When our Next in Design 2025 winner, Lucy Goldbart, launched her eponymous studio in 2022, she was already equipped with a wealth of experience from two of London’s most respected firms. She began her career at Fiona Barratt Interiors, where she learned the value of pushing design boundaries and encouraging clients to be more adventurous.
Later, as a senior designer at Elicyon, she refined her skills in project management and process. ‘It’s such a well-oiled machine,’ she says of founder Charu Gandhi’s practice. ‘I learned so much about organization and how to manage large-scale projects.’
That preparation served her well when her first solo commission came through: a private island property in Antigua, its ongoing design inspired by the volcanic rock and limestone landscape. Since then, every project has come by word of mouth, from a dream apartment in Little Venice to a relaxed yet elevated family home in Miami.
Her aesthetic is what she calls ‘effortless California cool’ – a balance of warm, earthy minimalism and bold, sculptural statements. Natural materials are always at the heart of her designs, and she gravitates toward sunset hues – ochres, caramels, olive greens – to create homes that feel warm, welcoming, and just a little like being on vacation.
5 Key Design Rules from Lucy Goldbart Interior Design
1. Refine Your Color Palette
Layering natural, organic textures onto a warm, earthy base palette adds so much more depth and richness to a space. I love a home that makes me want to walk in and run my hands over every surface – and once it’s finished, feel comfortable kicking your shoes off and relaxing. It’s your home, not a museum, and patina adds character.
2. Lean In with Shapes and Forms
Oversized pieces add such a sense of cool, effortless drama to a space. Don’t be afraid to have fun.
3. Prioritize Wooden Accents
Prioritize wooden accents over metals where you can. We love to use carved wooden handles in our projects. Walnut feels like the cooler, younger sister of bronze. It adds so much warmth, but it’s a less formal accent than bronze. It’s refined yet relaxed.
4. Scrap Spotlights
Scrap spotlights in lieu of beautiful mood lighting. Gently illuminate your spaces with flush-mounted or directional lighting fixtures to add warmth and a sense of intentional moodiness to every corner of your home. This works very well with textured limewash or plastered walls because it accentuates their natural, cloudy, welcoming effect.
5. Collect Cherished Items
Curate and collect on your travels, and only buy pieces you truly love. If you love a piece, buy it – you won’t regret it, and you’ll find a way to integrate it into your space. I love collecting pieces on my travels – accessories and vintage furniture. Adding those into your home gives a much more authentic, natural personality and character to a space. Essentially, if you love it, it’s never out of place.
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