'We don't have a TV': Courtney Adamo on designing the ultimate family home

"We don't have a TV in our house," says Courtney Adamo.

It's a revelation that feels surprising, and not just because Adamo is the mother of five children, but because she has built an entire career through digital media.

Adamo's foray into the family lifestyle space began when she co-founded the parenting website Babyccino. From there, her influence grew steadily and at present she has amassed 262k Instagram followers who turn to her for "tips, inspiration & ideas to enrich motherhood."

Beyond her social presence, she has written e-books, developed online parenting courses, publishes a weekly Substack newsletter with 19,000 subscribers, and most recently co-authored a book with her husband Michael, The Family Home.

Part parenting manifesto, part interiors book

With her wealth of experience navigating both motherhood and creative work, it's no surprise The Family Home is both visually stunning and practical. The book is filled with useful information and tidbits on how to create harmonious spaces in the home.

Adamo describes it as "kind of a parenting manifesto as well as an interiors book." When talking about the inspiration behind it, she recalls the couple's lived experience of setting up family homes all over the world.

"We felt like we'd been parents for a long time, and we've lived in different homes and different countries," she reflects. "We know what it's like to create a home for a family."

And that perspective is hard-earned. After leaving Los Angeles for London, the couple lived in six different houses over 12 years. In 2015, seeking a slower pace of life, they left the city behind with their four children and traveled the world before eventually putting down roots in Byron Bay, where they welcomed their fifth child.

While their Byron home features in the book, it isn't the sole focus. Instead, 24 different family spaces were photographed for the book, each with its own unique style. From a converted shed to a London terrace house to a small flat designed for a family of five, the book captures real homes rather than aspirational showpieces.

"We didn't style any of them," Adamo emphasises. "We wanted it to feel like real family life and not too unattainable."

Living with intention

Byron Bay may be a dream location, but for the Adamos, space is at a premium. Seven people have shared what Courtney calls "a relatively small home." That reality makes intentional choices essential.

"For us, family dinners are really important," she says. "So we put a big dining table in a space where it doesn't really suit it, but it's a priority to us."

Adamo believes it's the small, everyday details that set a busy family home up for success.

"I always think entryways are really important," she says. "Are there hooks for your kids so they can hang their backpacks and coats up when they come inside instead of landing on the dining table, the sofa or the floor?"

Creativity is another guiding principle for the Adamos. With five children, she ensures each has a bedroom desk and access to the 'craft cupboard' that she admits having to constantly organise because "it gets very messy very quickly."

Toys are welcome in communal areas too, but with intention. "I do think toys have a space in a living room because I want my kids to play," she says. "But I've also chosen intentionally which toys I want on display and which ones I don't."

Mistakes and learning from them

Adamo is refreshingly candid about the missteps along the way. One renovation decision, in particular, still makes her laugh.

"I thought, what's going to look pretty here? Two brass hooks by the bathtub."

The result? Towels everywhere, constant laundry and mounting frustration.

The solution was simple but effective. Adamo installed more hooks, and introduced colour-coded towels so each child had their own.

"It completely changed the bathroom," she admits. "[The kids] are hanging their towels up and I'm not doing laundry unnecessarily. It's so much better."

Small lessons filled with honesty are one of the most endearing and useful aspects of the book.

Values at the heart

At its core, Adamo's philosophy is about designing your home with your values at the forefront.

"I think the best family homes are the ones you've given thought to, and taken into consideration what priorities you have as a family and what you enjoy doing."

Which brings us back to the distinct lack of TVs in the Adamos home - an unconventional choice in today's world.

"We're not a big TV family," she writes in a chapter titled Go Easy on the TVs. "In fact, many of our homes have had no TVs at all."

But Adamo is careful not to pass judgment. "If that's important to you and you want to do it as a family, make sure you have a big enough sofa where you all fit on there.

"I think we're all different, so our homes really should all be different suited to who we are as a family."

That philosophy runs through every page of The Family Home. It's a book that reminds us that even amidst busy family life, beauty and practicality can coexist, and a truly happy home is built not on Instagram or Pinterest-worthy design choices, but on the values that guide family life.

The Family Home by Courtney and Michael Adamo is available now.