For Australian actor Liv Hewson, returning from Hollywood to their hometown of Canberra as an adult was an empowering moment.
As one of the faces of the new gender-neutral collection from homewares brand Sheridan, Hewson is well versed on making every new location they visit feel like home.
Born in Canberra, Hewson grew up in the suburb of Hughes and began their career at the Canberra Youth Theatre.
Coming off the back of starring in the Netflix original series Santa Clarita Diet, opposite onscreen mum Drew Barrymore, Hewson decided to come back to Canberra in the second half of 2020 to see their family, following the uncertainty of the pandemic and travel restrictions.
“I was in Canberra from July to December which was the longest I’ve been back in five years,” they said.
“It was a strange silver lining in a lot of ways because I hadn’t spent that much time at home since I was 19.
“I’ve grown up a lot and changed a lot and I got to know the city … it was quite moving. It was like a reintroduction.”
Alongside artist Jamie Preisz and singer/songwriter CXLOE, Hewson was enlisted to be a part of Sheridan’s Gen Z ‘Where Dreams are Made’ campaign as they use their bedroom, no matter where they are, as a key space to explore, create and rehearse.
“I still act in my bedroom,” they said.
“I make a stack of boxes and books on my bed and film myself with my phone.”
Sheridan’s gender-neutral collection is a first for the brand, designed for Gen Z and Millennial Australians who are discovering the importance of having a space to sleep, dream and create.
After spending numerous hours on the road, Hewson said that creating a safe space to express their true self is important.
To help keep a sense of ‘home’ and self, Hewson said they often bring small items with them to put in their room.
“For a long time, I didn’t have roots anywhere because I was travelling a lot … I had lots of little pieces … sometimes books, a soft toy, or even a blanket.
“I still try to take a couple of things to ground the space I’m staying in as mine.”
The Where Dreams Are Made collection focuses on unique self-expression with vibrant, softly textured, and easy to style pieces that have a holistic approach.
It introduces fresh, unexpected colour combinations including neon yellow and orange. The collection is designed to grow with the customer, while remaining relaxed and liveable.
Hewson said when they were initially approached about the collection, they liked the concept of a bedroom being more than just a place to sleep, but a place where you can dream of what is next.
“It is true; a bedroom is a space for being vulnerable and exploring,” said Hewson.
“For me personally, I just want to de-gender my spaces because that’s more comfortable for me as a non-binary person … everyone should have the space and freedom to experiment with those things if they want.”
Editor’s note: Liv Hewson uses they/them/their pronouns.
