A TALENTED designer from Brighton is to take part in BBC’s Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr.
Barbara Ramani is one of the ten creators competing to win a career-defining contract with one of the UK’s top boutique hotels.
The 34-year-old set up her own interior design business two years ago while on maternity leave from her job in the residential sector.
Barbara said she watched the first series of the show, which aired in 2019, and thought it was “wonderful” that contestants were given the opportunity to design commercial properties, including restaurants, retail and offices.
She said: “These were the types of projects that I was looking to work on.
“As a self-employed individual at the beginning of my career in interior design it is hard to win these types of projects, so I thought the show could be a great way for me to get these types of projects into my portfolio.
“I was also due to have my second baby and was looking for a goal to focus on to pull me out of nappy land.”
Every week, the designers are set a new commercial design challenge in the hope that their skills and expertise impress the judges.
Design expert, and former editor of Elle Decoration, Michelle Ogundehin returns as the series judge and will be joined each week by a different guest expert who will be on hand to offer their advice and criticism.
Barbara said that while she expected the competition to be hard work, she was not prepared for the ruthlessness of the eliminations.
She said: “You know everyone there is hugely skilled so there is really no saying who goes each week, and it is ultimately just sad when someone does go.
“When someone leaves there is a sadness for them, that the opportunity to showcase their skills is over, while but also a sense of relief that you get one more week to learn and be creative.
“But ultimately you know that you will also leave too, and to just throw yourself into the process and be as present as possible.”
Comedian Alan Carr will present this year’s contest, which was previously hosted by Fearne Cotton.
Alan said: “I’d never really hosted an interiors show before and fancied it.
Plus, I think people have found, like with Joe Lycett’s Sewing Bee and the Great British Bake Off that there can, if you get it right, a real opportunity to add some fun and humour to craftwork, baking and the creative process. So why not with interior design?
The first episode of the series will air on Tuesday, February 2 at 8pm on BBC Two.
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