Our Story: Why We Built Devine & Co.—Real Life Talk
By Louise & Shiralee, Sisters and Founders
If you’re anything like us, parents, wives, daughters, sisters you know how quickly those titles can sweep you up. Before you know it, you realise you’ve totally lost track of who you are outside of the constant rhythm of motherhood. That feeling—the struggle to maintain your identity—that's the spark where Devine & Co. was born.
The Shared Chaos of Maternity Leave
The very first seed for our business was planted during a chaotic, beautiful time: our maternity leaves. My second son and my sister Shiralee’s first son were born so close together that we were riding that beautiful, exhausting phase of early motherhood side-by-side.
We were united in the chaos and felt that familiar, urgent pull to create something that was just ours. We started with different visions. Shiralee was taking on freelance design and writing a book. I jumped in, full throttle, creating a hobby blog and Pinterest. But I quickly realised the blog wasn't just a diversion; it was truly what I loved—it was a deep passion and a needed creative outlet.
When The Juggling Act Broke Us
The real push came when I went back to work. Trying to juggle a career with two tiny children felt like a losing battle, especially in this economy. I love control, and having to leave my children five days a week felt unimaginable.
Shiralee and I realised that this pressure—this universal, overwhelming feeling of losing your way amid the juggle was something we had to talk about. We paused everything for a bit, knowing that whatever we built had to solve this essential problem for us first.
The Dynamic Duo
That's the core of Devine & Co. I’m Louise—the one who goes full throttle, jumping into things and just believing it will be okay. Shiralee is slightly more cautious and grounded. We balance each other out, and as sisters and business partners, we are absolutely unstoppable.
This blog and our community became the essential outlet we needed—a space to finally be ourselves again. We still work our other jobs, but we commit to tiny, bite-sized tasks here to maintain our identity. Right now, this is a beautiful, necessary hobby, but we are working towards the freedom it could eventually equal.
Design We Love, Life We Live
At its core, Devine & Co. is about finding the beautiful balance:
Shiralee’s Eye: With 17 years of amazing graphic design experience, Shiralee ensures everything we share is stylish and well-designed. We genuinely love decor and making things look beautiful—as practically as possible with young children around!
Our Creative Blend: To deliver the highest level of inspiration, we strategically blend real-life photography of our homes and "Good Finds" with stunning conceptual visuals. These curated concepts allow us to show you the beautiful, aspirational styling we love, even if it hasn't survived a toddler yet!
The Acreage Truth: We grew up on acreage in Australia. Life was far from perfect, but we didn't care. We had the most fun you could have—running around, riding bikes, and getting dirty.
The Aesthetic vs. Reality: We love a beautiful, curated aesthetic, but we also know it's not the be-all and end-all. Our philosophy is simple: create spaces and experiences that are beautiful, functional, and forgiving, so you can focus on making memories.
What to Expect Next (Real-Life Talk)
We look forward to sharing our passion with you! You can expect our content to focus on our core pillars:
Curated Cosy Styling: Decor inspiration and tips for making your home beautiful (and practical!).
The Juggle & Real-Life Talk: Honest thoughts about parenting, work-life balance, the financial climate, and what is truly happening behind the scenes.
Good Finds: Treasures and cosy finds for the home, hand-selected by us. We share the brands and everyday items we love!
Now we want to hear from you: What is the biggest juggling act you face right now, what helps you carve out time just for yourself? Drop a comment below, we can't wait to build this community of fellow sisters and parents together.
Happy reading, Louise & Shiralee