With only three designers left, it is the semi-finals, and the pressure is on as for the first time the designers are going head to head, taking on a design project each. Arriving at the studio, Michelle announces that they will each have an entire hair salon to redesign. Now only one step away from the final and the life-changing prize-winning contract, the designers must really prove themselves, to showcase their design talents and make it through. Fail to deliver and one designer will be going home.
As it is the semi-finals, Michelle has organised a mentor for the three designers to visit before undertaking the hair salons. Industry experts Kelly Hoppen, Sophie Robinson and Abigail Ahern are on hand to offer the designers their wise words of design advice, and all the semi-finalists are thrilled and excited to have some of their design heroes on hand to help mentor them.
Before getting started on the hair salons, the designers have a chat to their clients to find out what their commercial and design needs are. With passionate business owners who want to keep the clients coming through the door, this week getting the design right will be more important than ever.
With two days to complete this ambitious challenge, the three designers head to sunny Whitstable on the Kent coast to see their hair salons for the first time. With three salons all on the same high street, the competition is really on as the designers with the biggest rivalry, find themselves just across the road from each other!
Keen to keep their clients happy, the three designers take on very different approaches. Making over a barbers shop, one designer is determined to stay away from the usual cliches and decides to go all out to show off what their true design style is all about. With bold wall colours and some brave design choices, they stick to their guns with their love of all things antique, but could this risky move alienate the client and put the customers off?
Across the road, another designer, thrilled to be finally working alone, believes good salons are all about the lighting, so decides to go for an ambitious scheme. But will their sophisticated lighting scheme come at a price as they swiftly start to run out of time to get the salon finished on time?
In the third salon, desperate to deliver a perfect finish, the designer decides to play it safe. This could prove to be a wise move as they are the first salon to get finished, but will the salon have enough ambition to impress the judges and earn a place in the final?
Judging the hair salons alongside Michelle this week is design legend Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen. Known for his love of bold colours and quirky, dramatic designs, after many years in the design industry, he is not afraid to offer his opinions on what makes good design. Famed for his outlandish outfits and coiffured hair, who better to help judge what makes the perfect salon!
Impressed with some of the bold design statements, the judges don’t hold back on offering their expert opinions. With the challenge over, the three designers return to Michelle’s design studio to hear the verdict from Fearne. Two of the designers are ecstatic as they find out they have made it through to the final, and are one step away from winning the biggest commercial contract of their lives. But for the losing designer there is heartache, and with their dreams over they leave the competition. Show less