LLB-Press Releases

STOP PRESS... STOP PRESS...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:55:00 GMT

Laurence has joined the 21st century at last... follow his own individual handcrafted beautifully bespoke perfectly polished tweets at @laurence_lb

Facebook and On-line Sites

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:45:00 GMT

It has come to our attention that there are various on-line sites, such as Facebook, claiming to be official Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen sites. The only official site operated by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Limited is llb.co.uk. Beware of imitations!

LLB mugs, signed books, T shirts, glasses and kitchen linen are available through our
on-line shop www.charmedincornwall.co.uk and can be sent anywhere in the World.
For other LLB product, please contact the manufacturer whose links you will find on this
llb website.

Decorating with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:49:00 GMT

In these tough times we could all do with a little cheering up, but with expensive holidays off the agenda, and moving house a no-no, why not start by rolling up your sleeves and transforming the space in which you live into something truly fabulous? Packed full of wonderful and unexpected ideas, stunning photography and expert advice from an inimitable source, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's Book of Decorating is the one decorating book everyone should own.

In this stylish yet practical guide, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen imparts his expertise on all aspects of home decoration - from planning a space to make it work for you, through to the practical help that will transform your house and make it truly unique. Throughout Laurence provides professional techniques and tips to enable you to revamp, rework and renew every room.

Following an introduction that outlines the principles of home design, the book is divided into two sections. In Part One, over 30 breathtaking rooms are revealed. From breezy seaside living room to contemporary knock through or cosy cottage bedroom, there are spaces and schemes to suit the range of budgets and lifestyles. Part Two, shows how you can bring all Laurence's fantastic ideas into your own home. All major techniques are fully explained - from painting, tiling, hanging wallpaper, laying natural flooring and hanging up shelves and pictures. Easy to follow step-by-step instructions and accompanying photography will inspire you to try your hand at every suggestion.

Throughout, Laurence encourages us to make a bold statement with our interior design and to be brave with colour and pattern - with ideas for adding style and glamour to our homes that are easy to put into practice and won't break the bank. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's Book of Decorating is set to become every home decorator's bible.

About the Author

Laurence's charisma and ability to inspire people to express themselves have established him as the UK's favourite, most easily identified interior designer. His many TV credits include In Search of England's Green and Pleasant Land for BBC1, I Own Britain's Best Home and Garden for Five, as well as Changing Rooms, Design Rules, Homefront, Taste and Fantasy Rooms all for the BBC. Laurence is also the resident interior designer on ITV1's This Morning. His passion for all aspects of design shines through in his columns for Reveal, BBC Homes & Antiques and House Beautiful magazine, a publication he regularly guest edits.

His radio work includes the Sunday morning show Sunday Spa for Classic FM, as well as regular series for Radio 4. As well as running his own interior design practice in Cirencester, Laurence has a number of very successful product ranges including a number designed exclusively for Matalan.

For further information &/or to be put on the mailing list for a review copy, please email mark@quadrille.co.uk

This Morning’s Next Big Thing

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 11:04:00 GMT

ITV1’s flagship daytime show This Morning will be launching a new competition for 2010 to help showcase the nation’s love of design and DIY and to find a future star who will be given the chance to present an interior design feature on the show!

Following a tough financial year many people have chosen to stay in their homes instead of relocating and are adopting the phrase ‘improve instead of move’. As a result, an increasing number of people are creating their very own stylish looks on a budget and This Morning is keen to discover a true star with an eye for design.

Viewers will be asked to submit a video showcasing their style and interior designs of an area they have recently worked on in their home. All entrants will be viewed and a shortlist will be judged by a panel of interior experts.

The two experts judging will be Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Editor-in-Chief for Elle Decoration magazine Michelle Ogundehin. Together, they will be looking for individuals with fresh ideas, inspiring designs, a natural talent and a charismatic personality.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen said, "We all know that in Britain our homes are our castles. I'm looking for homes that really do look like castles on the inside. This Morning’s Next Big Thing is a quest to find the next me - a viewer who’s sense of flair and style in design is very much all their own."

