Downs

It's oversized ferns swaying on the Side Porch. It's a closet packed with costumes because being a Theater Mom was always your destiny. It's golden ringlets that mirror your vibrant energy. A collection of table linens for every occasion because hospitality is second nature. It's three sisters living just down the street. It's raising kids together and a new generation running from one backyard to the other. It's an outdoor space for every season, each corner of the property humming with intention. It's inheriting your childhood home and breathing new life into its deep-rooted bones.

Blakely Downs is one of those women you walk away from with only one thought: How does she do it all? Mom to three precious siblings, Business Development Director of her family’s construction business, and a friend to everyone she meets—Blakely lives with an open heart and a full calendar. Her passion for building doesn’t stop at the foundation of a house; she is actively building futures too.

As a woman leading in the traditionally male-dominated construction industry, she’s quietly and powerfully changing the game—paving the way for other women. And yet, even with all this on her shoulders, she still pours herself into the community. Her deep commitment to the Boys and Girls Club of Augusta is unwavering. If she has a free moment, it’s likely spent mentoring, organizing, supporting—serving. Her dedication to the wellbeing of Augusta’s children is not just admirable—it’s foundational.

Her home tells her story just as vividly: walls adorned with a mix of family portraits and kids’ drawings pinned proudly in the playroom. Tables scattered with the day’s discoveries—pinecones, papers, treasures of childhood and motherhood. She’s as busy as she is thoughtful, creating a home filled with warmth, creativity, and a rhythm all her own. From the branches of the maple trees that canopy her courtyard to the driveway framed by a living legacy of roots and blooms planted by generations before her, every inch of her space reflects the kind of woman Blakely is: rooted, radiant, and refreshingly real. Visiting Augusta and stepping into her home left us beaming with inspiration—ready to start something new, to gather more often, and to live with deeper purpose.

Tell us the story of finding your home.

My parents brought me home from the hospital to this house! My three sisters and I all grew up here, and it is truly the house that built each of us. It has hosted two of our weddings, our friends’ engagement parties, our sweet 16 teas, our study sessions, our first dates, our squabbles, and our triumphs. When I moved to LA, and subsequently New York, I had no idea I’d ever move back. But fate and good timing combined so that my husband and I moved in almost three years ago. Now this house will hold my kids’ futures.

What's one ritual you do that makes it feel like your space?

Before bed, I always take one more lap to check on the kids sleeping. Sometimes they’ll be cattywampus, or even sleeping on the window bed instead of under the covers. But as I get them settled and make sure they’re warm, I feel myself relaxing in the knowledge that they’re safe in our old rooms, now taken over by them.

What's one item around the house that you hold especially sacred?

I absolutely love their childhood portraits. They were commissioned through my friend’s company, Outside of the Box, which represents fabulous Southern Artists. Craig Carlson painted the portraits, and I loved his process, and the final product is so
special.

How do you pull your interiors together?

I love taking input from people who know better, and there’s nothing I know now that I didn’t learn from someone! For instance, decorating with what you have, and incorporating new with the old, is a lesson I value. Decorating where you see first,
and putting the items you love where you’ll see them most frequently, is another. These nuggets helped guide me when we moved to such a larger space and helped me not get too overwhelmed.

One large influence in my decorating is the artwork I collected while we travelled. After we lived in New York and before Augusta, my husband Ryan and I adventured around the world for a year. My goal was to collect a large piece from every continent we visited, and any smaller pieces that struck me. Every item that we picked comes with a memory and a spirit of the unique culture from which it came.

what are you currently placing on a pedestal?

I Balance- My life is full of many different facets where I spend my time. Each facet is intentional, but they contrast and even seemingly contradict each other. A “normal” day could be navigating between a construction site, school program, Board Meeting, play rehearsal, or any number of locations and events. I love the chance to stretch different parts of my brain and challenging myself in refreshing ways. I’m better at each facet because of the lessons I’ve learned in the others.
II Peace- Peace requires protection. Whether it’s an agenda free morning spent in the backyard with the kids, reading by myself in the summerhouse, or a wind down after yoga, Peace is cherished.
III A Good Book- No matter what I’m doing, I would always rather be reading.
IV Texture- My goal in choosing designs or pieces for my home is that every item be interesting. Since always choosing patterns or color would be too overwhelming, I love neutral pieces with deep texture. The best items keep getting more interesting the more you look at them.
V Coffee, Olive Oil, and Wine- In my elder years, I’ve become exactly what I scorned: A Liquid Snob. But life is too short not to indulge, and I love good coffee, yummy olive oil, and wine so big I can chew it.

SHOP Blakely'S STYLING STAPLES

Bessette Pedestal, Ecru
Crema Stool
Medici Planter, Medium
Lake Pedestal
Papier Mache Pot IV
Hutton Stool
Elisabetta, Pedestal & Vessel

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Let people know where to find you, what's next, or anything exciting you want to share!

I’m entering my last 6 months as Chairman of the Board for Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta, and I’m so proud of the work they’re doing that it is an honor to be a part of it. We are constantly improving and growing, which means a larger impact on the future of our community. I encourage anyone to get involved with our Boys and Girls Clubs or the one in your area to contribute to our greatest investment- the kids.