The Art of Rest: Inside Emma Hawkins’ Sanctuary

An interview series curating how style leaders interpret the art of rest – from textures and tones to the rituals that define their personal retreat.

Emma Hawkins has crafted a world that feels as grounded as it is refined. Known for her effortless sense of style and her ability to blend country authenticity with modern elegance, Emma brings a deeply personal touch to everything she creates – from her children’s label Home Grown Kids to the considered home she shares with her family. In this conversation, Emma invites us into her bedroom – a serene sanctuary shaped by earthy textures, heritage materials and the understated beauty of her Heatherly Design bed – to reflect on motherhood, creativity, and what the art of rest means in her current season of life.

Alongside your children’s label, Home Grown Kids and content creation, you’re also an ambassador with The Kids Foundation. How do you find stillness and inspiration amid such a dynamic creative life?

“That is a very good question and something I’ve actually been working on finding. As someone who thrives on routine, wearing so many different hats, and not necessarily being in a routine every week, I have to learn to find the stillness throughout the day. Whether that’s just doing some breath work in the car or – it’s so silly and I used to think people were ridiculously woo woo when I would hear things like this – just putting my bare feet on the grass and finding the gratitude in everyday moments that bring me joy through all the chaos – which you can hear there is one in the background right now.” Emma says with a laugh, as her son Henry plays nearby.

Your home feels like a beautiful reflection of warmth and refinement. How would you describe the feeling you wanted to create within your bedroom – and what role does your Heatherly bed play in bringing that vision to life?

“My bedroom – whether it’s been at this house on the farm, apartments I’ve lived in, or where we will move to in the future – is such a haven for me. I know for some people bedrooms are just where they put their head to bed and have a sleep but – from even when I was in my teens – I took such pride in decorating my bedroom. In this home, in this season of life, I like it to be very simple but also very earthy.” Emma explains. “We were talking about being grounded before. Whether that’s putting your feet on the grass or getting out into nature. For me, even if we weren’t on the farm, no matter where we were, I would always find ways that my bedroom could ground me and bring in the things that I like.”

“It’s also such an escapism for me. I’ll work out of my bed, lie in my bed during the day – although that doesn’t really happen that often anymore.” She smiles. “But I look back during the newborn stages and I literally just lived in my bedroom some days – breastfeeding and making bottles. The season of life I’m loving now is hearing the pitter pattering of the children in the mornings and them coming into our bed.”

“Going through the design process with Heatherly was really interesting for me because a bedhead is something I’d never really invested too heavily in. I now look back and can’t believe I hadn’t before. It was interesting the fabrics I was drawn to. I chose wool with a leather piping for the Giselle bedhead. Wool is a big part of my heritage but it’s also something I love wearing, so I know that’s going to bring me so much joy. Also the piping is very earthy. I love leather as it reminds me of my tack room, the saddles from growing up.” Emma reminisces.

“And the matching valance – where have I been my whole life! This is so embarrassing – I don’t even know if I want to admit this – but I have been taping large tablecloths to cover this really ugly base we have. Now I look at this matching valance with the bedhead and the fabric and how luxe it is and I’m like – oh wow we’re really stepping on up.” She smiles. “This, with the bedhead is very elevated and I will now have to be doing this for the kid’s bedrooms, because once you see it all together you can’t go and unsee how the other rooms look either.”

As someone who wears many hats – mother, creative, businesswoman – rest must look different for you now. What does “the art of rest” mean in your current season of life?

“I’m actually a terrible sleeper – and was before I had kids – it has just got a whole lot worse since. So talking about finding stillness before sleeping is something I really actively have to work on. Putting in rituals and practices with that is hard when you have kids. The mental load is tick tick ticking. There’s writing in journals, and all the things you need to do to try and get a good sleep. Some of us – like my husband hit the genetic jackpot and can literally sleep anywhere, anytime. It’s unbelievable. My middle child is like that too.”

“Rest for me – a good night’s sleep – is just invaluable and I’m getting better at it. However it might be once the kids are down, I go into bed at 7:00-7:30pm and do some embroidering or colouring. I have a new hobby every three months”. Emma laughs “I was doing some embroidering, now it’s back to colouring. But that can be restful enough for me – just having those restful moments in bed and then I just hope I have a good sleep.”

We often say that a bedroom should reflect not just how you live, but how you dream. What elements make your space feel most you?

“The colour of this room gives me a lot of peace. I probably didn’t even realise how much – during the design process – I was choosing fabrics and materials that are very much me. The leather piping reminds me of my saddle growing up – it was that colour. The Merino wool very much reminds me of all the things that I loved growing up but that I still love now. And Tom approves too – he likes Merino wool and leather as well.”

“I think there’s something to be said for a new colour that might bring you joy. When it’s winter, I bring a lot more warmer tones in here and in spring I also change it up. For me, my bedroom is my safe place and I could literally spend days in here and happily not leave. With this new Heatherly bed I could very happily not leave – I love it!.”

Rituals often shape the way we unwind. Can you share a few small rituals – morning or evening – that help you slow down and reset?

“I got a sauna around a year ago, and I know everyone’s going to saunas, but that has just been a game changer for me. It’s a big part of a ritual for me in the mornings. I get up and do a sauna and I just find it peaceful in there – it’s like a warm cocoon hug. Then other rituals that I’m starting to do more if I’m feeling a bit wound up and need to reset are hot and colds. I am the opposite of a lot of people though and do that at night time as I find cold plunges actually help me regulate and calm me down and saunas in the morning wake me up.”

“Then we also have dinner together. Not every night, as some nights someone’s having a tantrum or someone’s away – but most nights we will sit at the dinner table and we do our rose and thorn of the day, then the kid’s homework, then we split up when we’re both at home to do the readers. Tom and I will come into bed, and then for the next 30 minutes we’re trying to get kids back to their beds and when we’ve settled back in, an hour later another kid will come in. So that’s a ritual we have at the moment… I highly recommend!” Emma says laughing joyfully.