Photos by Isabelle Baker

When it comes to motherhood, the word ‘intentional’ often comes up. Being intentional about the way you spend your time, raise children and create a home can be a daunting goal. We talked to multitasking mom Isabelle Baker about what it means to create a home that’s both meaningful and purposeful, to be enjoyed by everyone who lives there and enters.

FG: Will you share with us a little about your career, home and/or family?   

Isabelle: My husband and I have been married almost 6 years. Together we’ve lived in Oregon, New York City, Texas, San Francisco, Washington and Utah. With all this moving around, I’ve learned that home isn’t always tied so much to a place as it is to a memory, a smell, a tradition, a recipe, a song, or the people you share it with.  

I am currently balancing being a mom of a two year old with working from home as a marketing director and social media manager. I’m finding so much joy in being home with him watching him grow and creating a place where he feels nurtured and loved.

FG: As a mother, how do you find balance between your work, home and personal life?  

Isabelle: With such a fluid and flexible job, it’s easy to be tempted to clock in just one more hour, to share just one more product or to make one more phone call. For me the balance has come from reminding myself that what I have is enough. There will always be more work to do and people who are doing even bigger and better things than you are in whatever capacity that may be. To some that may be reason to work even harder, but for me it is an even greater pull to find contentment and appreciate what’s right in front of me and being okay to just log off for the day and really soak in what’s right in front of me. There will always be more, but there will never be another today.

FG: How does your home reflect or support you and your family?  

Isabelle: Loud colors, busy walls and clutter can feel draining to me.  Because of this, I lean toward neutral tones when it comes to furnishings and paint. It’s easier to build upon a timeless base and introduce new pieces and accents as our family grows and changes.  

I love investing in pieces that will last a lifetime that are well made even if it means having to save up for a few seasons to get the item I love. Currently saving for a linen coverlet and a certain set of dishes from Foundation Goods!  

FG: How do you want your home to feel?  

Isabelle: I want my home to be a haven for my son and all who come through the door. I want guests to feel a tangible amount of love and care in a cozy, curated corner, an inviting entryway or a seat at my dining table. I love poring over each item I bring into my home and finding pieces with meaning.

FG: Where do you find inspiration for your home?  

Isabelle: I find so much inspiration in historic homes (French or English Country) with character, beautiful bones and stories that simply can’t be replicated.. There is a lot of patience that comes with living in an old home; waiting for the heat to turn on or memorizing each creaking floorboard so you don’t wake someone at night. You realize how much you are a product of your environment when you enter an old home and see how lived in and loved it was, which makes homemaking for me all the more special and meaningful. 

FG: How does travel inform the way you live or decorate your home?  

Isabelle: I try to live as minimally as possible in certain areas of my home (definitely not my closet!) so on my travels, I try to collect beautiful and useful objects. A butter dish from France or a clock from Germany are items that look pretty but also serve a purpose. 

Quick Answers

FG: Every home needs 

Isabelle: I think every home needs an extra set of dishes for hosting, a doormat for welcoming and a signature candle you will love for years to come.  

FG: Currently reading or watching

Isabelle: Anne with an E for the ninth time. 

FG: Go-to home scent

Isabelle: Clean laundry 

FG: Go-to housewarming gift

A handwritten welcoming note to go on the fridge. something homemade to go inside the fridge,. a candle and a bundle of flowers  for the countertop. I also love giving something I’m currently loving, like a favorite blanket, a set of spices or a seasonal doormat all rolled up and ready for welcoming! 

FG: Define your aesthetic in a few words

Simple things done with care.

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