Hotelier Julia Ashwood talks taste

My personal style signifier is a sort of casual work uniform: a pair of high-waisted Jesse Kamm trousers with a Jungmaven hemp T-shirt. Keep it easy – denim downstairs, white up top. I also love Chloé, velvet details, a little gold Lurex at night – and anything vintage because the pieces feel unique. I have a belted brown suede YSL jacket that I love. My wardrobe is completely sustainable – I hang onto pieces forever! 

The last thing I bought and loved was a pair of chocolate-brown suede and leather Chloé boots that I found on a trip to Los Angeles. They have a little gold button on the back and a 1970s Kenny Lane backstage look. I’m also constantly buying pieces by Australian brands All That Remains and Lucy Folk – both embrace colour and are inspired by travel, which I love.

The best books I’ve read in the past year are children’s books. One I’d recommend to all parents is Need a House? Call Ms Mouse! by George Mendoza and Doris Susan Smith. Henrietta Mouse designs these elaborate homes for her animal friends – rabbits, frogs, a mansion for a lizard that looks like it’s in Big Sur. You know it’s an American book because it features hedgehogs, squirrels and otters – things we don’t have in Australia. The illustrations are very intricate and it’s a wonderful intro to architecture and design.

The place that means a lot to me is the ocean near my home in Byron Bay, New South Wales. I’m a water baby and if I can get my kids – ages five and eight – to watch the sunrise with me in the morning, no one is in a bad mood. I particularly love Belongil Beach and Broken Head, but all of the beaches are fantastic. The minerals, the salt, the sand… this is my home.

And the best souvenir I’ve brought home is a heap of Japanese earthenware pottery, which we eat and drink out of every day. I also love buying fake jewellery – big crystal earrings, chunky necklaces, statement bangles – and have brought lots home from the flea market in downtown Los Angeles.

My biggest adventure was a girls’ trip from Burning Man in Nevada to New York City. We rented an RV and had a crazy week of theatrical costumes and endless dancing in Black Rock City, then on to the Grand Canyon and New York, meeting so many beautiful people along the way. There were flat tyres – all eight of them at once in a car park – but the trip was outrageously good fun.

The hotels I am dreaming of checking into are all over the world: the Dexamenes Seaside Hotel in Kourouta, Greece, which overlooks the island of Zakynthos and the Ionian Sea; Soneva Fushi in the Maldives; Wild Coast Tented Lodge on the coast of Sri Lanka, which is next to a National Park for safaris and a beach; and the 15-room Hotel Corazón in the mountains of Mallorca. 

My style icons are Old Hollywood film stars. I like that uniform look of a James Dean – denim and a white tee – or a Paul Newman. Just simple. I also love the effortless look of model and Chanel muse Caroline de Maigret. She wears great pant suits with button-down shirts, and her hair is flowy and loose, but with an edge.

On my Instagram you’ll find a lot of images of Sun Ranch, the boutique hotel I run with my partner Jamie Blakey. I spend a lot of time posting pictures of the spaces, the food, the beaches, the horses and the pool. The whole thing is inspired by 1970s California ranch houses, so I try to show that vibrant colour via the app. 

My playlist is influenced by my kids: there’s lots of Taylor Swift and Harry Styles in our house

And a country on my bucket list is Sri Lanka. My husband and I are heading there next month for the rainforests and jungle areas, surfing and food. 

The last music I downloaded was Dua Lipa’s album Radical Optimism. My daughter Delilah and I love her so much; we watched her on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. My playlist is influenced by my kids: there’s lots of Taylor Swift and Harry Styles in our house.

In my fridge you’ll always find duck eggs because we have pet ducks. You’ll also find lettuce; herbs such as dill, parsley and basil from the farmer’s market in Bangalow; and a selection of cheeses. We always have a big block of parmesan for grating over pasta. Local apples and blueberries, coconut yoghurt and wine – both red and white – from Jilly Wine Co are on hand, too.

I’ve recently rediscovered Japan through my kids’ eyes. I have visited many times before, but being at the Shibuya Crossing with my kids was magical. Tokyo provides so many aha moments for young people. Kyoto, too – those early jet-lagged mornings when the streets are empty and you can hear the echo. Even watching cats in windows was amazing. I try to take my kids to places that are culturally interesting. We stayed at the Hoshinoya hotels in Tokyo, Mount Fuji and Taketomi Island, and in a Shimaya Stays serviced residence near Kyoto’s Gion district.

I’m not sure I believe in life after death. I recently lost my father, who was a staunch Scot and would emphatically have said “no!” to this. It would be nice to have a choice – as in Buddhism, where you can come back as an animal. Maybe it’s there if you want it? That concept is a big part of Indigenous culture here, and I like that way of thinking.

