Bondi stylist Mr Jason Grant is back with a new book, Holiday at Home, showing off his sunny style and inspiring easy, colourful decorating. We talked to him about road tripping, colour and holding on to the holiday feeling. 



How did the concept of the book come about?
Organically. I'm very lucky to work with a publisher who allows me such creative freedom. This book incorporates a number of things that I think were the stronger parts of my first book. Holiday at Home feels like a natural progression, and true to me.



You live in Bondi – did you find a lot of what you love was on your doorstep?
Inspiration is everywhere - both at my doorstep or a million miles away. I love living in Bondi which sounds like a cliché but being so close to nature and the outdoors certainly helps to live every day like you're on holiday - even if just for a moment.



How did you work with the photographer – Lauren Bamford – as the style of photography is so key to the book's visual success?
I'm lucky to work with an awesome photographer and friend that speaks my language. She sees what I see and we share the same creative vision. This was a dream project for us both. Shooting this book was relaxed - we had a plan, but we were open to what we would discover. We had a working list of what we needed to shoot for the book's chapters and, of course, stumbled across things we had to include. I like to think the way we shot the book reflects the feeling of the book where I get to showcase my personal style.



Is there a desire for a return to simple pleasures?
Yes I think the simple things in life are the best - flowers from the garden, a cup of tea and toast, a swim at the beach, shopping in your favourite store or just going for a walk.

Colour and a relaxed attitude play a major role in your aesthetic. Do you feel your style is quintessentially Australian?
I'd like to think my style is very Australian - living in Bondi and loving the beach and nature its hard not to reflect that. When setting to create my books with Hardie Grant, I stayed true to myself and made sure what I presented was very authentic. My style is relaxed and laid back and not over-styled, and I think both my decorating style and outlook on life are unmistakably sunny - for sure.



How did you decide where to take your road trips?
Bondi to Byron was an obvious choice as I had never been and always wanted to go. We literally jumped in the car and snapped our way to The Atlantic at Byron Bay via Newcastle and heaps of cute towns in-between, which is what you see a lot of in the book. Inspiration is everywhere you just need to be open to it.

You want to encourage people to keep that holiday feeling. Is it as much a mental attitude as the things that you surround yourself with? Or does one trigger the other?
It's definitely a state of mind, and surrounding yourself with things that make you happy can only make for a happy home. Some of my favourite things are souvenirs from holidays. Although Bondi and Palm Springs are two of my favourite places, next I want to head to Montauk just outside of New York.



Colour plays a huge role – how do you want people who read the book and to respond to the visuals?
I love the power of colour, whether it's a bright pop of colour or a soft pastel or earthy tone. Using colour in large or small ways is definitely something I encourage everyone to do. I recently purchased a pair of bright yellow dining chairs. I smile just looking at them.



How does doing a book like this shift your attitude to your own home?
I think it's important to consider what you have, what you need and what you really love. I really only want to live with things I love, if they happen to be beautiful, practical or both. I think it's important to find your own style, as I have, and a big part of the book is to encourage people to do just that.

Quick fire questions

My favourite find/buy on my road trips was: fresh prawns in Newcastle
The best colour combination in the world is: soft shades of blue, white with timber and just a pop of yellow
Genius upcycling idea: Electrical spool coffee table - I found this on the side of the road and all it needed was a quick lick of paint
Decorating mantra: Find your own style and decorate with what you love
Dog or cat: Dog!! It's very hard not to post/take too many pictures of our Boston Terrier Sophia - she is very cute!