As all eyes turn to the coming Paris Olympics and we prepare to tune in to watch our nation’s finest athletes on the world stage, Olympic gold medallist swimmer Libby Trickett opens her home to Home Beautiful. She shares her tricks to fuss-free, family friendly styling.
It has been 12 years since Libby retired from swimming – she scooped gold medals at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic games. Her style is rich in heritage and is quintessentially Australian, and she even co-designed the Olympic uniforms with Sportscraft for her last Olympic stint.
Four young children now bring their unique, adorable chaos to Libby’s home life, and she says she loves finding durable homewares and decor that work with her pared-back style. “We don’t want to feel anxious about expensive items breaking or if my four-year-old decides to draw on everything,” she says.
The family home was built 12 years ago, and with young kids running around and “continually dropping things on the floor”, she is looking forward to freshening up the inside and creating a new blank canvas. “The walls have seen better days,” she says.
Libby loves to mix luxe items with affordable options when styling her home. “It also means I can trial different colours and textures to see what works best in our space.” She often scours the homewares range at Target, utilising their in-season pieces in a neutral colour palette. Here are Libby’s top tips to styling a home that is as beautiful as it is durable.
1. Give only key rooms your focus when hosting
There’s nothing like a panic clean to get the house in order when you’re expecting guests, but a complete overhaul can also be a stressful and time consuming process. Libby keeps things real (and her sanity!) with a “sneaky hack” before guests arrive. Focus only on the rooms that are visible to guests, she says, giving them a general tidy and wiping down surfaces. “My advice is to also recognise that homes are for living and to be lived in, so you don’t have to put all of your toys and belongings away to make your house look presentable for guests. I generally focus on the areas I know that we’ll spend the most time.”
2. Use this hot tip for seamless, sexy entertaining
Libby jokes that she feels “a long way from seamless and sexy at this point in my life”. But her hot tip to get close is setting the table with matching plates and cutlery when she’s hosting. It’s a hack she says “really elevates the space and makes me feel like an adult”.
3. Put ‘judgy’ social media away
Anyone familiar with the power of doom scrolling knows that the stunning and perfect interiors on Instagram are – on most days – a world away from real life. Yours is not a show home, Libby reminds us, and she says she has learned to let go of expectations and judgement. “I think we all get caught up in what our homes should look like and whether or not it’s instagrammable,” she says. “We’re constantly on social media seeing all of these beautiful houses showcasing the way people seemingly live … Most of us don’t live like that 100 percent of the time”. While Libby loves having a beautiful home and nice things, she believes friends and family should understand that real houses get messy, particularly with a young family.”
4. Keep it real (and beautiful) with art
Libby’s home has walls filled with photos of her family and friends, a style tip she feels makes it feel like a daily home. “I’ve also discovered the joy in artwork to help elevate a space. While artwork can be expensive, it doesn’t have to be and it makes a home feel super warm and inviting. It’s also a beautiful way to express yourself in a creative way,” she says.
5. Mix luxe with budget designs
Libby loves finding durable decor and furnishings for her home, and she says she is always on the lookout for functional pieces that will withstand the family’s lifestyle. Her go-to style tip when decorating is to mix luxe items with affordable options, she says. “I love to mix and match products as this makes styling so much easier and more affordable.”
Libby’s picks of the latest Target homewares
‘Spencer’ check flannelette quilt cover set in orange, $30-$70
$30-70, Target
Best for: Soft, warm bedtimes
Flannelette checks never looked so chic. Made from soft, breathable and durable cotton, these earth-toned orange sheets add a fresh modern look to the bedroom. The quilt set includes a quilt cover and two standard pillowcases.
Sizes: Single, double, queen, king and super king sizes available.
Colours: Orange and white.
Materials: Cotton.
Key features:
- Machine washable
- Matching European pillowcase available
- All bed sizes available
‘Malo boucle cushion in Pine Green
$25, Target
Best for: Elevated natural hues
Bouclé has made its way to Target, bringing its French vibes and heavy-yearn textures to the affordable-trend-hunters among us. Bouclé typically attracts higher price tags – it’s often made from linen and silk – but this Pine Green square cushion gives the look at a fraction of the cost.
Sizes: 50 x 50cm.
Colours: Pine Green, White and Slate.
Materials: Polyester, acrylic with polypropylene insert and polyester fill.
Key features:
- Three colours available
- Boucle texture
- Concealed side zipper
Plain dyed flannelette sheet set in Stone
$50-60, Target
Best for: Pared-back cosiness
There’s something that just works about wintery evenings, snug nights in and flannelette. It’s no wonder this 100 percent cotton fabric appears at the cosiest pyjama parties. These sheets are soft, breathable and durable, plus they’re simple enough to be paired with any bedding during the chilly months.
Sizes: Queen or king.
Colours: Stone, Blush, Charcoal, Dark Green, Light Grey, White.
Materials: Cotton.
Key features:
- Machine washable
- Includes fitted sheet, flat sheet and two pillowcases
- Six colours available
Super soft throw in Pine Green
$12, Target
Best for: Luxe winter warmth
An ultra soft throw to drape over the bed, over the sofa, over yourself. The colours are vibrant and there’s a sheen to this piece, adding an elevated look to anything it graces. It’s lightweight, but is a generous size and is as cosy as can be.
Sizes: 127 x 152cm.
Colours: Pine Green, Grey, Neutral, Navy Blue, Rose.
Materials: Polyester.
Key features:
- Five colours available
- Washes well and dries quickly
- Can be used as a bed cover or sofa throw
Taupe Linear 12-piece dinner set
$29, Target
Best for: Adult-worthy dining
Libby loves having a matching dinner set to bring out when guests come over, and even for family meals. Nothing makes one feel quite so grown up as having the crockery, at least, organised and cohesive. This true taupe stoneware set includes a side plate, dinner plate and bowl for four, so invest in two if you want enough to feed a crowd. The bowls do not stack thoroughly inside each other, but nest slightly on top of each other. The quality is fantastic, and the creamy hue is versatile enough to suit the most relaxed or sophisticated gatherings.
Sizes: Dinner plate: 26.8cm x 2.6cm Side plate: 19.6cm x 2.2cm Bowl 16.4cm x 6.7cm.
Colours: Taupe.
Materials: Stoneware.
Key features:
- Dishwasher and microwave safe
- Four place settings
- Creamy natural hue
This article originally appeared on Home Beautiful and is republished here with permission.
