Weatherboard Cottages The Great Interior Design Challenge

I am constantly taken aback by the huge variety of property

styles in Britain, from character timber frame cottages,

to grand townhouses.

But sometimes the insides don't live up to the

expectations on the outside.

So, we've gathered together the most talented amateur

interior designers who think they could be the next big thing,

to show us how it's done. But it's not as easy as it looks.

Ah!

I feel really sick.

Across three knockout episodes,

a group of designers will compete for one place in finals week.

Ta-da!

It looks amazing. It looks exactly how I wanted it.

Love it, love it, love it!

Judging them, two industry experts. Daniel Hopwood...

Having survived round one,

I want to see that the designers have listened to our feedback.

..and Sophie Robinson.

They are going to have to take it up a notch

if they're going to stay in this competition.

They'll be scrutinising presentation skills...

That's not the way to present to somebody.

..artistic flair...

-Have you ever seen that done before?

-No, it's weird.

..and how well they deliver their brief.

-Pretty amazing transformation.

-Absolutely beautiful.

In the finals, the best will face giants of the design world.

-Oliver Heath...

-Oh, my word!

-..Orla Kiely...

-It does look quite rough.

-..and Kelly Hoppen.

-I want perfection.

But only one can be crowned winner of the

Great Interior Design Challenge.

Last time, four designers battled to impress the judges.

Wa-hey! Shall we just scrap the whole thing?

I think that's really rather dreadful.

One went home. Three of them made it through.

I've achieved the look I wanted for the room.

It couldn't have worked better, colour-wise.

Now, it's absolutely beautiful.

Now, things are getting even tougher.

Our designers will be tackling a living room each, in three

weatherboard properties in Kent.

So, the look is very bright.

The clients are more exacting...

Alarm bells are going off in my head.

..and the judges' expectations higher...

I think this scheme is boring.

If somebody did that in my office, they'd be sacked.

..as the three designers fight for a place in the next round.

-GLASS SHATTERS

-Whoa!

-It's game over.

-Ah!

One more must go.

The designer not going through...

..is...

First things first. The backdrop for the design battle

is one of the most sought-after areas in Kent.

The picturesque village of Rolvenden.

Kent may be renowned today as a Garden of England,

but, originally, it was covered in a dense forest which may

explain why wood is the number one building material round here.

For 500 years, its homes have been covered in wooden planks

painted a traditional and uniform white.

Our designers will now be working in three Grade II-listed cottages,

each with their own specific planning restrictions.

Right, let's crack on.

The designers have been working on a brief

from their home owners for the past week.

Quite exciting. I've got one more chance to show what I can do.

Round two. Ding, ding.

They've each got a small team, including a builder and a decorator.

It's got some shelves, which I wanted.

I seem to be in some sort of fantasy world,

that everything is going to be really hunky-dory

and it's bloody not. I just need to take a minute to just calm down.

They also have a budget of £1,000

and just three days to complete their transformations.

What I would like to do, ideally, is not use all four roles.

I'm confident about my design, but it is quite full-on.

I have injected a little bit of my own style

and personality into things this time round.

The first designer is Londoner and doggy day-carer, Holly.

I'm doing some very exact pattern cutting here.

For her first project, Holly did a really fun, kid's room.

There was loads going on in there.

She's clearly very crafty, but this round,

I want to know - can she be sophisticated?

Holly's new room started off plainly decorated.

Before she got to work, judges Sophie and Daniel

sussed out its potential.

Oh, this room is splendid, isn't it?

It's amazing.

It is a cacophony of architectural features, from everybody's dream -

an inglenook fireplace - to these heavily carved beams.

Holly's home owners want a grown-up and elegant scheme in classic

heritage colours with a touch of daring.

The thing with Holly, is, she's all singing and dancing

and she'll bring lots of new elements into the room,

but here, she's got to be more subtle in her approach.

You're right. We want to see her bring a touch of sophistication,

if she can manage that.

Holly's take on the elegant brief includes a doggy-patterned

wallpaper, industrial lighting and metallic leather

and tweed materials.

So, this is the ideas that I've come up for you.

As well as approval from clients, Martha and Joff,

Holly must impress the judges, too,

since she and her rivals will be ranked on their presentation skills.

I have kind of called it this grown-up sultry teddy bear's picnic.

-OK.

-That's the kind of thing we're going for.

-So, this is the wallpaper.

-OK.

It is quite bold and it is quite dark.

My first reaction is that's quite a playful thing for quite

a sophisticated room.

Yeah, I'm sort of struggling on that, I must admit,

-a little bit at the moment.

-OK.

All you're sort of seeing is the dogs.

Yeah, so the other thing that we've got going in is lighting,

so sort of industrial.

It'll make it that little bit more modern and I've also got some

-wall lights, which I'm going to make out of copper.

-Erm...

-Not sure about that one.

-OK, that's fine.

I think we have to respect the historic nature of the building.

-Yeah.

-I'll tell you what, if you give me the wallpaper...

-It all needs to work together.

-..I'll cut out some of the other

-industrial elements.

-OK, what do you think?

Are we going for the wallpaper?

I just don't want it to be too boring, in all honesty,

because I would just ask you... I'm going to try

and push you into your brave zone to go for it and to trust me.

That was possibly one of the most uncomfortable briefings that

I've had to sit through.

She basically said to them, "What you've asked for is boring,

"so I'm ignoring all of it and this is what you're going to get."

And it's not fair. What's with the spaniels?

