We’re a family of five — Chris and Laura — who first met in Darwin in 2014 while serving in the Army. What began as a shared path quickly became a journey full of adventure, creativity, and deep-rooted connection. Together with our three children — Arlo (6), Koa (4), and Lottie (2) — we’re now travelling full-time around Australia, running Loaila from the road, soaking in the beauty of this country and letting it guide everything we create.

My lifelong love for art and design has shaped my path as a self-taught photographer and both a watercolour and digital artist. Inspired by the coastlines, wildflowers, red earth, and shifting skies around us, I originally began creating for our children — playful, thoughtful pieces that felt gentle, lasting, and true. What started as Milky Designs slowly grew into something more, something ready for a new chapter.

The Story of Loaila

Loaila is a name that feels like it belongs to a place you’ve dreamed of but never quite found on a map — where the clear blue of island waters meets the golden light of the outback, and where driftwood, seashells, and wildflowers rest side by side.

Born from the blend of crystal waters, sunburnt earth, and a whimsical, vintage heart, Loaila is where the fairytale meets the frontier. It’s a word with no fixed meaning — and that’s the magic. It invites curiosity, imagination, and connection. Is it a name? A flower? A place? You decide.

Rooted in storybook wonder, kissed by salty air and sun-faded tones, Loaila is for the slow days, the barefoot hearts, and the souls drawn to beauty in the undone.

This isn’t just a brand — it’s a way of seeing. A reminder to create with feeling, to live with softness, and to find inspiration wherever the road takes you.