Last night, we saw Interior Design Masters back on the high street as each of the designers fought for their place in the semi-finals. Tackling this week’s hair salon challenge in two teams of two, read on for who went through to next week.
Week 6 - The Brief: Create the perfect salon interior
With 2 days and a £3000 budget, the designers hit Richmond to overhaul two high-street salons. Siobhan and Micaela were tasked with an art deco barbers (to Siobhan’s utter delight), and Paul and Lynsey took on a unisex salon with a biophilic brief. If you’ve never heard of this term, Biophilic Design is the concept of bringing the outdoors inside. The goal for each salon was to create a functional space that welcomed clients yet also provided visual stimulation. As usual, the contestants were assessed by Michelle and her guest judge, who this week was Abigail Ahern. Described as one of the world’s most exciting designers by W magazine, follow Abigail for maximalist style inspiration.
In the end, nobody left, all four of them stayed, and I couldn’t have agreed more with Michelle. Throughout the challenge, the designers performed incredibly well to re-vamp their salons - here’s what this latest episode taught us:
Never be afraid to think outside the box
The time to try different materials is on a tight budget - as Paul proved, the outcome can be beautiful.
How to bring the outdoors inside
Paul and Lynsey’s faux internal courtyard was such a clever idea and can easily be achieved at home. Re-create the look with the right lighting, a reclaimed door, botanical wallpaper and faux foliage.
Room dividers can make clever new zones
I loved Micaela’s bespoke metal dividers in the art deco salon, which helped to break up yet still connect the space. Room dividers are such an invaluable tool when it comes to layout and they make the most of any floor plan.
How to save a tin of paint
Did you freak out like me when Siobhan’s paint went wrong? Luckily, a shot of black created the desired burgundy hue. If you’re ever in doubt about paint, try adding black or white to create a shade you prefer.
Storage can be fun and inventive
I was impressed with the way Lynsey repurposed and used the old tables to display the salon’s hair products. Storage doesn’t have to be drab so try this at home, and you’ll create fun, bespoke shelving.
Bold schemes need somewhere to rest the eye
Forget ping-ponging; in a maximalist scheme, the eyes must have somewhere to rest. We mentioned this in Episode 3’s Recap, but it’s a good reminder - even Abigail would agree there should be method to the madness.
Soft textures are your secret weapon
Another key point that Abigail made was the importance of soft textures and pieces. Siobhan and Micaela’s salon featured a snug seating area, whereas the other did not - comfort at home is definitely one of the basics.
As the show closed to an end, Michelle had a few words to see the designers through the next couple of weeks. Her advice was to steer clear of clichés and to tell one story per scheme - will they take this on board? Stayed tuned for next Tuesday’s show!
Thanks so much for reading
-Jess x
You can follow the designers on Instagram here:
Interior Curve (Siobhan)
Moneypenny Interiors (Paul)
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