In Conversation with Loren & Kristie of Commune Bondi

Commune Bondi is the creation of Bondi locals, Loren and Kristie. Brought together by their shared passion for handmade products, interiors and fashion, these two are also united in their love for the ocean.

So Sydney's Bondi Beach was a logical choice for their gift and homewares store, which focuses on offering sustainable, ethical and fair trade handmade products. We were tickled by the girls' recent shoot of some of the items they currently have available in store, including our collection of hand woven placemats and coasters. So we touched base to take five, and talk a little more about the concept behind their lovely seaside store, and their personal style.

Tell us a little about Commune Bondi?

Commune Bondi is a concept lifestyle store born from the friendship of two Sydney beach girls. I grew up in Bondi and have always wanted to open a boutique by the beach here. After renovating my home I found it frustratingly hard to source unique, rustic, handmade hardware and finishes for the renovations and furniture and homewares to style my house with. I sourced mostly everything through artisans on Instagram. Kristie lives by Bronte beach and has worked in the fashion industry for the past 12 years. Also most recently for a textiles company. I had never worked in retail and so I approached Kristie with all of her retail/wholesale experience about opening up a store together. We came up with the idea of a Lifestyle Store where we sourced handmade and mostly fair trade, sustainable product by artisans. We wanted to source beautiful product and bring it to Bondi and the surrounding beaches in Sydney.

Can you tell us a little about your style?

We are both beach girls. So we are drawn to earthy, natural materials and tones. When I renovated I didn't want anything modern used. So I sourced recycled timber to feature through the interior and outside our home, eucalypt poles for the roof of the outside cabana, handmade ceramic door knobs for the kitchen, and beautiful stone pebbles for the bathroom and outdoor areas. Earthy, natural, rustic.

What do you love about The Dharma Door products?

The Dharma Door products encapsulate the natural style we are drawn to. Handmade by artisans, you can tell there is a story behind every product. Plus we strongly believe in and support fair trade, sustainable product which is what The Dharma Door are all about.

What do you love about what you do?

We love sourcing beautiful furniture and homewares for the store. When you find a product that just grabs you and then you get to know the artisan behind it, there's a connection. We love hearing the stories behind the products and then relaying this to our customers when they buy from us. You're not just taking home another ceramic cup or essential oil or throw, you're taking home a piece of an artisan's passion, their soul, their hand marks are ingrained in that product.

And finally, any departing styling tips & tricks?

Always go with your instinct, don't listen too much to others. If you follow your heart, your unique style will shine through.

Photography: Bec Brown @irisandheart