National recognition for young interior designers

Two talented Teesside graduates have been named among the country’s best young interior designers.

Louise Roberts and Kyle Minnock were selected as finalists in the prestigious Valspar Young Interior Designer of the Year competition.

The pair, who both completed the BA (Hons) Interior Architecture, were two of the final eight in the national competition which was open to students and recent graduates.

They were invited to London to present their work to an expert panel of judges, including celebrated British fashion icon Dame Zandra Rhodes.

Louise and Kyle were required to respond to a design brief based on a theme ‘Inspiring with Colour’.

Judges described Louise’s work as 'calm, relaxing, fresh and elegant', while Kyle’s entry was 'bold, brave and experimental'.

Rob Burton, Head of Art and Design at Teesside University, said: 'The standard of work being produced by our design students and graduates is exceptional and it is no surprise that they are being recognised among the best young designers in the country.

'This is a fantastic achievement for Louise and Kyle – not only is it great for their portfolios but it will act as further inspiration to fulfil their potential.'

Claire Cullen, Valspar brand manager comments, 'After launching in the UK this year, we wanted to create a platform that champions the next generation of interior designers who push the boundaries when it comes to colour creativity. We were overwhelmed by the quality of entries we received.'

Celebrity judge, Dame Zandra Rhodes, added: 'Colour has been a key player in much of my work and it is as important an influence in fashion as it is in interior design. To be involved in a campaign such as this which encourages the next generation of designers to celebrate colour is very exciting. The fantastic work produced by competition entrants can hopefully show the nation how to utilise colour and embrace it in their homes.'

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