Southampton marine interior specialist Trimline has teamed up with television design guru Linda Barker to transform 20 suites on the Thomson Cruises' vessel Thomson Spirit as the ship prepares for a summer season in the Mediterranean.

The three-week project saw the top grade cabins undergo a complete facelift, based on the design ideas of the TV expert who dramatically changed their appearance and colour schemes.

Trimline personnel were then tasked with working closely with Linda, star of television's makeover show Changing Rooms and I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here, together with Thomson Cruises to interpret the design and carry out the work.

Initially, this involved a month of preparatory manufacturing work in Trimline's Southampton soft furnishing factory and joinery workshops.

One of the biggest challenges was manufacturing intricate fretwork on wardrobe doors, tallboys and partition screens.

Trimline sales and marketing director Mike Oliver said: "Linda visited us and selected the materials she wanted to use. Working from her models and designs, it was then our job to turn her vision into reality.''

A squad of more than 20 Trimline experts joined the ship in Piraeus to carry out the work, which included recovering furniture, relining the cabins, fitting new cabinets and other furniture, re-wiring and procuring decorative fittings.

"Our previous work for Thomsons was centred on a hotel in Majorca several years ago but we have always maintained contact with the customer and Thomson Spirit was an interesting project completed to a highly individual specification, "said Mr Oliver.