Tess Madalyn Gigone
Home Series is conversations with friends about parenthood, work-life balance, and the things that make a home special.
In a rural town just outside Toronto, in the area where she grew up, content creator Tess Madalyn Gigone lives with her husband and their daughter, James, with a second child on the way.
MT You became a mother to James in 2024. How is family life in Toronto, Canada?
TG We're just outside the city, in the same town where my husband and I both grew up. There's a slowness here that I've come to love, especially now. Raising James surrounded by her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and a whole crew of cousins has made this season of life feel so full and magical.
MT Did motherhood shape your professional life in the years that followed?
TG I didn't really throw myself into my career until I was pregnant with James, which probably wasn't the most practical time to take on more - but I think becoming a mother is what gave me a real sense of purpose. Motherhood and work have grown up side by side for me, so I honestly don't know it any other way.
MT You’re expecting your second child, congratulations! How does it feel to be entering this new chapter as a family?
TG It's exciting, and honestly, a little intimidating too. The second time around, you know how big a change it is to welcome a child, so you can prepare yourself for that. But this time, it feels like the change is less about me and more about James becoming a sister, and that's something I'm really trying to prepare myself to help her through.
The first two years of motherhood were hard for me. It wasn't until James turned two that I felt truly settled and comfortable in my role as a mom. So it's a funny thing to mentally prepare for when you know what's coming! But these past few years have also shown me how magical motherhood is, and I want so badly for James to have a sibling.
MT You’re a trained engineer, so what led you into content creation?
TG Ha, correct. I'm a mining engineer, and I was working at a mine in the Arctic Circle when I realized it just didn't bring me any joy or excitement. I didn't love it. The switch to food and content creation wasn't instant, though. I had to discover my creativity first. I'd spent my whole education in a scientific field, thinking of myself as a "science person," so I assumed I wasn't creative, at least not in the traditional sense. It wasn't until I stepped away from engineering that I realized I was. I spent the years after leaving the mine experimenting and trying to find what I truly loved doing. It took about eight years, but I figured it out!
Tess on a couch by House of Noa
MT Your content is centered around food, home, and family life. How did your interest in food begin, and how do you involve James in it?
TG I've loved food for as long as I can remember. My parents are both wonderful cooks, and we were always welcomed into the kitchen to help. Funnily enough, when I first moved out on my own, I wasn't nearly as into cooking for myself as I thought I'd be. It wasn't until my husband and I moved in together that it really clicked. We were both learning as we went, experimenting and figuring things out side by side, and I realized that for me, the joy of cooking comes from sharing it with someone.
Now James has a spot in the kitchen with us, just like I did growing up. She watches and learns the way I did with my parents. Some days she's more interested in eating than cooking, but she's always invited to help.
MT What do you love most about where you live?
TG The closeness to family. The calmness of our day. The access to nature. Our house – it truly feels like home.
MT What place does nature have in your family life?
TG We live in a rural area, so nature is right at our front door. We don't have to go searching for green space the way you might in a big city. It's just part of our everyday, and we spend time outside every single day without having to plan for it. It's woven into our routine.
MT How does childcare work for your family? Does your daughter go to daycare?
TG James doesn't go to daycare yet. I'd planned to start her at an early Montessori school this year, but I just wasn't ready to give up our days together, so I decided to hold off for another year. Getting to be by her side all day is such a special time. My mom and mother-in-law each help out a couple of times a week for a few hours so I can get some work done. It's definitely a different pace now. I'm always racing to get things done in the hours I have, but I'll say I've never been more efficient!
Cat Coat Rack and a custom artwork by Maxine McCrann
MT You must travel quite a lot for work. How do you balance that with family life?
TG I do travel quite a bit, but the most beautiful part of having such a flexible job is that I can almost always bring James and my husband along. It doesn't always make things easier, but it definitely makes the experience and the memories sweeter.
MT What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
TG I love that I get to be creative every day, especially since I never thought of myself as a creative person. I love sharing the things I care about, like food, our home, and family, with people who love them too. And the flexibility means I can build my work around my family, which I never take for granted.
MT What matters to you when creating and decorating your home?
TG I want our home to feel cozy and lived-in, but still beautiful. I'm someone who's really affected by the space around me, so that balance matters a lot. With a toddler, a perfectly tidy house just isn't realistic anymore, so I've had to be much more intentional about how I design our space. My goal now is for the mess to feel beautiful. I've never been so interested in good storage in my life.
MT
And what about James' spaces?
TG I want James to feel like a true member of our household, not like her things are an afterthought in how our home looks or works. She has her own spaces and her own places to put things away, so she can take part in the home just like we do. At the same time, I want those spaces to feel whimsical and magical, like they were made for a child, not just a smaller version of an adult's room.
MT Looking ahead, what are you looking forward to about watching James become a big sister?
TG I can't wait to see her gentle, nurturing side come out. She already loves to help, whether it's in the kitchen or around the house, so I think she's going to be the sweetest big sister. I'm also looking forward to watching them grow up together. I love the idea of James having a built-in best friend to explore outside with, cook alongside, and make memories with for the rest of their lives.
MT What is one wish you have for your family?
TG I hope our children always feel the closeness of family the way I did growing up, surrounded by grandparents, cousins, and people who love them. I wish for our home to always be the place everyone wants to gather.
Published September 2026
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