AFTER an impressive run on Interior Design Masters, Reading’s Dean Powell’s time on the show has come to an end.
As a result of a tricky challenge where the five competitors were tasked with decorating five shepherd huts, Dean was sent home.
The challenge saw competitors race to design and furnish a small holiday hut each in North Wales, with both time and space severely limited.
Judges Michelle Ogundehin and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen decided that fellow competitors Banjo and Paul were the top two designers, putting them through to next week’s show.
Dean joined Amy and Fran in the bottom three.
After the group heard the judges’ critiques, it was Dean who was then sent home.
Despite this, Dean says that he loved the experience.
“It’s been a great journey, as someone who picked up interior design during covid it’s a massive achievement.”
During the challenge, Dean says that though his first ever tiling job was well-executed, the timing may have held him back.
“I may have bitten off more than I could chew – it looked professional, but it took up half of my day.”
“But I’ve learned so much during the show, about design and how to push myself.”
Dean says that during the show’s challenges, he liked to have a clear vision of what he wanted to do.
“You need to have that vision, because if you don’t, you miss out the small bits, details are key.
“When you miss those bits, the judges have no choice but to send you home.”
He says also that he’s happy with his run in the competition.
“It was the final five, so you’ve got to bring your A-game,
“Everybody smashed it, so the others all deserved to go through, and it was the right time for me to go.”
Judge Michelle Ogundehin said that Dean had “blazed a trail” during his time on the show.
Dean said of presenter Alan Carr: “He’s a lovely soul, he always makes you smile even when you’re stressed and pressed for time,
“For him to come in and lean on the wall with a one-liner, I was still laughing.”
He says also that representation in mainstream media continues to be important.
“When I was young, I didn’t see many people like me doing the things that I wanted to do,
“I never felt included, and you need to be able to feel comfortable in your own skin, regardless of your sexuality or what you look like,
“To be on the show and able to be me, organically me, can hopefully show others that they can be more comfortable in their own skin, and to love themselves.”
Dean jokes that there’s plenty more to come from him, and it will feature his favourite colour, black.
“The Dark Lord will go on, and I’ve still got stuff to do in my own house,
“With design and fashion consultation, you can make somebody feel like they are themselves,
“So I’m looking to interior design, looking at garden spaces, and even what you’re wearing,
“They all link together, and my consultations will look at all of those,
“I’m so proud of what I achieved in such a short period of time, whilst working, being a dad, and all of those things”
Applications to take part in series four of Interior Design Masters are open. To apply online, visit www.bbc.co.uk.
Interior Design Masters continues at 9pm on Wednesday, April 14, on BBC One.
