Family-Focused Design With a French Farmhouse Twist

Having built her first home at the impressively young age of 19, Jess Davey of @MyFamilyOurHome is a seasoned professional when it comes to the building and design game. Now working on her fifth house – the family home in the small town of Leschenault, Western Australia – Jess describes her evolving style as “colonial heritage with a twist of French farmhouse and a hint of Hamptons”. Juggling busy family life as a mother of four young kids (aged 3, 4, 8 and 10) Jess shares with us her inspiration, influences and the family-focused design process that’s the secret of her success.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

As a child, we lived in an Australian Heritage stone house. My dad owned a second-hand furniture shop with different eclectic pieces and was also passionate about antique pieces, which must have rubbed off on me. Later, as I was building my first home with my partner as a young adult, all of our money went into our mortgage and we didn’t have much to spend on furniture. So, I’d buy pieces at garage sales or Facebook Marketplace and do them up to suit that home. We sold a lot of that furniture with the house, which meant we got to start again with the next home.

How do you begin when starting a new room or project?

I think about the season of life were heading into and family-focused design… and then consider how I can make it beautiful. Subconsciously, I design around my value system. For instance, I value relationships and this happens around our dining table when we sit together for dinner as a family, or when we invite others over. In this home, the dining table is in the centre of our house. Also, I want my three boys to have a close and lifelong relationship, so I designed a room they can share comfortably, even as they grow (pictured below with the Manor single beds).

What’s your advice for other decorators?

Be you. Don’t follow trends. Really think about what you like and then go for it. Styling and decorating take time. It’s about collecting the old, adding in the new, receiving the hand-me-downs, upcycling the second hand, saving for the special pieces and building the project, all without blowing the budget. I love classic pieces that don’t age, with a few antiques thrown in. I don’t follow the trend, I follow styles that move me.

What’s next for you?

Landscaping. We’ve been saving to start our backyard and I am so excited to do so. I already have my eye on an Early Settler gazebo!

Quick quiz …

When I was young, I wanted to… Work and serve at my local church. I am passionate about people improving their lives and doing what I can to help them in that journey. I find that such an honour. 
Every home should have … Love. It’s more important than any style.
I would describe my style as … Heritage, farmhouse, Hamptons.
Number one tip for DIY decorators? Don’t overspend.
If in doubt … Stop and wait. Either it will become certain or you will find something better.
My favourite room in the house is … My boys’ room, because I know what it’s doing for their relationship with one another.
Comfort or style? For me, style. But my husband, it’s comfort… so we compromise. It must be comfortable and stylish.

See more of Jess Davey’s beautiful home with a family-focused design on her Instagram page at @MyFamilyOurHome. Or get some more DIY decorating inspiration from this Hamptons home with an Australian flavour.

(Images courtesy of @MyFamilyOurHome, including the Diamond Trellis Hand Woven Wool Viscose Grey Rug in dining room and Manor single beds in the boys’ bedroom)