LONDON — Interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, 61, has revealed that his once lavish lifestyle has left him with limited financial security, admitting he only has enough money to sustain himself for the next two decades.
From Luxury to Simplicity
Known for his flamboyant style and extravagant spending, Llewelyn-Bowen told The Times that years of indulgence — including first-class vacations and shopping sprees — have taken a toll. “There’s a moment when you sit down with all these financial advisors and they say: We can guarantee the kind of lifestyle you’ve got for 20 years. So basically, I’ve got to die at 81 or else I’m going to be in total Jane Austen penury,” he said.
He added that the “years of splurging” are long gone, noting that he overcame his shopping addiction during lockdown.
A Life-Changing Accident
In May 2024, while filming Netflix’s Celebrity Bear Hunt in Costa Rica, Llewelyn-Bowen suffered a near-fatal accident after becoming trapped underwater by a bungee rope. The incident prompted him to reassess his priorities and focus more on financial stability.
Family-Centered Living
Today, Llewelyn-Bowen shares a Cotswolds manor house with his wife Jackie, their daughters Hermione and Cecile, their husbands, and four grandchildren. He has even transferred two-thirds of the property deed to his sons-in-law.
“We’re not going to be those old people sitting on a great big pile of cash. Terribly unhappy, terribly lonely,” he explained. “We are very, very privileged, but we have made this decision. We have manifested this life.”
He believes living with extended family is the future. “We have our big manor house filled with children and pieces of brightly colored plastic and Peppa Pig again,” he said on the My Dirty Laundry podcast.
Embracing the Present
While he jokes about experiencing an “end of life crisis,” Llewelyn-Bowen insists he is learning to embrace simpler pleasures. His focus now is on designing a meaningful life surrounded by family rather than material wealth.
