A Photographer’s Northern Rivers Nest

For our first Journal of 2026, we meet photographer, writer & creative director Aaron Chapman (who both penned & photographed this interview) at the Murwillumbah home he shares with wife Jess and their two children. Depending on who you ask, the 1940’s post-war cottage is either orange or yellow - but colour aside - it's a space shaped by gentle domesticity; Lego-filled wall cavities, op-shop finds given new purpose, and cosy beds dressed for rest in every season. We speak to Aaron about the joys (and heartaches) of a well-worn home, and why he'll never depart from this special pocket of the Northern Rivers.

The main bed is dressed with our European Linen Sheet & Duvet Set in Khaki

“Our little home in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales was built in 1947. My wife Jessica, two children, and a cat that's never here, have been its custodians for almost five years now.”

The kids tell every visitor that our house is made of Lego.

“The home has a lot of character. There’s high ceilings with different cornicing in every room, and a decorative archway as you enter the main living area. It’s probably these details that I enjoy most. But with character and age come unexpected challenges. The lack of powerpoints, for example. There weren’t too many appliances in 1947. When we moved in we added a few in more convenient places, and decommissioned one which left a perfect recessed wall box to fill with Lego. The kids tell every visitor that our house is made of Lego. It was such a random thing to do, but after being afraid to put picture frames on the wall for so long as a renter, I really just wanted to creatively acknowledge homeownership. It feels weird to accept this as my favourite detail in the house – not the Lego itself, but the fact it represents the opportunity and experiences our family’s had to make this home our own.”

“The spatial flow of the home wasn’t ideal. But we saw the potential. We opened up the kitchen and dining onto the backyard and built a big deck. In the years following, we’ve renovated both bathrooms and the kitchen.”

“Our ambition was for these spaces to feel as if they’d always been here. In a 78-year-old home with a lot of inherent character, the last thing we wanted were overly modern additions. But for it to be affordable, we understood that there needed to be a balance of standard, and custom or vintage work. Instead of a floating vanity in the bathroom for example, we restored a silky oak vanity we found at the op shop for $60. And to complement the flat-pack kitchen, we had blackbutt from the local sawmill cut for custom shelving and a rangehood.”

In a 78-year-old home with a lot of inherent character, the last thing we wanted were overly modern additions.

In the thoughtfully renovated bathroom are our Organic Cotton bath towels & mat in Oxblood & Peach

“The other thing about homes of this era is that every bedroom is a different size. We've got one really small bedroom, one medium, and one much larger. The high ceilings really give all of them a greater sense of spaciousness, but the light might be my favourite thing about our bedroom. The casement windows face east so we're always rising with the sun, spending slow mornings in bed with coffee (weekends only… weekdays are frantic).”

“In the master bedroom we have the Khaki set. In such a light-filled room, it’s nice to have this darker but calming tone. The organic cotton bath towels in Oxblood and Peach are a great addition and tonal match to both our bathrooms. In the main bathroom, they work nicely alongside the thin red mirror and green stone. And the kids have quilts in Lake/Mist and Lilac/Mist. These are by far my favourite pieces. They’re so versatile. Perfect as an extra layer in winter. Perfect as the only layer in summer. Or perfect to throw over the family’s legs for movie night.”

On the line hangs our 100% linen in Lake, Khaki & Lilac, and our sweet two-toned bed covers

“We’ve collected a range of artworks over the years, mostly from artists I’ve worked with or exhibited alongside including Aaron Butt, Natalie McComas, Chelle Wallace and Jay Jermyn. And now we have a stunning Skye Jamieson piece that lives in the kids’ room. Throughout my career I’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by such talented people. Myself, Jay Jermyn and CJ Anderson have been bouncing creative ideas off each other for ten years now. They formed Objects for Thought , and their lights are some of our most cherished pieces that I point out to visitors after they’ve got the rundown on our home’s Lego construction methodology from the kids.”

The things that matter most are the family photo albums and my journals. The things that hold our family stories.

“My mum is also a brilliant ceramicist, so our shelves are lined with her work, mixed in with some good, and some not-so-good clay creations the kids proudly bring home and we proudly display.”

“But the things that matter most are the family photo albums and my journals. The things that hold our family stories. Those are the objects I’d reach for first.”

“I originally turned to photography because I’d grown tired of writing. I studied creative writing and literature at university, then moved straight into a copywriting job after graduating. I went from short stories and poetry to producing dry, B2C content forty hours a week. It drained any urge to write for myself. But I still needed a creative outlet, so I picked up a camera, learned how to use it, and ran with it. Before long, photography felt simply like another way to chase what I’ve always cared about most: telling stories.”

Cosy corners dressed in our two-toned bed covers in Lake & Mist and Lilac & Mist

" A few years ago I travelled to India to photograph Cabin House, a project by the Bengaluru-based architecture studio Taliesyn. Habitus ended up publishing the images alongside a piece I wrote about the home. The project went a bit viral after that, appearing across countless architectural sites, but what I was most proud of was the pairing of words and images in the Habitus feature. I’d written for many architectural publications both here and overseas, but for this story I veered away from the usual academic tone and wrote something closer to a personal essay. Anyone who’s been to India knows how it can be a wonderful assault to the senses. I wanted to share those little moments. Now, whenever I get the chance to both photograph and write about a home, that’s always the approach I take – something more sensory, more personal.”

“Most of my days are spent in the studio designing, and right now I’m deep in a handful of branding projects. Working in the creative industry means you end up building a career from many different skill sets, and mine has grown in a very deliberate way over time. I began as a writer, added photography, then built my own website to showcase the work. When someone asked if I could create a site for them, I said yes. From there, learning Photoshop for my photographic work evolved into a broader design practice. Those early skills expanded into full brand identity systems, web design and creative direction. My creative agency, AC_O, is the natural progression of a career spent moving between different forms of storytelling. Today, AC_O specialises in branding and design for the construction, design and architecture industries, and I believe that every project benefits from the depth of those combined disciplines.”

A children's bed is made with our Chestnut & Lake 100% Linen and two-tone bed cover in Lake & Mist

“Honestly, seeing Wollumbin (Mount Warning) every day is one of my favourite things. It signifies home. Aside from the picturesque confluence of mountain, river and sea, the community spirit is so important to us as a family. We will never leave here.”

“I don’t get to the beach as much as I used to, though we’re only 25 minutes away. Mainly we spend our time at any of the many watering holes and creeks. The longer you live here, the more of them you discover by chance or through community chit-chat.”