“We have just finished renovating and I am very proud of this space. I had a vision for
what I wanted in our backyard but I had never renovated before. I had help from an
interior designer as to where we should situate certain things but other than that the
style is all mine. I’ve always admired the adobe-shaped homes of Santa Fe, and have
been drawn to the recent popularity of all white interiors/spaces. This pavilion faces
north so gets the sun all day. I love reading the paper here with my coffee in the
morning or having a cheeky margarita or three with friends of an afternoon.”
“My path was shaped by my children; I didn’t really know myself until I had them,” says Loren Morton of the Instagram feed It's A Bondi Life. However, where she lives has shaped her identity to a great deal: she has lived near or besides the world-famous beach for most of her life. And both her great grandparents and her grandparents lived on the main street - Hall Street. Her grandfather was a prominent lifesaver and when he died the surf club flew the flag at half mast. Her grandmother still walks the promenade every Sunday.
“My dad is a surfer and mum was a typical 70s hippie; they travelled the world surfing in the 70s,” she says. However, they divorced when Loren was about seven years old and because her mum worked, Loren would often cook for her brother and herself. “I think I just grew up with a penchant for caring for people and that’s all I ever really wanted to do,” she says.
After discontinuing from a business degree at the University of Technology Sydney, Loren started to design bags, belts and jewellery that was made in Bali, and sold her wares at Bondi markets. But life changed on many levels after the birth of her first child, son Bodhi. Loren and her husband separated.
“Being a single mother, I found a strength I never knew I had,” she says. There was no one else to help with bath time, cooking dinner, putting her son to bed. And when he was sick, she had to backup the next morning. There was no break or relief. “I didn’t have that while Bodhi was going through his hard two-year-old stage and it truly made me a much stronger person,” she says.
After the divorce, Loren picked up a camera and took a short course in photography. “I felt I needed another role for myself other than being a mother,” she says. “Something just for myself.” A few years later she met her husband, a Scottish rugby player, and they had their son Indie the following year, and got married the year after that. “We have a beautiful close little family now and I finally feel at peace with who I am and my place in this world,” she says.
Now Loren is yearning to have her own business, and hopes to start a clothing label for women or kids.
1. As a child I used to wear... nothing. Well when I was little nothing, growing up on beaches afforded you that. But, wow, when I got a bit older in the 80s my mum used to dress me in red and white striped leggings, t-shirts cinched with wide white leather studded belts slung just above the hips and the highest of high ponytails tied up with scrunchie elastics. Oh, and the clincher, big scrunch down socks. I’ll never live that down!
2. My bedroom was... small and light-filled. I always had band posters on the wall from Guns ‘N’ Roses to Nirvana and there was always music playing on my tape deck.
3. When I was a teenager I used to... write poetry. I still do but I used to write a lot more back then.
4. After high school... I had no idea what I wanted to do. I thought I’d be happy to be a mother.
5. A seminal moment was... when I picked up a camera. I realised I did have a creative side, I discovered I did have a passion, and it gave me joy outside of motherhood.
6. I never thought I would be... good at anything creative. Now I love learning photography and have really enjoyed renovating our home. I felt a real accomplishment seeing my vision for our home come to life before my eyes. A clothing line is next!
7. I’ve learnt to... not worry, most of the time, about what other people think. I’ve lived most of my life ruled by fear of judgement and I am slowly changing it.
8. I know... who I am - finally.
9. I share because... at first I think I wanted validation. Validation that people liked what I had to share. So silly, I know! Then I wanted to share to show what inspires me whether it be a nice photo I’ve taken or something I have bought or found that excites me. Now I also share because I love the connections I make on Instagram. I also love seeing what inspires people and all the different ways people express themselves. I am inspired every single day by some amazing people on Instagram.
10. If I had an unexpected morning to myself I would... wake early to go for a run along the Bondi to Bronte path, grab a smoothie from Bondi Wholefoods, enjoy a rare long shower and go shopping!
image courtesy of loren morton
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