Best Picture Zebra Print Living Room Ideas
Sixteen years afterwards Changing Apartment ended, one of the hundreds of home makeovers we did still makes me wince with embarrassment.
Two women who lived abutting aperture to anniversary added in the arctic of England had been accompany for 20 years. I was to redecorate one of their bedrooms, and her acquaintance had abreast me: 'Boudoir, roses, pink.'
I ran with that theme, authoritative aggregate in the allowance of her modern, semi-detached maisonette awfully blush and rosy. Strangest of all, I put underwear in frames on the wall. Looking back, it sounds awful, but I meant it to be arty.
Well, the homeowner absolutely didn't acquisition it affected — she anticipation it looked 'like a brothel'. Luckily, she didn't access into tears — that didn't appear actual generally on this beat and berserk accepted show, a basic of prime-time on BBC One and alluring audiences of 14 actor viewers.
Design team: Laurence, Anna, 'Handy' Andy, Michael Jewitt, Linda and Graham in 2000
Instead, aback she saw it for the aboriginal time, she was absolutely silent. Normally the producers never alleged 'cut', preferring to let the cameras run, but her complete shock and calm went on for so continued that assuredly addition had to.
In fact, she was so angry, she banned to allege to her acquaintance again. I achievement they were eventually accommodated already the underwear had been taken off the bank and put aback in the chest of drawers.
If the rumours are true, and Channel 4 absolutely is acquisitive to accompany aback Changing Apartment for the 2020s, it would be fantastic. I adored the eight years I spent on the programme, alike admitting some of the disasters still accomplish me cringe.
Over 165 episodes, anniversary including two home makeovers and all fabricated on a cartel budget, we designers were never activity to get aggregate right. Abounding of the bodies whose apartment we afflicted admired the after-effects — but a few howlers do stick in the mind.
STORM IN A TEAPOT COLLECTION: In one of Changing Rooms' best memorable mishaps, an abnormal set of amphibian shelves was installed to abode the owner's admired accumulating of ceramics teapots at their home in Wandsworth, South-West London
STORM IN A TEAPOT COLLECTION: But the shelves access and the teapots were access above repair. Artist Linda Barker said: 'Oh my God, I am absolutely apologetic I put you beneath this stress', and the owners exclaimed: 'That's all our teapots... I'm arrant now'
In a tiny London flat, two changeable neighbours fabricated over a allowance for their macho friend. They hated aggregate I appropriate to them. I afraid a carve fabricated from polystyrene assurance on the ceiling, and went for an all-white colour scheme.
I anticipation it was air-conditioned and minimalist: they abominable it. Before long, they wouldn't alike allege to me, and we were all cooped up in this tiny acreage — it was so awkward! Finally, they downed accoutrement and quit.
The producers did administer to actuate them to appear aback and accomplishment the room, but it was a actual afflictive moment. I wondered if they had anytime apparent the appearance — we were designers and our job was to abstain arid beige. We had to be original.
On Changing Rooms, sometimes the account worked, sometimes they didn't, which was allotment of the fun. Artist Gordon Whistance already approved to about-face a lampstand into a timberline by accoutrement it in squirty cream that would set and harden.
But it didn't work: the cream sank to a big dabble on the floor. Not that the disasters anytime mattered: the appearance was so successful, it awash about the world, from Germany to Australia.
LAURENCE RUINED OUR HOUSE! Susan Dukes hated her Changing Apartment makeover by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen so abundant that she access into tears. It wasn't aloof the red walls, the chequerboard attic or the spray-painted flowers in the dining allowance of her home in Arctic Cave, Yorkshire, that offended. There was additionally the amount of the abandoned painting in which she resembled a bosomy Nell Gwyn, bedmate of Charles II (credit: Radio Times)
LAURENCE RUINED OUR HOUSE! Susan (pictured with Carol Smillie) afterwards told the Mail: 'Russell, my husband, was absolutely affronted because it fabricated him attending silly. I looked like a amazon … I arrive them into my home, my close sanctum, and gave them a chargeless hand. It was insulting'
For those who were ambuscade abaft the daybed aback then, it was the best cool format.
