Known for his flamboyant dress sense and even more flamboyant interior design style, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is a champion of the maximalist trend. The Changing Rooms star spoke to HELLO! to advise on the interior trends to ditch in 2022 and we also caught up on him being a grandfather, his Ideal Home show plans and living in his forever home. Read on to find out more…
GALLERY: Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's incredible home is fit for royalty - see inside
What are the top 5 interiors trends to avoid in 2022?
1. Please try and wean yourself off grey. Grey on grey on grey through 50 shades will always feel office-y. Strong maximalist accenting is the only way to make grey behave.
Swap blinds for curtains says Laurence
2. It's been recently proved that blinds and shutters are nothing like as good at keeping heat in a room as good old-fashioned lined curtains. I love the curtain look; it gives you the opportunity to bring soft colours and patterns into a room to make it feel thoroughly cosy.
3. Hard flooring has huge practical advantages in areas like hallways and kitchens with heavy footfall, but I think you can’t beat carpet in living rooms and bedrooms. This year there has been a defined return to making your home feel like home again and carpets are one of the best ways to achieve this.
Laurence will be at the Ideal Home show giving expert advice
4. Avoid too much lighting. Big chandeliers with lots of light bulbs in the middle of the room are not only very unflattering of the room but are also very unflattering for you.
5. For God's sake ditch minimalism. It is a style that screams 90s. I can't wait to talk to visitors at this year’s Ideal Home Show about how to steer away from it. We are now all about colour, lots of it. Pattern and maximalism.
What kind of advice will you be giving at the Ideal Home show this year?
This year I will be encouraging my audiences to share photos of their own homes on the big screen. I will be helping them to feel a lot more confident about expressing their personality through interior design, I am not afraid to question their decisions and try to understand the thought process behind why a certain picture was chosen, how they've decided to use a space and of course, take the mickey a bit.
Coronation Street's Anthony Cotton opened the show serving hot pots in the pop-up Rovers Return
Have you ever made any interior design mistakes in your own home?
Not that I'll ever own up to!
Would you ever move from your Cotswolds home, if yes, where?
No, I feel very strongly that I have reached my forever home at last. Spending time with the whole family during lockdown in what was a safe and comfortable space has made sure Jackie and I have fallen back in love with where we live.
What inspiration will you get from the Ideal Home show?
The Ideal Home Show is such an exciting barometer of the way we brits decorate our homes, I love the fact that it balances inspiration with some exciting shopping and there is always a free sample or two! I am so excited to be there on opening day to officially open the show to visitors and see all the great exhibitors.
The star's own home is pretty much a palace inside
How exciting that you'll be a grandfather again soon - how do you find taking on that role?
Well, there is no doubt that I am certainly racking up the grandchildren. By July there will be three mini LLBs at home and I can't wait. Having children in the mix again definitely reenergizes family life and as a grandfather, I take my role very seriously as I know that I am and will always be the naughty one.
If you weren't an interior designer, what job do you think you'd have?
International trouser model… If I wasn't an interior designer, I almost certainly would have stayed in my career as a fine artist. In fact, I am doing more painting than ever which gives me great pleasure.
Laurence has two adorable grandchildren
You're known for your love of maximalism - what is your top tip for trying the look?
Gin, and plenty of it! Your readers will have to come down to my talk at the Ideal Home show to find out more!
What do you think about the minimalism trend?
Minimalism is well and truly dead, and I am not in the least bit sad about that. Anyone who had to spend the last two years of lockdown in a minimalist room has either now gone mad or has very wisely decided to redecorate with lots of wallpaper and big velvet curtains.
The Ideal Home Show, in partnership with NatWest, the world’s longest-running home and interiors exhibition, will return to Olympia London from 11-27 March 2022. Laurence will be at the show on Friday 11 March and Saturday 19 March. For more information and tickets, please visit idealhomeshow.co.uk
Like this story? Sign up to our HELLO! Mail newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.