He added, "I want to see daring Dining Rooms, scintillating Sitting Rooms and ‘by Goodness, that’s amazing’ bedrooms… We Brits really are a nation of eccentrics and I know that behind the net curtains, there’s an awful lot going on that I can’t wait to discover."

If you think you have what it takes to be This Morning’s Next Big Thing, hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby together with the judges will launch and explain the competition on Monday 11th January. Entrants must be over 18 and have no previous significant experience or financial reward as either a TV presenter or as a professional interior designer. The entrants will get whittled down by public vote (online voting only) until the last two remaining contestants will battle it out against each other. The terms and conditions on our website give more details - www.itv.com/thismorning The winner will be revealed on This Morning on March 5th 2010.

Karl Newton, Executive Producer of This Morning said: “This a very exciting chance for one of our talented viewers to showcase their natural design talent and creative flair to millions. Our esteemed panel of judges led by Laurence couldn’t be better placed to select the winner as they’re all at the top of their game. The Next Big Thing is a very ambitious project to launch which could potentially change the life of a This Morning viewer.”

This Morning is on weekdays, 10.30am – 12.30pm on ITV1.

Popstar to Operastar

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:48:00 GMT

Popstar to Operastar is a brand new series for ITV1 in which best-selling recording artists from the world of pop discover if they’ve got what it takes to perform as opera divas.

Mentored by classical hit-singer Katherine Jenkins and famed tenor Rolando Villazon, the eight contestants will be trained to perform world famous opera songs - many of them learning to not only sing in a completely different style, but also a completely different language than they are
used to.

After their performances the pop stars will be critiqued by a panel made up of their mentors Katherine and Rolando and two critics, international award-winning rock musician Meat Loaf together with TV presenter and Classic FM radio host Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

Those taking part are:

Alex James, who found fame as the bassist in Blur. The band had five number one albums and in 1995 won four Brits breaking a record for the most awards won in one year.

Bernie Nolan, who sold over 25 million records worldwide as vocalist in the Nolan Sisters.

Danny Jones, of hit boy-band, McFly who have had seven number one singles and hold the record for the youngest band ever to top the album chart twice.

Darius Campbell, (formerly Danesh) who rose to fame after coming third in ITV’s Pop Idol show and had number one hits in the UK with both his debut single and album.

Jimmy Osmond, who sold over 100 million records worldwide as part of the Osmonds and is also a platinum selling solo artist.

Kym Marsh, the Coronation Street star who found fame when she won ITV’s Popstars and became part of the band, Hear’Say, enjoying two number one singles and a number one album.

Marcella Detroit, who was one half of the band, Shakespeare’s Sister and sang lead vocals on their hit ‘Stay’ which was number one for eight weeks in the UK charts.

Vanessa White, from the girl-band, The Saturdays who have had five top ten singles since their debut in 2008.

Hosted by Myleene Klass and Alan Titchmarsh, Popstar to Operastar will see the contestants rehearsing with their mentors and vocal coaches before getting on the glamour and taking to the stage for a live Friday night performance which will see one singer voted off each week.

Thanks to Susan Boyle, Paul Potts, Rhydian and Il Divo, classical music is at the top of the charts. So can eight successful singers make the transition from pop idols to tremendous tenors and stunning sopranos?

House of the Year

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:46:00 GMT

A new seven-part series from BBC Northern Ireland is on the hunt to find NI’s House Of The Year.

The series follows presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, a man who knows a thing or two when it comes to fabulous design, as he takes a tour around the 18 short-listed homes and spends time with the three expert judges.

In the first six programmes of the series, three beautiful homes from each of the six counties in Northern Ireland are featured with one from each programme selected to go through to the
series final.

Throughout the series the expert panel of judges will get the chance to view the three houses from each county. They are Des Ewing, award winning architect; Michael Dunn, freelance property consultant with over 20 years experience as an estate agent and Suzanne Garuda international interior designer who has worked on everything from royal palaces to luxury yachts.

