‘With A Limb Difference, I Never Know How I’ll Do Things Until I Try Them’

Max and Michelle

House Beautiful caught up with Emma following her exit…

Michelle said you had too many ideas – is this possible?

EC: What I failed to do was take one idea and explode it. But you’re on the show, and you want to flagship yourself and prove what you can do. All the ideas come at once, but I’m glad in a way that they do.

Exiting the show does give you confidence as well; that was unexpected. I was really worried I was going to be upset – but I wasn’t. I left with a lot of positive comments in my head; in week one, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen said my wallpaper was genius.

With the upholstery, did you regret it?

EC: I’d never done upholstery before, but I thought I’d give it go. I really had to think on my feet. With a limb difference [Emma was born with a foreshortened arm], sometimes I don’t know how I’m going to do things until I get there, until I’ve tried them out.

But it was the second day of the challenge and the foam started to win. I just had to make the decision to drop it.

Tell us one thing that goes on behind the scenes that viewers don’t know about

EC: You do all the driving yourself. You have the van and you go and get the stuff. I drove all around Runcorn, going round industrial estates, looking for things; that’s where I found the chairs. I was the happiest driving around in my lovely automatic van for a few weeks – it’s definitely the car of my dreams. I normally drive a Mini Cooper. I was nearly crying when I had to give it back.

What’s the most surprising thing you found yourself doing?

EC: Looking quite smart. I’d got my Vivienne Westwood for the studio. I’ve a few Vivienne Westwood pieces, and I will never part with them. I’m a creature of two extremes, either dressed in skiwear to keep warm or really dressed up. If I’m having a bad day though, I might put on a big pink skirt and some bright red lipstick, just to go round the house. I don’t really do much in between.

What does interior design mean to you?

EC: It’s all about your relationship with the space and what emotions it brings out in you; that’s why colour is so important to me. If I wanted to be remembered for anything, it would be for choosing colours that sing together. I get my inspiration when I see an unexpected combination; the other day it was a copper beech tree right next to a fluorescent road sign.

Time to manifest… Tell us, where do you hope to be this time next year?

It’s probably quite a surprising ambition, but I’d like to be either on radio or TV, using my Welsh, as well as being a fabulous designer and having solo exhibitions. I’m now designing wallpaper for Plas Newydd [a National Trust property in Llangollen] and I’ve made some Welsh greeting cards for a shop.

I was on Welsh radio the other day and had such a laugh with the host. I’d like to do radio with Bradley [who also ended up on the sofa this week]. We get on so well. We can just say something and make each other drop on the floor.

• Follow Emma on Instagram @carvellemma

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Jayne specialises in features for Country Living and House Beautiful, writing about a wide range of topics, from gardening and DIY to decluttering and mindfulness. Based in Yorkshire, she has recently renovated a 1920s house, where she lives with her family.