If someone did that in my office, they'd be sacked.

And with work underway on the room,

Holly's homeowners are still having major doubts about the wallpaper.

I'm liking the colour of it, it's just quite often I know that I'm

not going to like the end result and

alarm bells are going off in my head.

-That's it, that's fine.

-They want to take a closer look.

For me, I think that's...

It's just not right for this room, I don't think, at all.

OK, let's roll this up, then. OK, cool, let's get rid of it.

Definitely frustrating for us that we've had to do that,

but I think it's important that we start off on the right foot.

I think it's going to be really difficult now, to do something

that's going to impress the judges in terms of its originality.

If I'm honest, it makes me think, that's probably it, for me,

in the competition.

Hoping he'll have no such problems is second designer Frankie.

Originally from Taiwan, he now lives in Surrey.

Perfect, let's do that.

Last time, Frankie was all about fabrics.

Magic that they were, this time,

I don't want him relying on the power of the textile.

Frankie's new challenge is to update a living room,

which, before work started, was rather old-fashioned.

What do you think of this, Dan?

Oh, it's the perfect front room, in fact,

it's the perfect Georgian front room.

The only one thing that is a bit weird for me, though,

this inglenook fireplace, which would've been

built 150 years earlier than this room, it is quite brutish

and this is very refined and the two don't really go together very well.

Frankie's clients want to keep the room classic and formal,

with a sense of occasion for entertaining friends.

This room, if I'm honest, I think, looks a little tired

and dated, but there's some really nice fabrics in here.

We know Frankie's a designer who's all about the fabrics.

Let's see if he can recognise which pieces are good to keep

and where he needs to be a bit more inventive.

Fabric does loom large in Frankie's pistachio-green Renaissance garden

scheme, with a terracotta tapestry on the furniture.

So, come up with an idea which is inspired by this sofa

and also your curtains.

But, first, he needed the go-ahead from his clients, Anthony and Susie.

-It looks really good.

-Great, I'm glad you like it.

I do, I like it, I like it a lot.

And, for the coffee table, you mentioned you liked a drink area,

so we're going to do an upcycle project.

Cut it in half.

We're going to remove the legs, replace it with some longer legs.

-Oh, OK.

-So, when you need to mix your drink...

From the alcohol cupboard.

-..then you can serve to your guests straight away.

-Pretty good, yeah.

Lovely.

He's pulling on a lot of the historical references,

which is what the homeowners wanted. It doesn't look very exciting.

I can't see he's actually doing a lot. Chopping up a coffee table.

Yeah, that's it. I think he's not taking any risks.

With work well underway,

Frankie's certainly not taking any risks in doing what he does best.

Fiddling with fabrics.

I think, so far, so good.

I'm making a skirt to cover the ottoman. That's just about right.

I'm happy with that.

I learned my upholstery skills from YouTube.

Also self-taught is our final designer Sharon.

-But it has got wobbly doors.

-We need to sort the doors out.

We need to sort the doors out.

Last time, Sharon's colour choice was pretty bold

and she just about got it right, but, this time,

if she wants to be successful, it's going to have to be spot on.

This round, Sharon is transforming what was a rather gloomy

-living room.

-Quite dark.

-Very, very dark.

So, getting light in this room is absolutely essential.

Yeah, you've got posts in unusual places, so getting this furniture

to work right and stop it feeling like a hallway

is quite challenging.

Sharon's homeowners want a modern room that makes an impact

with a splash of colour and better lighting.

But the Grade II listing forbids new drilling

into the walls and beams.

Oh, it could go so wrong.

They're asking for bright and fresh, but rich and dark.

So making sense of the brief and sense of the space

-is perhaps one of the biggest challenges.

-Exactly.

Sharon has chosen a lime green and peacock blue scheme with

monochrome touches, brand-new furniture and accessories.

So, the look that I've gone for is a very bright colour impact room.

But before she's started,

clients Joe and Lisa had their say on her design.

I've gone for a very, very strong colour on the walls.

-Are you quite happy with the colour choice?

-Yeah, absolutely.

Oh, good, that's a relief.

I'm going to use lamps and a standard lamp,

but I'm going to add a lot of that.

I would say, with the lighting, as well as putting additional

lighting in, if you can do anything with the existing light fittings.

The lighting, I must have admit, has been a nightmare.

It is just whether we can come up with something,

but I take on board what you've said and, if I can do something, I will.

If I can't, I'm a failure.

Big thinking cap.

I think, colour scheme-wise, it's super.

But there are issues in that room. Layout.

We haven't seen the plan and the lighting.

It's not great and she hasn't got a solution for it.

Her builder is well underway.

Now, Sharon must decide how bold to go with the wall colour.

Wow! I've brought two different colours of paint,

because until you get into the space,

you really can't tell what they're going to look like on the walls.

I don't like that.

It's that one. Yeah. That was easy.

I think.

The three designers may be well into their workloads,

but they know they're about to be judged on their mood boards

and presentation skills, so tensions are high.

I'm sure there'll be some massive thing that I said

that I shouldn't have said. I think I was a bit too honest.

I don't like to be judged, but it's a competition

and I have to face them.

They'll either commend me for my sticking to my guns

or they'll assassinate me for not, erm, following the brief.

With only two of the designers going through to the next round,

how well they do here is crucial.

OK, we've brought you out of your rooms,

because we want to judge your presentations.

Let's start with you, Sharon.

I think you built up a really good rapport with your homeowner,

but there was no layout plan and I didn't even hear you really

discuss in any real detail how you're going to lay that room out.

