Millar creates some designs for life
Dream Kitchens and Bathrooms with Mark Millar
Channel 5, 7pm
THE most important rooms in the house are often the most overlooked, their function tending to be the most important factor and their form coming a distant second. However the kitchen and the bathroom are rooms we visit multiple times every day and are often ones used by guests. They also are both places we often like to unwind, whether that’s by taking the time to cook a delicious meal or simply laying back for a relaxing soak. So isn’t it about time we treated them to a bit of an overhaul?
In this new six-part series, carpenter Mark Millar, who may be familiar to viewers of DIY SOS, brings his 30-plus years of building experience to bear on the projects of homeowners up and down the country who prove that not even a global pandemic can come between Brits and their home makeover projects.
In tonight’s opening episode, Millar is in Glasgow, where he helps to create a luxury kitchen with a modern feel – and a budget of £50,000.
The owners, Eddie and Michelle, have knocked through in order to create a huge space for their new kitchen, and they have grand designs indeed – navy blue cupboards and marble surfaces will create a modern and sleek atmosphere in which they hope to install all the latest technology as well as bespoke seating for themselves and their three young sons.
The problem is, Eddie is a perfectionist – and an impatient one at that, wanting work to be completed in just two weeks. Millar has his work cut out and his hands full with this project.
Still, he finds time to skip down to Sutton Coldfield, where nature lovers Samina and Akil want a rainforestthemed bathroom and have a more modest £5,000 to make it happen. Their dream is a room full of plants and natural materials, so that it feels like bathing outdoors.
They too are in a bit of a hurry, needing work to be completed before their kids go back to school.
To help with the costs they have some wood and a chest of drawers to upcycle, but will these natural finishes sit well alongside their stylish black taps and shower fittings? Not only that, but is their plan for black walls really a good idea for such a small place as a bathroom?
While these designs might be very specific to the owners, Millar hopes that the ideas can be universal and adapted for any space. He also shares a few of his “golden rules” for bathrooms and kitchens, helping us make small bathrooms feel a bit bigger and demonstrating how to dampen noises in larger areas – particularly with these two room types being full of hard surfaces.
And speaking of surfaces, there’s also a guide on getting the best quality kitchen worktops at the lowest prices – something we can all get on board with.