
At Home With Priscilla Gragg
Written by Erin Feher
Photography by Priscilla Gragg
As we spend more and more time at home, chances are you might be glancing around your space and looking to make some simple (or big!) tweaks. Luckily, today’s profile on Northern California-dwelling, Brazilian-rooted mama and photographer Priscilla Gragg serves up some major interiors inspo. The shutterbug and art director, who specializes in children’s photography, knows a thing or two about casual elegance that’s also kid-proof. As her daughters Naya and Bia prove in these pics, their mom has no problem letting them jump on the couch to their heart’s content or customize their rooms to showcase their personalities. It’s all rather perfectly imperfect, and a hallmark of Priscilla’s work. Take a look at their space, as well as Priscilla’s musings on motherhood, non-existent “me time,” political change, and more!
- "We moved from San Diego to the Bay Area in 2013. We wanted to be up here to be closer to family and friends. But, because we were not sure where in the Bay Area we wanted to be, we first rented and that took 6 months to find a place that fit the needs of our growing family. We found this place and have been in our home for almost seven years now."
- "Minimal, 'wabi- sabi,' and light filled."
- Bia (left) wears Nico Nico. Naya (right) wears Bobo Choses.
- "Yes. We lived in our house for six years before we did a big renovation. The house was a flip by a developer, and although it was nicely done, much of it did not fit our personal taste. So, we decided we would live in it until the walls were dirty and things started to fall apart. It didn’t take that long with two little ones and a puppy!"
- "Tell a story. Create a moment. Provoke an emotion."
- "There are so many, but one of my favorites is a piece that my best friend Alex painted for us. She is a super talented interior designer and helped us with the entire process, including a custom piece."
- A swoon-worthy kitchen island.
- "We wanted to keep the living room bright and inviting, since this is the first area you see when you enter the house. I played with neutrals for accents and left the main space without a coffee table to give the kids plenty of room for cartwheels. I haven’t yet found anything that I completely love to hang on the wall above the couch, but I think that is the beauty of it—I want our home to be ever evolving."
- "The kids' toys are in their room or in the console under the T.V. Because of our puppy, Rio, the girls know that if they leave toys out, they will be chewed on. So, they are diligent about cleaning up after themselves. Every 6 months or so I do a huge clean-up and clean-out of their toys. I keep them in boxes inside the garage for one month. If they don’t ask for it, they don’t care for it, so it gets donated."
- "Currently we let the kids have play dates while outdoors. They know not to hug or share cups or food. The 6-feet distancing for kids is nearly impossible, but we only meet with a few kids and they are always the same ones. So far, so good. The kids are anxious for the 'virus to go away.' My husband works from home and I have been able to slowly go back to work while following all of the new rules on set. A lot less people come to help and we all wear masks and keep our distances."
- "It has been a big roller coaster of feelings. From scared to blessed to hopeless to hopeful. It is the craziest time! I noticed that there are things that can trigger bad feelings, like reading the news too much, of course, but also eating poorly or not exercising. I try to keep myself on track, but it is not easy."
- "They adapted so well and I think it is because they have each other. They've actually created a very strong bond and I love watching them playing together. That is the silver lining."
- "Meditating was a huge game changer when I was feeling super stressed out about all of this. Going to bed at a decent time is also huge. I am nothing when I am too tired."
- "I look forward to the day my family from Brazil can come and stay with us."
- "The ability to create Naya and Bia’s childhood memories."
- "Things I can’t control like COVID-19 or when I used to travel a lot for work before quarantine. I don’t like flying, so every night before a trip I would feel very nervous."
- "I always thought I would have a boy just because I come from a family of 3 sisters. We did find out beforehand and we would have been excited either way. The most exciting thing about raising girls is that their generation will be more powerful than ours. I can just see it in Naya and Bia."
- "For both girls I wanted to pick names that were short and sounded the exact same in Portuguese and English. Since my family is from Brazil, I didn’t want them to pronounce their names incorrectly. Naya Jordan carries my maiden name Jordan. During a trip to Hawaii we found out her first name means dolphin in Hawaiian. She was very excited about it. Bianca Elena carries my fraternal grandmother’s first name, Elena, and later on we found out Bianca means 'white' in Italian, but we had no idea when we picked it. I chose Bianca because I liked the nickname Bia (pronounced Beea) and that is what most people call her."
- "Naya is 9 and she is into dogs and animals in general. But mainly dogs. She loves reading about the subject and she makes many life plans with actual drawings of what her house will look like and where her million pets will live when she moves out of this house. Lately, Bia is into anything related to space, the galaxy, and planets. She has lots of very thoughtful and rational questions about it, so I have been learning myself, and I find it to be a fascinating subject. I love their curiosity and provide them with as many resources as I can."
- "Yes, absolutely! You can’t ever find a Brazilian who doesn't love children! Children have always been a part of my life. Before I was a photographer, I was a preschool teacher and then an au pair. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to have children of my own at first—as you only know when you are trying—but being a mother would have happened any other way. Adoption was definitely an option for us."
