Roots shaped TV designer's future

After a childhood helping his dad in his decorating firm Richard Randall knew he wanted to work in the interior design business.

Little did he realise that years later he would become one of the most popular interior designers on TV – not to mention running his own successful design business and styling a homeware range for Freemans catalogue.

It is a far cry more than 20 years ago, when he helped dad, Albert, decorate Staffordshire and Black Country homes.

"When I was a child I used to go out with dad when he was decorating houses," says the former Chasetown High School pupil who hails from Burntwood.

"I was very creative then and had an interest in design all that time ago," said 38-year-old Richard, who admits he was not very academic.

"I left school with no qualifications and it was always design that I was interested in".

Upon leaving he started working as a window dresser for Laura Ashley in Sutton Coldfield and almost immediately became head of display for the West Midlands area.

Within a few years he was self-employed, running his own design company as well as creating exhibition stands for events at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre (NEC). It was during his time there, about 12 years ago, when his TV break arrived.

"One of the Channel 4 producers had seen my work on display at the show and he contacted me with a view to being an interior designer for The Big Breakfast.

"I initially said no because live TV did not appeal to me at all." But a month later TV bosses called Richard again, telling him they were still keen to take him on.

"I was still quite scared but intrigued so I went down to London and I actually met up with the then presenters, Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan. I started the job just a few weeks later – quite petrified," he laughed. Richard had a weekly interior design feature and after six weeks was asked to stay on and become a regular presenter as a permanent member of the team.

His most memorable time on the show was when he was asked to stand in for Johnny Vaughan to present the whole two hour show with co-host and friend Liza Tarbuck. This was a huge success and led to further offers from other TV shows. He has featured on the likes of BBC1's House Call, The Ruby Wax Show, The National Lottery Show, Simply Complicated, Exclusive! for Channel 5 & BBC1's Our House.

A highlight was working on EastEnders Revealed where he got to present backstage from the studios and meet the cast. His most recent TV show is ITV's 60 Minute Makeover where designers travel around the country to makeover several rooms in a featured house – all within 60 minutes.

"It's a very successful feel-good show. The people are always very deserving as there's always a genuine reason why they can't makeover their home themselves." Richard has also teamed up with Freemans over the last couple of seasons to bring his style concepts to their homeware range.

His spring/summer 2008 collection, which focuses on bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms, is his sixth and, in his words, his most extensive collection for Freemans. His exclusive range includes the 'groovy' collection – a contemporary lounge range with retro undertones; 'violet orchid' a luxurious boudoir collection with opulence and glamour and 'beechcomber' a dining room collection with a shaker feel.

A passion for flowers and design and his wealth of experience merged when he opened Randall, his interior design and floral art business in Warwick. He now hopes for a TV show centred on giving a hospital room or a hospice a makeover.

By Maria Cusine.