How Photographer and Author Siham Mazouz Spends Her Mornings

Morning Rituals is an ongoing interview series exploring the way artists and entrepreneurs spend their mornings.

Our guest today is Siham Mazouz, a San Francisco-based photographer, author of How The French Live, and creator of the popular interior design blog French by Design.

Siham – or Si, for short – discovered her passion for interior design and DIY while working on her fixer upper in the countryside of Provence. After moving to the US, she began to share her love for French aesthetics and her “less house, more home” philosophy on her blog, which has since grown into a thriving online community and a much-anticipated book.

We asked Si to walk us through a typical morning.

My job is to introduce beauty in the everyday – whether it’s in the form of room décor, a piece of art I sell in my shop, a well-loved recipe or DIY crafts that I share with my audience. But in these dark times that we are all facing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I have found that I must invent new “rituals” to help me find beauty again and share it with my community.

What time do you wake up?

I’m an early bird, so I’m usually the first one up in the family. I’m awake by 5am and enjoy my coffee outside, on our little San Francisco rooftop patio.

What’s the first thing you reach for?

A strong cup of French roast coffee, and then my phone to check my emails and the news.

Walk us through the rest of your morning.

My mornings have been so different these past few weeks – I can’t tell you with confidence if this is actually my routine. We live in a very bizarre moment in time, and I think it’s more important than ever to be authentic, genuine and expressive about how we all feel.

After a few initial weeks of feeling sorry for myself and the world, I’m finally able to process and brainstorm what’s next – thanks to a lot of soul searching and a wonderful and supportive online community with whom I interact extensively via The List, the French by Design newsletter. Whether we discuss crafts, gardening, business strategy or menopausal advice, I always feel like I’m having coffee with friends from all around the planet, and it’s a great way to stay connected during this confinement.

A typical day these days usually starts with a call to a dear friend, or my sister (who lives in the DC area) and my mom (in France) to catch up and check on them. Then, I try to make a list of errands my business or family needs and plan my day around it.

Instead of working six straight hours on a piece or project, I’ll allow myself guilt-free me time – little moments where I pause, listen to a podcast, a classical music playlist or an impromptu meditative yoga session. I find that taking these small breaks throughout the day help me be a better writer, entrepreneur, mother and partner.

In fact, these moments of self-care have been of paramount importance for my well-being lately. They are no longer the guilty pauses that I allow myself; they are mandatory healing rituals that I cherish more than ever. From sipping my morning coffee on the patio to growing edible flowers to baking a batch of French crepes for my loved ones, living slow has taken on a whole new meaning these days.

How does your morning ritual influence your work?

I’ve realized during these difficult times that sharing and interacting with like-minded people is more important on bad days than it is when you see life with pink filters. We are all experiencing a rather unique moment in history, and it’s now more important than ever to connect, share and grow together. Through The List, I have developed a special bond with other business owners and women of all ages who share their experience, perspective and knowledge. It’s a healing and welcoming community where we exchange freely and help each other.

Speaking of work – what are you working on right now?

I am currently working on fresh content for French by Design and brainstorming creative ways to interact more deeply and personally with my audience, since one-on-one connection is something I feel has been missing on social media these last few years. Come join us!

Siham Mazouz, Photographer & Author

Siham Mazouz is a French photographer and author of How the French Live. She lives with her husband, their two daughters, and Daisy, the family's Golden Retriever, in San Francisco. Siham launched French By Design in 2010, and inspires readers to approach their decor, style and life in general with a modern French flair and a "less house, more home" philosophy. Her work and photography has been featured in Elle Decor, In Style, House Beautiful, Lonny and Travel & Leisure.

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