Line-up of talks for Cotswold Homes and Interiors Festival revealed
The full line-up of talks at this year’s Cotswold Homes and Interiors Festival has been published.
The event takes place on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March in Cirencester town centre, with The Corn Hall as the main hub of activity. A total of 10 talks take place over the two days.
Local celebrity interior designer and television personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, who has been a strong supporter of the event since its inception in 2024, headlines the series of talks. Laurence will be speaking at 3pm on the Saturday, sharing his thoughts on design, and life in general, and will take questions from the audience.
Other talks on the Saturday include an interview with Pooky Lighting founder Rohan Blacker, who lives locally. The business has a showroom and warehouse in Gloucester and his other venture, Schlpendid, a sofa business, is based in Andoversford. Cotswold Property Finder Hannah Edge and architect Jonathan Rixon will discuss how to add value to your home, in a session chaired by Jen Monk. Claire Furner and Sue Boatman from New Leaves, professional home stagers, will talk about “making the most of your home”. Ted Homer, one of the founders of the Rest & Root home and lifestyle store in Cirencester, will look back on his time working for Gardiner Haskins, the homeware store in the town which closed in May last year, and how it has equipped him to start his own business.
In a new feature for the event, a “Meet the Experts” session will take place, where people can book a free 15-minute slot with specialists in a range of areas – from architecture to interior design, plumbing and heating and green energy retrofit.
On Sunday, there is the opportunity to hear from Andrea Paxton about transforming smaller areas of your home. Tessa Wardman and Beth Bruce-Gardner will share ideas for sourcing and displaying spring flowers for the home. Marc Begg of Cirencester-based Kyeburn Designs will set out his thoughts on transforming your outdoor space. Adrian Zareba, one of the developers behind the conversion of Mead House, the former St James’s Place offices in Thomas Street, to residential use, will explain the design principles behind the project. Laura Basnett will round off the festival with a talk on how your home can influence your living habits in a positive way.
Tickets for the talks are priced at between £3 and £5 (plus processing fee) can be obtained via the festival website www.cotswoldhomesfest.co.uk or directly via the following Eventbrite links:
The festival also includes trade stalls in The Corn Hall and on the Market Place and workshops at New Brewery Arts and The Old Department Store. Entry to view the trade stalls is free.