Interior Design Masters With Alan Carr viewers are left baffled by VERY bold room

Viewers left baffled by ‘headache-inducing’ makeover of historic Sussex hotel room after designer promised it would be ‘like a slap in the face’ on Interior Design Masters With Alan Carr

  • Interior Design Masters With Alan Carr challenged designers to make over rooms in a Sussex wedding hotel 
  • Jonathan Burns, of Worthing, West Sussex, promised his ‘maximal’ vision would be like a ‘slap in the face’
  • Viewers were left reeling at the bold design, saying it was ‘bonkers’ and ‘headache-inducing’

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Viewers of BBC2 makeover show Interior Design Masters With Alan Carr were left reeling after one contestant transformed a dated country hotel room into an ‘bonkers’ space full of ‘headache inducing’ colours and patterns.

The eight remaining professionals were last night tasked with redesigning rooms at Highley Manor, a Sussex wedding venue that was once the home of Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Half the group was asked to fit the brief of ‘understated glamour and subtle luxury’ while the other four designers channelled a ‘decadent and maximal finish’.

Designer Jonathan Burns, of Worthing, West Sussex, who fell into the latter group, promised: ‘My room is going to going to look completely different, it’s going to be a slap in the face.’ 

Before: The dated room featured tired carpets, dark wood furniture and an uninspiring pink and gold colour scheme

After: Designer Jonathan Burns, of Worthing, West Sussex, promised: 'My room is going to going to look completely different, it's going to be a slap in the face.' The finished result (pictured) certainly delivered on his bold claim

After: Designer Jonathan Burns, of Worthing, West Sussex, promised: ‘My room is going to going to look completely different, it’s going to be a slap in the face.’ The finished result (pictured) certainly delivered on his bold claim

Traditional: Designers redesigned rooms at Highley Manor, a Sussex wedding venue that was home to Percy Bysshe Shelley

Traditional: Designers redesigned rooms at Highley Manor, a Sussex wedding venue that was home to Percy Bysshe Shelley

Unconvinced: The combination of primary colours and wallpapers proved too much for the judges - and the viewers

Unconvinced: The combination of primary colours and wallpapers proved too much for the judges – and the viewers

The finished result was certainly bold, with prints and colours covering every inch of the space. But the combination of primary colours and wallpapers proved too much for the judges – and the viewers. 

Michelle Ogundehin and guest judge Kit Kemp, founder of Firmdale Hotels, were unimpressed when they walked into Jonathan’s finished space. 

Walking into the space, Ogundehin said: ‘Oh my goodness. Every single surface is covered and coloured and patterned. There is a point when too much is just too much.’

Kemp agreed: ‘It is very worrying for the eye and it is just a bit frantic.’

Clashing colours and patterns: Jonathan wanted to 'throw together' prints and primary colours in the space

Clashing colours and patterns: Jonathan wanted to ‘throw together’ prints and primary colours in the space 

Where to look? The judges commented that the mix of prints, textures and colours overwhelmed the eye

Where to look? The judges commented that the mix of prints, textures and colours overwhelmed the eye

'Frantic': Judge Michelle Ogundehin (back to camera) and guest judge Kit Kemp (left), founder of Firmdale Hotels, were unimpressed when they walked into Jonathan's finished space. Kemp said the mix of patterns was 'worrying to the eye'

‘Frantic’: Judge Michelle Ogundehin (back to camera) and guest judge Kit Kemp (left), founder of Firmdale Hotels, were unimpressed when they walked into Jonathan’s finished space. Kemp said the mix of patterns was ‘worrying to the eye’ 

Best feature: The judges noted that the room didn't work with the outlook to the balcony and the countryside beyond

Best feature: The judges noted that the room didn’t work with the outlook to the balcony and the countryside beyond 

Coloured in: Jonathan extended his colour scheme to the ceiling, where he added crayon green outlines to the patterns

Coloured in: Jonathan extended his colour scheme to the ceiling, where he added crayon green outlines to the patterns

The views were echoed on Twitter, where fans praised Burns’ ‘brave’ ideas but said he had taken them ‘too far’ this week. 

One posted: ‘Such a shame Jon has gone, really liked his style but it was bonkers this week. #interiordesignmasters.’ 

Another added: ‘Oh dear, Jon. That room is a living migraine #interiordesignmasters.’

A third tweeted: ‘OMG I have a headache from Jon’s room #interiordesignmasters.’

Taking a risk: The design led to Jonathan being eliminated from the competition but he remained pleased with his work

Taking a risk: The design led to Jonathan being eliminated from the competition but he remained pleased with his work

Divided: Viewers were sad to see Jonathan, a fan favourite, leave the competition but said his design was simply too much

Divided: Viewers were sad to see Jonathan, a fan favourite, leave the competition but said his design was simply too much

The design led to Jonathan being eliminated from the competition but he remained pleased with what he had done. 

Commenting on the finished room, he said: ‘I stuck to what my original thought was of using saturated primary colours, crazy furniture, lots of fabric, lots of print, and threw it all together. And I think I threw it all together in a really creative, beautiful way. I’m really pleased.’

Some fans agreed and praised the designer for taking risks. 

One tweeted: ‘Can I just be the one person to say I genuinely thought Jon’s bright green pattern printed chevron dreamscape room was a DREAM #interiordesignmasters.’ 

Another wrote: ‘Loving Jon’s room tbh. The brief was ‘maximalist’ that’s what you got.’