Brighton Girl Interview: Ayisha Onuorah from Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr
Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr is back for its 6th season and we are buzzing! Hosted by Alan Carr and interiors guru Michelle Ogundehin, this competition series sees talented designers transform diverse spaces, showcasing their creativity, innovation, and practical design skills. And this year, we’re excited to see Brighton Girl Ayisha Onuorah step into the race.
Having spent years as a successful Vogue Model, Ayisha has pivoted into a whole new career as an interior designer – currently completing a BA in Applied Interior Architecture. Her design approach is bold, eclectic, and romantic, infused with inspiration from natural materials and Brighton's vibrant creative scene.
We spoke to Ayisha about her motivations for joining the show, surprising skills she developed, and how the experience influenced her approach to design. Learn more about her journey, the balancing act with her studies and family life with two children, and her future ambitions.
What inspired you to take part in Interior Design Masters, and what did you hope to gain from the experience?
I wanted to learn — properly learn — through critique from people more experienced than me, but also have fun with it! I knew it would be a huge growth experience, and it felt like the right way to push myself creatively and professionally. It also just felt like such a good opportunity to share my portfolio so to speak with a wider audience as someone who’s just at the foot of the mountain in my career - what a great chance to show what I’ve got!
A big part of Interior Design Masters is about challenging yourself with hands-on DIY tasks. What was the most surprising skill you acquired on the show?
Honestly? I had literally never so much as held a drill before the show! I think I missed a bit of a trick by not watching the show properly before joining the cast — I don’t watch much TV, and once I was applying I couldn’t stomach it because it made me too nervous. And to be honest, Interior Design Masters wasn’t the kind of design work I’m used to. You’re not just designing; you’re the designer, the procurement team, the project manager, the decorator, and the tradesperson all rolled into one! Not sure all those caps fit me, but designer? Got that one in the bag. Painter, maker, decorator — wow, huge learning curve. But once you start (and have no choice), it’s surprising what you can turn your hand to. It’s super empowering.
“I had literally never so much as held a drill before the show!”
As someone comfortable in front of the camera but newer to practical design work, how did you adapt to the hands-on demands of the competition?
I actually felt pretty adept at design going into it. Even while studying for my BA in Applied Interior Architecture, I gained a lot of real-world experience through friends, clients, and my own home renovation. But this was a completely different kettle of fish. Give me a laptop and I can whip up serious technical drawings, joinery design, precision measurements, concept-to-completion projects. But actually doing it yourself — that was a whole new challenge.
I felt pretty comfortable in front of the camera and the team did their best to put us all at ease - sounds cliché but you soon “forget” the cameras are there - you have more pressing things to worry about like who’s going to put this wallpaper up!
Balancing your studies in Applied Interior Architecture, plus a young family with the show's challenges must have been intense. How did you manage to juggle it all?
It was insanity, honestly! As a family, we’re used to being busy, but this added a whole new realm — I’d be away for several days filming, and even when I was home, my mind was constantly elsewhere. Juggling family life is hard for anyone even in normal circumstances, and these were definitely far from normal!
Are there any local businesses or spaces that particularly inspired your interior design approach during the competition?
I suppose Brighton Beach House is the most similar to my design style, but Brighton’s creative scene is so rich and diverse that I find inspiration pretty much everywhere. I can’t give too much away yet, but there are definitely elements of my designs that draw from the beautiful place we live.
What's next for you and your career, and how can our community support you?
I’m currently taking on a range of design projects and expanding my offerings into objects for the home — bold objects for bold living! I recently had my commended rug design developed and handmade in India, which I’ll be launching properly later this year, plus I’ve got a surprise collaboration coming soon with a friend I met at university. I have to say i’ve really enjoyed the broadcasting aspect of all of this - i know i said i was done with modelling but i do feel very at home in front of the camera, so not ruling out other broadcasting endeavours that’s for sure!
I’m genuinely feeling open and excited about tapping into Brighton’s amazing community. As someone who moved here but still studied and worked in London, I’ve always felt a bit on the periphery. But I’ve really fallen in love with Brighton and want to fully immerse myself in it.
Collaboration is my word of the year — so if anyone’s interested in what I do, I’d love to hear from you. We’re better together.
Tune into Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr (and Michelle Ogundehin) on BBC One every Thursday at 8pm.