Suchismita Ghosh
Interior design is no mean feat. It requires precision and perfection while adhering to specific briefs and deadlines. In BBC One’s British reality television series ‘Interior Design Masters,’ 10 amateur interior designers battle it out over eight weeks to be crowned the finest and to earn a prestigious commercial contract. Premiered in 2019, the first season of the show was a massive hit with the audience, who loved the brilliance each participant brought while handling specific briefs, budgets, and deadlines. However, for quite some time since the season finale, ardent fans of the show have been wondering where their favorite budding interior designers are now.
Cassie Nicholas Has Started Her Own Design Studio
The winner of the first season of ‘Interior Design Masters,’ Cassie started her own studio in 2019 called Cassie Nicholas Studios after requests began pouring in to design the interiors of people’s houses. Cassie has been actively working in the residential and commercial sectors. She also sources antiques for Dig Haüshizzle, the antique brand she co-founded in 2010 with her husband, Edward. Cassie has also been actively working as a stylist and photographer of products and interiors.
Bristol-based Cassie is also the co-creative director of The Lounges, home-from-home cafe bars located all over the UK, The Cosy Club, a relaxed drinking and dining joint, and Brightside Roadside, a well-known joint famous for roadside dining. She is also the designer and manager of the website of award-winning British interior designer Matthew Williamson. Being active on social media, she often shares glimpses of her photographs, which are mostly an amalgamation of intricate interior design works and vintage fashion.
Frank Newbold Has Been Working With Clients All Across the Globe
The youngest participant of the season, Frank, came in a close second to Cassie in the finals. Frank left his job as an Interior Stylist at Fully Interiors before he joined the show. Since his stint on ‘Interior Design Masters,’ he has taken on multiple residential and commercial projects all over the UK and abroad.
Frank also traveled to and lived in India for six months and attributes his trip to have inspired him to refuel his passion for colors and patterns. The talented youngster now has his own interior design studio in Lapworth, Brighton, called Hestia & Hearth, which deals with the creation of unique spaces. The studio also has a store where gorgeous and modernist home furnishings can be purchased.
Ju DePaula Now Has Her Own Interior Designing Courses
The gorgeous Brazilian interior designer who shifted base to England in 2005 managed to wow the judges and audiences through her use of colors and designs that brought out her lovely personality. Having previously worked with big brands like Natuzza, Designers Guild, and Armani Casa, she now chooses to resume her entire focus on her interior design business, Blueberry Living & Co., which she refers to as “a joyful way of life.”
Ju also handles The Blooming Home Society, where she gives free decor and color workshops and is working on courses designed for budding interior designers looking to learn a thing or two about designing. Other than that, the gorgeous and bubbly stay-at-home mother loves spending time with her partner, their kids Zak and Jasmin, and their pet cat and rabbit, Samba and Lily.
Nicki Bamford-Bowes Now Helps Design Budget Friendly Dream Projects
The talented South East London-based interior designer after her time on the show chose to shift her priority back to her company, & Then They Went Wild, which she established in 2017. Nicki focuses on giving her clients functional spaces within budget.
However, her eye for detail ensures that her clients get much more than expected. Nicki’s social media is replete with collaborations and design ventures she embarks on in her house while providing styling tips and showcasing London life.
Kyle Broughton-Frew Has Started His Own Design Firm
South Africa-born Kyle Broughton, who currently lives in England, worked with a small design studio after his time on the ‘Interior Design Masters’ wrapped up. Then for a short while, he was a freelance interior architect with Cream & Browne Lifestyle. Soon after, he shifted his focus to his own company, KBF Interior Design, in Birmingham’s Sutton Coldfield. Kyle prefers using a hands-on approach to cater to client briefs and likes to be present on-site to ensure that all instructions are being carried out as expected.
On the personal front, Kyle and his husband, Karl Freedom, were left bereaved as their beloved pet, Bianca del Rio, whom Kyle referred to as “my daughter,” passed away in May 2022.
Jerome Gardener Now Chooses To Focus On His Cafe
Jerome has been maintaining a low profile after his time on the show. The former restaurant manager currently resides in Nottingham and is the owner of ‘Jeromes,’ a cafe that opened in 2020 and is located in Bulwell. In 2021, he had a massive health scare and was hospitalized with heart failure, kidney failure, hepatitis, and sepsis. Eventually, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.
Though he isn’t fully cured, he’s doing much better now, in the care of family and loved ones. Jerome’s social media boasts of intricate styles and home designs that he works on and his beloved pet dachshund, Harper.
Verity Coleman Is Now The Director of BIID
Retired army officer Verity Coleman currently resides in London. In 2013, she started her own design studio, Rascal and Roses, in London and Hertfordshire. However, to participate in ‘Interior Design Masters,’ she had taken a hiatus from her studio. Once her stint in the show wrapped up, she resumed her work once again. Verity caters to a diverse clientele and helps with all sorts of budget-friendly, full-scale, and small interior design requirements, along with her team of talented and experienced artisans.
In 2020, she joined the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID), and in 2021 became the Chairman of the BIID Diversity and Inclusion Committee before taking on the role of a part-time Director in 2022.
Terian Tilston Works on Both Commercial and Residential Projects
Terian Tilston was one of the most bubbly and chirpy contestants on the show. However, the Scotland-based litigation lawyer’s world came crashing down in 2018 after her mother passed away within weeks of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Heartbroken, Terian struggled to come to terms with the loss.
However, to start healing again, she began re-designing her own home. That eventually was what gave rise to her brainchild, Terian Tilston Interior Design, in 2019. She quit her role as a solicitor and started working full-time in her studio in Newport, dealing with both residential and commercial clients across all sorts of projects and various budgets.
Trish Coggans Now Maintains a Low Profile
Social worker Trish Coggans was the oldest yet one of the most loved participants of the season. Despite having spent relatively less time on the show, Trish had managed to wow the judges with her eclectic and quirky design abilities. However, ever since the show wrapped up, Trish has preferred to maintain a low profile.
It was believed that she had resumed working on her Nottingham-based design business, Outshine Interiors, the place currently shows ‘permanently closed.’ Nonetheless, in respecting Trish’s decision to stay away from the limelight, we hope and pray the best for her always.
Jim Biddulph Now Hosts His Own Podcast
Margate-based design writer Jim Biddulph spent the least time on the show but still left a lasting impact. After his time at ‘Interior Design Masters’ wrapped up, Jim returned to focus on his studio, Jim Biddulph Studio, which he had started in 2010. Jim presently works independently and provides advice on interiors pertaining to material, space, and colors. Having been diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma, he’s currently in remission after being cancer-free since 2019.
Along with that, Jim has been freelancing as an Associate Lecturer in quite a few well-known universities, like the University for the Creative Arts, Kingston University, and the University of Westminster. He is also a freelance gallery technician with Turner Contemporary since May 2021. Jim hosts his own podcast, ‘In The Making’ where he interacts with individuals from a creative background to learn about their way and purpose for work.
Read More: Million Dollar Decorators: Where Are the Interior Designers Now?