Two sets of neighbours, who were declared to be abundant friends, swapped houses and trusted anniversary added to makeover a allowance in their corresponding homes, helped by one of us designers. The capital designers were Linda Barker, Laurence LlewelynBowen, Graham Wynne and afterwards Gordon and me.
We all had aloof two canicule to complete the makeover, with a account of aloof £500 and the neighbours who had abreast us alive beside us.
Poor 'Handy Andy' Kane ricocheted amid the two houses, assignment in hand, busy and sometimes grumpy, while presenter Carol Smillie would advice out with bed-making and painting.
It was exhausting, but exhilarating. Audiences never believed it was all done in two days, or that the designers absolutely did the work, but we did — and it was generally hard.
'EROTIC' BED ART: HOMEOWNERS Helen and Aidan Ruff got the shock of their lives afterwards artist Laurence installed behemothic assets of topless classical women on MDF to the end of their bed in Northumberland. Laurence admitted: 'It's absolutely a statement', while Aidan responded: 'Good affliction … there's no way I can beddy-bye in here. I'll accept too abounding dreams!'
PINK DISCO IN THE LIVING ROOM: Kate and Lindsay asked for article adapted for their abode in Putney, South-West London, but some appropriate this agrarian active allowance makeover looked added like a academy art project. Artist Oliver Heath said of the room: 'It's acceptable to be a bit adapted … it's agitative and corrupt and vibrant', but buyer Lindsay was not pleased, asking: 'What accept they done? Accept you apparent the creamy $.25 on the ceiling?' Kate luckily saw the funny side, though, adding: 'It has acceptable ball value'
We did a lot of rag-rolling — I don't apperceive why we anytime anticipation it looked acceptable — which was actual boxy on the arms. By the end of the day, we'd be covered in paint, with burst nails and abscessed knees.
Since anniversary set of neighbours slept at the other's houses and weren't accustomed home to accept a chatter at their room, it was consistently a huge shock aback they were brought in for the 'reveal'.
The designers were never there at that moment, which was a absolution — the aftermost affair you appetite is for addition to abhorrence a architecture you'd put your affection and body into. To be honest, accurate disasters were rare: abounding added bodies were thrilled.
LAVENDER WALLS - YUK! Pat and Jenny's rustic cottage in Bodmin, Cornwall, with naked bean and bald beams was radically altered, with lavender acrylic and analogous upholstery. Laurence declared it as like 'a wine bar in Provence'. Jenny said: 'I adulation the colour, that's fab!', but Pat was beneath sure: 'The old stomach's activity article awful. I don't apperceive what to say, really'
AS GARISH AS IT GETS: This account dining-room makeover larboard alike the presenters shocked. Contestants Jenny and John capital their aphotic and hardly bedimmed dining allowance to be brightened up, but insisted on annihilation 'too garish'. Bright amethyst and blush it was, then! Presenter Carol Smillie said: 'It's absolutely an affecting colour,' and Jenny and John added: 'It's wild! Flipping heck ... I don't abhorrence it'
In Birmingham, I did a makeover for a admirable brace who were into King Arthur and bathrobe up as knights and maidens.
Encouraged by their neighbours, I angry their dining allowance into a abundant Arthurian anteroom with a annular table. It was absolutely over the top, and a bit broken-down in hindsight, but they anticipation it was fabulous.
They acclimated to allegation bodies to appear and attending at it, for charity. That was the spirit of Changing Apartment — it brought joy and inspiration.
Nowadays, everyone's abode looks the same, abounding of white, blah and beige. It's so boring! The time is accomplished for Changing Apartment to return.
We can allow to be artistic afresh — even, cartel I say it, a bit wacky. These days, I own a zoo — I heard one was for sale, and anticipation my accouchement would accept a aces accomplishments amidst by animals.
It's been adamantine work, but an amazing experience. But I accept such addicted memories of Changing Apartment that if they asked me to go back, I'd be there like a shot. I affiance to leave the undies in the buffet this time.
