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  • New design finds | August 2023

    New design finds | August 2023

    August 4, 2023February 5, 2026

    Product launches on my radar this month include updated Nordic classics, a sleek new sofa, handcrafted home accessories from Portugal, and a minimalist twist on the traditional Shaker kitchen…

  • A home-office revamp with an IKEA desk hack

    A home-office revamp with an IKEA desk hack

    August 1, 2023February 17, 2026

    How I transformed my minimalist home office on a tight budget, using an IKEA desk hack to add stylish storage and display space…

  • The Edit | A summer dinner party

    The Edit | A summer dinner party

    July 28, 2023February 9, 2026

    Everything you need to style a simple yet beautiful summer table with soft neutral colours and textural elements…

  • 8 stylish places to stay in Portugal’s Alentejo region

    8 stylish places to stay in Portugal’s Alentejo region

    July 26, 2023February 9, 2026

    The best Alentejo hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and holiday rentals, all with minimalist design and beautiful settings…

  • 23 of the best minimalist outdoor wall lamps

    23 of the best minimalist outdoor wall lamps

    July 21, 2023February 17, 2026

    Minimalist outdoor wall lamps for timeless garden and entryway style, including mains-wired and solar-powered options for all budgets…

  • 8 stylish places to stay in the eastern Algarve, Portugal

    8 stylish places to stay in the eastern Algarve, Portugal

    July 18, 2023February 17, 2026

    The best boutique hotels, B&Bs, holiday villas and apartment rentals for fans of minimalist design in Portugal’s beautiful eastern Algarve…

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[AD - PR products] Summer light falling across the [AD - PR products] Summer light falling across the dining room and our lovely Carl Hansen Wishbone chairs from @hollowaysofludlow. I've been working down here for the past few weeks as it stays cooler than the office upstairs, and they really are comfy enough to sit on for hours at a time. Bring on long, cosy meals and board games in here once the nights start drawing in!

#neutralhomedecor #scandinaviandecor #minimalinterior #minimalistdiningroom #cottagerenovation
The hills on the edge of Bath - like everywhere el The hills on the edge of Bath - like everywhere else, they're looking both beautifully golden and scarily parched at the moment. We've had several wildfires around here over the past couple of weeks, so I'm longing for some rain. And although I don't like to wish time away, please bring on autumn! 

#bathengland #theprettycities #bathskyline #thisprettyengland #visitbath
One of the things I love most about our house is t One of the things I love most about our house is the natural light, but it does have one downside. We face directly east-west, so in summer there's always strong light coming from one direction or another - and some rooms like the main bedroom shown here are dual-aspect, so they get it all day long. It's starting to cause UV damage to furniture and surfaces, even with the curtains closed for much of the day. I think we're going to have to look at adding UV-reducing film to the windows, while we save up to get them replaced properly. If you've used it yourself and have any thoughts on whether it actually makes a difference then I'd love to know!

The photograph on the wall, by the way, is one of my own images that I had printed out and framed. It was taken nearby, on a foggy morning not longer after we moved in, and it's one of my favourites. 

#cottagerenovation #neutralbedroom #naturallight #rusticminimalism #cottageinterior
This is the question we get asked whenever we say This is the question we get asked whenever we say we've downsized. We've also had some weird comments from people who assume that just because we've moved to a smaller house, we must be struggling financially. 

I hate the way the size of your home has somehow become a marker of success, and bigger isn't always better. I can understand people searching for more space if they have a growing family, but we don't. Instead, we made a conscious decision to reduce our mortgage, free up some budget for renovations, and give ourselves some breathing room for the future. 

So no, we won't be extending our little cottage. We don't want or need a bigger house just for the sake of it, and to be honest we consider ourselves lucky to own anywhere at all, given how difficult it is to buy a property nowadays. It would only mean more to clean, anyway! 

Here's to everyone else making the most of the home they have, no matter what its size or their circumstances. 

#cottagerenovation #cotswoldscottage #smallhome #cottagelife #downsizing
A few snippets from Bath, London and home during a A few snippets from Bath, London and home during a burning-hot July, some taken on my phone, others on my big camera. It's been a busy month, but a good one. I'm looking forward to a slightly slower August, and hopefully some rain for the parched landscape. 

#summermood #bathuk #cotswolds #summerlight #cornersofmyworld

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