This week on our Home Life Series, we’re on the Mornington Peninsula visiting Lauren Williams and Alex Knorr—founders of hat label, Will & Bear. Lovers of all things nature, road trips, and mid-century design, what began as van-life dreams and hat sketches around a campfire has grown into a purpose-led brand with a global following (and planting a casual 2.6 million trees).
Between road trips and creative adventures, Lauren and Alex have settled down in a lovingly restored home that blends earthy calm with bold personality. From its original pink palette (yes, they kept that bathroom!) to timber tones, their home is a reflection of the same values that drive their business—thoughtful design and sustainability.
Keep reading to learn about their life on the road, building Will & Bear from scratch, and the little slice they now call home.
Hi Lauren, thank you for having us over. For those who aren’t familiar yet, can you tell us a little about yourself, what you do, and who you share this beautiful space with?
Hi! I’m Lauren, co-founder of Will & Bear, an Australian hat brand I run alongside my partner Alex and our small but mighty team. We actually started both our life together and our business on the road—living out of a van, chasing adventures, and building a brand inspired by nature and travel.
These days, we split our time between life on the road and our home base on the Mornington Peninsula. It’s the perfect balance of wild and grounded. When I’m not working or road-tripping, you’ll most likely find me in the garden, barefoot and happy.
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How did you come across this dreamy spot on the Mornington Peninsula, and what was it that made you fall in love with it?
This was actually the first home we inspected—and the last. We put in an offer the same day. I wasn’t totally sure at first... the place looked very different back then and definitely needed some major work. But Alex, being the visionary (and designer!) that he is, saw the potential right away and convinced me too.
I’m so glad he did, because it’s turned out to be our perfect home on a piece of land that feels really special. I fell in love with the land instantly and started dreaming of turning it into a little jungle oasis. Alex was drawn to the original mid-century features and had a clear vision for what it could become. Together, it’s become a space that feels truly ours.
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The whole house was very pink when you moved in, can you tell us about the renovation process, what you changed, what you kept, and tell us about that iconic pink bathroom and what made you decide to keep it as part of the home’s story.
When we moved in, the house was very pink—pink carpet, pink walls, pink cabinetry... and a generous layer of dust on top. We got to work quickly stripping it back and replacing all that pink with warm timber, earthy tones, and natural materials to bring a sense of calm and connection to nature.
We’ve renovated pretty much every room in the house except the bathroom—which is still holding strong in all its original pink glory. Honestly, it wasn’t a conscious design choice at the time... we just hadn’t got around to it. But now it’s become such an iconic part of the home that when we do eventually update it, we’ll definitely keep a touch of that original pink as a nod to the house’s history. It feels like part of the story now.
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Will & Bear began with a van, a vision, and a good-looking hat. Can you share the story of how it all started and the inspiration behind building Will & Bear.
It was on our first ever trip away together that the idea for Will & Bear was born, Alex (Bear) was on the hunt for a practical, durable hat that suited the Aussie outdoors but couldn’t find the right fit—so together, we decided to make our own.
We focused on timeless designs made from natural materials like Australian wool and had a motto from the start of “From the earth for the earth”. From the beginning, we knew we wanted to give back, which led to our tree-planting program—over 2 million trees planted and counting.
What began as a small idea on the road has grown into a global community, driven by a love for nature, quality craftsmanship, and living with purpose.
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Creativity is clearly at the heart of everything you do — from product design to storytelling. How do you stay inspired and keep pushing boundaries while staying true to the brand’s roots?
For us, nature has always been our biggest source of inspiration. We built Will & Bear around a love for exploring, caring for, and giving back to the environment—and that still guides everything we do.
Twice a year, we hit the road for big trips to reconnect with nature, test new products, explore fresh ideas, and spend time with the people who inspire us most. It’s our way of coming back to the why behind the brand and making sure everything we create still feels true to that purpose.
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You’ve smashed some pretty serious business goals over the years! Your hats aren’t just beautiful — they carry purpose. From using regenerative materials to planting trees with every purchase, how does sustainability shape everything you do at Will & Bear? What have been some of the biggest challenges and biggest highlights in running your own businesses?
Using business as a force for good has been part of Will & Bear since day one—it’s just as much a part of our identity as hats are. It’s shaped every decision we’ve made, and while it’s definitely made things more challenging at times, it’s a core value for us both as a business and as humans.
Even before we launched, we set a goal to one day become B Corp certified (globally recognised standard for businesses that balance purpose and profit. It means we’ve been independently verified to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.) —and we’re proud to say we’ve now held that certification for over four years.
In the early days, one of the biggest challenges was wanting to do everything right straight away. We had to learn that building strong systems and infrastructure takes time and that real impact is a long game.
As for highlights—there have been so many—but one we’re really proud of is our tree tally. To date, we’ve planted over 2.6 million trees across Australia, the USA, and Africa. It’s a constant reminder of what’s possible when purpose drives the process.
Ray Of Light Ochre Organic Cotton Quilt Cover
