On this week's Interior Design Masters on BBC1, contestants were challenged with their first solo task; transforming a guest suite in a luxury hotel in the Scottish countryside.
Interior Design Masters series 4, episode 3
This week judge Michelle Ogundehin was joined by guest judge Matthew Williamson, known for his bold, inventive, and luxurious designs.
It was a double elimination this week, and after grilling the four bottom contestants, the pair decided it was vintage lover Joanne and lawyer turned interiors enthusiast Charlotte who would be leaving the competition.
Here we catch up with Charlotte to find out what it was like to take part in the hit TV series...
Hi Charlotte, we've loved watching you in the new series of Interior Design Masters. Can you tell us what first inspired you to enter the show?
I didn’t really consider myself to be an interior designer before the show but my friend saw the advert and suggested I apply. I am a massive fan of the previous series so almost didn’t apply as I thought I didn’t have enough experience but I’m so pleased I did! At the time I was renovating my Airbnb cottage where I was letting my design style loose so thought why not do the same on national tv?
I’m a fan of bold wallpapers and patterns paired with eclectic quirky accessories
What interior design style would you say you most align with and why?
I love pastel colours such as pinks and mint greens with flashes of gold. I’m a fan of bold wallpapers and patterns paired with eclectic quirky accessories but with a more muted 'user-friendly' vibe than maximalism.
Your brief this week was to create a relaxing, spa-like room. What decor factors would you recommend to someone trying to create this look at home?
It’s important to create a sense of calm, whether that’s when choosing the colour palette, furniture or accessories. I went with pastel pinks and greens even though my inspiration was from the Scottish thistle which lends itself to more bold colours. I then added a pop of bolder purple for the curtains just to lift the space a little and so the pastels didn’t look too flat.
Lighting is so important when creating a spa look – I added two beautiful mounted bedside lights to create a moody feel when the sun goes down and also added some up-lighting above my stud wall to keep the space interesting and add the option for an even more dimly lit atmosphere.
With accessories, you want to keep the overall look calm and make sure that everything ties together – if something in the room looks out of place it will be too attention-seeking and jarring and ruin the calming atmosphere you want to establish.
You were designing a luxury Scottish hotel room this week. I wondered if you have a standout memory of a hotel you’ve stayed in in the past? Or if not, what would be your dream hotel getaway break?
I certainly remember a hotel I stayed in in Thailand on my honeymoon. The colour scheme was mint green and white and it actually inspired the colour palette for my holiday let in Cornwall. It was so fresh and gave me that holiday feeling, which is exactly what you want from a hotel.
Design really is a matter of taste and your choices are what make your style your own
Has the show changed how you view interior design? Will you do anything differently now? Absolutely. It’s given me the confidence to own my signature style. I didn’t really have a clue what it was before the show but now I feel like I’ve found myself as a designer.
I’d never been critiqued for my style before (no one tends to criticise the look of your own home!) but I’ve come to realise that you can’t please everyone and whilst there are some key rules to abide by, design really is a matter of taste and your choices are what make your style your own.
Check back on our Interior Design Masters series 4 page each week to see more contestant interviews.
