GSC GIRLS #1: In conversation with House & Garden’s Lucy Boulton
In our first edition of Greenwich Social Club Girls where we speak to women who inspire us and embody our brand values, we catch up with Lucy Boulton on a rainy November afternoon in Greenwich Park.
A Canadian by way of Switzerland, Scotland and London, Lucy talks about her style and influences, both personal and professional. She has built a journalism career at the intersection of storytelling and aesthetics, shaped by years at Dezeen and House & Garden. In our conversation, Lucy brings her thoughtful eye for design to her own life and journey, opening up to us about her creativity, discipline and what it means to shape a life defined by good taste.
Introduce yourself:
I’m Lucy and I work for House & Garden’s directory to the best design professionals, The List.
What kind of design are you drawn to?
My design aesthetic has definitely changed over the years. I began my career at Dezeen; the kind of houses they feature are more modern, in my opinion. They can look quite cold and stark because sometimes it’s more about the architecture than the interior design.
While I’ve worked at House & Garden, I’ve come to appreciate ‘clutter’ more. I feel like clutter is a word that sometimes has a negative connotation, but I think it can be what makes a house and interior interesting, to an extent. Those are the personal touches that make a project your own.
How has that changed your approach to your own home’s decor?
Whenever I’m looking for pieces for my home, I’m looking for things that speak to me, but I also want to make sure that the quality is good and whatever I pick up while shopping or on holiday will last a really long time.
I think my way of shopping and looking at interior design is slow. I want to create spaces over time that feel natural and intentional!
You’ve lived all over the world in your life - how have your life experiences influenced the way you interpret design, space and the idea of ‘home’?
Yep - I’m Canadian and grew up in Vancouver. I’ve also lived in Switzerland and did my degree in St Andrews in Scotland. My professional career so far has been in London. I feel like having lived in so many different countries, my perception of what ‘home’ is has changed because I feel so much more like a Londoner than a Vancouverite.
Many more of my formative experiences have been in the UK. I’ve been an adult here; I’ve had more agency to create my own home here. I feel most British, so the way I look at houses is probably more similar to someone who is from the UK.
What do you think the differences are between the way Brits and Canadians approach their homes and interiors?
When I go home to Vancouver, I look at the houses and think about how much space people have there. They have closets that aren’t wardrobes, underfloor heating and things that seem quite different to my day-to-day. If I were to move back to where I grew up, I would take the sensibility of living in smaller spaces with me because once you’ve been in a city like London, you need to live your life in a smaller space, you learn to live with less.
I think it’s a good thing, because, especially for our generation, it doesn’t really feel like having a big home is something that’s very attainable.
I also think that living in lots of different places, the idea of home is more of a mindset than a physical space. I think I could feel at home in many places. My idea of home is more centred around objects than rooms, and objects are very portable. I can bring them to any space or city I decide to live in.
You write about spaces where people live, create and relax. What’s your process when you start putting together a feature?
Storytelling is a big part of writing something that people want to read. I think people are often more interested in the process of how these spaces are created rather than the specific details. When possible, I consider the context around the client or the surroundings because these things often are the driving forces behind someone’s design process.
A lot of things I write for The List are also deep dives into the creatives behind interior design and design practices. Learning more about who is designing these spaces and how they get their inspiration can be really interesting and can come from unexpected places.
We’ve recently started doing a feature that is essentially advice for people aspiring to go into a creative field. I feel like these kinds of articles are also very helpful for those who want access to inspiration. House & Garden is one of the biggest magazines in the UK so we have access to a lot of people who have fantastic stories and incredible advice on how to get into creative industries that perhaps felt a bit unattainable for some people in the past.
What have you learned about personal style from seeing how others live and how does that influence the way you curate your aesthetic?
The people with the most interesting interiors are those who buy what they love. That doesn’t necessarily mean it needs to be something expensive. It has personality and doesn’t feel one dimensional.
I learned from interiors you can take one thing away and bring it to your home and it can make a huge difference. It doesn’t have to be as big as furniture; it can be a smaller thing like paint colour or accessories. I think fashion runs on similar logic.
Fashion accessories, too, are easier to change and can create a completely different look. Instead of feeling you need to make big changes, you can use bags, shoes and eyewear to make a statement and make fashion feel much more personal.
With attention spans shortening from online content, how do you create long form stories that make readers want to slow down?
I’ve always thought images are what people look at first when they open a magazine or website. It’s a very visual experience.
As much as words are important, images make the first impression. You want to make sure you choose things that are so special and make people want to read more. Being honest, though, even in the publishing industry, we are pivoting toward shorter form content to make sure we are keeping up with what audiences want.
That being said, I do think there will always be a space for long form journalism. There are people who want to learn more about spaces and the people behind them, and short form simply won’t be able to provide all that detail. House & Garden and other publications like it will always be there for those readers.
Must-visit sites in London you’d recommend?
I love the Wallace Collection. Although there’s many great museums in London, like the Natural History Museum and the Tate Modern, there are many smaller museums that are equal if not better.
Visiting the Wallace Collection feels like you’re stepping into someone’s home, and I guess you kind of are, as it was the former townhouse of the Seymour family, the Marquesses of Hertford. There’s an incredible amount of paintings, sculpture, ceramic, furniture and even armour from really well known artists. It also has a more modern space where you can enjoy high tea and relax. I’ve never left without finding something new - it’s just super special.
I also love the Courtauld. It’s in Somerset House and I couldn’t imagine a better location. If you’re a fan of the Impressionists, it’s a must-do. The collection is incredible. They also have a fantastic store which is worth checking out; it has such beautiful things, especially around the holidays, and Covent Garden is just around the corner so there is plenty to explore.
Must-visit places in your neighbourhood [De Beauvoir, Hackney]?
The real joy of visiting places outside of Central London like Hackney, Hampstead or Dulwich is in walking around and taking in how people actually live in the city. I don’t think Central London gives you a full snapshot of what it’s like to be a Londoner.
I wouldn’t say there’s necessarily a single thing, but I think the experience of going somewhere around De Beauvoir is just exploring and seeing what places the locals are loving more spontaneously which could be anything from a bakery to a park to a small pop-up.
If you were to wander around London with no destination in mind, where would you find yourself?
I would probably end up at the Barbican, not only because I used to live there but also because there’s always something cool going on and it’s such a multi-purpose space. It has art galleries, cinemas, theatres and a library which I’m still a member of. It also has many spaces to just relax and enjoy the architecture. It may seem a bit weird because the Barbican’s architecture is Brutalist, but I’m obsessed with it.
I could see myself cosying up in the library during the winter and reading a book or in the summer outside enjoying the ponds and the sound of the fountains while looking over the rest of the Barbican estate. It’s just such a beautiful part of the city.
Where you can also find Lucy and her work: