Designing the Hebrides’ Banjo Beale and team tease what to expect in the new series

Interior designer Banjo Beale and his team of tradespeople are back, travelling around the Scottish isles to create more design magic for a new second series of Designing The Hebrides. 

Showcasing distinctive makeovers set against stunning Scottish landscapes, Designing the Hebrides encapsulates Banjo’s irrepressible enthusiasm, ingenuity and design flair.

From an apothecary on Harris to honesty boxes in Mull and South Uist, a wool shop in Iona to a Tobermory hotel, each week, Banjo and his design team embrace a unique interior design project, fulfilling the client’s brief on a limited budget and a fast turnaround.

Banjo says: “I’m branching out to new islands with new clients. My team of hardy locals always trust my vision. Good design is for everybody. Most of all, I’ve learnt that this place [Scotland] is more magical than ever.”

The design challenges facing Banjo and his team this series are:

Episode 1: The Puffer Pub, Easdale

Banjo heads to the smallest inhabited island in the Inner Hebrides with a population of just 60. The Puffer Pub in Easdale – owned by married couple Jhennia and Rachel – is in need of a make-over but the pub’s remote location means the team will have to transport materials using wheelbarrows. However, logistics aren’t the only factor to consider – the locals have a strong sentimental connection to The Puffer Pub and change will be tricky.

Episode 2: Apothecary, Harris

Using local floral and fauna, Herbalist Amanda set up her own apothecary in the Outer Hebrides where she makes and sells anything from drinks and teas to creams and herbal remedies. However, the space where she bottles and showcases her products is lacklustre. Banjo and his team are up against it to transform the huge, dull space into a beautiful and functional apothecary.

Episode 3: Honesty Boxes, Isle of Mull & South Uist

Banjo’s brought in to help two small island businesses who sell their produce using honesty boxes. First up is an honesty box where married couple Jamie and Mary sell sandwiches. The couple want Banjo’s help to make their foodie honesty box stand out and attract visitors so he tasks Lisa and Tom with the unique design project. Then, in the Outer Hebrides, Banjo helps Donna and her ice-cream business in South Uist. She currently uses an old livestock trailer but wants Banjo to help build something more imaginative and fun. 

Episode 4: Iona Wool, Iona

Artist Mike and his teacher wife Kate moved to Iona 20 years ago and they now run Iona Wool which sells ethical local wool products and crafts. The beautiful colours of their stock mean that Mike and Kate don’t want much colour added to the shop which is a challenge for Banjo who’s designs are often dark, and richly coloured. 

Episode 5: Western Isles Hotel, Mull

Banjo’s on home turf on Mull, tackling a unique brief at the Western Isles Hotel in Tobermory. Overlooking the harbour, the iconic hotel has been welcoming guests to Mull for over 140 years. However, over the years, it’s lost some of its spark and Banjo faces a unique design brief – transforming the dual function room into a relaxing spa by day, parlour bar by night.

Episode 6: The Croft, South Uist

Crofters DJ and partner Lindsay have lived and worked in South Uist for generations. The couple want to turn their unloved breezeblock garage into a homely croft shop where they can sell their produce. The dull building has no character or charm so Banjo and the team must work from scratch to transform this empty space.   

Designing The Hebrides is a co-commission for BBC Scotland and BBC Two, produced by DSP Production (a Banijay UK company).

All six episodes of Designing The Hebrides will be available on BBC iPlayer from Monday 16 September. It will also TX on the BBC Scotland channel on Mondays and BBC Two on Tuesdays.

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Meet the Designing the Hebrides team

Welcome back! What can viewers expect from the new series of Designing the Hebrides?

Well, I feel like this year we’re going abroad. We’re going further afield, visiting Harris and South Uist and we’re doing a whole lot more diverse spaces. The budgets are a little bit bigger, the clients are a little bit more wilder and the results are….well, the locals will be the judge of it. We’ve some tough customers this year!

Where did your travels take you this time around?

The first port of call is Easdale. So we go on the wee ferry onto an island with no cars and our only transport are wheelbarrows to do up a pub. Then we go to South Uist and being stuck in kind of cyclonic weather and doing up a farm shop on top of a blustery hill. We’re also doing up an apothecary in Harris and honesty boxes in Uist as well. So we’re all over the shop this year.

What is it about the Hebrides that inspires you so much?

The Hebrides, for me, it’s the most beautiful place on earth. It’s the people that make this show such a special thing to be a part of like learning about all these people that have either grown up in this wonderful place, or have been attracted to it, and are making something amazing there out of something and that’sreally not for everyone.

People are attracted to the romance of it but it’s a very different thing kind of living there…everything’s just 10% harder than if you live in the city.

What’s the most unexpected place you’ve found design inspiration in the Hebrides?

I didn’t think I’d be sitting in Harris talking to a witch and building an apothecary! But when she’s talking about all of these spellbinding potions, my mind’s ticking and I’m just seeing a beautiful floral design scheme.

Listening to other people’s ideas and looking out the window and just daydreaming, that’s when I come up with my best ideas. And there’s no better place to daydream than the Hebrides. Up with the ferries and the fairies!

Your dog, Grampa, is now part of the Designing The Hebrides team – what does he bring to the mix?

Grampa’s my director of first impressions. He’s my local attaché, like he’s the icebreaker, my emotional support animal…my best mate. He’s the little mascot for Designing the Hebrides. It makes me so happy I can take him everywhere with me and he’s kind of the foreman and he just patiently waits for us. He doesn’t judge. He doesn’t give me any schtick about the paint colours I’ve chosen. He’s just My loyal assistant.

As well as Grampa, can you introduce your Designing The Hebrides team to us?

So, in my little motley crew of people I’ve got Lisa, who’s my decorator, but she’s actually not a decorator….you know, when you live on an island you can do a little bit of everything, but she’s an artist. I probably, you know, misunderstood when someone’s an artist that they’re not necessarily a decorator. She’s actually a chainsaw artist, which is the least delicate thing, and nowhere near painting. So she just happens to be able to hold a paintbrush!

Tom is like my handyman and the “everything” guy. There’s nothing that Tom can’t do and that’s really annoying because he’s quite smug about that! So whateverI need doing, Tom can do it. He’s kind of my “work husband” – he’s the one that’s in the corner shrugging and just having to deal with my emotional meltdowns.

Eoghann’s [pronounced Ae-win] my joiner and he just has too many opinions! But he’s far too talented to get rid of, so I have to deal with him grumbling and giving me his two cents because he does a really good job.

Designing The Hebrides is feel-good escapism – how do you escape from the day to day?

Lots of people on Mull say “You’ve got to get off the rock”. I think every now and then, you’ve got to leave the island – that’s when you realise how great it is. So, for me, I find inspiration just by opening a book or having a conversation with someone, or exploring.

What’s one design rule you love to break?

I like breaking every single design rule in the book. I think rules are made to be broken. And we’re sick of kind of fifty shades of greige and beige.

I think I want to create spaces that are full of character, personality and kind of reflect the people that kind of use the space and full of old things. History and mystery and all of the kind of things that you can’t get when you just run down to the shops and buy something new.

Any memorable moments from filming?

Gosh! Although we’re working so hard…I feel like a bit of a fraud because we’re getting to see all these beautiful places and meet these amazing people. Getting to spend a few days on Easdale, run amok and make friends with all the locals and work in a pub until kind of 2am…it’s fast track to making friends in the place.

I must say a highlight was possibly the stone skimming championships in Easdale – I came 13th. So I guess it’s as close to an Olympian that I’ll ever be!

What’s one design trend that you wish would make a comeback?

I wish that we could throw trends out the door and that “a trend” was just buying something once and buying it properly and not following trends. So I wish trend trends are not “in trend”.

What advice would you give to anyone facing an interior design headache?

You don’t have to kind of knock out your entire kitchen or pull your house down. You might just need to give it a lick of paint and to add a few little quirky things just to give it a refresh. You might want to decorate instead of renovate.

I don’t think you should have a headache over interiors, because there’s far more important things to worry about. I think you just gotta have lots of fun.

Interview with Lisa Mckenna (Decorator)

What is your role on Designing The Hebrides and what skills do you bring to the team?

I’d say I’m the enthusiastic ‘muggle’ painter and decorator. As I have a background in art, my skillset includes woodcarving. I’m also a freelance chef in the summer and a ski instructor in the winter – in the islands you have to multi-task.! One of my key skills for this job is having a laugh with Banjo – but I’d say all these skills are useful, for very different reasons.

How do you know Banjo and what’s it like working with him?

Like Banjo, I live on the Isle of Mull and we have a lot of mutual friends. We first met at a charity dinner organised by Banjo and his husband Ro and instantly clicked over a curry. Working with Banjo is interesting, fun and challenging – there’s never a dull moment!

What’s the quirkiest request Banjo has made during a design project?

Without a doubt, drying all the flowers and foliage in my garden for the Apothecary episode. I even handwashed and dried seaweed for this project. Another quirky request would be making a large ice cream cone out of not-a-lot. The things you do for Banjo.

What can viewers expect from the new series of Designing the Hebrides?

The series showcases Scotland’s beautiful islands and its people. Banjo in full flow is really something to see! I hope the viewers enjoy it as much as we did filming it.

What are the challenges you face on the new series of Designing the Hebrides?

Every project had its own unique set of challenges. Things like the transport on Easdale – wheel barrows as well as the Scottish weather, finding extra supplies and always finishing within the time frame. All worth it in the end though.

What is it about the Hebrides that inspires you so much?

For me, the Hebrides has a special light, special weather and, of course, special people.

Designing The Hebrides is feel-good escapism – how do you escape from the day to day?

I’m really lucky being a freelance cook so my escape from it all is wood carving and gardening.

Any memorable moments from filming?

