Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen reveals the ‘tacky’ trend he absolutely loves
LAURENCE Llewelyn-Bowen has confessed he is embracing a tacky trend that would previously have been shunned.
The 59-year-old Changing Rooms star said glossy magazines such as Vogue and House & Gardens are no longer the trendsetters.
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On the podcast he spoke candidly about modern interior design Question time about white wine hosted by Kate Thornton.
Laurence said there is no one specific furnishing style that equates to having good taste.
He said: “The problem with the British is that they are very snobbish and constantly believe that posh people have good taste and everyone else doesn’t.
“They then worry about bad taste and ending up without taste.
“That is becoming less and less, but there is still a gentle kind of nagging in people that somehow nice and polite people live a certain way and have certain things.”
He said the Covid lockdown in 2020 forced people to change their attitude towards taste.
“Maximalism” was all over everyone’s social media feeds, despite previously being considered too flashy.
Laurence said: “Suddenly everyone wanted a pink plastic flamingo.
“And that photo of a rather sweaty green lady that you could buy in Woolworths in the 1960s, and they wanted lampshades with bubble fringe.
“All these things that everyone had decided on before that moment were the absolute ultimate expression of the kind of things that your cleaner would have in the house.
“But actually, maximalism now really embraced kitsch as a way to broadcast, advertise and be incredibly socially safe.
“I want it because I like it, it may not be chic or the right thing, but I like it.”
Laurence said Instagram has been a “huge aesthetic game changer” in a way that wasn’t possible before.
He believes influencers dictate what is and isn’t trendy with their brightly colored walls that look great on a small screen.
He said: ‘It basically means that the madmen have taken over the asylum of taste.
“Up until that point it was all about what you saw in Cassa Vogue or House & Gardens, what Killy Hoppen said or whatever.”
Laurence said an interior with “very high contrast” and strong colors looks great on phones, while beige decor looks “terrible”.
The trendiest interior design colors of 2024
Homebase has unveiled the official trend colors for this year.
To predict the top colors of 2024, Homebase sales data analyzed five colors that have skyrocketed in popularity with customers.
Copper, pink and black are predicted to be the most popular colors on British walls this year, while bathrooms are seeing a surprising rise in terracotta color schemes.
The top five trend colors for 2024 are:
- Copper (+57%)
- Pink (+38%)
- Black (+34%)
- Green (+29%)
- Orange (+27%)
Copper has replaced rose gold, while blush is the new magnolia, and the British are also going bold by smearing black paint all over their walls.
Green is always a popular color, but the shade ‘Fresh Herb’ – a versatile, slightly gray-toned green – reaches hundreds of customer baskets.
Meanwhile, terracotta takes over with ‘Frosted Papaya’, a peachy orange shade dominating the bathrooms.
He is open to both styles, because there is no longer a big emphasis on chic furnishings.
Referring to 2020, the designer added: “It was a trial via Instagram and so color, pattern, detail and architecture got more likes than good taste and minimalism and redaction.
“It kind of took that away a little bit, just because it was really hard to appreciate on your little phone. It’s hilarious, but in my opinion a very good thing.
“Although I am now facing my beige moment. I will definitely bring beige back.”
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