The judges will evaluate each house featured in the semi-finals and the final on the following criteria: architectural integrity; interior design; use of space/circulation/layout /natural light/lighting; external merit; environmental credentials and overall ambience and appeal.

In the seventh and final programme of the series, the judges will select two runners-up and an overall winner. The winner will receive the BBC Northern Ireland House of the Year Title and Trophy. These trophies are bespoke sculptures handcrafted by a local artist. There is also an Individual Merit Award which all contestants featured in the series are eligible, whether or not they make it to the final.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen said: "Where you live says so much about who you are, how you feel about yourself and how you'd like to be seen by other people. This competition is a fabulous opportunity to show off just how good you are at home making. I'll be looking for homes that ooze personality and idiosyncratic charm, and who knows there might even be marks off for magnolia."

House of the Year will be on air in 2010. Transmission details will be announced closer to time
of broadcast.

For further information on the short listing and judging process please log on to bbc.co.uk/houseoftheyear

The Day Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen came to Teawithus!

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:48:00 GMT

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen officially unveiled his unique, stylish transformation of the Teawithus tea and coffee shop in Whiteladies Road, Bristol, which raises vital funds for the Tenovus cancer charity.

"I am delighted to help this very worthy cause, and invite everyone to sample their delicious selection of fresh baked locally sourced cakes and fair-trade teas and coffees. The relaxing lounge area downstairs, with Wi-Fi access is an added bonus," said Laurence.

In 1943 Tenovus was founded by 10 businessmen from Cardiff. In the 1960’s Tenovus built the Institute for Cancer Research in Cardiff which carries out vital research into the causes of cancer and has influenced their work ever since. Since then, Tenovus has concentrated its efforts on cancer and now has an international reputation for quality and excellence at the forefront of cancer research and cancer care, benefiting cancer patients across the world. Tenovus scientists developed the use of Tamoxifen to treat breast cancer, now used worldwide to treat breast cancer, and Zoldex which treats prostate cancer.

Alongside ground-breaking research, Tenovus has built a system of cancer support services, including a freephone Cancer Support Line - 0808 808 1010 and since February the Mobile Cancer Support Unit, the first bus of its kind delivering chemotherapy, practical and emotional support and cancer screening directly to local communities and schools.

Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen joins the ‘Garrison Girls’

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:52:00 GMT

Party organiser extraordinaire, Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen was called up by the Garrison Girls to help with their 1940’s charity Dinner Dance and Auction in aid of Help for Heroes. She used her unique style and expertise to help raise awareness and dress the venue in appropriate 1940’s style, and even secured an original American Army jeep, complete with GI driver!

"This is a cause very close to my heart" said Jackie, "and I love the 1940s fashions, when the women always managed to look glamorous in the face of adversity." The Garrison Girls event was on Saturday 28th November 2009 at Hoburne Cotswold in South Cerney, Gloucestershire with live entertainment from the fabulous Swing Band "Sticky Wicket", featuring Digby Fairweather (leading jazz trumpeter, critic and broadcaster)

The Changing Room at Cheltenham

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:40:00 GMT

A special Box at Cheltenham Racecourse was transformed into a "Beaton-esque Boudoir", fit for My Fair Lady, by the "style-stallion" himself Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. This is to raise funds for the Spinal Injuries Association and Countryside Alliance, which was unveiled at the Countryside Race Day on Friday 13th November 2009.

Featuring much of the new Cecil Beaton fabric range, the Box has been decorated in a pretty pale pink and white modern Edwardian style, to emulate the original period, with a few LLB twists. Design companies have been keen to support this worthy project, with Beaudesert supplying the fabrics, Scumble Goosie the chairs, Jali the ornate cut out panelling, FlowerCube the floral arrangements and foliage and As Good As Grass the unique flooring, many free of charge or at much reduced rates.