Holly. Oh, dear.

They said they didn't like things and you just pressurised them.

You didn't give them any alternatives,

you didn't give them any outlook whatsoever and that, really,

really, is not the way to present to somebody.

Frankie, a very comprehensive board.

You got everything on there, layout, sketches, plans,

so you could really see what that room's going to look like.

So, based on that...

Frankie, you come first.

Sharon, second.

And, I'm sorry, third, for Holly.

You've still got a lot of basics to cover, all right?

If I'm honest, I'm not deflated, because I know what I'm going to do.

It's going to look absolutely gorgeous.

I can't believe that I came first.

Yeah, I'm absolutely speechless.

I'm being very competitive. That's a bit of a blow, really.

I'm sticking to my guns.

There is just absolutely no point decorating a room

if it's going to be something everybody has seen before.

With the competition at the front of their minds,

they all get back to work.

-There we go.

-Oh, you're a genius. That's great.

Creating three rooms as unique as the houses they're for.

The white-painted wooden boards that clad these Kentish cottages

give the village of Rolvenden a picture postcard appeal.

But the uniformity is misleading.

The cladding disguises a variety of building techniques

and homes are anything between 5 and 500 years old.

Like many buildings around here,

this one had a face-lift in the 18th century.

The upper storeys were clad in weather boarding,

but down below, you can see the old beams peeping out from beneath.

Time is slipping away from Holly.

Work in her room has ground to a halt, as she's still trying to

convince her clients to go with navy walls after

they vetoed the doggy wallpaper.

-We've got one with scripting in.

-No.

No, OK, good, because I don't like that one anyway.

And the boats is a no.

It's a nice idea, but I'm not sure about that.

I think Martha and I both agree,

that's more the direction that we want to go in.

I'll just be completely honest, it's just so dated.

Holly is not going down without a fight.

She was equally determined to stamp her sense of fun in the first round.

Is like a Swiss cheese.

Even if it meant going against the brief.

-The request was for something rather sophisticated.

-Yes!

All those things that Holly's making,

they're probably just a little bit kiddie for her young client.

But she proved she could strike a good balance.

I think her colours are spot on and I think this mural on the wall

is a total triumph.

Today, Holly is once again trying to show she knows best.

There's got to be that sense of where we are in the 21st-century,

not in the 1800s.

We've had enough conversations now, so I think you know where we're

coming from, so if you know you're putting something in which you think

they're not going to like it, we are the clients, so don't do it.

-Yes.

-OK.

-OK.

Holly needs to find a solution soon if she's to get started on the room.

Oh, it's fun, isn't it, being a designer?

She needs to mature up and start responding to a brief,

giving them what they want and then taking them beyond.

That's what a professional interior designer does.

Part of me is tempted to put the dog wallpaper up overnight

when they're not there.

Holly's still stuck, but over at Sharon's, it's a hive of activity.

She's re-upholstering an ottoman in yellow velvet.

But she still needs to find new lights that will work in such

a low ceilinged and restricted room.

We've still got this issue that the homeowners

want to change the spotlights.

We can't move them very far, they can't drop,

they've got to be flush to the ceiling.

That limits us massively, so I'm on a mission.

She may have been more prepared in the last round, but it was

the bold colour scheme that caused concern for the homeowner...

-A little unsure about the blue...

-Right, OK.

-..with the green.

It's what we discussed, that it needed to be bold.

..although, she got it right in the end.

I think, as a colour scheme, it really works.

Oh!

This is gorgeous.

Even if there were some worries about spatial planning.

You've got a whole square metre of space lost in that corner.

I think I've found the solution, hopefully.

This time, Sophie and Daniel expect her to master the basics.

This is looking pretty strong on the walls, isn't it? What do you think?

-I love it.

-But this room is a dark room and this colour needs light.

I've got some...

They're shades, but they're going right up to the ceiling.

-Just a drum lampshade, then.

-Yeah.

I feel there's a panic in the room.

-Oh, yes, serious anxiety, isn't there?

-Just hang on.

The judges are right.

With panic setting in, Sharon is having a crisis of confidence.

I just feel a bit daunted by what I've set myself out to do.

But I almost feel that, perhaps, I am blagging it.

I'm not that capable, even though I think I am.

Frankie is feeling far from daunted by his pared back design.

His builder is turning the coffee table into two slide-out

drinks tables for the alcoves.

While he's creating elaborate runners for the seats

from tapestry fabric.

Fabric, you know, is my best friend now.

This project, compared with my last project, is about 50% less,

so that's why it allows me to do some of the small detail like this.

In the first round, Frankie's fabric designs were highly detailed...

So, you're tailoring a suit for the wardrobe? I buy into that.

..which left him with too much work.

I feel like I'm like a ship right in the middle of the stone.

That's why I'm struggling with the whole thing.

Something went dreadfully wrong with these doors.

He's not been able to get the finish he wanted.

I think it's fair to say, you've already reined in the ambition

-of your project.

-I have.

But, stylistically, what is going to lift the mood?

Is there going to be any Frankie in this room?

Erm, it's going to be a little bit tricky.

This is a Grade II-listed house and, my home owner, they asked

to sympathise for the building.

So, you are restraining your creativity, in order to

-fulfil their brief?

-I feel, yes, I have a little bit, yeah.

I think this scheme is boring. I want to see some Frankie flare.

The designers will all have to prove they have creative flair

when it comes to thinking under pressure.

