How to Create a Family Home That Doesn’t Sacrifice Your Personal Style
Welcoming children into your life means rethinking how your home looks, feels and functions. These stylish mums share the honest lessons they've learned along the way.
Designing a home with young kids can feel like choosing between style and sanity. When you’ve recently become a parent, tension can arise between the version of you (quiet mornings and curated spaces) that came before, and the one (Lego blocks and sippy cups in tow) that emerged as a parent. While routines, lifestyle, and home life inevitably change, it doesn’t have to mean the end of self-expression or intentional design.
Here, we’ve spoken to three creative mothers – Claire Zinnecker, Sarah Corbett-Winder and Emily Yates – about how they’ve retained their aesthetics and identity while raising a young family. As they show, you don’t have to give up what makes your home feel like you. Whether it’s through clever styling, relaxed attitudes to mess, or simply choosing when to compromise, here’s how they’re each making it work.
“It’s a daily lesson in letting go” – Claire Zinnecker
Scrolling through Claire Zinnecker’s Instagram feed, you’d be forgiven for thinking her home always looks perfectly styled (naturally, she’s an interior designer). But even for her discerning eye, it’s been a challenge to adapt the home to meet the needs of every family member. She leans into functionality without losing her chic-yet-laid-back sense of style – somewhere between rustic charm and modern cottagecore – and finds peace through flexibility.
On merging aesthetics with everyday needs, she says, “The biggest shift I’ve had to make (and am constantly making) is how to marry the necessary baby items with the aesthetics of home (toddler tower, toys, etc). I spend a lot of time online trying to find things that are beautiful and, eventually, have to give in to get the practical item instead. I just remind myself that it’s all temporary!”
Her advice for style-conscious parents is to bring intentional design into even the most utilitarian necessities. “I focus on aesthetically pleasing storage opportunities,” she says. “Cabinets, baskets, and pieces that already feel lived-in or that look good being lived-in (think: vintage rugs, reclaimed wood, linen sofas). I love a lived-in look – I don’t need pristine.”
She admits, “It’s a daily lesson in letting go – something that’s a challenge for me!” While she’s never been overly particular about furniture or finishes, embracing the visual chaos of early parenthood has been an adjustment. “I’ve never thought of anything in our home as precious, so I’m okay with things getting spilled on or bumped, but I struggle with the mess that has come with having a little one. I treat myself with tidying up every evening so that I get a few hours of calm.”
“Children’s spaces, but still chic.” – Sarah Corbett-Winder
In many ways, Sarah’s home is a child’s dream – plenty of colour and keepsakes to marvel over and trinkets to comb through. But between the quirky collections and layered textures, there’s a clear chic edge, drawn from the sensibilities of the sartorially attuned stylist. For Sarah, creating a home that’s equal parts expressive and elegant is all about teaching her children to appreciate beauty and taste – on their terms, shepherded by her.
“I made a conscious choice not to have the typical bright, garish kids' stuff. I wanted the bedrooms to feel like children’s spaces but still chic,” she says. “My daughter has floral curtains in pink and red, with added brown. I’m trying to make it timeless. I’m also teaching them. I ask why they think certain colours go together. They call it ‘matchy-Sue’ when things are too coordinated. It’s like someone teaching their practice to their children. I'm guiding them, probably a bit controlling, but into what I think is good taste,” Sarah laughs.
This consideration for her children’s input is evident as they build their new home in Wales. “We’ve spoken to our son about it, asking him, ‘Do you like these tiles? Would you like that colour in your bathroom?’ We’re all doing it together.” She notes that she’s creating a world shaped by the personalities and experiences of the whole family. “A lot of the stuff we surround ourselves with is what we picked up on holiday or outings. I think your home is about bringing those memories into the place that you’re all connected to.”
A major priority is ensuring that home feels authentic and welcoming for everyone. She describes it as “a bit eccentric. It’s fun, playful, practical, and homely,” explaining, “I hate the idea of a smart room or somewhere the kids can’t touch… Home means everything to me. It’s where we eat, work, teach, rest, and grow. It’s my sanctuary and the place I’ve put the most investment into – emotionally and creatively.”
“Warm, lived-in, and functional.” – Emily Yates
It was clear when we visited Emily’s Byron Bay home for our Makers tour that her home is a warm space made for creating memories as a family. Her approach is about holding space for creativity – not despite motherhood, but alongside it. She explains, “If I focused only on being a mum, life would be simpler – but that’s not me. I need creative work to feel like myself.” This healthy defiance of the narrative that having children strips your sense of identity and personal style is central to how she has managed to weave her own flair and creative spirit into the home. “When I was pregnant, people would say, ‘Make the most of it – that’s all over once you have kids.’ I remember thinking, no, it doesn’t have to be.”
Where possible, bringing your children in on the rituals that bring you joy makes the home feel cohesive and welcoming. For Emily, this means cultivating the sensory atmosphere of the house – keeping music playing and signature scents drifting throughout the space. “We play a lot of music. The record player is central to the house… We also burn a lot of candles and incense. I love the idea of my kids having nostalgic smells that remind them of home. The house has a specific scent now, which feels really comforting.”
In a tangible sense, Emily prioritises ease and flow, having learned from past experience. “Our last house was beautiful but not practical – it felt like a big white museum. It wasn’t built for kids or family life. This time, we wanted a home that made sense for a young family. I didn’t want anything to feel too precious. I wanted it to feel warm, lived-in, and functional.” This intentionality shows up in the details – blooms cut from the backyard garden, produce grown in the veggie patch, and pre-loved treasures adding a sense of story and character. Rather than chasing perfection, Emily’s space embraces a wabi-sabi sensibility: imperfect, grounded, and full of soul.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to designing a family home. But as these women show, style doesn’t have to disappear under piles of toys or baby gear. Whether through defiance, balance, or creativity, it’s possible to build a space that reflects who you are — even with sticky fingers on the walls.
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