A Bushland Bungalow

Images by Yaseera Moosa

Editorial styling by Kate Burchell

Last week on the Journal, we visited Tilly & Giulia at High Noon, in Melbourne’s Warrandyte. Next up, we’re paying a visit to their neighbours, Shannon May Powell & Chloe Worthington, both artists-in-residence at a modern addition to the property –  a sunlit, two-bedroom bungalow. There is almost no creative pursuit Shannon hasn’t mastered; photography, poetry, art direction, and now a Masters in Psychotherapy, while housemate, friend & model Chloe, completes hers in Clinical Psychology (after a former life as a ballet dancer). The studious pair have shared the space for the last 6 months, downsizing their lives – and wardrobes! – in search of a stint among the gum trees. 

Shannon's bed is dressed with a combination of our Milk & Cloud Organic Cotton Percale bedding 

Can you tell us a little about the space you live in…

SP: We’ve been here for 6 months so it feels pretty fresh and magic still. There’s a particular feeling you get landing home here under the gums at sunset when everything is drenched in sepia light. 

CW: I love living at High Noon - It feels so calm. It is particularly beautiful having an outdoor bath amongst the trees at sunset.

And are there any local spots you frequent…  

SP: The river is what draws me here. I hope to live close to a body of water for the rest of my life.

CW: There’s a mini mountain hike in Warrandyte I do a few times a week that keeps me sane. I try to spend as much time as I can by the river.

The river is what draws me here. I hope to live close to a body of water for the rest of my life.

How did you two come to live together… 

SP: I’ve been living in another beautiful bungalow in Warrandyte for a few years. Chloe and I had a lot of mutual friends but really got to know each other when we both spent a lot of time in the northern rivers. So I knew it would be a good fit. We love to swim and bath and have people over but also we nerd out a lot because we’re both doing our masters in psychology/psychotherapy.

CW: As Shan said, we got to know each other in the Northern Rivers. I recently moved back to Melbourne from there to finish my studies. I really became a gumnut up north, so Warrandyte feels like the perfect balance of nature while still being close to the city. I love living with Shannon.

Can you describe life at High Noon…

SP: We have an almost weekly dinner party with Tilly and Giulia on Tuesday nights, we say this is to talk about house things but mostly we just drink delicious cocktails and eat good food and laugh together a lot. I love the ritual of this regular gathering it makes it feel like a real commune. 

CW: Living in a shared space feels harmonious. We really care for each other. There’s a constant flow of sharing - advice, practices, clothes.

Living in a shared space feels harmonious. There’s a constant flow of sharing - advice, practices, clothes.

Above, our Heavy Linen Bolster in Midnight adds colour to the living space. Below, our Milk & Cloud Organic Cotton Percale bedding in the afternoon sun.

How has living in a smaller space influenced your relationship with possessions... 

SP: I’ve lived in small spaces before but also lived across two countries for many years. So this is an art I have mastered over time (aside from my excessive book collection). I feel like I’m always daydreaming of living overseas again so I’m very intentional with the objects I collect. I love everything in this home and it was chosen and curated intentionally.

CW: Everything feels like part of a carefully curated capsule collection - it’s cute.

Chloe's cosy sleeping nook is layered with our Organic Cotton Percale bedding in Pure White and Alpaca Throw in Eggshell 

Can you tell us a little about your individual bedrooms…

SP: I have a beautiful oil painting of oysters by Emma Creasey titled Cosmic Delight. I adore her word and we share the same gallerist and did a print swap for this, which is always a beautiful sentimental gesture. I’m devastatingly sentimental.

CW: My favourite artwork in my room is a woven piece by Anna Fiedler. A bedroom feels like my own when I have a hazardous amount of candles lit.

A bedroom feels like my own when I have a hazardous amount of candles lit.

And what might we find on your bedside…

SP: Too many books, a sexy lamp, and other venusian sculptural objects.

CW: My glasses, candles, a book.

Can you share a little about your individual career paths… 

SP: It’s been a winding path, but I studied writing and philosophy. Moved to Berlin and worked as a travel writer and later for i-D magazine both in Europe and Australia. At some point I picked up a film camera and started shooting, and that evolved into a career path too within journalism and now as an art based photographer I sell collections with an online gallerist called Sunday Salon. Eventually I moved out of journalism and back into creative writing and recently published my first poetry book and started working as an art director for a Blindside Gallery. Alongside all this I have been training as a somatic therapist and working in community spaces, and am currently doing my Masters in Psychotherapy and a certificate in sex therapy. It sounds like a lot to juggle but I really enjoy the contrast of working across both art and community spaces. The social work aspect is really grounding and meaningful and feeds into my creative practice. 

CW: I’m currently doing my Masters in Clinical Psychology, it’s been a journey. I trained as a ballet dancer for 13 years, but scoliosis and spinal surgery shifted me onto a different path. After that, I worked as a model in Australia and overseas while completing my psychology studies, balancing a few lives at once. Over the past five years, I’ve focused on gaining experience in mental health, working and volunteering in community spaces such as Lifeline, and contributing to research with organisations like Mental Health First Aid International. At the moment, I’m very deep in my masters, with my main focus on working with clients in therapy. 

Finally, what does the future hold for your time at High Noon...

SP: We really want a sauna, for many years I hosted art/wellbeing retreats so I’d love to host more gatherings like that here. It’s perfect for that. Aside from that, I look forward to more pool and tennis court parties again in the summer.

CW: I’ve been saying for far too long that I’m keen to get into gardening and growing our own vegetables. And more of the pool-to-tennis-court pipeline.