Skip to content
  • HOME
  • BlogExpand
    • Interiors
    • Travel
    • Seasonal living
    • West Country & Cotswolds
  • About
  • Work with me
  • PortfolioExpand
    • Interiors & seasonal living
    • Travel, nature & location
  • My booksExpand
    • Bring The Outside In
    • The Soft Minimalist Home
  • The Edit
  • Contact
Instagram Pinterest Threads
  • Vipp Cold Hawaii – a design-led coastal hideaway in Denmark

    Vipp Cold Hawaii – a design-led coastal hideaway in Denmark

    February 20, 2024February 1, 2026

    A look at the latest addition to Vipp’s collection of design-led guest accommodation – a stunning minimalist beach house on the Danish coast…

  • New design finds | February 2024

    New design finds | February 2024

    February 3, 2024February 1, 2026

    On my radar this month: Vipp’s latest kitchen design, new twists on classic chairs, adaptable furniture and much more…

  • 21 of the best marble coffee & side tables

    21 of the best marble coffee & side tables

    January 31, 2024February 17, 2026

    A round-up of the best marble coffee and side tables for minimalist interiors, with options for every budget and size of space…

  • 7 stylish places to stay in Portugal’s Douro Valley

    7 stylish places to stay in Portugal’s Douro Valley

    January 24, 2024February 11, 2026

    The best places to stay in Portugal’s Douro Valley, from rustic-minimalist B&Bs to stylish winery hotels…

  • How to choose the right neutral paint colours for any space

    How to choose the right neutral paint colours for any space

    January 18, 2024May 14, 2026

    A complete guide to choosing neutrals for north, south, east and west-facing rooms, plus the best white, beige, grey and taupe paints…

  • Sjöparken – a tranquil Swedish retreat with minimalist design & natural influences

    Sjöparken – a tranquil Swedish retreat with minimalist design & natural influences

    January 8, 2024February 17, 2026

    A look around Sjöparken – a tranquil hotel on a Swedish vineyard, with minimalist Japandi design, natural influences and a swimming lake…

Page navigation

Previous PagePrevious 1 … 18 19 20 21 22 … 143 Next PageNext

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

[AD - press stay] Earlier this week I showed you S [AD - press stay] Earlier this week I showed you Sessile, the room we stayed in at @holmsomerset. Now here's a peek at some of the others, which I got to have a quick look at between guests. They're all gorgeous, but Elm was a standout with its four-poster bed, arched niches, egg-shaped bathtub and gently warm colour palette. I also loved Osier, with its fireplace and lovely natural light, and the cosy Hornbeam, tucked beneath rafters in the loft. 

If you fancy treating yourself to a stay at HOLM this autumn and winter (and I would wholeheartedly recommend it), there are mid-week deals starting from £149 per room, Christmas 'Stay & Dine' packages from £496 (the festive menu launches on 23rd November), and various walking experiences. I particularly like the idea of a relaxing Twixmas stay, or coinciding with the Wednesday and Friday morning yoga sessions. 

Thanks again to @curatedspacesclub and the whole team at HOLM for our fantastic visit. We absolutely loved it. 

#boutiquehotels #ukstaycation #uktravel #winterbreaks #countryescape

Somerset travel | UK boutique hotels | West Country places to stay | Somerset places to stay | UK minibreaks | Country hotels | UK travel | Restaurants with rooms | Stylish places to stay | Autumn breaks | Winter breaks | Twixmas travel ideas
Yep, the pumpkins are everywhere in our house... Yep, the pumpkins are everywhere in our house... 

Last year's Halloween was marred by house-move stress (although I was lucky enough to go to the live recording of the Uncanny Halloween special with @tiffanygrantriley after winning audience tickets in the ballot), so this year I'm making the most of it. Chris and I are going to see the new Ghosts film on Thursday, we have a table booked at our favourite haunted local restaurant for Saturday lunch, and we're having spooky candlelit drinks and nibbles on Saturday evening. I can't wait! 

