Lucy Kenny: "Having fewer, really beautiful things feels right to me at this stage in my life"

01. What are your musthave lotions and potions?

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm and Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm. 111SKIN is also a recent discovery — I’m using the Rose Quartz Exfoliating Mask and it’s brilliant. Chanel’s Éclat Lunaire should be in everyone’s kit.

02. Your favourite scent?

Isfarkand by Ormonde Jayne, a little Mayfair-based perfume house.

03. The building everyone should visit before they die?

The breathtaking interior of the Basílica de la Sagrada Familia. Whether you’re a Gaudí fan or not, it’s a must-see.

04. What tech gadget couldn’t you live without?

I could live without them all! My happiest days are the ones when I don’t need to look at a screen.

05. Coffee or tea?

Both, always Earl Grey and I love my daily cappuccino. Okja makes the best coffee in town.

06. Your ultimate luxury?

I do love a gorgeous hotel. Batu Karang in Bali, Casa Bonay in Barcelona, and Ellerman House in Cape Town were all recent favourites. I’ll also happily choose a lie-in on a Sunday morning (a distant memory with a toddler).

07. What is your all-time favourite place to eat out?

It was The Providores in Marylebone but, heartbreakingly, it has just closed — chef Peter Gordon’s tapas washed down with a cold glass of New Zealand wine was unbeatable. I also love Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire for the atmosphere — few things beat a summer’s afternoon spent sipping cocktails on the terrace.

08. If money were no object, what would your dream buy be?

Homes in all the places I love the most, with Kelly Wearstler interiors. I’d also buy land in threatened habitats for conservation purposes — there’s going to be nothing left for our children at this rate.

09. What are you reading?

Still Life by Sarah Winman. It has beautiful prose and unforgettable characters, and it’s written with such tenderness that I’m totally taken.

10. Your all-time favourite clothing brand?

I can’t possibly choose one! Anine Bing, Isabel Marant, Madeleine Thompson’s cashmere, Aje dresses, and Dolce & Gabbana’s earrings are current favourites.

11. And what are you listening to?

Dr Mark Hyman’s podcast, the Doctor’s Farmacy. The importance of prioritising nutrition and gut health is finally sinking in.

12. The visual artist you’ve got an eye on?

Tomo Campbell — I wish I’d bought one of his pieces years ago when I first spotted his work, as he’s now skyrocketed to greatness.

13. Your favourite way to spend a Sunday morning?

A swim in the ocean and a family brunch.

14. Which book, album, and luxury item would you take to a desert island?

The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal, the epic collection of tracks in the documentary Under the Volcano, and my pillow.

15. What series have you been binging on recently?

The White Lotus (hasn’t everybody?!)

16. Your favourite room in the house?

Our kitchen. We love to cook and entertain (and grew up in families that do too), so our kitchen is always a busy, comforting place to be.

17. Your fashion icon?

I love a little Brit cool, so Poppy Delevingne or Sienna Miller.

18. Are you a collector of anything?

Shells. I have collected from all over the world since I was little. I also collect antique jewellery — my grandmother was an antique dealer, so I think it’s in the blood.

19. What makes you happiest?

Morning hugs with my son — he’s still little and I’m treasuring every moment.

20. What does “renewal” mean to you in 2023?

Getting into the cold water every day; 20 minutes and you feel brand new.

21. Minimalism or maximalism?

Having fewer, really beautiful things feels right to me at this stage in my life.

22. Last travel destination that you visited that knocked your socks off?

Kea in Greece — we stumbled upon this humble island by chance and we’ve spent the past two summers holidaying there in a little cottage overlooking a picture-perfect bay. I have never experienced softer light or a bluer ocean.

23. What’s next on your list of must-have items?

A Rolex Datejust.

24. What is the first thing you add to your grocery cart?

Honey.

25. And the one thing you’ll always find in your fridge?

There’s always a cold bottle of champagne — I love Ruinart.

26. A great gift you were given recently?

A YSL Lou bag — a present from my lovely husband for Christmas.

27. What inspires you?

Being surrounded by a community of talented, kind women I admire.

28. A place, event, person, or attraction that’s recently caught your attention?

Thebe Magugu’s recent collab with Christian Dior was noteworthy.

29. Your favourite city in the world?

Florence has my heart — the art, the food, the culture, the light.