IDM Season Six!
Interior Design Masters, first look, meet the class of 2025...
It’s back! A little later in the year than usual, but fighting fit and ready to drop onto your tellyboxes on Thursday 10th April, at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Whoop whoop! So let’s meet our designers, shown above, from left to right as follows…
John, a Design Technology teacher from Stockport, who describes his style as “Graphic Bohemian”. But after 16 years of devoting his life to teaching, and inspiring his students to realise their creative potential, he finally took the leap to follow his own dream of becoming an interior designer. With a creative upbringing in Yorkshire, being voted best dressed teacher at school, and putting his DIY skills to the test in a Victorian doer-upper he shares with his wife and two children, John was finally ready.
Emma, an art and textiles teacher from North Wales, with a design style she calls “Bougie Boho Bling”! As she puts it, despite her limb difference, “I was raised to believe I could do anything so now it’s time for a change.” As such, she studied textiles at university, assisted photographers on photo shoots, completed a management scheme at IKEA, and ended up managing the Interior Design department. IDM is her chance to show what she can do as a designer herself.
Ese, a manager at a Sexual Health charity in London, who says, “My parents pushed me into becoming a doctor when all I ever wanted was to be creative.” Originally from Nigeria, and having spent four years at medical school, he faced discrimination for being gay and ultimately sought asylum in the UK. He discovered his passion for interiors watching British design shows, studied for a diploma in Interior Design and is now enrolled for a degree. He describes his style as “Nature Inspired”.
Briony, a former homewares store owner from Surrey. Croydon-born and raised, Briony met her partner 19 years ago and together they set up a lifestyle brand. 17 years later it had grown to include 8 stores and Briony was responsible for all the creative aspects. Sadly the pandemic ushered in their closure but the stars aligned for Briony to take a leap into the world of interiors, creating spaces for friends and family. As this mum of two puts it, “I want to punch the imposter syndrome in the face.”
Bradley, a social media executive from Liverpool, describes his style as “Modern Playful” and loves “making stuff from nothing and showing what I can do.” Currently living in his childhood home, Bradley has completed projects from friends, developed a following on TikTok for his innovative DIY hacks, and takes a “curated maximalism” approach to his work. His dream is to build a portfolio of inspiring spaces and launch his own studio.
Rita is a visual merchandiser living in Lancaster. She also works as an artist, wardrobe organiser and professional illustrator! Her design style is described as “Rustic Textural” but her heritage hints at a deeper driving force. Of Lebanese heritage, Rita was a child of war moving between Iraq, Cyprus and Lebanon before finally escaping to the UK in 2006. As she says, “I escaped two wars and have lived in 4 countries so I’ve learned to make anywhere feel like home.”
Ayisha, an interior design student and model who lives in Hove, describes her signature style as “Romantic Traditional” combining her dual British/Nigerian heritage. Originally from Bournemouth, she now lives in Sussex with her husband, 12-year old daughter and 4-year old son, and has a degree in International Politics. However this was never going to satisfy her creative aspirations, so last year she enrolled at KLC to complete a diploma in Interior Design.
Craig, a giftware designer from Hastings with a style he calls “Retro Vintage”. He started out as a chef, then enrolled in Art College, went on to be a prop maker for retail displays at Harvey Nichols and Liberty, then ran a homewares shop in Clapham, London He now lives in Hastings with his husband and a cat called Fifi in a 1920s mock Tudor house that he’s renovated to reflect his love of vintage. Oh, and he also has a drag queen alter ego called Coco Canal!
Victoria, a commercial project director from Glasgow, who describes herself as a farmer’s daughter with a love for all things glamorous. She grew up driving tractors, and spending her summers milking cows. She credits her love of design and interiors to her mother, who decorated their farmhouse with budget-friendly hacks. She went on to study jewellery design and silversmithing, but settled into a project management job. Nonetheless, this has afforded her the opportunity to renovate the company’s offices into her version of “Contemporary Luxe”.
Holly is a fabric designer from Salford, with a love of retro design, in particular the 70s, calling her look, “70s Beach House”. With a love for surf and skate-boarding, she’s proudly renovated her own caravan and lives with her boyfriend in a “fixer-upper”. She studied Costume and Textiles at university, has worked in Tesco, and friend’s candle-making company until deciding to go it alone to make soft furnishings, bags and kitchen accessories printed with her trademark retro designs.
So that’s the gang! And you know the score. Over 8 weeks I make our ten designers jump through the hoops of all sorts of design challenges which take them around the UK, transforming containers into offices to over-hauling apartments in an iconic village. The spaces are routinely amazing, some of the inspirations decidedly kooky, my guest judges always brilliant, Alan is en pointe as ever, and our designers give their all. #mustwatchtv
Yeeees we have been waiting for this! Michelle, you are the very best judge we ever saw. On tv-shows, on the news or in person. You always make a huge effort to understand the mistakes/problems/less fantastic choices made by the designers, and you are so easy to understand and inspiring to listen to. As you may have mentioned once(?), the show is almost more like a masterclass than a competition. And that is beautiful. Thank you, we can't wait to see the next season. All the best,
Ane and Paula in Denmark.