“We moved into this little railroad after the 2008 crash, and before we had kids. I loved the amount of light that beamed in through the windows from both ends. It still had so much of its charm, and its super convenient location was hard to beat. It's a seven-minute walk to my workshop and one minute to the L Train. We knew we'd have to eventually move once we had kids, but have somehow managed to make it work. We are now four humans and two cats (previously three) all sharing this little pad. We are rebuilding a house in the Rockaways that we can escape to on the weekends, so keeping this little place is perfect.”

“It's about texture, color, and light—a collage of eclectic things, vintage and new. The size of the space is limited, so we have to be pretty curated with what we bring home.”

“Yes, it changed only in the way that we had to reorganize the space. We needed more furniture and general things. Free wall space has also become less and less, as it has all become accounted for.”

Scosha wears Upstate pants, a Maiami sweater, and Scosha jewels. Summit wears a Munsterkids top, vintage pants, and Little Scosha jewels. Pharaoh wears a vintage Indian silk dress and Little Scosha jewels.

“First, decorate with things you love. For me, each item needs to be super functional and practical (unless it is a piece of art where its only function is to serve visually and emotionally), but still has to complement the things surrounding it. If you live in a small space and you're specifically looking for something or you happen to stumble across an amazing find, only invest if it can truly fit the space, and you have a need for it. Organized clutter can be interesting in some ways, but cluttering a space with extra do-dads will create blockages and stress. That said, I've been super excited about designing the house in the Rockaways. It will be a big, open space and have an outdoor living component to play with.”

“Our bedroom, because it's the biggest room in the apartment. It has light all day long. I see the sunrise every morning and the moon every night. There's a big, beautiful tree outside the window that, in the springtime, is full of birds and blows in the wind. It's cozy and full of personal trinkets and textiles that are layered together. I gave birth to my daughter on this bed and have a big print of her/my placenta that hangs above our head.”

“Because this space is so small, toys can creep into every crevice. Generally, we restrict it to their room. We always make them clean up their own toys or play space, so even if they find the most obscure spot to play in, it's fine because they know they will have to clean it up afterward.”

“Both my husband and I were visual artists and have many of our own works of art on the walls. Now, our kids' art is all mixed in with it. I love looking at kids’ artwork; it blows my mind how incredibly truthful and creative their minds are. It's truly some of the best art I've seen. And, I love plants hanging in pots.”

“We have only one extra room for the kids in this apartment, but after trying bunks and that not working out, we now have a loft bed where only our son sleeps. My youngest still sleeps in bed with me, and probably will for another year. The loft is super practical and still allows for space and storage underneath, so it's especially great. All their furniture, bookcases, and toys are in that space together. So, in a sense, they share that room.”

“It's all pretty even because it's small. It's fully used in every capacity.”

“Since becoming a mother, I have become so much more grounded and responsible, and have learned so much about the way I deal with things that are challenging. The good comes from the incredible amount of love that is so uncompromising. I now appreciate and have a better understanding of my own parents, which is such a relief. I’m so sorry, mom and dad, for being a pain in your ass! There's really not that much that is bad. Things like lack of sleep or not being able to go out never bother me. If I need to go out with friends or travel or have work obligations, my husband happily takes it on. I love having kids.”

“Watching them grow, then seeing myself grow. As far as what makes me most nervous, child abduction. It freaks me out!”

“The biggest surprise was that I thought it would be a piece of cake! As much as I love it, it's more like eating messy spaghetti with no utensils.”

“I'm probably a bit more on the relaxed side in terms of structure, but I'm strict on their health, being active, and cleaning up after themselves. I want them to be independent early. I love to goof around and wrestle, but then I still catch myself yelling when I get to that boiling point after asking them ten times to do something. We don't do time-outs or any form of physical punishment; it's just tons of talking and repeating and getting them to acknowledge. When I'm feeling defeated by them, I'll start with, ‘Okay, you guys aren't listening to me, and I'm starting to get sad and upset, and I don't want to lose it on you!’”

“I grew up in Sydney, Australia in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I was a very driven and good little girl, and loved my childhood until I turned 13. Then, I lost it for a few years and became a nightmare. I found my teens very tough; I hated myself. My parents weren't very strict in that they allowed me independence pretty early on. They were old-school, so there wasn’t a lot of communication or chat about emotions. It was more, ‘Do your job and be kind in life.’ In the end, they have been there for me in every way if I needed their help.”

“Don't think that you can't do the things you did before. Be patient with your kids and yourself. They don't need tons of things. They grow so fast, and it all changes very fast. Don't waste money on too many material things for them, 80% of it won't get used. As far as going from one to two, don't worry about what other parents think of your parenting. All kids should behave like kids. There is way too much social parental pressure and judgment. No one really cares about your kid as much as you do.”

“Summit is six. I was thinking about the highest point, the furthest you can go up when you climb a mountain, and ‘the summit’ is such a beautiful place to be when you get there. Pharaoh is three. Her name is one my husband came up with. For her, we wanted something to do with Egypt. Her name is Pharaoh Hudinni Nova-Bey, or the queen of magic.”

