Q: Was interior design something you’d always wanted to do? What inspired your interest in interior design or made you realise that you were good at it?
Siobhan Murphy, one of the 'Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr contestants.Siobhan: I studied fashion and accessories and I am a trained milliner, so I have always had an interest in design. I started getting into interior design after attending a workshop with renowned interior designer Abigail Ahern. She really inspired me. I threw the rule book out of the window and just started decorating from the heart, going with my gut, and not worrying about the latest trends. I started posting my house pictures on Instagram and soon enough I had a fabulous interiors community welcome me with open arms.
Jon: From the age of seven when my Auntie Jan gave me a copy of a Laura Ashley catalogue, I’ve been hooked on interiors. My mum would let me restyle the house every month and showed me how to hang my first pair of curtains when I was eight. At secondary school my art teacher confirmed drawing wasn’t my thing; however, I was excellent with shapes, patterns and colour and was told to focus on those. My love and obsession for all things interiors has continued to grow.
Micaela: I discovered my love of interior design when I worked for a boutique hotel agency. Working in the contracting team meant I travelled around Europe finding the best boutique hotels and had a chance to sit with the owners to discuss their vision and love of architecture, design, and service. That really opened my eyes to the world of luxury interiors because every detail had been meticulously planned. I loved hearing about the unique tiles, decadent fabrics, designer furniture and bespoke artwork.
Barbara: Interior design was always something that I adored but not always what I was able to pursue a career in. I was lucky to have always been surrounded by beautiful interior design as a child. Growing up, my mother was a curtain maker and specialised in furniture upholstery. She would consult clients on colour schemes and layouts for their homes and I was lucky enough to go with her to jobs that she was working on in grand houses and castles in Scotland. This meant the interior design of our home was beautiful and always changing because of her passion for design. Very inspirational!
Peter: I have always been interested in design and the spaces we live and work in. This appreciation was probably instilled in me by my father, who is an architect in Malta. I used to constantly rearrange my mother’s shelves and move around the furniture in my bedroom from the age of 8 so it was always something very innate and natural to me. I guess the very first time I realised I was good at it was when my aunts came into my room and gushed over it without realising, I was in there. My very first review!
Q: How do you think your career or day job has influenced the way you approach interior design?
Jon Burns, one of the 'Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr contestants.Siobhan: I have worked for the NHS for over 19 years now in various roles, but I guess the
project management aspects of my role really helped me with things like organising, time management and making sure that my designs came in on budget. Sourcing everything for a space in only one week during a pandemic was an enormous challenge but my years of shopping experience certainly helped with that!
John: For 24 years I have worked in learning and development across many retailers, and so my focus has always been with the customer at the heart of any solutions which is exactly what interiors is all about. It’s my number one rule to listen to the customer, understand what they want, need, like and dislike which then helps me turn their desires into reality. Some clients need more support and coaching to achieve that dream, which is the same as learning and development.
Micaela: As an upholsterer I’m always most interested in the textures of a room, I endeavour to make every room as soft and comfortable as possible. I assess where I can add or increase comfort because every space should offer a chance to stop and enjoy it. Pattern and colour are at the heart of upholstery so my design style confidently mixes patterns to add depth and interest. Being an upholsterer gives me a unique perspective on the use of fabrics and pattern within interior design.
Barbara: I have now been working as an interior designer for three-ish years, but before that point I was working as a visual merchandiser which helped me to develop many skills that helped me get into interior design such as learning about how to showcase products, understanding what is important to a brand and how to maximise the design concept from that, attention to detail, being in the know with new trends, client relationships and organisation and management. It also helped me to understand how to create beautiful displays by thinking about balance, scale, colours, and textures.
Peter: Having previously trained as an A&E doctor in the NHS, I have realised there are many transferable skills which add value to my work as an interior designer. I am very organized, used to being a team leader, great at communication, and work well under pressure. All of these are invaluable at coping with demanding projects. My previous career has also made me appreciate the real impact that our living and working environments have on our wellbeing, making me passionate about creating beautiful and nurturing spaces.
Q: During the COVID-19 pandemic everyone’s been paying a lot more attention to their home. How has being at home made you think about the design of your own home? Have you embarked on any DIY design projects?
Barbara Ramani, one of the 'Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr contestants.Siobhan: Lockdown has definitely made me start looking around my own house and I’ve devised a ‘to do’ list for each room. I have already started replacing a lot of the spotlight lighting in my home with much cosier dramatic lighting which really makes a massive difference to the whole space. I have been setting the table with lovely table wear to make evening meals a bit more special. I have also been making my own candles, using old jars, wax and mixing my own essential oils to make the house really cosy, inviting and sweet smelling.
Jon: Oh gosh, my partner has been very patient with me as I was furloughed and so my focus became all about the house. He wasn’t sure what he was coming home to from the front line (he’s a key worker). I upcycled an old display unit into a cocktail bar, made a box pelmet for the bathroom and bought a preloved king-size bed for £15 and painted the headboard and upholstered the bed base, and then I painted the hall, stairs and landing going from magnolia to black and pebble grey. No room was left untouched.
Micaela: I totally transformed my home during the pandemic. Every room has been overhauled because I really wanted to maximise the space and make it feel fresh. I built a fluted boucle bench for the dining area because we decided to make a thing of mealtimes to break up the day. We added a desk for my husband to work from comfortably, and I painted the master bedroom and finally framed some artwork that was patiently waiting to be displayed. Our homes are more important than ever, so take the time to understand how you use your space and find areas that aren’t being maximised. Even just moving furniture around can help to give you a new perspective on your home.