They're in for a big surprise, as they are being given

a raw material to test their ingenuity and use in their scheme.

-Holly.

-Hi.

You'll never guess what I've got behind my back.

-I'm hoping it's a light fitting.

-No, it's not a light fitting.

Logs.

Be really creative with these.

-You know, come up with some innovative product design.

-OK.

We've got fire burner.

Not very creative, because I'm expecting

-a high level of creativity.

-OK.

Right.

They need to use the logs to design and create an inspired

-new product in 24 hours.

-Thank you.

How well they do will feed into the judges' decision

and could have a huge impact on the results.

I was thinking, you know, slice them, lots of them

and then turn them into dust and you just...

Awesome. Deal with that later.

The judges will see their designs later on.

Holly has got a lot of catching up to do,

but she can finally get cracking with her design...

Are you sure about all this?

..as she's persuaded her homeowners to go with a strong colour.

So, the plan now is going to be to paint

all of the walls in a nice dark navy, which is good.

I've still got the navy colour. Now, what I would like to do

is get this on the walls as quickly as humanly possible.

Because, otherwise, they're going to change their mind, probably.

I love it, I love it, I love it.

It's been a tiring first day.

I just lost my bottle a bit, which I shouldn't have done,

so onwards and upwards for tomorrow.

The designers are desperate to prove they've got

the edge on their rivals.

That is exactly how I pictured that in my mind.

And they've already started to assess the competition.

-Oh, I love that wall panelling.

-Oh, no, isn't it to die for?

-That is gorgeous.

-What do you reckon?

I want a fireplace. Not fair.

I'm not prepared to do a room that's going to

compromise my integrity as a designer.

I kind of envy her. You know. She just goes ahead with her design.

I like both of them, but I don't want them to do better than me.

I had a bit of a sneak peek of Frankie's.

He's incredibly talented, but it doesn't look daring, yet.

So, that gives me a bit of hope.

It's the second day of the competition here in Kent

and, after a day of sewing and dogs and lime-green paint,

our designers have an awful lot to achieve.

By the end of tomorrow, one of them will be out of the competition.

I had quite a sleepless night.

I'm still worried about the light fittings, but I've ordered

half of Hastings' light collection now, so, surely, amongst all that,

there'll be something that will go in there and look all right.

The competition seems pretty good on my side.

-Last night, I prepare all the fabrics to be cut out.

-Hiya.

I'm anticipating the homeowners will probably have different things

to say about some of the things I have planned today,

but we'll see how it goes.

They might end up chasing me out of this village with torches

and pitchforks, but, if they do, I'm a fast runner.

Ah, lovely job. Thanks.

Frankie is playing it safe to please his clients,

but he still hopes to make magic with his Renaissance garden scheme.

This comes out of my quick idea, what I could achieve.

With creations like this seat girdle.

Hopefully, judge will say it's original.

Frankie, you've got your scissors in your hands,

your tape measure and I know you've got a very,

kind of, ambitious design flair. I can see that,

-but do you like having that reined in?

-Erm...

-Or is it a pain?

THEY LAUGH

-You want to be let loose?!

-I'm not a person that has to play the

razzle-dazzle, you know, but the frustration, yes, it is there.

Hopefully, you know, if I go through this round, perhaps next one...

-We'll see the real Frankie?

-Hopefully.

Holly is refusing to hold back her creative flair.

I want to make a table, so, we'll probably do

-something like that or whatever works best with the glass.

-Yeah.

With her builder working on the book table, Holly starts injecting

sophistication to her scheme with her cushions.

This is how you can tell this is beautifully quality tweed,

because, as you rip it, it just tears.

And she's mixing in a bit of copper bling.

They're actually skirts that were in the sale and that was, like, £1.

-Colour on the walls.

-Colour on the walls.

-Looking dramatic, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

How about your homeowner? Are you keeping them on board?

I am keeping them on board, yeah.

I think everybody seems to think that I'm going to transform this

into some kind of tacky, sort of, medieval castle.

No, we really stand by your conviction

and it's very admirable that you are really confident in your ability,

but when you're working for other people, it's not about

-what you think and there is concern...

-I appreciate that.

..that what you presented to your homeowners

wasn't what they were expecting.

Yeah. But, sage green, duck egg blue in a country cottage, you know,

we're here to push the boundaries a little bit more as designers.

We're also here to keep your home owners on board

and do a lovely job of their home.

-Absolutely.

-To remind you.

-Yeah.

Holly has taken a complete chance with that scheme and I don't think

she's right to criticise their taste but, look, they like this dark blue,

it's working, so she now needs to work hard to keep them on board.

Being less decisive is Sharon,

who is waiting for delivery on various lighting options.

As her team finishes the ottoman,

she's adding blue accents to her vibrant scheme.

I'm just thinking about the blind, because, obviously,

I'd like to do something with it.

So, she tries a cheap, quick fix solution.

That'll work. Oh!

That's not right.

That's coming out in little blobs.

Erm...

Plan B is to use some blue fabric instead.

I'm just going to make a trim and attach it to the existing blind.

The designers aren't just under pressure to

transform their rooms, they've also got to something their design

credentials, by integrating some logs creatively into their schemes.

I hate the secret task. I hate it.

How well they rise to this challenge will affect who stays

and who leaves the competition.

Well, the last upcycle was the judges ended up liking what

I did with it, so, hopefully, I can do the same again here.

I'm going to show 'em.

-I'm thinking to make a tea light holder.

-Yeah, gotcha.