- "They was pretty good. The first one was the best because everything is just so exciting! I was on cloud 9! The second was harder because I was chasing after my toddler and just so tired all the time. It seems like such a long time ago now! You forget some of the struggles."
- "I didn’t really have a big plan or a mood board for their rooms. I kind of let things happen organically. Lots of what is there is furniture that we had from when we got married 12 years ago or hand-me-downs from friends with older children. I feel that Naya’s room represents her personality. She is my wild child, so when I saw that lion head I felt it would be perfect in her room. Bia’s room is a bit more calm, which is like her personality, too. Recently they rearranged their own rooms and I think it is great for them to find their creativity in that way."
- This wild rug was a find from Atomic Garden in Oakland.
- "Not really. As a freelancer, it was scary to take a formal maternity leave. I was working with the girls in the baby carrier attached to me as early as 8 weeks, I believe."
- "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. I never did a whole lot of reading, but Bia was a challenging 4-year-old, so help was needed. One day Naya read a page of this book and she was like 'Mom, this book is GREAT!' There are great tips in there for parenting kids of all ages."
- "I think each family has such a unique relationship and dynamic, it is hard to compare or want to be like someone else. I stand with my parents' values and ethics, but raise our children my own way, as these are different times."
- "I was raised with a lot of love by my family. Growing up, I knew my dad worked really hard to put food on the table and my mother gave up her working life to dedicate her time to her three daughters. We were raised to be independent women with strong values. My sisters and I were very good students. We never had to be told to study or do our homework. I started working when I was 14-years-old, and 60% of my monthly earnings went to a language school where I studied English. We had one trip a year for vacation to the rural side of Brazil and those trips were the best!"
- Little book worm.
- "Open communication—is that a style?"
- "Give yourself permission for self-care. Give yourself 'me' time. Give yourself time to just be. Do things that make you happy, for when you are happy, everyone will be happy!"
- "Nope. I mean, if surprisingly we got pregnant we would feel so blessed, but I can’t even imagine going back to baby stages. Our kids are so much easier now!"
- "Yes. I have had some similar, but very organic conversations in the past with Naya when she was about 4 or 5 years old. She has always been so curious, so she would ask why there are homeless people on the streets of San Francisco and how come there is graffiti on the walls of São Paulo? Today we have open talks about White privilege, Black Lives Matter, racism, justice, and beyond, just at a different level. They are exposed to age-appropriate resources and I feel like we are learning together on this. I think before the current political climate, I would have sprinkled a chat here and there when they initiated the conversation. Now I make a point to start on the subject and let them know what is going on and why and how. And I am always challenging them to find solutions: 'What would you do if you were in charge?'"
- The delicate lamp shade was a find from Clove + Whole in Oakland.
- "Yes, it has affected me personally big time! Injustice has always made me feel angry and following some of the recent stories can be infuriating. Aside from keeping the conversation going with the girls at home and giving them appropriate resources to learn more, I have signed petitions, made donations, and participated in protests. My agency Apostrophe has recently launched a mentorship program for the emerging photography BIPOC community. It is free of charge and I am so excited to be one of the mentors for this 12-week program!"
- "They know a lot. They know about George Floyd and exactly what happened to him. It was really hard to share with them, but they are both very curious and kept asking more and more questions, so I shared everything I knew. They understand what White privilege is—that was the first subject I wanted to tackle with them. We watched together the 'White privilege race' on YouTube—I highly recommend it! We talk about racism, anti-racism, the police, the system, the government, and who is in charge of what. About how important it is to vote and how the biggest leaders in the world are predominantly White males, and for that reason there is just one point of view on many things, which is not ideal. They participated in a protest just recently and made their own signs. Naya was very passionate about it. She shouted with the crowd and got emotional during the speeches we listened to."
- "My advice is to educate yourself, look back in the past and pinpoint times that you may have encountered or expressed racist thoughts or actions. Forgive yourself, for you are a victim of the system, and work to be a better human moving forward. If you have kids, work your damn hardest to make sure the next generation is better than ours. Do not fear uncomfortable conversations with family, friends, and especially the little ones. Be curious, be open, and invite a new perspective in your life."
- "Danville is a small town in the East Bay. There are lots of parks and great schools. Everybody knows everybody and if you need a favor from a neighbor it really is only a text or call away. It does get pretty hot here in the summer, sometimes 30 degrees hotter then San Francisco on the same day! We love raising our family here and we will be here until the kids go off to college."
- Naya wears a Tambere dress via The Little Red Planet.
- "Yes. I would live in Trancoso, Brazil, or Portugal."
