Lotte Barnes & Lia-Belle King
Images by Amelia Fullarton
Lia-Belle King and Lotte Barnes are the Co-Founders of WORN Store, and live here in Eltham, northern NSW with their two year old daughter Ophelia and family dog, Gray.
“This home was previously owned by our friend Amelia’s mother, and when we first visited the house Amelia was living here whilst she was building her own family home and we just loved it. The view from the top of the hill across the valley is so calming, the internal layout and wrap-around verandas are very family friendly and easy, each room almost speaks to the next so there’s no division throughout the home, this is especially helpful when needing to keep a constant eye or ear of a particular two year old. The backyard is expansive and open for interpretation for outside picnics, afternoon teas, cubby houses and playing with Gray. It’s such an easy home to live in and coming from our previous house which was huge and luxurious, this home feels safe and grounding and offers us a real retreat from the stress of everyday life.”
“The house itself looks semi colonial but it’s actually (and rather surprisingly) a kit home that the original owner constructed with the help of all the neighbours on the street. It was really nice to be told the story when we moved in and how the community of everyone on our street feel a connection to the house due to their contribution. Although essentially a kit home, the floorboards are all reclaimed antique and so beautiful, the windows are also all antique finds, some with stained glass and some with iron inlays. Internally the doors to each room are also all antique doors so the house has the feel of being much older than it actually is."
The house itself looks semi colonial but it’s actually (and rather surprisingly) a kit home that the original owner constructed with the help of all the neighbours on the street. It was really nice to be told the story when we moved in and how the community of everyone on our street feel a connection to the house due to their contribution.
“It has all the quirks of an owner-built home and although we’re only renting, we do definitely dream about the prospect of buying it for ourselves one day and converse over what we would change should that ever happen. I don’t think it will though as it’s a bit too far from the beach for Lotte’s liking!”
Lotte and Lia-belle’s bed dressed in cool tones, with an IN BED fitted sheet and pillow slips in white, pillow slips and a flat sheet in dove grey and a duvet cover in stone.
“Outside of Worn, Lotte is a Vedic Meditation teacher and is always expanding her knowledge on the practice and so much of the history of the tradition.”
“We’ve also both committed our spare time to dedicate to a Lacy Phillips manifestation course, and we try to complete one course component a week together. This can be difficult with a toddler and a business, but when we do manage to get through it, it's such a rewarding thing to do for each of us as individuals and as a couple.”
“When I get a chance I have been educating myself on the Akashic Records. I suppose you could say they’re like your souls footprint of your past and future and you can tap into that information and ask questions and receive answers, or if you don’t seek any answers you can access your records and see what is presented to you. They can be used to work through trauma, or provide direction, I’ve had a past-life insight before and I’m just so interested in the concept of the Akashic records and how they work. It’s a process trying to access them myself and it can be quite energetically draining, but I’m intrigued!”
“We live in a small rural town called Eltham. There’s a pub and that’s about it. It’s quiet and very locally focussed, lots of native wildlife and livestock. An old train track runs through Eltham and Lotte often takes Opi and Gray for walks along the old tracks. It’s hot and dry in Summer, cold on the outside and cosy on the inside in Winter. We live off of rainwater so water consumption and usage is a real problem for us. At the moment we’re sitting on half a tank of water which is scary so we’re praying for some rain.”
We live off of rainwater so water consumption and usage is a real problem for us. At the moment we’re sitting on half a tank of water which is scary so we’re praying for some rain.
“Eltham brings us so much joy, mostly because of the realness of the suburb our homes location and outlook. There is so much space, and we find great sanctuary and fulfilment in that space.”
Lotte & Lia-Belle’s current reading list:
WAIST 3.5 by AnyOneGirl
Polishing the Mirror by Ram Dass
How to read the Akashic Records by Linda Howe
Pelle’s New Suit by Elsa Beskow (Ophelia’s pick)
Watch List:
We secretly love a good outdoor adventure documentary! Free Solo was the last one we watched and highly recommend it.
“Ophelia is two and a half and is now old enough to understand the concept of Christmas so this year it will be very special for all of us. We have started to explain who Santa is, and are creating our own family traditions for the first time. For example, we have told her that the night before Christmas we write a letter to Santa saying thank you for all of the good things that happened throughout the year, and then we ask him for ‘one special gift ’. We wanted the gifts to come from a gesture of appreciation and gratitude, rather than just getting gifts because Santa. And this is the way we have chosen to go about it.I love Christmas and am also very organised. Ophelia’s gifts have already been purchased, the Christmas decorations all organised, I’ve arranged our staff Christmas party. I’m so excited. This year it will also be just us, so having that intimate family Christmas is something Lotte and I are also looking forward to. That and Summer.”
“Byron Bay and Summer go hand in hand and although our home is quite far from the beach, our office is less than 5 minutes from a beach so when it’s Summer we really get to reap the benefits. We’re looking forward to (weekday) afternoons at the beach, eating hot chips until it starts to get dark, weekends at Brunswick River and the prospect of starting what will hopefully be the first of many camping expeditions as a family.”
