Inside Lucy Williams’ utterly joyful and comfortable west London house
‘I always said I didn’t want to buy a Victorian terrace–as lovely as they are, they all start blending into one,’ declares Lucy Williams, as she stands in her west London house. Whilst it appears, externally, that she has conceded, you certainly couldn't say that this house blends into all the others of its kind. While the layout is familiar enough–the narrow hallway, the sitting room at the front, the kitchen extension at the back– the charm lies in the curation. The flooring has been reclaimed, the tiles sourced and furnishings found at auctions and markets, all by Lucy. The result is an imaginative, considered house, born of the mind of a digital creative for whom style is second nature.
Lucy, together with her husband Ruaraidh and dog Finn, decided she needed a change of pace from their old flat – a ‘cavernous’ two bedroom just five minutes down the road – in late 2020. After a thorough hunt, and a lot of coronavirus-related setbacks, they finally stumbled upon a house that felt right. It had been well looked after by the previous owner, but still required a lot of work. In this, it was ideal for Lucy who ‘wanted to find a project that hadn’t been touched for forty, fifty years.’
Working alongside Chantal at Flower Michelin Architects, she set about ‘finding the line between not making a museum of the house’ and bringing it firmly into the contemporary landscape, blending new elements with old seamlessly. The kitchen was the first focus and, learning on the job, Lucy found herself surprised by the order things needed to happen in. As she explains, ‘you think you need to do windows, but then you're thinking about paint and the paint needs to work with the floors…it’s like Jenga, you take one thing out and suddenly the whole thing collapses.’
So where do you focus when you need one eye on all things at once? The much loved household pet naturally. ‘In the kitchen, I didn’t want to do banquette seating for the dining table, but I really wanted something squishy to sit on and I’ve always had a real soft spot for window seats. It’s not the most practical choice,’ she pauses, ‘but the dog likes to be on a human level, so he needed somewhere to sit.’ As such, she found the starting point for the kitchen and renovation as a whole, building out and around from the window seat.
Finn’s spot is framed by large windows that lead out onto a generous, south facing garden–one of the features that initially drew the couple to the house. ‘Outside space that genuinely feels private is a real rarity in London,’ Lucy says, acknowledging her luck. As such, making the most of it was crucial. It had good bones, but ‘roping in’ Butter Wakefield to overhaul it seemed the best way forward. The duo worked towards the brief of a ‘mini English country garden,’ planting alliums and aquilegia in abundance to create a rambling urban idyll. Perhaps by design, the garden can be seen from all of the ground floor rooms in a way that seems the whole house is celebrating the outdoors.
The overall feel of the house is practical and comfortable, a place where ‘people can put their feet up and not be too precious’. Lucy was careful to consider how she and her partner ‘genuinely live, rather than [building for] a fantasy life that’s much chicer than [they] actually are.’ The brilliant blue living room features an enormous orange Maker & Son sofa, perfect for the self-confessed TV lovers. The kitchen is ideal for entertaining. In only one room did Lucy allow herself a ‘fantasy’: the second reception room that bridges the gap between kitchen and living room. Here, opposite the travertine fireplace, in two sheepskin covered antique chairs, Lucy imagines herself with an evening glass of whiskey.
Lucy names as inspiration the Copenhagen home of Ganni founders Ditte and Nicolaj Reffstrup, as well as California-based design studio Reath Design, and these twin ideas of California and Scandinavia are woven throughout the house. The main bedroom and bathroom, for example, have a distinct feel of the west coast, while other rooms, such as the spare bathroom and room in the attic, are bold explosions of patterns and print, reminiscent of Beata Heuman's signature style.
The generous main bedroom is a relaxed space, with an enormous, waved (‘not scalloped’) headboard that serves as the focal point of the room. To the left of the bed, a framed menu, from Osip in Bruton where the couple had dinner the weekend they got engaged, hangs on the wall. Though in general Lucy wanted to ‘avoid building in too much storage and find really great freestanding pieces instead,’ here she has designed a vast wardrobe that spans the width of the bedroom. With neutral colours and subtle patterns, the bedroom and its adjoining bathroom form a serene foil to the busier decoration in the living room below.