- "There are so many! Locally speaking, I love to shop at the Alameda Flea Market, Elsie Green in Concord, Clove + Whole in Oakland, Micaela Greg in Alameda, Atomic Garden in Oakland, and Slash in Berkeley for vintage Levi’s. We like to eat at The Sideboard Café for the best English muffin in Danville, Tal’s Patisserie for the best baked goods and tea time with the girls, and Limón Rotisserie for Peruvian food and the best empanadas. Rock City is our latest favorite to explore, and when we want to get out in nature it's definitely Lake Tahoe for kayaking, hiking, biking, and skiing."
- "I am a commercial, editorial, and advertising kids' photographer and director."
- Family photo books from Artifact Uprising are a fave.
- "I was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. I went to school for languages and enrolled in an au pair program to improve my English. I moved to Vail, Colorado, when I was 22 and I took care of the most lovely kids. They are all grown up now and going to college. It is so sad, but I am happy that we still keep in touch. I love them and their parents dearly. I met my husband in Vail and we went on a six-month backpacking trip around the world. After that, we got married and moved to San Diego, where we had Naya. When Naya was about one, we decided to move to the Bay Area to be closer to family and friends. That is how we ended up in Danville, where some of our best friends live just down the road from us. In Brazil, I used to be a preschool teacher, then a high school teacher, before I came to the U.S. I am now the third generation photographer in my family! It is kind of crazy to think that photography has been in my dad’s part of the family for over 80 years! Naya says she wants to be a photographer, so we will see. Maybe there will be another generation coming up!"
- "Yes, it totally did! In the early years of my career I was still trying to find my 'voice.' So, I shot lifestyle, and mainly adults. When I got pregnant, I thought my career was over! But once I had Naya it all came together: I would specialize in children's photography, since I love children and have so much experience with them! So, I took down my body of work—3 years worth!—from my website and re-shot a whole new portfolio so I could brand myself as a kids' photographer."
- Naya wears a Zara sweatshirt and Nico Nico skirt. Bia wears The Animals Observatory top and Buho shorts.
- Serious sister love.
- "Yes! Thanks goodness. My husband is truly a champ! He tackles all the tasks when I am not home. I could not do this if it wasn't for him. Additionally, my mother-in-law lives one-and-a-half hours away. And when the job requires me to be gone for too long, I fly my mom from Brazil to help with the kids. She is always ready to come!"
- "It is a lot. So, I just try to be present at each one of them and enjoy the ride. Have fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously. For relationships, communication is key."
- "No, never. JUST KIDDING! Yes, all the time! Like ALL THE TIME! Why is it only with moms though?? I don’t combat it. I acknowledge it, and then I let it go."
- Bia wears a Bobo Choses jumpsuit. Naya wears a Mabo Kids top and Zara shorts.
- "We are their first perception of the world. It is through our actions that our children will form ideas, conceptions, values, and so on. They will mirror us one day to some extent, so everyday is an opportunity to be a strong role model."
- "Playful with classic pieces."
- "Yes. I can’t remember what it is like to wear heels or short skirts."
- "For summer, white or cream pants, linen, and earthy tones. Timeless pieces with a fun twist. Everything high-waisted and bottoms and dresses with pockets. I also love anything in the utility category, especially for work. I love many slow fashion brands, but I especially love Micaela Greg. All of their pieces are so comfortable with amazing quality. I just recently discovered Na Nin and I am in love with their cotton trousers."
- "Moisturize with Everyday Oil, and use SPF 25 by Aesop. If I don’t have a meeting, that is about it. If I will interact with people, I will put on some light makeup: concealer, LidStar by Glossier, shadow, mascara, highlighter, blush, and tinted lips. Futuredew is pretty awesome, too. At night, the Everyday Oil serves as a makeup remover and I exfoliate in the shower. Before quarantine, when I was traveling and spending a lot of time at hotels, I would splurge on a fun face mask here and there, but at home I have no time for that, unfortunately."
- "I am active pretty much everyday. If I am not, I feel pretty crappy. It can be a 4-mile walk with my dog, a 30-minute class on Pelaton, online classes, yoga, or playing Capoeira. Every day it is something different. I use meditation when I am feeling off balance, it helps a lot."
- Naya wears a Zara top and bottoms. Priscilla wears vintage Levi’s. Bia wears a Misha & Puff top and Mabo Kids bottoms.
- "Remember that? 'Me time!' I mean, before the quarantine we could hire a babysitter and go on a date or during my work trips to NYC I would do a lot of walking, browsing around shops, museums, and book stores. Now it is a lot harder. Because the weather is nice, I don’t mind as much because we are always outside, but I think if we are still in quarantine during fall and winter, it will be a lot harder!"
- "Personally, the biggest goal is to stay healthy right now. For my business, just finding creative ways to work around these crazy times. Every year I put together a big photo event formally known as The Portrait Project and now called Casa Studio that donates to local organizations in our community during fall. I have been doing this since 2016 and we have donated over 1,000 toys during the holidays. It is the highlight of my year. I hope that I can still do it this year even if on a smaller scale. Fingers crossed!"
- For more on Priscilla, her cute fam, and her incredible photography, follow along on Instagram.
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