Netflix’s Interior Design Masters

December 29th, 2019

By Veronica Vale

These frosty winter days call for a new Netflix series to binge, and the BBC’s Interior Design Masters delivers. The show’s concept and structure echos the fun, quirky British series, The Great British Baking Show, while the competition-based content feels as exciting and fast-paced as Project Runway. The show begins with 10 aspiring interior designers, competing to win a career-defining interior design commercial contract (and not to worry – no spoilers here!).

Each episode presents a new type of interior for the contestants to remodel, design, and decorate. The clients’ desires and the interior’s practical needs must be taken into consideration, whether they’re designing a restaurant for commercial use or a personal apartment.

The show’s judge and world renown interior design Michelle Ogundehin invites a guest judge to assist in each challenge’s critique. Ogundehin then must decide whose design deserves promotion to the next round and whose warrants elimination.

Here are a few of our favorite guest judges from the show, as well as a few pieces from Gallery MAR to help you achieve their innovative aesthetic.

The first and last guest judge on the show is award-winning British designer Matthew Williamson, best known for his use of vibrant color and daring patterns. Mixing and matching patterns takes a masterful eye — one must ride the line between eccentric and clashing. If you’re looking for all of the eccentric and none of the clashing, we recommend the work of Hunt Slonem and Mary Scrimgeour.

Matthew Williamson

Gallery MAR

Episode 4 introduces interior designer Sophie Robinson as guest judge. Her soft pastel palette and cheerful patterns warm and brighten any home, much like the work of Gallery MAR artists Jylian Gustlin and Allison Rash.

Sophie Robinson

Gallery MAR

The designs of Episode 5’s guest judge Abigail Ahern read as an antithesis to Sophie Robinson’s designs: where Robinson’s are bright and cheerful, Ahern’s are dark and romantic (even Romantic with a capital “R”). Her moody interiors feel simultaneously cozy and high drama, melding traditional chandeliers and vintage pieces with modern accents. This elegant blend of dark modern with tasteful traditional is reflected in the work of Gallery MAR artists’ KOLLABS and Matt Flint.

Abigail Ahern

Here we’ve only touched on a few of the evocative, avant-garde styles present on this new series, so to anyone with an appreciation for good design and interior makeovers – or even just fans of charming British accents – we highly recommend Netflix’s addicting series Interior Design Masters.