victoria scott
From Reality TV Pressure to Real-Life Design Inspiration
Victoria Scott
When cast as one of the competitors for BBCs Interior Design Masters 2025 my passion for interior design became more of a high-pressured reality TV experience in what felt like a fusion of Changing Rooms, Blue Peter and The Crystal Maze! It was mentally, physically and creatively demanding, but ultimately it was the most exhilarating experience that today feels like a dream!
Now, as I return to work after having my wee boy last summer, I can reflect on what a crazy summer 2024 was when filming season 6 of Interior Design Masters. I learned so much from the experience, all whilst seeing ‘behind the curtain’ of TV magic which was so incredibly interesting. Who knew you’d spend hours each day filming ‘walking shots’ to be featured in an episode as a two second snippet?! That is one sure-fire way to over analyse putting one foot in front of the other. And never have I struggled more with my accent while in a fluster trying to direct trades people who really could not tune in to my Scottish cadence than on set at IDM.
All of these elements added to a chaotic few months buzzing up and down the country in my trusty van, travelling hours for marketplace bargains to meet the sometimes-peculiar design brief set by the judges. In Episode 4 my fellow contestants and I were introduced to four-legged clients – we were tasked with designing rooms for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. The most obscure brief set by head judge Michelle Ogundehin in the shows history, but it certainly kept us on our toes.
Each challenge saw two days of intense re-design mayhem, with the added quirk of droves of camera, sound and production team members watching your every move. And who could they add to mix to evoke further commotion; Alan Carr, a laugh a minute character who cut any tension in the room when he popped by. Was he conducive to productivity? Not so much, but he kept things interesting for sure!
The premise behind Interior Design Masters is simple, push designers to get the best results on a super tight budget. I’d like to think it inspires people to have a go themselves in their own homes, and maybe even workplaces – it’s amazing what can even be done within shipping containers if space is tight to create a functional workspace.
I look forward to sharing with Ayrshire Magazine my experiences from the show as well as real life interior design incites that can work well in your home, across any budget. I’m a firm believer that interior design should NOT be attainable only for the super wealthy, and Interior Design Masters is testament to just that. If you have an aesthetic that you love, and more importantly a feeling that you want to evoke within your space, it is amazing what you can achieve on a tight budget.
Will I be readily offering to jump into a skip again for a client in the name of design? Probably not… but needs must to meet a budget I suppose. That being said, if a client wanted to do the skip rummaging first, then ask me to work their ‘treasure’ into a design – I’m your woman, I’ll make it sing in your space!
I’m one of those people who takes on new projects with a ‘how hard can that be?’ attitude, I believe it is an inherited trait from my hard-working agricultural background. This has served me well in every aspect of life so far, and with an added sprinkling of creativity along the way it is amazing what can be created.
Seasons 1-6 of BBCs Interior Design Masters can be streamed on BBC iPlayer and Netflix. Season 7 airs from Tuesday 21st April, BBC 1, 8pm.
On moving to our family home last year, I closed the door on my beloved Glasgow property which stood me so well and provided complete design autonomy when living alone. I LOVED putting my stamp on it, and I truly believe it was one of the main ignitions to the fire in my belly that burns all things interiors. I’ll break down previous projects I’ve worked on to illustrate how I blend budget friendly pieces with a little sprinkling of luxury to create a contemporary luxe aesthetic. Shall we deem it bougee on a budget?
The introduction to Ayrshire Magazine is timely in my introduction to Ayrshire as home. On moving to Kilmarnock, I have taken on a new blank canvas to create our family home within. I plan to share the journey which will see me reintroducing character back into the period property by cosmetically redesigning the interior, all whist being sympathetic to its past. It’s a tricky thing to do well, all whilst keeping practicality at the forefront for a very young family member, and tiny miniature dachshund to boot. I plan to show how good design with a practical foundation, doesn’t always come with an extortionate price tag…watch this space.
