Channel 4 Grand Designs hit with complaints as viewers fume 'looks like prison'

viewers had the same reaction after learning a couple planned to build bedrooms in a basement. Kevin McCloud returned with a revisited episode of the programme on Wednesday, reuniting with a family he first met in 2021. Architect Graeme and graphic designer Melanie began building their family home on a miniscule scrap of land, but after facing a number of challenges, their home was still unfinished two years later.

The couple were hoping to make more space for Graeme's daughter Isla and Melanie's daughter Indie, who were sharing a room in the home the family were renting at the time. "Our own room means we now have privacy and that's great," Indie said as Isla added: "At the moment we have a curtain and it's a little bit seethrough. But we'll have a wall now which is great." Graeme explained that their house was virtually upside down, with the living space at the top of the property and their daughters' bedrooms located in the basement.

Viewers were less than impressed with the plans for the bedroom as they flocked to social media to share their thoughts.

"Bedroom without windows - no thanks," wrote one viewer as a second agreed: "No natural light in the kids' bedrooms? So: supermax prison, then."

A third echoed: "Bedrooms in the basement? No thanks!" Another weighed in: "Ah I remember this one. The kids rooms had no windows and they were not impressed."

Accompanying their parents to the site, Isla and Indie visualised their new bedrooms. "Making daylight work really well is going to be the biggest challenge," Graeme confessed as Melanie told the girls of their plans to put windows above their bedrooms to allow daylight through.

An apprehensive Indie declared: "You can look down from above."

Speaking to the camera, Isla quipped: "We always joked about how once we moved in, I would be moving out, but I don't think it's a joke anymore."

Despite their reservations, Kevin arrived at the home once it was finally completed in 2025. The presenter was gobsmacked by the property, saying: "At the same time as being beautiful, it's also modest."

And all concern for the bedrooms went out of the window after Kevin headed down to the basement.

"We're going into a very very well lit basement," he noted. "Darkness and gloom have been banished."

Both Indie and Isla's bedrooms connected to a light well at the front and also had access to a laundry room as well as a shared bathroom.