Though Lucy jokes she is already on RightMove, this house is neither a one-off project, nor a forever home. Instead it is an adaptable space that suits just where the couple are at present. She concludes, ‘everything has been done for where we are now’–and there’s a magic in that.
Christopher Horwood1/24Plastered in shelving provides storage for cookbooks, Lucy's ever expanding collection of ceramics, and ties in the plastered in extractor fan. On the counter, an ‘A Considered Space X Munro & Kerr’ lampshade sits on a vintage lamp base. The brass wall lights are by Rose Uniacke. The window seat cushion is upholstered in hardwearing denim and the bright check fabric is by Jennifer Shorto.
Christopher Horwood2/24Henning Kjaernulf chairs, sourced from Vinterior, surround the kitchen table. Above, a pendant light by Beata Heuman was done in a custom bright red to contrast the pale blue kitchen, one of Lucy's ‘favourite colour combinations.’ The photograph on the far wall is by Lucy's friend, Louis Sheridan, and is flanked by two Rose Uniacke wall lights.
Christopher Horwood3/24Sourced via Instagram, both the chair and floor lamp are vintage. Above, a print by Hormazd Narielvalla for King & McGaw hangs.
Christopher Horwood4/24Designed by Jessica Summer, the butcher's block island has a spaele top and is painted in Farrow & Ball's ‘Cola’. It sits on reclaimed pine flooring from Lawsons Yard. On the table, a vintage Swedish candelabra from Vinterior.
Christopher Horwood5/24The pantry features reclaimed taps and worktops (reclaimed lab worktops via Retrouvius), as well as new pieces. The wall tiles are Topps Tiles, with Otto Tiles under foot. The walls are Farrow & Ball's ‘Drab’. The two-tone curtains were made by East London Cloth and hide drinks fridges, cleaning equipment and dog food. The outside glazing is painted in Farrow & Ball's ‘Cola'.
Christopher Horwood6/24The hallway is a study in pink, with Myland's ‘Soho Pink’ on the walls and reclaimed quarry tiles on the floor. In a complementary tone, the stairs are painted in Paper & Paints ‘Porphyry Red’. The ceiling light is another Beata Heuman piece, whilst the pine wall light - one of Lucy's ‘absolute faves’ - is a vintage find. Providing a stylish focal point is a side table found at Alfie's Antiques, which displays a ceramic vase by Bettina Ceramica.
Christopher Horwood7/24Attention grabbing shearling chairs are the main event in the second reception room–a vintage find by Lucy. The table, lamp and lion painting, which hangs above the chairs, are all antique too. The walls are painted in ‘School House White’ by Farrow & Ball which allows the Hector Finch picture light to shine. A Gubi floor lamp and Pinch ceiling light also brighten up the space. The ceramic is by artist Alma Berrow.
Christopher Horwood8/24In the fireside nook, a vintage 1930s Heal's cabinet displays an eclectic mix of cocktail equipment. The plaster shell light is by Rose Uniacke, whilst the mirror was found at Brownrigg. The vase and picture were found at car boot sales. On the floor, a vintage Portuguese rug, found at Retrouvius lies.
Christopher Horwood9/24In the guest bathroom, geranium wallpaper by Cole & Son is paired with Balineum tiles and a vintage 1970s mirror.
Christopher Horwood10/24Indulging her fantasy of ‘having a big walk in shower that felt a little bit Mediterranean’ and reminded her of ‘summers in Greece even in the depths of winter in London,’ Lucy set about creating an arched shower. The ‘whole thing was done in microcement’ and is ‘finished with a slightly glossy wax seal.’ As a result, it has the ‘slight sheen of Tadelakt with the durability of cement.’ Inside the shower, fittings by Water Monopoly complement the architecture.
Christopher Horwood11/24Opposite the shower, the primary en suite is painted in ‘White Tie’ by Farrow & Ball, chosen for its ‘calming and soft’ nature. The bath is clad in reclaimed wooden flooring from Lawsons Yard whilst the Rojo Alicante marble was sourced from Lapicida. Above the bath, window treatments by East London Cloth and a wall light by Flos hang.
