Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Interview

The laughing cavalier...

Famous for his flamboyant looks and frilly shirts, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowenis the perfect modern day dandy. He appeared on the very first episode of Changing Roomsback in 1996 and hasn't looked back since. Now living in a stunning mansion in Gloucestershire with his wife and two daughters, the guru of interiors tells Lynda Clarkwhat it's like to be lord of the manor.

"I was working in my design consultancy and was approached by the BBC who had an idea to do a programme similar to Ready, Steady, Cook but on interiors," says Laurence. "I went for a screen test and was told afterwards that my name was stupid, that I wore ridiculous clothes and was arrogant, but could I start on Monday. I didn't want to drop any of my names and wearing velvet frock coats is who I am, but they must have liked something about me". Whatever you may think of his persona, you can't help but admire Laurence for sticking to his guns and creating his own unique style.

Laurence studied fine art at Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts and was always passionate about interiors and design. He worked in a marketing department for a spell but soon set up a consultancy designing interiors for theatres, restaurants and hotels.

Changing Rooms, the first do-it-yourself home improvements show, became something of a cult series and ran from 1996 until 2004. Laurence started out as a designer but went on to present the show in 2003. Still broadcast around the world, its popularity has yet to wane. "It was great fun and very hard work," says Laurence frankly. "In those days it was all about painting ceilings or murals on walls, which was very popular at the time but a bit of a culture shock to the people whose homes we were making over." While working in TV, he continued his design business but began to lose his traditional clients. "It was hard because I was doing very high-end work, and I would turn up to a meeting only to find the paparazzi were waiting outside. It became very difficult, but Jackie, my wife, was very clever, and she looked at the market and realised that the way forward was to get into product licensing deals. It worked and was definitely the right move."

Not long after leaving college Laurence inherited a part share in a house with his brother, who bought him out, allowing Laurence to take his first step on to the property ladder. "I was able to buy a flat in Streatham, south London, with no mortgage, which was amazing," he says. "I sold it 10 years later at a slight loss, but Jackie found a rather unlovely bungalow in Blackheath with loads of potential and on a very big plot. We bought it for £120,000 and sold it for £350,000, which made us a good profit.

"We kept moving up the ladder and now live in a wonderful manor house in Gloucestershire. Part of it dates back to 1580 and other bits to 1620, so it's half Stuart and half Elizabethan. We all love it and have made it our home. It has nine bedrooms and is set in two acres with a cottage as well. Jackie is so clever when it comes to choosing property. When we decided to move out of London, we didn't want a typical chocolate box cottage in a Cotswold village made up of commuters and holiday homes. Instead, we went for a really gritty agricultural village with a strong community spirit that's very cohesive. We have all got into village life and get involved in many local events. I was away filming in India when Jackie saw the house advertised on the Country Life website, and because she has such a great eye and feel for properties, she decided to go and view it. We knew we didn't want a barn conversion and had already seen a few houses that weren't right. Ultimately, Jackie has to raise a family in the home, and I'm just the designer who has to sort out design and building solutions. We were a little concerned that the kitchen was rather small, and it needed a lot of building work outside. Internally we shifted walls around but nothing too major."

Laurence has decorated his home in true Llewelyn-Bowen style and isn't frightened of making a statement with his interiors. "So many people are scared of making a splash and go for safe beige," he says. "Living in a home is not just about thinking whether a potential purchaser will like it. You have to love your home and enjoy it and make your mark. There is a strong danger of people in the UK pasteurising their homes. I believe you should let your heart decide whether you want to live somewhere and not your head. Not everyone will like raspberry ceiling tiles or zebra wallpaper, but that's just an individual choice and can easily be changed by the new owners. You should want to make where you live a reflection of your own personality."

Laurence's rather dramatic style certainly turns heads, but even for those not quite so flamboyant his advice makes sense. "In this rather economically challenged climate doing your own DIY is sensible. Spending £15 on a pot of emulsion will make all the difference, and it doesn't mean giving up very much. I can't understand this idea of keeping everything neutral, especially in England which has a bad climate with a northern grey light. It's not like the Mediterranean, which has a lovely, soft apricot light that makes everything look quite different. It's not a good idea to have morose tones in this country, and anyway who wants to live with porridge on the walls! Beige has a red or brown tinge, magnolia a yellowish green tinge, and it makes rooms look cold and depressing. It's time to turn up the volume and treat every room like a jewel box."

Laurence has owned another house in Port Isaac, Cornwall, for 10 years that he and the family love to escape to when they can. "It's famous for being the place the TV series Doc Martin was filmed and is like the Soho of Cornwall as it has such a buzz about it," he says. "We have a fabulous house right on the harbour with views directly out to sea, and it's next door to the pub. In winter the village is quiet, and it's a lovely time of the year to go. The house is rather small for us now as my daughters are older and we have four spaniels, too. We rent it out but do still have an escape route if needed. It has no garden but an entire beach to run around on, and it's decorated in true LLB style - not a touch of traditional Cornish blue and white in sight."

A busy man, Laurence divides his time between television work and designing. "I have been working with Graham & Brown for 10 years, and my wallpaper range is now available all around the world including Australia, Holland, Spain and Russia. I have just launched a paint range with B&Q. It really gives me a buzz as a designer as I'm now on walls all over the world - I've left a little mark. I also design for Matalan, which is a huge success, and this is my fourth collection. It's design at its most democratic as the customer can buy high design products on a par to what you might see in Harrods but at very affordable prices. It's sexy, street-wise, and Matalan is really great to work with. I have just launched the Opera Collection, and for autumn 2010 I'm doing the Tzar Collection. I also have another book being published in March."

On the television front there is a lot going on as well. Laurence is judging celebrities' vocals on ITV1's Pop Star to Opera Star, and his other show on ITV1, House Gift, airs every day at 3pm. It's a challenging but exciting show, as Laurence is given a different amount of money each day and pitted against two other experts to see who can buy the best in a specialist field, from antiques to furniture.

An old-timer in the property and interiors business, Laurence has strong feelings about buying and selling. "It's very British to want to buy your own home," he says. "In Europe it's normal to rent, but here there are high expectations. The most critical thing is to be emotional and go with your heart, and don't be obsessed by what a property's value may become. Also, be patient as things may not come together straightaway but are sure to in the end, and sometimes you have to sit back and reboot. Your home is so important as it's your shelter and cocoon and an antidote to the horrible world outside. It's a good time to buy as the market is energetic but still not running at the levels it was before. New builds are particularly good for first time buyers: I really like the starter home concept, and there are some good studios, apartments and lofts around especially in city centres. One word of warning, though, is never buy off plan as it's too dangerous.

"In life there are two sorts of people, those who are wise and those who are reckless cavaliers who push everything to the wire." I don't think it takes a lot to guess which one Mr Llewelyn-Bowen is.

Pop Star to Opera Star is on ITV1 at 9pm on Fridays.

House Gift is on ITV1 every day at 3pm.

Decorating with Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen is published on 5 March by Quadrille, around £20.

"Your home is so important as it's your shelter and cocoon and an antidote to the horrible world outside"

"In this rather economically challenged climate doing your own DIY is sensible. Spending £15 on a pot of emulsion will make all the difference, and it doesn't mean giving up very much"

"The most critical thing is to be emotional and go with your heart, and don't be obsessed by what a property's value may become"

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen for Matalan, www.matalan.co.uk