runner-up in the Interior Design Masters Jack Kinsey was quite proud of the pub design he designed in the BBC competition final versus Monika Charchula.
He has, however, admitted that he cannot bring himself to return to the establishment several months later since it would be ‘like PTSD’ to repeat the ‘trauma’ of the hard task.
Jack, 27, and Monika, 32, were each charged with shaking up the décor of two distinct pubs in Brighton in the grand finale of the 2023 season.
Jack, who had two floors to work on, told Metro.co.uk about his experience, stating that while it was a ‘race against time’ to finish everything in three days on a restricted budget, ‘it all came together in the end’.
The interiors business owner’s constellation-inspired design was a huge hit with the pub’s owner.
But when questioned if watering hole, titled Earth & Stars, had preserved his design, he claimed that he didn’t know, stating: ‘ I can’t tell if it’s the same or not since I haven’t gone back.
‘I don’t know if I can go back, because it’s like PTSD, because it’s like all the trauma and all the stress of it. If I went back now, maybe I would be like, “I would have done this different,” and I don’t want that. I want it to just be like, “No, what I did at the time was right.” I can’t go, I just don’t think I can bring myself to go back.’
We had a check on social media, and it appears like Earth & Stars has preserved Jack’s sleek finish, as the pub stated last year on Instagram that they had a ‘beautiful face lift’ after temporarily closing for a’spruce up’.
Jack stated that his goal with the pub was to give it a ‘whole new personality’ and to’make it really glitter’ – and it’s easy to say that, despite finishing second in the series, he definitely accomplished his goal.
Looking back on the final, he noted that he learned during the process that he needed to ’embrace the turmoil,’ after being’shaken’ by the show’s fast-paced dynamic in week one.
In the final, he and Monika even texted each other to make sure they were both okay before focusing on their separate efforts in the tournament.
One of the most important lessons Jack learned from Interior Design Masters was the significance of being bold and taking risks rather than playing it safe.
‘When I went into each week, I always thought, “I’ll go big and bold and if that works out, brilliant.” Or, “If it sends me home, then it sends me home.” I’d rather be really daring than mundane,’ he outlined.
Dishing out advice to any prospective competitors, he shared: ‘My advice for anyone applying, if you get on the show, just be really really bold. You need to use this as a canvas to just go really big. If you don’t, you’ll regret it because you’ll be like, “I really wish I had created something more impactful,” or, “I wish I took a risk,”’ he said.
‘I think this whole thing is about taking risks. I took a risk every single week and it got me to the end – obviously, not right to the end.’
In the final, he and Monika even texted each other to make sure they were both okay before focusing on their separate efforts in the tournament.
One of the most important lessons Jack learned from Interior Design Masters was the significance of being bold and taking risks rather than playing it safe.
‘She’s really going in that space to understand you as a designer. So just don’t hold back.’
On the day of the final broadcast, Jack told Metro.co.uk that he was in Brighton for a watching party of the programme with the other finalists, which will take place at the bar that Monika designed.
He’s had’so many requests’ and’so many opportunities’ since his time on the show.
‘I’ve since done another pub, since done another hair salon. There’s been loads of residential stuff coming through, people want me to do their houses. It’s been really mad,’ he stated.
‘I’m itching to do another big project for myself,’ he added, drawing a parallel to the chapel he designed on the programme. ‘I want to do something really big, like I want to buy a big derelict barn or a derelict factory or something and just convert that, and create another real magic box. I really want to do something monumental again.’
Interior Design Masters is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.