Laurence Llewelyn Bowen on the Ideal Home Show at Christmas
Tuesday, 15 November 2011 3:47 PM
Earls Court is playing host to the inaugural Ideal Home Show at Christmas for five days spanning 16-20 November. AboutProperty catches up with Laurence Llewelyn Bowen to find out a bit more about the show and what he'll be up to this Christmas:
As one of the 'faces' of the very first Ideal Home Show at Christmas, tell us what you will be doing at the live show this November?
I will be bringing my own touch of glamour to the show – there is an element of ensuring that everybody's Yule is as cool as possible. The show is about inspiration, about aspiration plus a little bit of fairy dust. I'll be there to sex up Xmas and will be talking people through a series of quite achievable elements that can give a very glamorous spin on their Christmas this year.
There will also be Laurence's wrapping challenge at the show. Now this doesn't mean I will be wearing a baseball cap on backwards and sporting gold chains, but I will be defying the audience to come to me with anything that they might have found shopping at the show that I can wrap in front of their very eyes. To me there is no such thing as an unwrappable gift so I look forward to people bringing me zebras, footballs, space hoppers, bicycles – just to show all in attendance the ground rules of being able to make any object a neat, tidy and gorgeous gift.
What will you be doing to your house come Christmas – do you go 'all out' with decorations? What is your festive house style?
We do go all out – we have 35 for lunch on Christmas day, so you could say a quiet Christmas for us! In fact, we are going for a Grimms Fairy tale theme which I think very much suits the fact that we have my mother in law coming. Lots of twigs and slightly witchy looking elements which feel very Hansel and Gretel. Perfect background for Granny as I keep telling the children.
What are the Christmas interior styling trends for 2011?
The thing is, people suddenly at this time of year remember or realise that they need to sort out the box room as they have a relative coming to stay and so it is a really good moment to be quite brave with colour. The light this time of year is very very low so indulge in your passion for flamingo pink and indulge in something really quite brave.
Interiors are increasingly becoming more about personality and individuality and I think that the link between interior design and fashion design is becoming closer so one of my most straightforward tips for anyone is look at your wardrobe. Then look at your bedroom. Do they look like they belong in the same place – if they don't then you need to do something about one or the other, and I would suggest you start with interiors.
Most people now have glamorous, colourful and patterned party clothes – especially this time of year – and I think the bedroom is a wonderful place to let that loose. Let the clothes do the decorating!
I think it is nice to have a sense of recognition with Christmas decorations – particularly with children. I remember when I was a child, Christmas decorations were quite exotic and expensive and so the same decorations came out every year and there was a real sense of anticipation – they were icons of that time of year. There is something less emotional now about the ability to just go to a supermarket, a DIY store and just buy everything new every year, but having said that, it is lovely to indulge yourself at this time of year –and indulge your inner designer. For most Brits, Christmas really is the only time we let our hair down and play host to some serious colour and indulgences. However where possible, do try and keep some familiar friends around – some older decorations and icons that will feature in your scheme every year – some key pieces, like an old family fairy for on top of the tree.
For those that like to leave things last minute, what quick interior fixes can you do to spruce up a home and get it looking festive?
Don't forget, if you leave it to the last minute, you are going to find it really difficult this year. Years before we could throw the credit card at it and leave it to last minute. It really is all about being the early bird at the minute.
I actually do start looking for ideas, presents and inspiration any time after about September – and because I travel a lot, I get to find things on the move.
Do you have any Christmas traditions in your household that you stick to every year?
Yes, well we like to find the nearest clearing in the woods and then sacrifice a couple of goats…. No all joking aside, one of the biggest traditions I have, which I will be celebrating at the Ideal Home Show at Christmas this November is this idea of grown-ups clawing back a little corner of the Christmas experience for themselves – to not feel that they have to give everything financially, emotionally and energy wise to the children. It's a really important time of the year to recharge your batteries as we all work really hard. The holidays should be a time when you feel spoilt. I always make sure Jackie and I have our own Christmas – when the dishwasher is full, the children are in bed, Granny has removed all the bits that are removable and is tucked up in bed. It is then that Jackie and I give each other our presents, we will open a bottle of champagne together and feel like glamorous grown-ups!
When it comes to decorating a family home, is it just as important to cater for adults as it is for kids – is it possible to do both under one roof?
It is completely possible to do both under one roof. Previously we have decorated around that – we have created a very child friendly Christmas environment which is all about bright colours, energy filled etc and then our own private and sophisticated Christmas boudoir and I think that is something people need to look at more and more.
What is your favourite possession at home – be it gadget, piece of furniture, appliance – and why?
I live in such an Aladdin's cave I am afraid I am too spoilt for choice. If the worst came to the worst and there was a fire I wouldn't know where to start… I would probably start with the wallpaper.
The Ideal Home Show at Christmas boasts 500 exhibitors and is full of ideas, inspiration and advice on everything you need to make your home ideal for the festive season.
Tickets can be either booked online or by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0844 209 7330, or for further information about the show visit the website www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk.
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