The things I couldn’t do without are sunglasses, because it’s always bright at the Sun Ranch Pool Club. I never leave home without my favourite tortoiseshell Marni glasses that my partner gave me for my birthday. They are wide at the sides and I just love them.

The beauty staple I’m never without is a hairbrush. I always have one – usually a Koh-I-Noor one that’s hand made in Italy – with me as my hair tends to get knotty from swimming in the ocean. I also swear by an earthy lip colour by the Aussie brand Booie – it’s very out-the‑door easy – and a matte red Mac lipstick for a night out and that margarita. Booie Where The Hell Is My…? Nourished Lip Stick, £16. Koh-I-Noor hair brush, £49.99, zarahome.com. Mac MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick, £25

The best way to spend $20 is on a Mush Luv and a pastry at High Life café in Byron Bay. It’s a mushroom tincture – like a golden milk – that’s a coffee alternative. On a Friday, however, I’d spend the $20 on a Margarita at You Beauty in Bangalow.

The last item of clothing I added to my wardrobe is a pair of dusty-pink button-fly Levi’s from Mr Vintage in Byron Bay. They’re fantastic – comfortable, cool. I’ve also recently acquired a long trouser suit – well, a top and trousers – in raw silk by All That Remains.

If I were travelling to a desert island I would bring great friends with wine in their pockets. You’re probably going to die out there, so why not have fun?

In my suitcase you’ll always find swimsuits by Lucy Folk and Matteau, a great pair of leather sandals and luxurious wool pieces by Nagnata. They use Australian wool that is comfortable and great-looking for workouts, restaurant settings and everything in between. I also carry a calming Souq scented oil by AYU, for behind the ears. AYU Souq scented oil, £34 for 15ml

The one artist whose work I would collect if I could is Jedda-Daisy Culley, a Sydney-based painter who creates bold, out-of-this-world work – think female aliens with oversized breasts and psychedelic cowboys. 

The works of art that changed everything for me weren’t so much a particular painting, but my mum’s colour wheel. She dabbled in interior design and always inspired me. It’s because of her that we have “personality chairs” – all different kinds, sizes, textures – throughout the hotel. Our African chairs made from timber and woven straw are a personal favourite – they remind me of a vibrant, sassy bird of paradise. Such fun! 

My favourite app is the Bureau of Meteorology website. I also like an app called AmiGo that offers snippets of information on various cities: where to eat, the best coffee or hidden park. The best travel tip was the Sublime Comporta Beach Club in Portugal – fantastic food.

When I need to feel inspired, I walk on the beach and take a swim in the ocean, which gives me space to think. But travel inspires me more than anything: seeing what artists are working on, what people are wearing, different foods. I look for turn-off-the-phone moments.

An object I would never part with is my wedding ring – actually, my wedding ring and engagement ring, which were both designed by my husband. The wedding ring is gold with a midnight-blue sapphire and smaller diamonds, and when the two rings are worn together they make an evil eye. I’m often asked about them. 

The best gift I’ve received was a massage given to me by a girlfriend last Wednesday. She just said “your appointment is at 4pm today” – no scheduling – and it was fantastic. That’s my love language. I also received a beautiful, framed artwork from my son Alby. 

I have a collection of coffee-table books. I have a semi-obsession with them, which is torturous when I’m travelling as they’re so heavy and impractical. I am especially focused on art, architecture and interior design. A recent favourite is a monograph of artist Vincent Namatjira’s work.

My favourite room in my house is the kitchen, the heart of our home. Our kids are getting involved in the cooking now, so we all chop, cut and grate together around the big central island. I also love our veranda, which looks out towards the ocean. If you look closely you’ll see the whales breaching in the distance.

My favourite building is the Sydney Opera House. It’s such a stunning piece of architecture and to listen to musical performances there is mind-blowing. Another favourite is the Paradero Todos Santos, a boutique hotel in Mexico. Its concrete structures are beautiful – kind of reminiscent of Georgia O’Keeffe – and have a warmth to them. 

My wellbeing gurus are Aysha, a massage therapist who comes to my home once a month, and the people who work at the Comma day spa in Byron Bay. I like to go for a 90-minute sauna/ice bath/massage session. In terms of exercise, I just want to be outside in nature, walking or jogging solo. 

In another life, I would have been a painter by the seaside in Greece. I would have lived in a little oikos, and I would have pottered all day long, eating fish fresh from the sea, drinking wine, making music and staring at the moon. 

The best bit of advice I ever received was from my late father. His last words to me were “be good and look after Mum”. What he meant was “be kind, it’s your superpower”.