Based in London, Lucy is known for her design aesthetics skills and has worked with a range of publications including the Sunday Times Style, Living, etc. Her designs have allowed her to work with a range of industries from editorial to commercial with clients including Habitat, Marks & Spencer’s and Heals to name but a few. Added to that, she’s a huge fan of our products, in fact, she owns one or two Ruarks!
Lucy gladly gave us some of her time to answer a few questions about herself and her work…
Hi Lucy! How did you first get into the interior styling world? Have you always been creative from a young age?
I have always been interested in art and craft (my mum is a fine art painter) so I was always surrounded by creativity growing up. However, it wasn’t until I moved to London in 2009 that I decided to pursue being an Interior Stylist as a career and I haven’t looked back! I started interning at various magazines like World of Interiors, Wallpaper* and Livingetc then I was ‘in the right place at the right time’ when a position became available at Livingetc and I ended up staying there for three years before I went freelance.
You moved over to London from Australia, what made you relocate? Were you a stylist in Australia too?
I relocated for love! I met my now wife in Australia and decided to move over here so we could be together. Before I moved to London I had worked in book publishing for quite a long time so I have always worked in creative industries.
What’s the daily routine of an interior stylist?
Wake up (5am on a shoot day otherwise I wake up when my toddler wakes me up!). Check my umpteen emails (London doesn’t seem to sleep so I always wake up to a bunch of emails that were sent overnight). Then it will be either spending time in my office putting together a creative concept for my next shoot (it’s down to me to choose a location, hire a photographer, sketch out my ideas, hire furniture, stick to client budgets, organise catering for a shoot and the lost goes on). My job is a project management role, really.
What are your favourite, and least favourite parts of the job?
I love researching ideas to weave into my shoots. It’s nice to have a bit of time on my own to sit down with a coffee and books, magazines or websites etc to come up with a concept for my next shoot. Time is a luxury though in the fast paced world of styling and being a mum of a toddler! To be honest, I don’t have a least favourite bit!
Where do your inspirations come from when styling a room or home?
Everywhere. Nature is great for interesting colour palettes. Using the natural light of a room is a good starting point for choosing paint colours and textures in the room too. I also love websites like Pinterest to amalgamate some ideas too!
If you could describe your unique style, what would it be?
I love bold imagery and moody lighting. In my ideal shoot I would like the images that I produce to resemble a painting!
What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on?
There are so many different shoots that I have worked on! I created a shoot for Livingetc magazine last christmas and I styled a woodland themed home. I like to come up with ideas that are simple enough for anyone to reproduce at home but to shoot them in a really beautiful way.
What would you say is the strangest request you’ve ever received from a client?
I did a shoot for Black and Decker a couple of years back where I had to source 90 vintage cameras and 90 pairs of black high heels and I only had a few days to do it. That was a challenge!
What’s your favourite object in your own home?
My ladderax shelving unit. It’s a mid century piece of furniture that I just adore. I also love my wedding ring more than anything. It’s from Boucheron and is a mixture of ceramic, gold and diamond.
Are you a minimalist or a maximalist at heart?
I am a maximalist who tries to be minimal. I always feel more calm and content when everything is as minimal as possible but it’s not always the way when you’re a stylist that needs to own a lot of props!
Classic interiors or modern, or a mix?
Definitely a mix. I am happiest when there are modern finishes with traditional accents like a clean, bold, black wall in my kitchen with a big chunky gold frame on it for example.
If you could style anyone’s home, who’s would it be?
The Obama’s!
Which other stylists do you admire?
I admire the work of so many stylists. Louisa Grey’s work is always so well curated: simple and stunning.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
‘He who asks is a fool for five minutes, he who doesn’t is a fool forever’ In other words- ask as many questions as possible at the beginning of a job so you don’t get it wrong later!
What’s your favourite way to relax?
Watching a film, in bed!
What would you say is going to be big / on trend in 2018/2019?
There is a lot of brown coming through into interiors. Brown walls and furniture. Also, olive green is a another one! Rugs as wall art is another trend that I have seen creeping in too.