Barbara: I have always thought that a beautifully designed home is integral to having happy mental health, and that is never truer than now when we have been confined to our homes. Our homes have also never had to function on so many levels… They now must act as schools, offices, nurseries and gyms on top of all the other normal requirements needed to make our lives run smoothly. I have recently designed my baby’s nursery using geometric bright yellows and playful black and white spotted walls. It’s a very joyous space. And I have designed our living/dining room to be serene and calming using a very paired back minimalistic approach.
Peter: My husband and I are very lucky to live in a beautiful home, but being a designer means that you always look at your home with more scrutiny than anyone else. During the lockdown, we converted our rarely used dining room into a second lounge/diner with a focus to create a space where one can relax listening to music, read a book or enjoy a cocktail. We painted the walls an off black and it just looks stunning, in my humble opinion of course.
Q: What have you learned about interior design from taking part in Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr? Are there any rules you’ll live by going forward?
Micaela Sharp, one of the 'Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr contestants.Siobhan: The show definitely opened my eyes to the whole process of designing and making bespoke pieces of furniture. I never would have thought it was possible for me to do that before but designing your own furniture and buying the wood to build it is just so satisfying. It also gives a different a look to buying off the shelf. I learned so much from the other contestants and wouldn’t hesitate now to sew my own cushions or complete my own upholstery projects such as making headboards or pelmets. I’m walking away from the show a much better designer.
Jon: I can honestly say I have learnt loads about interior design and myself. Work with tradespeople who you trust and ask as many questions as you need; their knowledge is vast and good tradespeople are happy to share it with you. Challenge yourself to go outside your comfort zone with colours. Don’t be afraid – it’s only paint. Mix patterns and texture to give interest, depth, and warmth to wallpapers and soft furnishings. If you like the shape of furniture but not the colour or handles, buy it and upcycle it yourself.
Micaela: The show taught me that there are no rules. All 10 designers approached the tasks so differently. But it did allow me to define my own style more. I believe that a home should tell a story as we each have history, preferences, hobbies etc that make us different. I love designing homes that incorporate these passions and highlights them in order to create a space full of individual quirks. My style is rooted in tradition so I love natural products and steer clear of plastics and synthetics. I try to use sustainable options when possible to restore, repurpose and reimagine antiques and heirlooms for the modern home.
Barbara: The show has taught me how to work more efficiently. The extremely short timescales force you to make decisions quickly, so I now try and follow the mantra of: Don’t overthink… Just do!
Peter: Taking part in Interior Design Masters has really focused my appreciation of well-considered, high quality, great value design. I am a true believer in properly planning, investing, and executing your spaces to ensure that the finished product is outstanding, long-lasting, and fit for purpose. A rule I live by is: Buy once but buy better.
Q: Finally, can you give our readers any interior design tips for this spring?
Peter Grech, one of the 'Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr contestants.Siobhan: I do love a bit of a big clean and switch around in the springtime. As we are going out less to shop at the moment for décor, I think it’s good to move things around the home. It’s amazing what rearranging the furniture, artwork and decor can do without spending a penny! Also I will be taking on a few new DIY projects. I am going to attempt to wallpaper the ceiling in the master bedroom and I would love to have a go at making some feather lamps for the lounge.
Jon: Bring the outside in. Daffodils are a great purchase on your wallet and give a burst of colour. I used empty bottle and jars all along the fireplace for real impact. Spruce up your soft furnishings. Replacing cushion covers and throws can change the feeling of a room and will help say goodbye to cold dark night and hello to spring walks and fresh air. Embrace the Scandi. Introduce natural woods, clean lines and simple shapes in tableware, soft furnishing and décor and lighting to get that Scandi look without making over the
entire room.
Micaela: I always feel that spring is a time to engage with nature, so I love to bring natural elements into my home in a sustainable way, whether that’s with fresh new floral fabrics for scatter cushions and accents, adding window boxes so that your daily views become colourful, or growing fresh herbs in your kitchen for a lovely aroma. This spring we’ll see the continuation of pastel colours being on trend so why not discover which pastel tones bring you joy and add a little colour to your home with a splash of peach or jade?
Barbara: We are stuck indoors right now so use this time to ruthlessly declutter your home. That will allow you to make more informed design decisions about how you need your home to function. If a room needs to be your office plus a space to do yoga, then think about zoning and designing in bespoke storage so that the room can take on different personalities. Be brave and bold with colour and make design decisions based on this question: does this bring me joy? If you follow that one rule you will automatically end up with a home that overflows with happiness and entirely reflects your individual personality. And if all else fails, invest in some goooorgeous champagne glasses so you can host the party of all parties in your home come spring.
Peter: Having a healthy house is a happy house, so open up those windows and get some fresh air in, deep clean, and declutter. This alone has an invigorating effect and makes you connect with and appreciate your home better. My favourite thing to do in spring is creating an Ostereierbaum (a.k.a. an Easter tree), which is an ancient Germanic tradition of decorating branches with hand-painted eggs, Osterei, to celebrate the arrival of spring and Easter. In Austria, I visited markets selling only Osterei which were the most beautiful hand-painted eggs you could ever imagine.
Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr is currently on BBC Two on Tuesdays at 8pm and BBC iPlayer.
