How I Curate My Space: Lucy Williams’ London Townhouse

“I like collecting things,” says Lucy Williams of the aesthetic that governs her West London townhouse. “There are a lot of over-stuffed drawers and random bowls of bits and bobs dotted around. I like propping things up on shelves, so I need my home to allow for that without it being jarring.”

A space of staid minimalism was never going to work for a woman so prone to accumulating treasures. “I hope there’s quite a lot to learn about me, if they were to do a Through the Keyhole,” continues the British fashion and interiors creator, referencing the British TV show that looks inside celebrity homes. “I have a lot of books, pieces from travels and trinkets across surfaces. I want people to feel instantly laid-back and comfortable when they walk in, not like they have to watch where they put down a glass or mug.”

Set on a leafy street where many residents have lived for more than two decades, Williams’ Victorian terraced house offers something that now feels rare in London: a sense of permanence. “I actually like being able to seek out the buzz of London and friends when I want it, rather than having it all right outside my door,” she says. Williams spends weekends wandering the Thames Path with her dog, Finn, heading to the local park, or simply basking in the unusual peace and quiet of her garden.

The house itself had been occupied by the same owners for 40 years before Williams arrived. She credits them with keeping it lovingly maintained, but she knew that it was going to require some work to help it reach its potential. When she first bought it, beige carpet stretched from the front door through almost every room, including the bathrooms, while failed electrics and an ageing boiler made renovation unavoidable.

“I knew I wanted it as soon as I had seen it,” she says. “I could instantly imagine making it our own. It sounds cheesy but it really did have a calm feeling inside it. But while it was very tidy and well cared for, it definitely needed some updating.”

The kitchen might be her second favorite place though, with a particular window-snug hosting her daily cup of tea. “That’s kind of the hub of the house,” says Williams. “It’s where I have my morning cup, sit with the dog, or catch up with my husband at the end of the day. It also has a small TV tucked away at one end and is lined with all my cookbooks. It has a big roof light above it, so it’s just as good when it’s raining outside, too. Anytime we’ve had a party at home, I always find three or four people squished up on there chatting.”

Welcoming guests is something Williams does often, sometimes as part of her work and at other times just for pleasure. “I’ve realized hosting doesn’t have to mean perfection,” she says. Sometimes it means noodles with friends by the fire; sometimes, it’s pizzas cooked on the Big Green Egg (a kamado-style ceramic charcoal cooker) in the garden. Last Christmas, it meant squeezing 50 friends into the house for clementine margaritas, Campari spritzes and towering slabs of panettone.

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