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  • Minimalist design in a historic setting – Casa Grande Hotel in La Rioja, Spain

    Minimalist design in a historic setting – Casa Grande Hotel in La Rioja, Spain

    October 8, 2024February 3, 2026

    A review of La Rioja boutique hotel Casa Grande, where minimalist design meets historic architecture and delicious food…

  • A guide to visiting La Rioja, Spain

    A guide to visiting La Rioja, Spain

    October 4, 2024February 3, 2026

    What to see and do in La Rioja, Spain, from wine and walled towns to tapas trails – plus how to get there, when to go and where to stay…

  • A stay at Koto at The Point – minimalist eco cabins in Cornwall

    A stay at Koto at The Point – minimalist eco cabins in Cornwall

    October 1, 2024January 28, 2026

    My review of Koto at The Point – a cluster of minimalist Scandinavian-inspired eco cabins near Rock on the north Cornwall coast…

  • My interiors book, the Soft Minimalist Home – published today!

    My interiors book, the Soft Minimalist Home – published today!

    September 24, 2024January 30, 2026

    Introducing my new interiors book, The Soft Minimalist Home – Calm, Cosy Decor for Real Lives and Spaces…

  • 10 things to see & do in Bilbao, Spain

    10 things to see & do in Bilbao, Spain

    September 17, 2024February 3, 2026

    My top 10 things to see and do in the vibrant city of Bilbao, northern Spain – from pintxos bars and boat tours to the stunning Guggenheim Museum…

  • New design finds | September 2024

    New design finds | September 2024

    September 16, 2024January 29, 2026

    Minimalist designs on my radar this month include sustainable twists on Nordic classics, new furniture and lighting, gorgeous rugs and super-stylish kitchen appliances…

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[AD - PR product] A new candle discovery - 'Night' [AD - PR product] A new candle discovery - 'Night' by @koadescentedcandles. It's a deep, lingering blend of dark rose, oud wood, leather and oak that's prefect for this time of year, when the evenings start to draw in. I love the steel vessel too - it fits beautifully into our living room, where I've played on contrast by mixing cool metals with gnarled wood and other natural materials. This is just one of my picks of the best scented candles for autumn, which I've updated for 2026 with some new finds alongside old favourites. You can see the full selection on my blog. #autumnhome #candleseason #cosyseason #neutralhomedecor #softminimalstyle Cottage living room | Neutral living room | Rustic minimalist decor | Cottage renovation | Neutral home | Beige interiors | Autumn styling | Scented candles
I've hung the dried autumn wreath I made last year I've hung the dried autumn wreath I made last year on our front door, and it looks so pretty next to the Bath stone walls. We also have a visitor on the door - a little moth, which has camouflaged itself perfectly against the paint and has been quite happily sunning itself all day. #autumndecorations #autumnhome #autumnwreath #falldecorating #cottagecorestyle Cottage renovation | Bath stone cottage | Front door style | Autumn decor | Autum home style | Seasonal styling | Seasonal living | Cottage life
[AD - features some PR products, which are marked] [AD - features some PR products, which are marked] You've seen the kitchen and the dining room, and now it's time to share the living room - the missing link in our newly renovated trio of downstairs rooms. This room appealed to us the moment we viewed our little cottage, as it has two windows and gets lovely light. But it was also the trickiest space to get right: not only is it a through space, it had also been stripped of most original features, leaving it looking bland and soulless. The first thing we did was build a new stud-wall chimney breast and commission a Bath stone fireplace from @christopheremerystone. It gives the room a much-needed focal point using a local material (the same as the house is constructed from, in fact), and we've added a clean-burning bioethanol stove to help create a calm, cosy sanctuary. Swipe through the photos and captions for more... #cottagerenovation #neutrallivingroom #minimalistlivingroon #cottagedecor #softminimalism Cottage renovation | Neutral living room | Cottage decor | Soft minimalist interiors | Neutral interiors | Neutral decor | Simple interiors | Stone fireplace | Beige living room The doors to the dining room and kitchen are in one corner, so we set up an inviting seating zone away from the main traffic area, with the furniture slightly pulled out from the walls and anchored by a large rug. The space by the doors hasn’t gone to waste, as we’ve added a slimline console table (which sat in the hallway in our previous house). Sadly neither of the sofas that we had in our previous living room were the right size for this one, and the larger of the two wouldn’t even have fitted through the narrow doorway. So, the hunt was on for a new one. I really liked the idea of a linen slipcover design to fit with the rustic-minimalist aesthetic, and IKEA’s ‘HYLTARP’ model proved ideal. It’s long enough for both of us to sprawl out in comfort, and it comes as a self-assembly flatpack so there were no worries about how to get it inside! I also like the fact that the covers are removable, meaning we can take them off to wash them, replace them if they wear out or even change them entirely if we fancy a new look. We've
A beautiful September sunset sky snapped from our A beautiful September sunset sky snapped from our front door yesterday evening. I'm starting to sense hints of the seasons changing around me, and it's wonderful after that long sweltering-hot summer! #sunsets_captures #thisprettyengland #visitwiltshire #septembermood #cotswolds
Some moody flower photos, taken at @gchalfield (al Some moody flower photos, taken at @gchalfield (always one of my favourite National Trust places) last weekend. We're gradually gathering inspiration for our little cottage garden, and slightly wild-looking white blooms will definitely feature (these are some of my favourites - climbing roses, Japanese anemones, guara). It's a next-year project though, as replacing our leaking bathroom and fixing our broken drain will have to take priority. #gardeninspiration #cottagegardenflowers #flowerphotography #moodyflowers #naturephotography

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