Spending quality time with Banjo and the team. We had a lovely time on the beach on Harris as well as a wonderful dinner on Iona. I’d also say that meeting all the lovely people and crew throughout our Hebridean travels as well as shopping in Glasgow with Banjo. And not forgetting ‘babysitting’ Grampa the dog and Banjo’s duck, Ferdinand. 

Interview with Eoghann Maclean (Carpenter)

What is your role on DTH? And what skills do you bring to the team?

I am Banjo’s on site joiner and I’d like to think that bring a sensible and realistic head to the table and an eye for neat and tidy work.

How do you know Banjo and what’s it like working with him?

I met Banjo and Ro on Sgriob-ruadh Farm (pronounced skrib-rooah) far when they first came to Mull travelling. I was working on the farm doing some building work and we got chatting. He’s an entertaining and really comical guy and always up for a laugh. Working with him is also challenging! Banjo’s never really got a plan on a piece of paper – everything’s in his head which makes it kind of hard for anyone to follow. Added to that, the plan is constantly changing as the design process evolves which makes it all very challenging…sometimes!

What’s the quirkiest request Banjo has made during a design project?

Everything’s kind of quirky with Banjo but the one that stands out was when we were in Uist [Croft shop, Ep6]. He asked us to go an strip some old corrugated tin off a disused building and then use it in the interior walls of the design project. That was probably one of the ones that stands out for me because it’s not something you expect to be doing every day when you’re doing an interior design. Banjo’s very keen on using old stuff which is good.

What can viewers expect from the new series of Designing the Hebrides?

Well, I think, if they like Season 1 then they’re in for a treat with Season 2. Banjo’s had some great ideas and designs this time around which has really shown with the end results. And there’s plenty of comedy and drama along the way as well.

What are the challenges you face on the new series of Designing the Hebrides?

For me, this year, it was fitting it in with all the work I have away from Designing The Hebrides. But also this season there were issues with the weather, ferries and travel to and from the projects. A lot more of the projects this year were off Mull so it presented their own challenges. We actually got stuck on Uist due to bad weather and cancelled ferries but I needed to get home. It ended up taking me over eight hours on a ferry to get back and I had to drive over 140 miles. Not the easiest but that’s the challenge of living on a Hebridean island sometimes.

What is it about the Hebrides that inspires you so much?

Nature, ever changing landscapes, the weather, the wildlife and the people. There’s a great community spirit in all of the Hebrides which I think is incredible.

Designing The Hebrides is feel-good escapism – how do you escape from the day to day?

I like to golf. I like to cycle and I like spending time at the beach with my partner Becky and the kids and our dog, Hugo.

Any memorable moments from filming?

Probably the design in Easdale [The Puffer Pub, Ep1]. Getting all the tools and materials over to the island in a small boat and then taking everything to the site in wheelbarrows was unforgettable. That was a good laugh for everyone involved – that was quite memorable. That was the first build so getting the team back together was great.

Interview with Tom Reade (Carpenter)

What is your role on Designing The Hebrides? And what skills do you bring to the team?

I don’t have a specific role as such but I do carpentry, wiring and anything that’s needed really. I guess I’m a Jack of all trades to a degree.

How do you know Banjo and what’s it like working with him?

He’s actually my neighbour. Banjo and his husband Ro moved to Mull to work at my family’s cheese farm in Sgriob-ruadh so we’ve known each other for a while now. We’ve become good friends over the years.

What’s the quirkiest request Banjo has made during a design project?

All his designs are pretty quirky to be honest. I just agree and make whatever he wants. I trust him, everything sounds quirky until you make it and it all makes sense. Banjo’s designs just sort of work.

I guess, this series, the honesty box involving the crab design works out. Banjo started off wanting a 20 foot wooden crab but Lisa and I worked together and made the design more manageable. So Banjo’s original idea for that was quirky. I guess all of Banjo’s designs are a bit quirky so we just have to reign him in a little bit to make it work.

What can viewers expect from the new series of Designing the Hebrides?

I would say thee same banter and fun as last season but travelling a bit further and creating bigger designs than before.

What are the challenges you face on the new series of Designing the Hebrides?

Living in the Hebrides, the weather and getting stuck places is something you just get used to in the west coast of Scotland. I guess not being able to get back to my own workshop and having access to everything I have at home was a challenge. Having to pack and take everything with me was a little tricky too. Also not knowing local people I could call on and get stuff but you quickly find that out.

What is it about the Hebrides that inspires you so much?

I guess it’s part of my life. I’ve always lived in the Hebrides and love the ruggedness and the outdoors and the people who live there.

Designing The Hebrides is feel-good escapism – how do you escape from the day to day?

Hobbies, I guess, and things like that. Although being self-employed work can be also be a hobby. I also do a fair bit of fishing, bike riding and mechanics. I like working on classic cars and stuff like that. I’ve got a few cars that need working on at the moment including a classic Mini that needs a little restoration before selling again.

Any memorable moments from filming?

Getting to travel around all these incredible places and spend time with the team was great fun. I’ve worked in the Hebrides all my life but it was nice to explore past the local pub and get farther afield than before. It’s always lovely to get together with Banjo, Lisa and Eoghann.