When stylist Mr Jason Grant started working on his third book, he wasn’t sure what the finished product would be. While he knew the book had to be informative and of course beautiful, it wasn’t until he and photographer Lauren Bamford started shooting houses that he found its theme.
“The working title of book three wasn’t Modern Retro Home,” explains Jason. “But this best summed up the type of houses I gravitated towards. For the book we shot houses of many creative friends and colleagues, that really showcased contemporary Australian homes that mix old and new, modern and retro.”
It’s a style close to his heart: “I have always been a fan of mixing old with new for layered interiors that evolve over time.” The book is a culmination of the tips and tricks Jason has learnt from 10-plus years of styling. “This book is super hard working with lots of information on every page,” says Jason. “You can open it at any page for a how-to. Each image I deconstruct and explain why this room worked and what the idea is behind it.”
A go-to guide for any budget, Modern Retro Home takes you inside the abodes of those who effortlessly blend modern furniture with vintage pieces — think geometric patterns, neon colours and such items as record players and old-fashioned radios.
Organised into chapters according to each room of the house, the images are captioned by Jason with information on how the room is styled and why it worked. There are also plenty of styling tips on how to choose the right colour, shape, pattern and texture, focal points, scale and lighting.
Despite its adventure into the past, don’t expect to find tired-looking rooms in this book! Get your hands on Modern Retro Home ($49.99) now.