Frankie is using the bark

as a decorative feature around a glass vase.

And then, tie them and then you chop, chop, chop, chop.

OK.

Classic Frankie. We've got something beautifully executed.

-Genius.

-And he can't resist adding some fabric.

But it's Frankie all over. It's a little bit fussy and twee.

True to form, Sharon is hitting the shops

to try and integrate the logs into her scheme.

I've decided that the one thing that I'm missing out of the room

was a table, so I might as well use the challenge to my advantage.

-Yes, how much do you want for that?

-I can do 15 on that.

Yeah, go on, then.

I'm actually going to cover it

in discs of the logs that they've given me.

It's shockingly bad, isn't it?

She's taken a Victorian table and made it completely useless.

There we are. What a triumph.

Have you seen the quality? It's not great.

I'd like to cut that into three.

Holly is hedging her bets...

And then drill a tealight-sized hole halfway down.

-..by doing a tealight holder and decorative mobile.

-That's better.

With the upcycle, I like to include it in a few different places,

because, otherwise, I think it looks a bit plonked.

I quite like the candle holders. Not the most original idea.

But what was she thinking with that mobile?

It's just dreadful.

The designer's mixed bag of items

has received an equally mixed reaction.

The big question is, how they'll fit with the finished rooms.

The judges will have to wait to see the end result.

400 years ago, easy-to-source wood

was a cheap way of protecting these houses.

But later, it became a fashion statement,

like this 19th-century villa.

Whilst from the front, it blends in very easily

with its weatherboarded neighbours.

Go through the house...

..and round the back, it's all bricks and tiles.

Much more Victorian.

It's not just local woodland that's provided timber for the houses.

Centuries ago, the sea came much further inland.

There was even a port and a shipyard close by,

but when the estuary silted up, the locals dismantled the shipyard

and used the timber to build their homes.

The great girders of ship's hulls were terribly

useful for ceiling beams like these.

Frankie is hoping his builder is also a dab hand with wood.

He's narrowed the coffee table to fit into the alcove.

You should be a plastic surgeon.

Frankie wants every element of his garden Renaissance scheme to

meet his exacting standards.

It's all coming together now.

Pretty wallpapers, lovely pale greens,

terracotta tapestry to match the inglenook. Lovely.

All lovely, but it's so safe.

Frankie's safe strategy is to stick closely to his brief,

unlike his rival, Holly.

-Perfect.

-Hello, Holly.

-How are you getting on, darling?

-Looks pretty cool, hey.

-Yeah?

-It's very stylish.

-Thank you.

But her risk-taking isn't flustering Frankie.

Well, let's put it this way, if you go to a restaurant, you ask for

chicken and they bring you beef, as a customer, you'll be fuming.

You're being too daring for Rolvenden?

I think, obviously, my daring isn't everybody else's daring.

How are you coping? Are you rolling with the punches?

I am rolling with the punches. It's been challenging, I won't lie.

Are you feeling like a professional interior designer, yet?

Could you be let loose onto unsuspecting public?

I don't think if the unsuspecting public will have me,

to be entirely honest.

There's a storm brewing for all three designers...

Ironically, this was my mood yesterday.

..because at this midway mark, they must all face

a visit from their homeowner to check-up on progress.

This is actually what I find the scariest bit, you know,

they might say that they don't like any of it.

It's an anxious moment as any unsuspected changes at this stage

could seriously impact their designs.

I hope they're going to appreciate this.

-It looks lovely.

-Do you like it?

-Yeah.

Oh, yes, very blue.

After tense negotiations with her homeowners over

-the colour on the walls...

-These are the copper Edison bulbs.

..Holly has now got to reveal her more industrial touches.

Aha, yeah.

Having seen it today, I feel a lot more confident with what

Holly is doing and the colour is definitely growing on me,

-and she seems like she's got some good ideas.

-See you later.

-Great, see you later.

-She could be turning things around.

Yay!

Hi.

Sharon's homeowners liked the bold colour, in theory,

but will now see it on their walls for the first time.

It is very green.

Is that a good green or a bad green?

At the moment, it's just a very green.

Sharon is hoping her lighting idea will convince them

she can make the scheme come alive.

I like the shape of that lampshade,

but I just don't think by the time you get that on the ceiling...

-I think that will be too low.

-I'm safe.

Luckily, after her shopping spree, she's got backups.

What you are saying is, instead of having them down, have it like that?

Yes.

But they don't quite hit the spot either.

-It's the height that is...that I think you need to watch.

-Yeah.

If Sharon doesn't get the lighting right, it's going

to look like algae in a pond. Dark and slimy.

I just don't know what else I can possibly do.

I just... I've tried absolutely everything now.

I have had just about enough of lights.

Spurred on by success with her homeowners, Holly is getting crafty.

Oh, that looks lovely.

The book side table is nearly done

and she's trying her hand at some weaving.

So, this is going to be my leather belt stool.

Haven't done this before.

The stool was 50p, so, see what happens.

There we go. I'm going to sit on it now.

Yay!

Frankie is also getting inventive.

-As well as the slide out drinks table...

-There we go.

..he's making home-made antique effect mirrors

for the alcove cabinets.

This is very risky. I haven't done this before.

He covers plain glass with a water and vinegar solution,

then sprays a silver effect paint on top and, once dry,

finishes it with black spray paint, which should give a distressed look.

Right, yeah, I'm very happy with the result.

What I'm really hoping for is that you are a magician electrician.

-I am very good.

-Right, that's what I want to hear.

