Laurence Llewelyn Bowen claims ‘Britain has been taken for granted’ as he hits out at ‘overlooked’ feature
Laurence Llewelyn Bowen has spoken passionately about the untapped potential and overlooked heritage of British design, claiming the country is often “taken for granted” compared to its European counterparts.
Speaking to GB News during the unveiling of his latest project, Eleven Bibury, the designer made clear that he sees a cultural and creative revival taking root in the heart of the Cotswolds – and he intends to be at the centre of it.
“I think British design is something that people have overlooked for too long,” Llewelyn Bowen remarked.
“They think about Italy and France. And for far too many people, I think Britain is just… taken for granted as being quite quiet. But actually, there were moments like the Arts and Crafts movement in the 1870s where we were extraordinarily influential and created a new vision of architectural design that was fundamentally 100 per cent democratic.”
This drive to reassert the richness of British craftsmanship and community values is at the heart of Eleven Bibury – a newly restored space that includes tea rooms, a shop, and curated interiors by Llewelyn Bowen himself.
Located opposite the iconic Arlington Row, the development is described as “a celebration of craftsmanship, authenticity and community,” inspired by Bibury’s role in the historic Arts and Crafts Movement.
The project is the brainchild of Lady Anne Evans, whom Llewelyn Bowen credits as the creative anchor.
“Anne has this incredible centre of gravity that draws people from enthusiasm, from love, from generosity,” he said.
“Her idea was to bring the heart back to the community, to create a community shop, to create a post office, but then also to start evangelising her particular vision of British design.”
The design of Eleven Bibury reflects both reverence for tradition and a willingness to innovate.
Among Llewelyn Bowen’s proudest contributions is the main staircase, which he said presented a significant design challenge due to the building’s 300-year-old structure.
He noted that while modern technologies, like subtle lighting and digital integration, were used in the design, they remained “subservient to the aesthetic.”
The staircase features undercut treads and recessed lighting, a subtle blend of old and new that captures the spirit of the project.
They also sought help from locals to embed a true sense of community into the project.
Llewelyn Bowen explained, “We’ve had so many people get excited about it. We’ve also been able to work with incredibly good local craftspeople, which was part of Anne’s ethos right from the outset: it had to be a celebration of Cotswold craftsmanship.”
More broadly, Llewelyn Bowen sees the restoration as a cultural statement. “This is kind of like what the real Cotswolds looks like,” he said, in contrast to what he called the more artificial or commercially driven developments elsewhere.
While Bibury continues to attract international visitors, Llewelyn Bowen emphasised the importance of designing with residents in mind.
“The community here is every bit as important as everything else,” he said. “This is a win-win. The international tourists find it incredibly attractive, but the village shop is just as vital.”
Beyond Eleven Bibury, Llewelyn Bowen is keeping busy.
He recently completed filming for the second season of Outrageous Homes on Channel 4 and will return to BBC’s Interior Design Masters later this year. More projects, he hinted, are in development.
He also reflected on the recent cancellation of Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt, in which he featured.
“It’s very sad because I think it was a very good idea,” he said. “It wasn’t like a lot of the other Jungle Challenge shows. It was about empowering celebrities… giving them a chance to prove something to themselves.”