Happy Thursday! I’m delighted to introduce you to my friend Jessica Gils today – a lovely young interior designer who is also a new mom herself! Jessica has pulled together a very charming, nautically-inspired nursery that has me feeling like I’m tucked away in a sweet cottage retreat. I love the calm and neutral colour palette, don’t you?

Curtains // Mirror // Wall Décor // Crib // Pillows // Bedding // Dresser/Change Table // Rug // Eames Rocking Chair // Floor Lamp

Of course, as always, I’ve done a little interview with Jessica so you can get to know a bit about the woman behind the design scheme!

How long have you been an interior designer and what do you love most about the industry?

I studied Interior Design at Sheridan College and Graduated in 2011. Since then I have lived my dream! It is an amazing feeling to go from a quick concept sketch to wiping clean your finished creation, standing back and then shaking the hand of your happy client.

How long have you been a mama and what do you love most about that new and exciting job?

I was just promoted seven months ago to the highest paying job of a lifetime – Owen’s Mom. The best part of being a mom is being able to have the opportunity to have a small glimpse of how God loves us unconditionally. His smiles and giggles are like food to me, but I wouldn’t recommend them as your main source of nutrition (speaking from experience).

Where do you find your inspiration for interior design?

I find the best inspiration comes from the client – their family, travels, compassion and hobbies. Finding the rich history behind these passions and displaying them for a better appreciation tells a deeper story in design. I love to pull inspiration from the midcentury modern era in combination with eclectic antiquities and add a dash of modern graphic. I also look to many Scandinavian designers for their simplistic style and family friendly living.  My favourite blog (besides The Curated House) is The Style Files by Danielle de Lange.

How has motherhood changed your perspective on work/life balance?

Being a mom has changed me completely! To paint you a picture, I had barely graduated from school, was just married, and had just started into my career. But after peeing on 6 pregnancy test sticks – and after 9 months of prayer – I knew when I looked into those new blue eyes that God’s plan is so perfect and wayyyy better than my “5 year career-focused plan.” As a dear friend said to me while at a Houzz conference, my feet swollen and only days before I was due, “Your most important project in your life is your children.” That really put things into perspective and put my priorities into check. With that said, being a mom makes you look closely at your own life and the things you wish to emanate to your children. Habits had to change in both my husband and I such as our relationship with our bodies in food and exercise, as well as inspiring creativity, compassion, and balance. I have also become an expert in time management and optimizing every moment spared to me (like writing this post while nursing – haha!).

What are your baby-mama “must haves”?

My mommy must haves are:
1. Family & Friends
2. Hydra Sense snot sucker
3. Kawaii cloth diapers
4. Coffee

How do you recharge and refuel to bring such positive energy to motherhood and design?

…Coffee

Describe your dream design project.

My dream design project would have to be my future house. Actually no…scratch that. That would probably be one of the hardest design projects of my lifetime. A very rewarding design project for me might be a community centre project like a recreation centre or a healing centre.