Sharon is hoping she's onto a winner with her latest purchase of lights.

I've got these.

The new lights may be small,

but they must have a big impact to keep the bold colour scheme vibrant.

If this isn't right, then, it's all been for nothing.

I won't be going through to the next round.

Yes! Yes, they're really bright.

The future is bright. The future is lime-green.

Honestly, I can't tell you how relieved I am.

It's like a whole weight has been lifted off me.

-It's a really bold colour in there. Really bold.

-Just take a risk.

I always think, what's the worst that can happen?

-Do you believe in yourself?

-That's a good one. Erm, not all the time.

I was poor, I have to say.

I didn't think about the lighting as much as I should have done.

There are challenges for all our designers to overcome

in these ancient houses...

What on earth is up with this?

..with their lopsided charm and mix of architectural styles.

This is the oldest house in the village,

built in the 15th century for a local yeoman farmer.

Inside, it's incredibly atmospheric,

with its low ceilings and dark beams, but over the years,

it's been altered as the fashions have changed.

In the Georgian period, a slightly incongruous extension

was added at one end, but at least it's got incredible space and light.

As I climb up these rather steep and rickety wooden stairs,

the original form of the house becomes much clearer.

Up above me, smoke-stained rafters indicate the open fire,

that, in medieval times, would have burnt in the central hall.

It's near the end of day two

and confidence levels are high for two of the designers.

Very happy, because we've got lots of things done today.

Right, that's me done for today. There's nothing more I can do.

And I might get some sleep tonight now.

But Holly is getting frustrated.

She had planned to hang large light bulbs from the beams

using adhesive hooks.

Right.

But her team don't think they're strong enough.

We've got a bit of a situation at the moment.

Holly walked off, because she can't fit the lights where she wants.

There's been kind of quite a lot of different hold-ups on this brief

that have been, erm, you know, challenging,

but, hey, you know what?

We're not done yet, so I'm going to cross that finish line.

It's the last day of this round and, from antique mirrors to

handcrafted leather, our three designers have really pushed

themselves to the limit, but, for one of them, it won't be enough.

They'll be going home.

There's just a few hours left for them

to convince the judges they deserve to stay in the competition.

At this second round stage, they face even tougher scrutiny.

I'm feeling a little bit nervous.

Hopefully, no last-minute drama happen.

The tension does start to get to you, but I have absolutely no doubts

that it's going to look amazing.

I fought for what I believe is a really excellent design and,

hopefully, that will pay dividends and give me the edge...

..or not.

The last big jobs for Frankie are fitting the slide-out drinks tables

and the fragile antique effect mirrors.

I'm a bit nervous.

But he's soon in trouble.

Put the wrong one in. And now I can't take it out.

-Are you all right?

-I'm so, so scared to break it.

That's what I meant, a last-minute drama.

Now, last time, Frankie tried to achieve so much.

How's he getting along this time?

Well, he's been a lot more controlled this time.

He's pared back the amount he's doing.

My concern is he's in danger of being not ambitious enough.

I was hoping Frankie would add a little bit more flair

and imagination to that scheme. All in the reveal with that one.

Sharon is having a more relaxed morning.

-There you go.

-That's fab.

This is how the job should be, isn't it?

I can just dolly around and it'll all look really lovely.

She's spent two thirds of her budget

on shop-bought accessories and furniture.

So, today, her main task is to dress the room.

My husband's nightmare, a selection of cushions.

Sharon, she's really pumping up the colour, once again.

-Doesn't she just.

-And how is she getting along?

She seems like she's got it under control now.

She has been really stressed. We've had tears.

I think the whole pressure of trying to inject some light

into this really gloomy room has really floored her.

Holly has a way to go before her playful sophisticated scheme

-is complete.

-I'm starting to be a little bit concerned about time.

She's refusing to give up on her plan to hang

bulbs from adhesive hooks.

So, we're just going to weigh that.

We're actually well within limits,

so we can actually hang six of those from one hook.

Eureka. There we go.

-Is Holly's room looking good?

-It's beginning to get there.

But when it comes to certain elements of her design,

like the lighting, she clearly hasn't thought it through, has she?

Exactly, and at this late stage, you can't be experimenting.

Holly is testing out the hooks to make sure they're safe.

That looks literally incredible. I am so pleased.

GLASS SMASHES

Whoa!

-What happened there?

-The sticker came down.

-That is definitely game over. That is game over.

-Get them unhooked.

-Get them down.

-Yeah.

Working within the constraints of a listed building has been

a steep learning curve.

There's always disasters at the end, isn't there?

The designers have had three days and £1,000 each to transform a room.

Stressed out, stressed out, stressed out! Ah!

They'd been tested on their client briefing skills

and had to rely on their wit to create a new unique product,

which will be judged in their finished room.

Gosh, that makes it look completely different.

Now, the deadline is fast approaching.

OK, all of that can now go.

-There?

-Yeah.

-But Sharon is keeping her cool.

Despite her homeowner's earlier concerns over colour and lighting...

That's a bit of a triumph.

..she hopes her finished room will quash all doubts.

-That's us done.

-Perfect.

I couldn't be happier with what I've achieved. I love it.

I could live here.

As far as being worried about anything, I'm not.

It's like I've got this hit of adrenaline

and I could walk on blooming water now.

Sharon's brief was to create

a bright modern room that made an impact.

Three days ago, it was dark and plainly decorated.

Now, Sharon has transformed it with a lime green

and peacock blue scheme, with monochrome soft furnishings.

