The Great Interior Design Challenge - the morning after the night before

hello!

did you watch it last night?

I think the whole series is brill, such a great format.

I filmed the episode back in September, hence the tanned glow and tiny frocks, so it has been a long wait to see the final cut and also to keep it a secret from you.

I have been very controlled in not immediately blogging last night but I always find that a nights sleep is best, particularly when one is on the wrong side of merry.

What I want to get across in this blog post is just the bits that the time constraint forced out on the TV show. There are elements of the design that are important to me and therefore important that I talk about…if you know what I mean. I am not being all serious about it (fat chance) it is just in my head and it needs to come out.

I sprayed the basic Ikea table trestles green. I left Ricardo a little note on the typewriter

  Firstly, let me tell you what my take on Interior Design is, without using Wikipedia, and don't forget I have no experience and no training. This may soon become obvious ;-)

In my mind it is all rather simple.

 Do what the client wants, make their ideas look ace and design the room and its furniture to suit the way they live/use the room. That is basically what I did.

Ricardo wanted a new minimalist look. He did NOT want the hidden storage. We removed the double wardrobes, a massive job might I add. It certainly looked hard work from where I was sitting (with my cappuccino).

I knew that he wanted a grown up desk area and I knew from the start that this would be the perfect space for it. 

The desk would double up as a relaxed eating area because obviously, his table and chairs were now gone (god knows where?).

 I added vintage school stools, that stacked, and could easily be placed around the table for an impromptu gathering. Ricardo looked like an impromptu gathering kinda guy.

I absolutely have to point out that Sophie Robinson mentioned Ricardo had nowhere to place his unsightly bills and paper work, Uh, 2 filing cabinets right there!!

I added some wooden shutters to the window.

This was high on Ricardos wish list.

The sofa (we will hit on that elephant in a mo), is a sofa bed, guests would sleep in this room so he wanted the ability to black out the window. I think the shutters were fab and I know Ricardo was delighted.

I was really keen to add an industrial style light.

I made this using a very basic and low cost mechanics inspection lamp, and added an up to date wire shade. I spray painted the lamp to a dark green shade to tie it in with the other lights.

I am going to make one of these for my house.

The total cost was £18 and you get a really long flex which enables one to hook it and hang it wherever one pleases. I am a great fan of hooking and hanging.

My up cycling appears a little, shall we say half hearted….it probably was, BUT, in my defence with the whole creative thing, I had very little scope to be as creative as I would have wished.

Ricardo wanted very little colour, no pattern and definitely no florals. I was itching to get a stitchin but it forced me out of my comfort zone and I loved that about it.

The TV stand worked brilliantly for all its simplicity and it looked pretty good. Luckily the judges agreed.

From a functional point of view, Ricardo had the problem of lifting his TV out of the way every time he opened up the sofa bed. His new fancy pants, moveable media unit (its getting serious) was the perfect solution. I think he was planning on getting all creative with the crates once we had shipped out so its all good.

The wallpaper…..oh god the wallpaper.

What a hoohaa!

What was I to do? paint the walls grey?

I liked it, I love a bit of drama.

If you are into a bit of faux brick, firstly keep it to yourself and secondly pop on here and you can buy it for just £20 a roll.

the ladder was a hit!

I did buy Ricardo a new sofa within my £1000 budget. It was a second hand find but it was cool, it was a sofa bed and when I was told that he would like to keep his existing one I was not amused.

This soon passed as do most of my emotions.

I had to make the best of the sofa but I know that it would have looked a darn sight better, and more polished, had I got my own way but lets face it, I got my own way with the wallpaper so I really can't complain.

Overall I thought it was a truly great experience.

I got fantastic feedback on Twitter etc

You have been utterly amazing and I have realised more than anything that I have the most wonderful family and friends.

Big congrats to the winner of our heat Luke, well deserved and Dee, if you could only see everything that poor, lovely woman had to cope with you would've cried for her. She coped so well.

My builder Johnny was a diamond, I miss him and I also loved my camera man Charlie. I hope they read this and know I appreciated them.

I am now drawing to the end of my most important speech. If you have read to this point without dozing off then I will send you a free gift ;-)

Thanks for reading. x

lets see Ricardo one more time!