Welcome
Hello, I’m Janice
I’m a writer drawn to calm spaces, everyday rituals, and the slower rhythms of home.
I live in New Zealand with my family, where much of my time is spent noticing small things — morning light, well-worn furniture, a cup of coffee held a little longer than usual — and writing my way through the seasons of midlife.
A quieter way of living
I grew up in a provincial town in the Philippines, surrounded by traditional homemaking — food cooked slowly, things made by hand, knowledge passed gently from one generation to the next. Those early experiences shaped how I understand home: not as something to perfect, but something to tend.
Later, I trained in interior design, learning how spaces influence the way we live and feel. Over time, writing became another way of doing the same work — observing, arranging, and making sense of the ordinary.
A Calming Home grew from that intersection: design, writing, and the lived reality of caring for a home and family.
What this space is
A Calming Home is not about achieving a certain aesthetic or following rigid rules.
It’s a place for:
- living gently rather than efficiently
- creating calm without perfection
- noticing what sustains us in everyday life
Here, I write essays and reflections on home, care, creativity, and the quiet work of building a life that feels intentional and lived-in.
Where I’m writing from
Midlife has shifted how I see things. I’m less interested in “fixing” life, and more interested in listening to it.
This space reflects that — slower, softer, and rooted in real experience rather than advice or instruction.
My faith, family, and creative practice quietly inform my work, not as answers, but as anchors.
An invitation
If you’re drawn to calm spaces, thoughtful living, and the beauty of the ordinary, you’re welcome here.
A few personal notes
I’m most at ease when life is unhurried.
I love books and writing, handmade things, gardens, well-worn furniture, and quiet places to sit. I’m drawn to small rituals — coffee in the morning, tending plants, choosing fabrics, arranging a room so it feels lived in rather than styled.
Food matters to me too: simple meals, fresh ingredients, and the comfort of familiar flavors shared slowly.
Music, stories, and art accompany me through ordinary days — often quietly, in the background, as life unfolds.
“My people will live in peaceful places, in safe homes, and in calm places of rest.”
– (Isaiah 32:18 NCV)