“They’re both very funny! They are always trying to find out how to make everyone laugh. Summit is so incredibly friendly. He won’t hesitate to be friends with everyone. He'll also stand up to anyone being a bully, and try to reason with them. Pharaoh is very particular. She likes to do things on her own and loves details. Her memory for things is so acute, it blows me away.”

“I didn't really have any growing up. I think the first mom role model I came across was Lorraine Kirke when I was 28 years old and first came to New York. I was so burnt out from backpacking, and not in a great place. I really needed some guidance. I learned a lot of great (and some crazy) things from her. She'll always hold a special place in my heart.”

Scosha wears a Mayal dress and Scosha jewels.

“My kids are mixed, and before, I never even thought about what issues may arise around this. My daughter is much darker than my son, as she looks much more like her dad. She's a mommy’s girl and often often says how she wants to look like me, but doesn't. It broke my heart when she started talking about this at two and a half years old. At first, I told her we are all the same. She is like me, and it doesn’t matter what's on the outside. But, in reality, she will have a very different experience, one that I have never had. I've been discussing this a lot with friends. My friend Anja Tyson said, ‘Just make sure she has enough black female mothers or women in strong roles around her. Find almost a surrogate mother that she can admire and look up to.’”

Pharaoh wears a Munsterkids dress, Pop Up Shop leggings, and Little Scosha jewels.

“You can't do it all. When one area is strong, the other is going to be weak. There’s not much you can do, but just tread water sometimes. It will pass.”

“No, shop shut.”

“Pasta—It's so fast to throw together a tasty, fulfilling meal.”

“I do love Brooklyn!”

“There are more parks, more neighborhoods, more trees, and more mom-and-pop stores. Things are lower to the ground, and there are great programs. In parts, there is also much more diversity culturally."

“Yes, I love change. It’s just hard when you and your husband's businesses are both in Brooklyn. We bought a house on Rockaway Beach that we are renovating, so we will have a place to go on the weekends.”

“We avoid the city if we can.”

“The only real kid-friendly spot in the city is a park. Restaurants like to say they're kid-friendly, but they're really just pissed off.”

“The bar.”

“I like to dress comfortably. I love colors, patterns, and beautiful fabrics. My ideal look would be jeans and a tank top, and bare feet as much as possible.”

“Yes, I don't wear short skirts. I think my style has become better because I'm more comfortable with my body. I've almost fully accepted my body type.”

“Jeans and tank tops.”

“There are too many great designers! Although, I'd love a beautiful dress from Alessandra Rich.”

Scosha wears vintage Lee jeans, a vintage sweater, and Scosha jewelry. Summit wears all vintage and Little Scosha jewels.

“People now wear a ton of earrings and rings.”

“For clothing, it's usually on a last-minute, emergency basis. I like a handful of boutiques like Oroboro and No.6 Vintage. I also have a bunch of designer friends that I'll buy a piece from their line sheets during market every so often. I'll buy used clothes online from eBay, which is always hit-or-miss fit wise. And, I love things that are out of season.”

“A hanging light from Vibeke Fonnesberg Schmidt. I’m dying over it!”

“I burn incense every morning, as I can't start anything until I've done that. I love Yon-ka Guarana Scrub and Shiva Rose's Cleansing Milk. I use a lot of rose oil on my skin because I can't use anything with alcohols. Patchouli oil is my go-to all around my neck and chest, and blue yarrow and geranium oils for the body. I only use light concealer with SPF and bronzer from MAC. Then, a little brown eyeliner and a beeswax stain on the lips. I can't really do hair, so anything that’s low-maintenance. I recently cut my hair and it is in that weird, growing-out stage. I'm at a loss for hairdos right now.”

“I do yoga two to three times a week.”

“Yoga, a night out with friends a few times a month, a massage, and watching a documentary at 2 a.m. That’s the most peaceful time.”

“I am the designer and CEO of Scosha, a jewelry brand.”

“I went to art school in Australia for painting and sculpture. I left Oz in 2000, and backpacked for four years around parts of the globe working, making, and trading things along the way until I came to New York. I was on my way to Africa and kind of got stuck here. I’ve been running a business for ten years ever since.”

“Designing and discussing solutions.”

“Motherhood has forced me to slow down. I definitely can't get as much done as I'd like, but it has also improved my work-life balance.”

“I definitely have a pretty busy schedule, but after the kids get dropped off at school, I'm working for eight hours straight. I almost never take lunch breaks, so I can focus. I pick my daughter up from school at 5 p.m., and when we get home around six or seven, I'm all family time. I don't like to pick up my phone, and I don't often respond to emails or texts until the next day, unless it's urgent.”

“Yes, I think it's pretty good. Most of my friends that have kids own businesses as well, so we all get it.”

“It’s been such a strange time in the world, so there has been a lot of contemplation about how to grow or pivot my business. I would love to take a year off to travel and do a documentary; I've wanted to do that for some time now, as well as finish some other projects. So, now I'm trying to figure out how to fit those things into my career path, and it has been a challenge. I'm also very involved in Scosha, and opening up a new location has been in the cards.”

For more on Scosha, her line, and her family, visit her here and here.