HOME TOUR | Hayley Jenkin
Who lives here & what they do…
Hayley Jenkin - Creative Director and Stylist at Wholehearted Studio.
Archer Jenkin - Hayley’s son - 10 years old.
Home is…
Home is my safe space. Ever since I moved here I have loved that it is a private little oasis where I can be myself. It is an authentic representation of who I am; filled with vintage finds and things I love; that evoke good memories and bring me joy. I love that when I close the doors I could be anywhere on the coast and that I can come home here after a really busy week, put my son to bed, and unwind.
My home story...
I bought my almost 100-year-old home ten years ago when my son was just a baby to start a new chapter of our life together. It was a renovator's delight so to speak, and I have slowly restored it over time. Sometimes on my own and sometimes with the help of friends and trades. One room and one job at a time, I have plugged away at a mammoth list including new gutters, fence, gardens, deck, interior paint, a full exterior restoration, and many other tasks, while also building my business, Wholehearted Studio.
As I was renovating it the house was featured in a local magazine and the son of the original lady that lived here, Mrs Bennett, recognised the house and contacted me. He and his wife came and visited me at the house for morning tea one day, and I got to hear the most amazing stories of the house over the years. They even gifted me Mrs Bennett’s original silky oak dining chair that now lives here at the house along with historical photos of the house.
It has made me feel so honoured to know its history and be its custodian in this next chapter in the history of the house.
What inspired the design of your home?
I was inspired by the home itself, but I didn’t want to decorate it in a traditional Queenslander style. I have let a lot of the furniture and decor ‘find me’ and let second-hand discoveries guide a lot of the style of the home. It has the most amazing plaster detail ceilings and I love making the house as personal as I can. As a stylist, I work in all sorts of styles of homes and so I planned to create something that felt unique.
What are some of the biggest lessons you learned while creating your home?
Probably the biggest lesson is that renovations can be done sustainably if you are patient and happy to update things one job at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day! The other lesson is to make sure you hire tradies of good character and with a fun personality! They will be in your space a lot so it is good to hire people whose company you enjoy. My builder Howard and I have become good friends and I love that I can call on him and know he has our best interests at heart.
What do you love about your home?
I love the history of the house and how when you step inside you feel like you could be anywhere in the world. I love how it is uncluttered and calm, and that when the house is like that, all feels good with the world.
I love that it is slowly becoming trend free, and I have genuinely bought items I love that I plan to own long-term. I love that the decor feels like it was made for this house and that it always belonged here.
What do you enjoy about living in the Hinterland of the Sunshine Coast?
My house is located 15 minutes from the hinterland and 15 minutes from the beach which gives us the best of both worlds. I love my street and often have a cuppa and Sayo with my neighbour Jean, and dinner with my neighbours on the other side. We have no backyard fences and share a yard and mowing man. Living here feels a little like stepping back in time, and so for someone with a busy, modern, and semi-virtual business, there is something nice about coming home to a slower-paced community.
What does simple living mean to you?
Simple living to me means having an organised and slower-paced home that creates a peaceful environment to live in. I don’t always achieve this but I aim to at least once or twice a week.
If you were to have a spare free morning, how would you spend it?
I would spend it on the deck reading an interior magazine with breaky or a cuppa, give the house a good clean with the record player blasting some 80’s rock, and then I would get outside to do a spot of gardening. The reality is I am often working or driving my son to his soccer games, but I do love the sounds of this!
What are three words that best describe you?
Resilient, Creative, Genuine.
What book can you recommend?
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown - a must read for all fellow perfectionists!
Also, please share 3 of your favourite products from Imprint House, including links.
I couldn’t keep it to three! I love all of these, and have them in my house. I am also obsessed with the Imprint salt and pepper grinders and chopping boards. They have been all going in my client projects!
SHOP THE HAYLEY JENKIN EDIT ONLINE NOW
Photography | Josette Van Zutphen & Rikki Lancaster