#pumpkinseason #halloweendecorations #naturalhalloweendecor #autumnhomedecor #seasonalhomedecor 

Minimalist Halloween decorations | Pumpkin display | Halloween styling | Autumn home | Shaker kitchen | Minimalist cottage interior | Neutral home | Cottage kitchen
[AD - press stay] A favourite of mine to bookmark [AD - press stay] A favourite of mine to bookmark for a relaxing West Country getaway: beautiful restaurant with rooms @holmsomerset in the pretty village of South Petherton. 

I've eaten at HOLM a couple of times before and I've always wanted to go back for an overnight stay. Last week Chris and I got the chance, and it definitely lived up to expectations. The interiors are gorgeous - calm, cosy and softly minimalist, with tactile plaster walls, vintage mid-century modern furniture, abstract artworks and handcrafted pieces by local makers. The seven guest rooms are all named after trees (we stayed in Sessile, shown in the first few photos here) and come with lots of treats, including super-comfy beds, snuggly linen throws and homemade cookies; some also have freestanding in-room tubs and four-poster beds. 

Downstairs is a candlelit dining room and bar, warmed by a fire in autumn and winter and spilling onto a lavender-fringed terrace in spring and summer. The food from Chef Director @nicholasbalfe and his team is delicious, with tasting menus and à la carte options based around local, seasonal produce. This time around we sat at the informal 'chef's counter', watching activity in the open kitchen as we tucked into Westcombe cheddar fries with pickled walnuts, trout tartare, goats' curd-filled pasta with girolles, local venison and more. The wine was excellent, too - especially as we were lucky enough to have our visit coincide with one of the regular wine-tasting events!

Thanks to everyone at HOLM for a wonderful stay (the perfect break from renovation chaos at home!) and to @curatedspacesclub for organising it. We'll be back, for sure.

#boutiquehotels #ukstaycation #uktravel #somersethotels #countryescape

Somerset travel | UK boutique hotels | West Country places to stay | Somerset places to stay | UK minibreaks | Country hotels | UK travel | Restaurants with rooms | Stylish places to stay
I'll be honest: renovating with a chronic health c I'll be honest: renovating with a chronic health condition (and living in said renovation at the same time) isn't easy, and after an entire weekend and a Monday evening of DIY, I feel like I'm dragging my limbs through mud today. But I'm really enjoying the journey of making this little cottage our own. We still have a lot to do (the guest bedroom, landing, stairs, windows and garden haven't yet been touched, and the primary bedroom is only half-finished), but I'm so proud of what we've achieved so far. This house had been unloved for so long, and I feel like we're giving it the soul and heart it deserves. When I walk into completed rooms like the kitchen, I still have to pinch myself that they're ours! 

#cottagerenovation #shakerkitchen #softminimalistinterior #minimalistkitchen #neutralktichen

Minimalist cottage interiors | Cottage renovation | Beige Shaker ktichen | Cottage kitchen | Neutral home decor | Neutral kitchen inspiration | Open kitchen shelves | Kitchen renovation
[AD - features PR products*] Pumpkins are taking o [AD - features PR products*] Pumpkins are taking over every room in our house... 

I'm determined to make the most of autumn this year. It's possibly my favourite season, but I struggled to enjoy it last year because we were in the middle of house-move stress and worried our entire chain was about to collapse. In fact by October 2025 it had dragged on for six months and was really starting to affect my health - not an experience I ever want to repeat! 

[*Our beautiful Wishbone chairs were a PR product from the lovely people at @hollowaysofludlow.]

#pumpkinseason #autumnhomedecor #diningroomdecor #neutralhomedecor #cottageinterior 

Autumn styling | Halloween decorations | Minimalist cottage interior | Dining room decor | Neutral dining room | Autumn foliage

DISCLAIMER


This site occasionally contains paid-for content, gifted products and affiliate links. All such content is clearly marked.

Simple, relaxed living at home & beyond

Instagram Pinterest Threads

Copyright 2026 © Abi Dare

  • Privacy Policy
Scroll to top
  • HOME
  • Blog
    • Interiors
    • Travel
    • Seasonal living
    • West Country & Cotswolds
  • About
  • Work with me
  • Portfolio
    • Interiors & seasonal living
    • Travel, nature & location
  • My books
    • Bring The Outside In
    • The Soft Minimalist Home
  • The Edit
  • Contact
Cart Shopping Cart 0
This site uses cookies to give you the best possible web experience. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with this.