Historian and author Lucy Abel Smith welcomes us into her family home in the Cotswolds, a centuries-old former rectory that has evolved alongside her and her husband, David, over more than 40 years. Originally purchased by David’s family from the Church of England in 1928, the house retains traces of its long history, from medieval frescoes to its old-world architecture, while reflecting Lucy’s distinctly personal approach to collecting and decorating.

Coming from a family of collectors herself, Lucy has spent decades filling the rooms with contemporary ceramics, glass, art, and objects gathered from her travels and her work as a specialist in Central Europe and the Balkans. Inherited furniture is reupholstered and given new life, while unexpected pieces bring a sense of whimsy to rooms that feel deeply lived-in rather than overly preserved. Beyond the house, a sculpture park extends the collection into the surrounding Cotswolds landscape, creating a home where history, art, and everyday life exist in constant conversation.

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