Martyn and Michael

This week's episode is really the first time I let the cameras into my personal life. Michael Green, my partner for almost six years now, has remained fairly anonymous in my crazy public life, but for this week's episode he allows us to film at home and show the world just how difficult it really is living with a decorator (err.  . .that would be me!)

My home is not just my castle, (they say an Englishman's home is his castle, by the way) it's also my experiment pad: it's the place I try out my ideas and let my creative juices flow. Now to me this seems natural, however, for my partner, it makes him nervous; he doesn't like change and unfortunately, I am constantly in a state of change!

This time I have decided that the jewel colors of my living room are just too bright and I'm in need of a little quieter palette. I want to change the antiqued white walls to a warmer ivory, the drapes from ruby red to a rich, but subtle, looking beige and taupe fabric with a hint of black for dramatic contrast.

Of course I can never stop at just color, and have to change out the furnishings and accessories too, just to make the transformation complete. Poor Michael just doesn't have much say, and although it is my only wish to make sure he is happy and comfortable, I still can't help myself and my compulsive redecorating habits!
I worry like crazy that my latest scheme, however, will be one that he will like and feel at home in, so I decide that a colonial Indian antique chandelier will be the piece that seals the deal, knowing that Michael loves this kind of fixture. I invest heavily in this piece in the hopes that it will make him as happy with my re-do as I am!

In the meantime Mary McDonald gets inspired by the seductive designs of Monika Chiang, the fashion industry's latest bright spark. She is commissioned to design a glamorous new flagship store in New York that will not only become a staple for fashionistas, but also the perfect backdrop for season after season of inspired designs. Now, I know this kind of challenge can be difficult. I myself having designed several Jimmy Choo stores know that retail spaces have to provide not only a reinforcement of the brand but also be subtle enough to let the products shine. . . Mary wants the palette to be fresh with mauves, mint green, and touches of malachite. It's bold, exciting and fashion forward. However, Monica seems to find it too distracting and not at all to her tastes. It takes all of Mary's great charms to persuade her that this is an amazing scheme. Fashion as always proves itself to be fickle!

We are teased with an oh-too-short moment of Kathryn and her beloved Jacqueline once again letting their hormones run amuck as they seduce a naughty chef in Santa Barbara!

Back in LA, Jeffery and Ross come to loggerheads as they struggle to overcome some design mistakes they might have overlooked on a job in La Jolla. While Jeffrey tries his best to solve his client's demands, Ross takes off to New York to resume his old career as a model. Jeffrey seems to think he has passed his sell-by date and needs to concentrate on his real career as a decorator!

There definitely seems to be trouble in paradise.

They need to follow my mantra I think: "Live, Love, and Decorate!"