Feature Home: A Room for Everyone

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Rachael to Be A Fun Mum. I came across Rachael online (she used to have a blog called A Room for Everyone), when I was researching about storing children’s artwork.  I was immediately struck by her home because it looked like definition of family. It’s organised while still retaining loads of character and creative potential.  It’s bright and inviting, and I just get the feeling one would breathe a little lighter there.

I’m so happy to have Rachael here sharing a little of her story. Rachael is a country girl at heart. She’s happily married with two daughters (aged 5 and 3), and two stepdaughters (aged 14 and 20).  This is her first home renovation.

{take a look at the kitchen}

Kelly: Where do you get your inspiration from?

Rachael: Before I discovered blogs (I had already entered the renovation process), my inspiration came from the hundreds of home magazines I collected over the years. Australian Country Style in particular. Now, most of my inspiration comes from design blogs.

“I’m a country girl at heart.”

Kelly: How would describe your home design style?

Rachael: Amateur! I try to be family friendly in my choices, having both young and teenage children. The styles I love are French farmhouse, Hamptons and Modern Country. I buy things I love and they usually fall into one of those categories, I think!

“I buy things I love.”

Kelly: What’s your best tip for keeping the house organised?

Rachael: The best tip is, of course, a place for everything and everything in it’s place. Once a day (most days), I sweep through the house and anything that’s out of place goes into a big plastic basket and taken to where it belongs. I also have lots of baskets, trays and various other storage things to help! As every mother knows: having an organised house makes life easier but it’s not always possible!

Kelly: Renovating a home is a huge challenge. How have you survived the process?

Rachael: On the one hand, living through it [the house] in cramped quarters without a kitchen or laundry was stressful. But on the other hand, project managing it myself eliminated a lot of potential stress I believe. Being on site for a renovation of that scale is very important. Having a fixed price contract with a builder rather than hiring several different trades ourselves also made the process much simpler. As for the kids, I took them to lots of wide open spaces whenever I could and lots of cafes!

{the laundry}

Which room do you love the most?

Rachael: The family room. That’s where we’re all together. And I love that it includes the kitchen and dining.

“I try to be family friendly in my choices.”

Kelly: How do you balance allowing your children the freedom to be creative while still staying organised in the home?

Rachael: This house is designed for our children. I let them play and create all day until 4pm when it’s ‘Cinderella Time’. That’s when they pack up, with help from mum. I think it’s too overwhelming and confusing for little ones to pack up independently unless they have a place for everything. Each playset has its own basket or container so the girls know where to put everything (and find everything!). We have a big art board in the family room with all their drawing and pasting things readily available underneath, scrapbooks for all the other art and endless jars for the treasures they collect. It works…most of the time..!

{children’s bedroom}

“This house is designed for our children. I let them play and create all day until 4pm.”

Kelly: I adore your ‘Kitchen Desk’. How does it add value to your family life?

Rachael: When it’s not used as a dumping ground, it adds enormous value! It’s a place to keep my laptop, pay bills, keep a pinboard, read a cookbook and write a shopping list, allow the kids to use a computer with supervision.

{the kitchen desk}

Rachael, thank you for showing us your beautiful family home. I’m in love with your ‘Mud Room’. Every family home should have one! I also love the idea of ‘Cinderella Time’. Rachael, you’ve created something very special for your family and I feel inspired.

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