw your eye.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37She needed a collection of pictures grouped together,
0:55:37 > 0:55:40it just made a really strong colour block to balance with all
0:55:40 > 0:55:42the other bright colours she'd got dotted around.
0:55:42 > 0:55:46But she was really withheld by a client who wanted white minimalism
0:55:46 > 0:55:49and a landlord who wouldn't let her put any colours on the walls.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51How did Jordan do?
0:55:51 > 0:55:54It was very considered, it's very controlled.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56I'd have liked to have seen a bit more colour.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59That's the big question, isn't it?
0:55:59 > 0:56:02Can Jordan, if he does get through to the next round, can he do
0:56:02 > 0:56:05anything other than monochrome? It was very, very neutral.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08It sounds like you've got three really strong candidates,
0:56:08 > 0:56:10you're going to have your work cut out picking one.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12Yeah, absolutely.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21So, your first real project for a live client!
0:56:21 > 0:56:23It's quite an incredible feat.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26You all had a very difficult challenge because these rooms are
0:56:26 > 0:56:29really big, in fact it wasn't one room that you were dealing with
0:56:29 > 0:56:33but it was two, yours was especially big, you had a kitchen to deal with,
0:56:33 > 0:56:37there was a lot of space to handle in three days.
0:56:37 > 0:56:40So, I hope all three of you will go forward in your future projects
0:56:40 > 0:56:42having learnt something from this experience,
0:56:42 > 0:56:45but the judges have had to make a decision, about which of the
0:56:45 > 0:56:49three of you shows the potential to go forward to new challenges.
0:56:49 > 0:56:51And that designer...
0:56:51 > 0:56:53is Jordan.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55APPLAUSE
0:56:55 > 0:56:57LAUGHTER
0:56:59 > 0:57:02Thank you...
0:57:09 > 0:57:13I feel incredible, I feel exhausted, I feel over the moon.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16- I love it, thank you!- Fantastic.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19Yeah, I'm absolutely ecstatic.
0:57:19 > 0:57:23You just give it the kiss of life, and I mean you've given it a snog.
0:57:23 > 0:57:25HE LAUGHS
0:57:25 > 0:57:28You totally pulled it off, Jordan. You totally pulled it off.
0:57:28 > 0:57:30Jordan had to win,
0:57:30 > 0:57:34he just had that extra bit of sparkle that we've been looking for.
0:57:34 > 0:57:37I'm really excited that Jordan's going through to the quarterfinal,
0:57:37 > 0:57:39he's got real drive and real passion, I'm really hoping
0:57:39 > 0:57:43we can see him work with more pattern and colour next time.
0:57:43 > 0:57:45You've just got to top that now.
0:57:45 > 0:57:47BOTH: Yeah!
0:57:47 > 0:57:51I'm feeling OK, I've really enjoyed the whole experience.
0:57:51 > 0:57:54Thinking of ideas and actually implementing the ideas
0:57:54 > 0:57:58and seeing it in somebody else's home was really, really nice.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01A little bit gutted, I enjoyed doing the job
0:58:01 > 0:58:03but Jordan certainly did that wow factor.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06SHE CHUCKLES
0:58:06 > 0:58:09I'm exhausted but-but just totally thrilled,
0:58:09 > 0:58:10I just can't wait for the next challenge.
0:58:14 > 0:58:16Next time in the first of our quarterfinals,
0:58:16 > 0:58:18designers take on
0:58:18 > 0:58:21the challenge of re-designing rooms in these thatched cottages.
0:58:21 > 0:58:23This is so charming.
0:58:23 > 0:58:26But only two can go through to the next stage of the competition.
0:58:26 > 0:58:28Oh, my God, the plaster's falling off!
0:58:28 > 0:58:29# Duh-duh-duh! #