INTERIOR designer and TV personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has announced a major career change. 

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen lives in Siddington with his wife Jackie and is best known for appearing on BBC programme Changing Rooms.

As he prepares to enter his 60s he has decided turn his back on television makeovers and return to his fine art roots.

He left Camberwell School of Art in London with a degree in fine art painting in 1986 and has since pursued a successful career as a designer which has taken him around the world. 

However, Laurence has decided to pick up his paint brushes once again and reignite his love for painting and hope to make it as a successful artist. 

Swindon Advertiser: Sneak peak of one of the pieces that will be displayed at the Garden of Baroque Delights exhibition Sneak peak of one of the pieces that will be displayed at the Garden of Baroque Delights exhibition (Image: Llewelyn-Bowen Design Limited)

Laurence said: “Jackie has been telling me for years how sexy it used to be going out with a long-haired artist who smelt of oil paints back when we were in our twenties! 

"I think she’s quite excited to have the old me back again having spent the last 30 plus years waking up next to an orange television celebrity.”

He will be showcasing his latest work at an exhibition called Garden of Baroque Delights which will be launched at a star-studded party this Saturday, September 16 which will be attended by Earl and Countess Bathurst, Earl and Countess Caernarfon, Nick Jopling, author Jilly Cooper and actress Emma Samms.

The exhibition will be displayed at Cotswold Contemporary Gallery in Burford from Saturday, September 16 until Saturday, September 30 and then will go onto the Cotswold Contemporary Gallery in Cirencester.

Swindon Advertiser: One of the pieces which will be displayed at the Garden of Baroque Delights exhibition One of the pieces which will be displayed at the Garden of Baroque Delights exhibition (Image: Llewelyn-Bowen Design Limited)

A spokesperson for Cotswold Contemporary Gallery said: "Laurence's newest paintings are glamorous evocations of romantic imaginary gardens stuffed full with exotic birds and baroque architecture.

"Witty, clever, wistful and beautifully painted, Laurence wants buyers to hang his pictures and watch them like they are Netflix box sets.
 
"Get lost in the painted landscape, go on a journey through the foliage and ultimately make up your own story behind the image”.