Entertainment
Flat Out Fabulous’s Tyler and Whinnie share tips to update your rented home and reveal hilarious backstage moment
Tyler and Whinnie are pros at making rented pads look a million dollars (Picture: BBC / Ricochet)
If anyone’s qualified to share some tips on upgrading your home – even if you don’t own it – it’s Whinnie Williams and Tyler West, hosts of Flat Out Fabulous.
The pair host the BBC renovation show with a difference, giving groups of housemates the chance to transform their rented homes into chic pads for the cost of a night out – without losing their deposit.
The pair told Metro.co.uk that the format was long overdue, as renting is the reality for an increasing number of young people who are unable to get onto the housing ladder.
Getting permission from the landlords to makeover the houses and flats has traditionally be the sticking point for most renters, but Whinnie has seen a shift begin.
She explained: ‘It was a tricky job, but I think landlords are changing a lot. When I was renting when I was younger, we weren’t allowed to do anything but now there is a lot more scope for people letting people do it.
‘Especially with Flat Out Fabulous, the point was that it’s all stuff you can put back afterwards with a lick of paint and by filling in a few holes.
Flat Out Fabulous sees Whinnie and Tyler renovate rented homes without easy fixes that can be undone if needed at the end of a tenancy (Picture: BBC / Ricochet)
‘So we wanted it to be realistic but also push the boundaries as far as we possibly could, so there’s really big transformation to come in season two.
Sharing tips for easy upgrades to your rented living space, Whinnie adds: ‘I would say if you want to look like an interior designer instantly, paint or wallpaper the ceiling.
‘Nobody does it because everybody’s a bit nervous, but it just makes the room so impactful. It’s really easy to do and it just looks like you know what you’re doing.
‘We got quite into upholstery on the show, which again freaks people out as they think it’s really difficult. But the things you can do with a staple gun or a bit of fringe!
Plain, bland rental houses usual look pretty soulless… (Picture: BBC / Ricochet)
…But a lick of paint and a few easy DIY touches can really lift the place up (Picture: BBC / Ricochet)
‘We were just covering chairs in really granny chic sort of crocheted blankets to make things edgy and we really went hard on upcycling because it’s just so fun to do to bring something back to life rather than ending up in the bin.
‘So I’d definitely say just get creative, and look at the stuff you see on Pinterest or in a shop before you go and buy it and think, “Okay, what are the elements of this? Can I make this and just go wild?”
Tyler is also a big fan of the sustainability element of upcycling, to give a second life to objects that would otherwise be thrown away.
He adds: ‘Yeah, man, it’s like, the amount of times we said that for the show. But literally, it was taking items in your house, and rather than throwing that out and getting a new one, see if you can breathe some life back into it.
‘That was literally for the whole series and not only then is it better for the environment, obviously, but you also feel proud of yourself at the end of it.’
The pair are big fans of upcycling as an easy way to upgrade old furniture while being kinder to the environment too (Picture: BBC / Ricochet)
With regards to interior trends, Whinnie believes it is far more important to focus on the things you like rather than trying to follow a particular interiors theme, as your space will be much more enjoyable if it reflects your personality.
And personality is something Flat Out Fabulous has in spades, with Tyler revealing one of the funniest behind-the-scenes moments from series two.
He joked: ‘All I’m gonna say is: Batman outfit, Alexandra Palace. Basically behind the scenes, something that nobody would have ever seen, there was a lot of people passing by while we just filmed this one intro.
‘And these kids came by were like: “Oh, my God that is Batman,” as I’m dressed up as Batman. And instead of going “No kids, we’re filming a BBC Three show,” I went along with it.
‘I was just like, “Hi, kids.” So I tried to do my little Batman voice, and it was chaos. I was Batman for a good hour and I fully embraced it.
‘That was just a normal day on set, to be fair. There was a lot of chaos behind the scenes, but the finished product is great.’
More: BBC Three
Whinnie added: ‘He was just running around Alexandra Palace as Batman and doing the moves. I was thinking, “How is this an interiors show?” That didn’t make the cut, but it was very funny.’
Flat Out Fabulous is available from Sunday on BBC iPlayer.
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