Notes on the designs from my perspective as Head Judge, Interior Design Masters
This week’s challenge asked the designers to rethink mess rooms for young Navy cadets; communal spaces designed for relaxing, socialising and switching off between the structure and demands of military life. Unlike the romantic escapism of Peckforton Castle in last week’s episode, this challenge was grounded firmly in reality. These spaces had to work hard. They needed to feel robust, welcoming and practical, while still offering personality, identity and somewhere the cadets would genuinely want to spend time.
And that distinction turned out to be crucial. Because the strongest schemes didn’t begin with aesthetics. They began with people.
1. Design for the people actually using the space
The winning room succeeded because it understood exactly who it was for. Rather than imposing a decorative narrative onto the cadets, it created a social environment centred around how they might actually like to live. Cooking, gathering, sitting together, relaxing as a group, watching a movie — these became the driving forces behind the design decisions.
You could feel that immediately. The bold colour palette brought energy and optimism, but it was anchored by something more important: usability. The space encouraged interaction. It invited occupation. Nothing felt too precious, too controlled or too performative. And that is often the difference between a successful interior and one that merely looks considered. The best spaces make people feel comfortable enough to fully use them.
2. Don’t fall in love with your own idea
One of the clearest patterns amongst the weaker schemes was designers becoming overly attached to a concept, even when the reality of the brief was telling them otherwise. A beautiful pale blue designer sofa became the starting point for one room, despite being completely unsuited to the way young cadets would actually use the space. The result felt more like a carefully styled show flat than somewhere young people could properly relax without fear of damaging it.
Another designer became heavily invested in a 1930s theme inspired by a loose historical connection to the naval base. But once a concept dictates every decision, rather than supporting the function of the room, problems quickly emerge. Furniture choices became restrictive rather than useful, culminating in solo cane loungers, and glass-topped tables that were not only impractical, but fundamentally inappropriate in a mess-room setting where glass is not permitted for safety reasons.
And one scheme struggled because it attempted to merge too many narratives at once, combining the atmosphere of a pub with references to the traditional naval game Uckers — despite the obvious contradiction that cadets are not permitted alcohol on the base.
In all of these examples, the same issue emerged: the designers stopped responding to the people and started serving their idealised concept instead. Good design always works the other way around.
3. Function is not the enemy of creativity
There is still a lingering tendency to think of practical considerations as somehow limiting creativity, when in reality the opposite is often true. The most inventive spaces in this challenge came from designers solving real problems well. How do multiple people gather comfortably? Where do they eat? What surfaces can withstand constant use? How do you create atmosphere without fragility? How do you encourage people to stay?
Those questions generated far more interesting solutions than decoration alone ever could. A room that works well allows the body to relax. A room that feels awkward, restrictive or over-designed creates friction almost immediately, even if you cannot consciously explain why.
4. Create atmosphere without losing durability
One of the more interesting tensions within this challenge was balancing emotional warmth with robustness. These were not luxury hotel lounges. They were hard-working communal spaces for young people living away from home within a highly structured environment. The strongest designs understood that durability does not have to mean coldness.
Colour played an important role here. So did layout, zoning and texture. Spaces for gathering were clearly defined, circulation felt easy, and the overall atmosphere remained upbeat without tipping into chaos.
5. Let the brief guide the design
Ultimately the biggest lesson from this episode was the importance of listening properly to the brief itself. Not just aesthetically, but behaviourally.
Who are these people?
How do they live?
What do they need emotionally from the space?
And what will genuinely improve their experience of being there?
The strongest designers allowed those answers to shape their decisions. The weaker ones imposed ideas from the outside. Perhaps one of the hardest lessons for fledging designers to learn is that good design is never simply about self-expression. At its best, it is an act of understanding.
Now read on, Episode 5 Decoded…
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I loved this episode so much and Kelly Holmes was brilliant in it. I was genuinely interested in learning more about the Navy cadets so it was really great to see behind the scenes. You learn so much from this series and the fact that there is always lots of excellent humour from Alan Carr, makes it for me such excellent TV. But you don't even have to be interested in interiors to enjoy watching this BBC series. It's such a delight and the judging is always absolutely spot on. 🙌🏽
I'm still crying over this one! I loved loved loved Johnni's room