Every year in the UK over 1000 people experience a spinal cord injury. Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) specialises in support for injured individuals and there families, providing services and publications that enable and encourage paralysed people to lead independent lives. They also campaign for improved medical and social care for spinal cord injury.

The Box is now available for corporate entertaining, fashion shoots, and interviews throughout the year, with a percentage of the profits raised going to SIA.

Laurence Literally Styles Cheltenham Literary Festival

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 23:03:00 GMT

Picture this… zebra skins, black lacquered furniture, inflatable rubber Chesterfields, shiny black wall panels, copious plump cushionage and silky string and shiny red beaded lights… a hedonistic boudoir ready to receive some of the world’s finest pen-pushers, from Margaret Drabble to Michael Morpurgo!

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen glammed-up the Cheltenham Literature Festival by styling and dressing the new VIP lounge in his own classic inimitable way.

"The VIP lounge will be a den of indulgence and glamour, in which the writers can rest their weary quills, relax, be pampered and interviewed in much-deserved style and elegance" said Laurence.

Featuring many pieces from his new designer product range, available from Matalan no less, the lounge will be chicly dressed in red, black and gold accessories and Champagne will be sanguinely sipped from LLB’s elegant decorated gold Dartington Crystal Champagne flutes.

Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen ‘The Kitchen Garden Project’

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 23:05:00 GMT

Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen hosted a Lecture Lunch at Dobbies Garden World in Cirencester in aid of Cotswold Breakthrough Breast Cancer. She talked about the creation of the Kitchen Garden at the Llewelyn-Bowen manor in Siddington, Gloucestershire.

This is a triangle of land enclosed on two sides by neighbours’ houses and, on the third overlooked by the Llewelyn-Bowen’s residence, and has become a shared space with the local neighbourhood. "Never mind who owns it, everyone can use it if they put something back in", says Jackie. A series of raised beds, filled with peas, beans, lettuces, courgettes, herbs and soft fruit, has been laid out by a local company Graduate Gardeners. "They’ve channelled our enthusiasm, and not just created a pleasing layout – it’s practical as well, and especially child-friendly with the grassy central area", she adds. There are potted olive and lemon trees, all within a framework of plant supports from Agriframes up which climbers are being trained to create a living screen. The project has been supported by Dobbies and Travis Perkins Cirencester with materials and logistical assistance.

The Llewelyn-Bowens - And All That Jazz!

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:57:00 GMT

Laurence and Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen hosted a special charity Jazz evening at Stroud Subscription Rooms on Saturday June 20th 2009 to raise money for the aid agency CARE International. The evening featured Rachel Burbridge and the Rachel Sings Jazz BIG BAND, and included a unique performance by Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen and a few other surprises by the celebrity hosts.

CARE International is one of the world’s top three aid agencies, fighting poverty and injustice in over 70 countries around the world and helping 65 million people each year to find routes out of poverty. Both Jackie and Laurence are committed ambassadors for the charity.

The Cotswold Cupcakes

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT

Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen, patron of Cotswold Breakthrough Breast Cancer, boldly agreed to take on the marathon challenge and join the ‘Cotswold Cupcakes’ power walking team for the 2009 MoonWalk. At midnight on 16th May the team of four local ladies, Justine Reynolds, Elizabeth Cannon-Fuller, group chair Amanda Homan-Green and Jackie joined 15,000 men and women power walking the streets of London (26.2 miles) dressed in decorated bras!

"I felt empowered to join the Cotswold Cupcakes team and take part in the MoonWalk," said Jackie. "It is something I have always wanted to do but never felt quite capable of as my former self."

"I have never felt better, in both body and mind, since starting this healthy regime and I have also entered another power walking marathon later in the year and am considering climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with a friend next year," said Jackie.

"Breast cancer currently affects one in eight women at some point in their life and over 300 men are diagnosed with the disease each year in the UK alone. The more we can do to raise awareness and fund the vital research into this hideous disease the better", said Jackie.