She's brought in new accessories

and added light with glass pendants, lampshades and mirrors.

She's tweaked the layout and added a new ottoman and velvet chair.

I think I've fulfilled the brief down to the letter.

If they say they don't like it, I'll eat this paintbrush.

It feels so much happier, doesn't it?

I particularly love Sharon's choice of colour in this room.

We were very much going to judge the success of this bright,

bold colour scheme on the basis that she'd managed to inject

enough lighting in here.

And I think she's done that by having lots of different

sources of light. The only problem, for me,

is I'm actually not very keen on the fittings.

They are a bit plasticky, those flex's, aren't they?

Yeah, they look a bit cheap.

However, you know what she has done which is rather clever?

-The layout is working really well.

-Yeah.

I love the clashing fabrics that she's got going together.

They're really bright and jolly and give this room some vibrancy,

all the chevrons and geometrics.

She's found the perfect chair for this colour scheme as well.

It's that perfect peacock blue.

But I'm not feeling that she's done much with it.

These buttons could've been changed in colour

and it would've made it look a little bit more fun

and a bit more thoughtful.

As well as judging their overall designs, a key factor for Sophie

and Daniel is how well the upcycled logs fit into the scheme.

-It looks like little hams on the table, doesn't it?

-No!

-Why?

Why on earth...? Look at this. This is where you're going to sit

and have your glass of wine in the evening.

Not only does the table wobble, but the surface is uneven.

The male homeowner, there's been elements that he's been very

worried about, but I think, when he walks in there, I...

I think he's going to be very pleasantly surprised.

The client's reactions to the completed rooms will inform

the judges' final decision. Here we are.

It'd definitely got an impact.

There's a lot of colour going on here.

The greenness on the walls will take some getting used to.

I do like the lights.

Yeah, the lights are not a really bold statement in the room,

so, yeah, overall, it works. I think.

-Frankie's time is almost up.

-We can do it, we can do it!

He defied the judges earlier,

delivering a simple scheme not stretching his homeowners,

but with a pared back design, every detail has to be perfect.

Come on, birdie, love me. Love me, please.

Done.

Yay! Finished! I'm feeling fantastic.

Get out the spirit of ecstasy.

Frankie's brief was to create an elegant formal reception room

using classic Georgian colours.

Three days ago, it was simple, if a little underwhelming.

Now, it's a smarter, richer room.

His green colour scheme and trellis wallpaper create

the garden Renaissance feel he envisaged.

He's created slide-out tables in the alcove cabinets

with an antique mirror backdrop.

And tapestry fabric covers the revamped ottoman,

armchairs and sofa, all with an intricate finish.

I put a little bit of myself in that room, which is

the attention to detail and that is very me,

so, let's see if judge will actually pick that up, or not.

-Oh!

-How fancy.

-Yeah, it's really come together, hasn't it?

I was really concerned about all these fabrics working

-together OK, because there's one too many patterns.

-Concerned?

-You hated this fabric.

-Yeah, I really didn't like this fabric.

This is the 21st-century and that's just old-fashioned and frumpy.

It is nice to see how he's brought all the homeowner's bits and bobs

together and I particularly love this display.

That is really coherent, nicely grouped, pair of lamps.

I think that's always a clever idea

and creates a strong feature opposite the fireplace.

I have to say, also, I love the three pictures over the fireplace.

Yeah, I know, it looks good.

The mirrored frames also links in with the mirrored panelling.

And he's done this himself, he's aged it down, which is,

-actually, really impressive.

-Now, that is a good update.

I don't think Frankie, though, has quite grasped the idea

about furniture design.

He's used bits of balustrade as the legs, but they look so spindly.

It reminds you of a rugby player trying to do ballet.

That isn't great design.

Does Frankie's upcycled candleholder

tie in with his understated scheme? It's the moment of truth.

I think that's got to go.

There's no surprise, it would be absolutely fine

if it didn't have that awful fabric wrapped round it.

I would like to have seen a bit more Frankie flare in here.

I think, by choosing one fabric and matching it everywhere,

shows a real lack of creativity.

But I think these clients are going to absolutely love this.

It really matches what they wanted.

I have delivered what my homeowners asked for and, if they love it,

then I will feel like, great, I've done it.

-It's very, very nice.

-It's beautiful.

There is a lot of, with the pictures,

a lot of pattern going on here now.

I think what he's done is brilliant.

It's all colour matched, which I think is beautiful.

-He's done a lovely job.

-Do you feel like Frankie has understood?

-Yeah.

He's done a... He's spot on.

With Holly's lighting plan in pieces,

she can now only use the Edison bulbs in the existing fittings.

At this stage of this game, you know, I'll take what I can get.

After a bumpy ride with her clients earlier on, Holly must

turn things around to prove she can deliver a room they'll love.

-OK, right.

-Just get on with it.

I've just got to do this and that's that. I'm done.

Little reminder of all we've been through.

Happy. Done.

Hooray! Sorry for being such an unbearable...

I did manage to get a little bit of wallpaper in,

just as a little bit of a memento of the journey that we've been on.

Holly's brief was for sophistication with a touch of daring.

Three days ago, the room was plain and old-fashioned.

Now, it's been brought more up-to-date.

The navy walls give a modern feel against the mix of tweed

and copper tone soft furnishings.

Holly's used industrial style Edison bulbs and created original

designs with her leather belt stool and book side table.

I am absolutely thrilled with how it looks.

I would defy anybody to say that that room is not sophisticated.

