Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, the 60-year-old interior designer best known for his role on Changing Rooms, has hit back at critics who describe his family's living situation as 'strange'. He lives with his wife Jackie, their adult daughters Hermione (26) and Cecile (29), their husbands Dan and Drew, and four grandchildren—Albion (8), Demelza (3), Romily (1), and Eleanora (18 months)—in a six-bedroom Cotswolds manor house.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Llewelyn-Bowen defended the arrangement, saying: 'I still think a lot of people think it is a bit strange. But actually, it is a very kind of straightforward and instinctive way of a family being together.' He argued that the 20th-century notion of children leaving home is unusual, and that his family is simply reviving a traditional model where generations live and work together.
The designer acknowledged that living in such close quarters requires effort. 'There are moments where you've got to work quite hard. But I think that happens in any family,' he said. He and Jackie have been together for over four decades and celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary this year.
Llewelyn-Bowen also offered relationship advice, emphasising commitment and tolerance. 'You do have to find positives. It's not a Disney movie... After 41 years together, you know the ins and outs. You know the warning signs,' he said. The family's living arrangement, he added, made sense given the size of their home: 'Why do we not then bring the children and their children in with us?'
Meanwhile, Llewelyn-Bowen is preparing for the return of his property series House Of The Year, which airs on BBC iPlayer and BBC One Northern Ireland from 5 January, with the grand final on 9 February.
