Lucy Williams

 
Stylist and digital content creator, Lucy Williams is known for her effortless cool. Working across fashion and lifestyle, interior and design, the recent renovation of her own home in West London has been a process of gentle unveiling as she reveals the project as it has unfolded through colour and detail, room by room. Filled with treasured ‘finds’ alongside unexpected ensembles of patterns, palette, texture and form, the result is inimitably beautiful and once again, her audience is left in awe of her unique vision and undeniable talent. From the oceanic blue that saturates the living room to the tactility of wallpaper and comfort of soft furnishings, we spoke to Lucy about the iterations of design decisions, some of her favourite possessions and the pleasure of simple rituals that offer personal and creative refuge. 

Physically, where are you right now? Are you at home, on holiday, in the office or elsewhere?

At home, on my kitchen window seat with the dog.

Your home is a trove of beautiful antiques, collection pieces and personal possessions. Which 3 hold the most sentiment for you, and why?

So hard to choose favourites! I'd probably say the vintage shearling and pine brutalist chairs in our drawing room because they were just a dream find and a full-body yes as soon as I saw them. The Guillerme et Chambron bureau in our kitchen was one of my most recent purchases but so special because I've also wanted to own a piece and it has so many amazing little touches like a cloud-shaped fastener for the desk and blue ceramic drawer handles. Last but definitely not least, the Alma Berrow ceramic shell ashtray complete with ceramic cigarette butts my husband commissioned for me as a gift a few years ago. I love it so much and it always gets people talking!

When you began renovating, what drove your decision making around colour, pattern, furniture and lighting? Did you begin knowing exactly what you wanted or was it something that evolved and changed throughout the process? 

It definitely evolved overtime and was a bit of a game of Jenga at times: take one piece out or add something and the whole thing crumbles! I had a digital mood board for each room/space and would put pictures of everything from furniture to paint colours and fabric on it to see everything coming together, what was working and what wasn’t. I knew exactly how I wanted each room to feel but it definitely took a few iterations to get there. I loved the creative process of it all though and the highs and lows of the whole thing.  

The Rachel Donath Bohan Lamp nestled within the beautiful and iconic blue of Lucy William's living room. 

We have to talk about that blue! Your living room is an incredibly striking, saturated blue that seems to energise and soothe simultaneously. It not only gives the space its own identity but shows that you are unafraid, with an extraordinary eye for design. Where did your inspiration come from for this colour and how did you select the perfect blue?

Thanks so much - it's 100% my favourite room in the house. Winter evenings spent on the sofa with candles burning, a movie and a glass of wine is one of my favourite things about our home. I've always loved blue. My childhood bedroom at my parent’s house is pale blue and has been since I was 14.  Blue skies, the beach, Greek islands and that deep historical, Georgian blue... blue has always felt calming and a bit nostalgic to me. I had dinner at the Ganni founders’ Copenhagen home many years ago and fell in love with their blue staircase. I didn't end up painting my stairs blue but it did find its way into most other rooms of the house!

What have been some personal milestones that you have achieved outside the expectation or perceived expectation of others? 

When I first started my blog aged 22 and started to put myself out there a bit, I felt quite a lot of negativity and judgement from peripheral friends. I had to really put the blinkers on and pretend no one I knew was watching in order to keep going with it. At the same time I lost out on a job after an internship at a magazine I was working at, which at the time felt like a real rejection and I took as proof I was lacking some key ingredient to work in fashion. It actually ended up being the biggest positive for me long term as I put more effort and time into my little corner of the internet because it felt safer somehow. I’ve been lucky enough to work on some amazing projects over the years but for me it’s more the fact I found enough self confidence to keep going. I don’t think I would have even backed myself to do that to be honest! I feel so grateful people choose to follow me and enjoy my content and I think these experiences have really amplified that. 

What have been some of your most profound personal challenges and have they ever informed your creative process or interrupted it?

I've dealt with chronic anxiety since I was a child although I only really started to understand it and myself in my mid 20s. Learning how to manage it personally and in relationships, as well as juggle being self-employed in a very public space, has definitely been a learning curve. I've learned to see the positives of it too; it definitely means I'm more introspective and empathetic because of it. 

What are your personal rituals, if any? 

I'm not very good with routine because the nature of my job every day is a bit different, but I do love my daily rituals. My favourite ritual of the week is on Friday's when me and my dog will go for a good 5 mile walk down the Thames. We might stop for breakfast or coffee along the way at one of my favourite spots and I listen to podcasts or an audiobook. It's my favourite morning of the week and a real reset after a busy week.

There’s an overriding warmth to your home, with soft places to settle in, incorporated into almost every room. Is this where you go to retreat or is there something else you do for creative refuge? 

I'm definitely a real homebody and an introvert to boot so home has always been my refuge and is the place I recharge for sure. Away from home, a walk on the beach always feels like a reset to me. We're hoping to be able to buy and renovate somewhere in Cornwall or Dungeness one day but until then we love the likes of The Gallivant (probably the most dog friendly hotel ever) or visiting my family up in north wales. 

What piece of wisdom currently resonates with you and how does it inform your approach to life right now? 

‘Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable’ - Mary Oliver. A quote for control freaks everywhere haha! 

LUCY LOVES

The Grace Dining Chair, SHOP NOW | The Allard Ottoman, SHOP NOW

The Safari Chair, SHOP NOW | The Bohan Lamp, SHOP NOW