Christopher Horwood12/24Jessica Summer helped Lucy realise her vision of a ‘vanity with plenty of storage, but with legs to visually maximise the space.’ The final piece was made by Browson Design with hardware by Rowen and Wren. To offer definition from the walls, it is painted in F&B ‘Stony Ground’. An antique segmented mirror sits above.
Christopher Horwood13/24Painted in ‘White Tie’ by Farrow & Ball, the walk through dressing area is covered by a needlecord curtain. To the right, a chair ‘found in a junk shop in Lewes.’ To the left, an antique mirror and chest sit alongside a Palefire lamp.
Christopher Horwood14/24In the master suite, the custom headboard is upholstered in Tori Murphy stripe and is complemented by yellow wall lights from Howe. The curtains are made from Rose Uniacke linen in ‘Straw’ and sit with café curtains in RU sheer linen in Honey. At the end of the bed, covered in a Toast bedspread, a custom ottoman is upholstered in Sanderson fabric.
Christopher Horwood15/24A metal side table by Stride & Co provides a home for a small floral display. The wardrobes, by Browson Design, feature cast iron hardware by Anvil.
Christopher Horwood16/24A wavy mirror by Australian designer Lucy Montgomery is the main event in this bathroom and hangs playfully next to the blue loo by The Bold Bathroom Company. The vanity from Ham interiors offers relief from the Mylands ‘Charterhouse’ walls, which in turns provide a backdrop to the decorative evil eyes, “collected on travels from Greece."
Christopher Horwood17/24Bold tiles from Bert and May provide a contrast to the opposing side of the bathroom. The towel rail is by The Radiator Co., and the sanitary ware is from Aston Matthews.
Christopher Horwood18/24Painted in Farrow & Ball's ‘Wimborne White’, Lucy's study features a mix of vintage and antique finds. The desk itself is a 1950s Gio Ponti sourced via The Old Cinema and sits with a vintage chair that Lucy ‘reupholsted in a chunky mustard cord by Rose Uniacke.’
Above the desk, a clip on wall light by Original BTC offers a spotlight. The wall shelves are vintage Poul Cadovius. Underfoot, a vintage Tibetan rug.
Christopher Horwood19/24The upstairs hallway is wallpapered in a subtle taupe Boratsepper stripe from Jane Clayton, which sits with Farrow & Ball's ‘Dimity’ on the ceiling and woodwork. On the floor, a Tim Page carpet. The lights are Skinflint.
Christopher Horwood20/24Lucy is ‘obssesed with this wallpaper by Living Quarters,’ saying, ‘at first glance it looks floral but they're actually shells.’ The Le Klint lights and vintage chest were found via Vinterior, whilst the books and ceramic sheep were found in car boot sales.
Christopher Horwood21/24Re-using their old bed from the previous flat, the couple ‘breathed life into it’ by adding a vintage wall light and a big cushion by Howe. The quilt is another Toast piece. The rattan bedside drawers are vintage and display a Zara Home lamp atop them. The painted carafe is Petra Palumbo.
Christopher Horwood22/24After ‘years of drying laundry in [the] kitchen,’ Lucy knew she wanted to put the utility room upstairs. The nook is painted in Farrow & Ball's Dimity and the thin cupboard to the side conceals the ironing board. To make the ‘whole thing feel a bit less utilitarian and softer,’ linen curtains and vintage wall plates were employed.
Christopher Horwood23/24Clad in tongue and groove panelling, the loft bathroom is painted in Mylands' Cavendish Cream. The wall lights above are sauna lights from Holloways of Ludlow, which sit wall alongside a vintage rope Ardoux et Minet mirror. The ‘little corner bobbin chair fits perfectly in this little spot,’ just underneath the Burlington sink. Tiles from Bert & May are prevented from ‘feeling too cutsey’ with a bath panel made from stained ply.
Christopher Horwood24/24Lucy Williams.