-This has come together.

-Classic, sophisticated.

This really deep blue, with these really old beams looks great.

I would have actually liked to have seen a bit more of that

orangey copper. You've got a little bit on the cushions.

A couple of lights, but that's it.

I rather like the idea of taking the lampshade off this base

-and just having the big bulb.

-Cos that looks modern, doesn't it?

It's modern and it's fun, but then, she's almost bought too many,

-because they're everywhere else.

-Too many bare bulbs.

But nice to have a little bit of humour in a room

and they did ask for a touch of daring

and I think some of her product design definitely ticks that box.

I love the belt-style stool.

We've got a cheeky little bookcase side table here.

They're also really good quality and I think she's quite exacting.

They can finally judge Holly's upcycled logs in situ.

Will they be a hit or miss?

Just looks really quite stylish.

She can definitely invent. And then she should've stopped there,

because I think that's a bit naff.

I think we need to ignore that one, don't you?

But what's surprising is we've ended up with rather

a sophisticated interior, which is what the homeowners wanted.

What do you think of classic and sophisticated?

Spaniels are not the first thing that popped to mind,

but she was determined to get them in this room.

She's framed them.

-I think it's just showing them that she is rather stubborn.

-Yeah.

I love that room. I think it's stunning and I think Martha

and Joff, genuinely, will love it.

Oh, wow! Look at that.

-It's a transformation, isn't it?

-It is indeed, it is indeed.

I must admit, in the beginning, in a million years, I would

never have chosen this colour, but, actually, I think it works.

Do you think she's got the brief right?

Because I know you had some difference of opinion.

Yeah, we had strong opinions. She certainly did too

and I think, you know, she's really done a great job to give us

-a really great outcome.

-Done really well.

We'll always be able to remember the wallpaper,

-because she's obviously left us a small momentum.

-Oh, how funny.

Oh, that's hilarious. Look at that!

With all three rooms scrutinised, the designers can only wait

to hear which one of them will be leaving the competition.

If I go through, you know, that would make my dream come true

and I would say I'd die with no regret.

I am not naturally the world's most competitive person, but it would

mean a huge load, because I kind of feel like I have a lot to prove.

I'm really nervous. Yeah, I don't feel good.

So, judges, these are incredibly old buildings, listed.

Has that really constrained our designers this time?

I think it's particularly been challenging for both

Sharon and Holly. Frankie has really embraced it.

He's clearly very sensitive to the period of the home,

but I would say, to a fault, I found it disappointing and frumpy.

Actually, I thought it was refreshingly old-fashioned

-and I liked that.

-Do you think he didn't push the homeowners enough?

-He just responded to what they wanted?

-Yeah, totally.

I did like his ideas, though.

I loved the way he put this mirror in the alcoves.

The homeowners adored it.

I underestimated the power of a tapestry cushion, clearly.

Sharon was asked for something really fresh, with impact.

-Has she delivered it?

-Oh, absolutely.

And she pulled it off, because she got the lighting right,

but what lets it down is her choice of fittings.

Do you think she was thrown into a panic?

Yeah, I think she possibly did, Tom, actually.

In fact, her whole scheme was a little shop-bought.

Her cushions, the light fittings, the accessories, the mirrors.

And, as a result, it looked a little naff in such an old property.

Well, the home owner, he wasn't convinced with the colour.

He said he could, potentially, be convinced.

-He liked the lighting, though.

-Well, there we go.

Holly was asked for something sophisticated and original.

But, actually, what Holly offered was a teddy bears picnic.

I mean, it was so random.

I think she was wholly thinking of herself

and her own personal tastes, which is a major fail.

But, luckily, what we've ended up with is a rather good interior.

-And the homeowners love the blue.

-Well, we didn't think

-we were going to get that result three days ago, did we?

-Oh, no.

So, these rooms have tested our three designers to the limits.

I think we've got a really tough choice,

because I'd say all three of them

are fairly, on balance, neck and neck.

Working in such incredible protected historic properties would test

the most professional designers,

so you three, this time, have been pushed to the limit.

I particularly loved the fact that we started off

with three beige rooms and now we've got a riot of colour.

Clearly didn't intimidate you three.

These two have found it very difficult, I think,

to make a decision. You're all very evenly matched.

But they've decided the designer not going through is...

..Sharon.

Yeah.

I knew.

I didn't really want to go out this early.

It's just very hard.

It was an extremely close call today.

But the reason why Sharon is the one who's going home

is she relied too much on shop-bought items.

Dare I ask?

-I like it.

-That's a relief.

-I'm all right.

-Well done.

-You've done brilliantly.

-Thank you. I don't believe it.

I literally don't believe it. What a comeback. What a comeback!

-Do one favour for me.

-Is it take that picture home?

-Can you sign it for me?

-Yeah, definitely!

Holly went through, despite her original presentation,

because, in the end, she created a scheme with a lot of creativity

in it, but moving on, she's got to follow the brief and keep it classy.

-Hello.

-Hello. You did a fantastic job, Frankie.

-Thank you.

Yes, I'm through. I was so shaky, then.

Frankie went through, because it's clear that he can follow

a brief and answer it, but, moving on, it's time for him

to stop relying on those fabrics and show us his true creativity.

The next round, I go wild, if possible.

Next time, in a Scottish castle, Frankie...

-Come on!

-..and Holly...

This will actually look quite sophisticated when it's done.

..transform a room each to prove they deserve

to be a quarterfinalist.

The designer going through is...