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  • The Archive - a showcase of Japanese & Scandinavian design | These Four Walls blog

    The Archive – a showcase of Japanese & Scandinavian design

    February 19, 2020February 18, 2020

    I have another inspiring exhibition from Stockholm Design Week to share with you today, this time from Japanese brand Ariake. Each year it teams up with like-minded companies to take…

  • 'The Sculptor's Residence' by Norm Architects, Dux & Menu | These Four Walls blog

    ‘The Sculptor’s Residence’ by Norm Architects, Dux & Menu

    February 17, 2020February 14, 2020

    What a busy month of travel I’ve had. I’d barely landed back from my trip to Finnish Lapland before I was off again, this time to Stockholm for its annual…

  • Exploring Finnish Lapland in winter | These Four Walls blog

    Exploring Finnish Lapland in winter

    February 14, 2020

    [Advertisement – this post is based on a press trip, but all words and opinions are my own] Few places have captured my heart the way Finnish Lapland did. I…

  • Early spring styling with Georg Jensen's 'Bloom Botanica' collection | These Four Walls blog

    Early spring styling with Georg Jensen’s ‘Bloom Botanica’ collection

    February 12, 2020February 12, 2020

    [Advertisement – this is a paid collaboration with Georg Jensen, but as always words and opinions are my own] I love living somewhere with distinct seasons, and I always relish…

  • A stay at Design Hotel Levi in Finnish Lapland | These Four Walls blog

    A stay at Design Hotel Levi in Finnish Lapland

    February 11, 2020February 11, 2020

    [Advertisement – this post is based on a press trip, but all words and opinions are my own] I’ve spoken before about my love of travelling to cold destinations, and…

  • The spring-summer 2020 collection from Northern | These Four Walls blog

    The spring-summer 2020 collection from Northern

    February 3, 2020January 31, 2020

    Happy Monday everyone! I’m currently on my way to Stockholm for the city’s annual Furniture Fair – always a great opportunity to soak up lots of Nordic design inspiration. It…

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From a wonderful week exploring Snowdonia and Angl From a wonderful week exploring Snowdonia and Anglesey in North Wales to celebrate Chris' 50th birthday... Green-velvet mountains, rolling mists, lakes and waterfalls, coastal pine forests, sand dunes, red squirrels, crumbling castles, lighthouses, sheep everywhere, restorative hikes, and a train journey into the clouds on @snowdonmountainrailway. #visiteryri #northwales #uktraveldeals #landscapephotography #travelblogger
[AD - paid partnership] I'm a big fan of reed-fron [AD - paid partnership] I'm a big fan of reed-fronted storage units such as our 'Fern Peek' cabinet from @bisley_shop. Here are just a few reasons why: 1. They have a beautiful, timeless quality and work with all sorts of interior schemes, from retro glamour to the rustic minimalism we’re going for in our cottage. 2. The reeded effect obscures clutter while allowing light to pass through – very useful in small spaces that might be overwhelmed by bulky, solid units. 3. They offer the ideal balance of concealment and display – details are blurred so you don’t need to keep the contents perfectly arranged, but you still get an intriguing hint of the shapes, materials and colours within. 4. They're extremely versatile and can be used as anything from bar cabinets to linen cupboards. 5. They're great for introducing an element of textural contrast into a space. I love the way the reeded front offsets the natural oak, linen and ceramics around our house. #minimalistinteriors #simplehomestyle #consideredinteriors #neutralhomedecor #cottagerenovation
[AD - paid partnership] One of the biggest challen [AD - paid partnership] One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced since downsizing to our little cottage is the lack of storage. Though it was far from large, our previous house had plenty of built-in cupboards, but our new home is somewhat lacking in that department. So, in a bid to keep things calm and organised, we’ve been searching for freestanding units that are practical, durable and pretty to look at. The reed-fronted 'Fern Peek' display cabinet from British company @bisley_shop fits the bill perfectly, and it's incredibly versatile – to the extent that I've found multiple uses for it around our home and can't make up my mind where it should sit permanently! How would you use it...? #neutralhome #simpleinterior #myminimalisthome #myneutralhome #modernrusticdecor
[AD – paid partnership] All homes have awkward spa [AD – paid partnership] All homes have awkward spaces that are tricky to deal with, and our little 200-year-old cottage certainly has plenty! So, I was very pleased to discover @atelierprintworks, which specialises in horizontal and vertical wall art for those difficult areas where standard proportions don't fit. There are plenty of calming, abstract artworks that match our rustic-minimalist décor, and I chose two options that feed into my love of bringing nature indoors: a vertical oil painting of a foggy landscape in dark, moody tones, and a horizontal rendering of a horizon in soft beige and white. The vertical artwork now sits in a narrow alcove in our living room, adding balance and structure without fighting for attention. I love its ethereal atmosphere, and the way the various browns pick out the pieces around it. I also tried it out in the bedroom, where there’s a plain stretch of wall between a window and the fitted wardrobes. I’ve always thought it looks a little bare yet standard-format artworks seem to float aimlessly in the space, so this is a great solution. This horizontal print will eventually sit above our TV, but that side of the living room isn’t yet finished so in the meantime I’ve hung it above our bed. It creates a beautiful focal point yet it’s also wonderfully calm – just what you need in a room dedicated to rest and relaxation. What do you think? And what awkward spaces do you have to deal with in your home? #minimalistdecor #rusticminimalism #wallart #smallspacedecor #cottagerenovation
A heatwave combined with fibromyalgia and the peri A heatwave combined with fibromyalgia and the perimenopause isn't exactly fun... Along with iced coffee, here are four tried-and-tested things that are getting me through the soaring temperatures in the UK this week: 1. Temperature-regulating bamboo bed linen from @laud_sleep. It's super-soft, easy to care for and it really does keep me cooler on hot, sticky nights. 2. The @duux ' Whisper Flex' fan, which is quiet and energy-efficient yet very effective. It can be adapted to sit on the floor or a table, and it has a remote control. It's also portable and rechargeable, so you can use it in areas without a nearby plug socket. 3. 'Birch Water & Neroli' cooling facial mist from @findubiety, which I take with me everywhere during summer. It smells and feels wonderful, and all profits go to support my local hospice charity @dorothyhousehc. 4. My traditional Spanish fan, which I've had since I lived in Spain in my early 20s. It's now very tatty and missing a few rungs, but it still does the job. I sometimes get strange looks when I whip it out on the bus in the UK, but it works so I really don't care! For full disclosure, I've worked with Duux and Laud in the past, but this isn't a paid or sponsored post and I haven't been asked to share it. These are items that I use myself on a daily basis in weather like this, and I thought other people might find them helpful, too. #heatwave #uksummer #summermood #simplehomestyle #seasonalliving

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