Through the Keyhole: Ben Hillman's budget bachelor pad: the 'next big thing'

Image credit: Ben Hillman

Can you imagine designing a family living room on a budget of – gulp! – £1000? Neither can we!  But such was the challenge of itv’s The Next Big Thing winner, Ben Hillman.  The impressive design rookie had been singled out from hundreds of entrants to compete in the final £1000 design challenge on itv’s This Morning, and is no stranger to designing on a budget.  Ben’s own home has been styled on a stretch, and we got a sneak peak of the space.

A decorator in Brighton, Ben bought his two-bedroom flat four years ago, and has been steadily working on it since.  ‘I like to design on a whim,’ he says.  ‘My girlfriend will come home one day to find that I’ve ripped all the tiles off the kitchen wall, and she’ll remind me that we’ll have nowhere to cook until I get the mess cleaned up and new tiles in place.  I like building things, and I’m a bit spontaneous when it comes to designing – but it always works out in the end!’

Image credit: Ben Hillman

When not busy building or constructively deconstructing his pad, Ben finds his design inspiration in the eclecticism of post-war furnishings, cheap internet finds, and uber-cool scavenges.  While we’re loving all the clever and colourful accessories in Ben’s flat, the statement piece is, by far, the painted MDF world map – an old bespoke find he collected from a trade show (top).

‘I’ve definitely invested in a few key pieces, and I like to bring modern antiques into a contemporary environment,’ he explains, referring to his set of vintage Eames dining chairs (above). ‘But the majority of what I own I’ve been able to find pretty inexpensively.’  Ben’s modern glass dining table came as a gift when he purchased the chairs, and the red mid-century modern pendant lamp was a junk shop find.

Image credit: Ben Hillman

‘To give his open plan living and dining room even more functionality, Ben added this Mad Men chic writing bureau to the space. ‘I saved this from the tip – my mum’s friend was going to throw it away!’ he exclaims. Ben applied a single tube bulb under the bureau to modernise the dark wood while illuminating the clean 50s-style lines of the piece.  We think it doubles as an equally hip drinks cabinet when entertaining guests.

Ben’s design philosophy of minimal effort for maximal impact continues in his bedroom (below).  Painting it a warm eggplant shade could have easily flattened the space to a blah boudoir, but Ben amps up the texture and sensuality factor with a white fringe curtain and faux fur bed throw (warning: not for the faint of design heart!).  This mood-making backdrop, paired with the easy symmetry of the matching bedside tables and lamps, lends a boutique hotel feel to his bedroom.

Image credit: Ben Hillman

‘Now that I’ve won, it would be great to get into interior design full time,’ Ben remarks. ‘It’s something that I wondered if I’d missed the boat on prior.   This whole process has been fantastic – a complete step out of reality – and I’m loving it!’

Like so many of us, Ben maybe on a serious budget.  But his inventive design and willingness to take risks and get his hands dirty prove that this decorator-cum-designer has true wealth when it comes to interiors. And in these tight times, this kind of attitude, just like Ben, is the next big thing.

Image credit: Ben Hillman

View our 3D room of  Ben’s  living room by clicking on the room below.  You can even copy it, redecorate, or add new furniture!

3D room: Rob Brightwell

Tell us what you think. We’d love to hear your thoughts on Ben’s budget styling and our Through the Keyhole feature.  Just add your comments below.

Think your home has the panache to be spotted through the keyhole? Send us the dish on your digs along with your best home snaps to editors@mydeco.com – subject line: Through the Keyhole – and your pride-and-joy may be spied next!