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  • A 50th-anniversary edition of Verner Panton's 'Flowerpot' lamp | These Four Walls blog

    New finds | November 2018

    November 9, 2018January 23, 2026

    The start of another month means it’s time for my regular round-up of design and lifestyle news. So, read on for a look at the latest product launches to catch…

  • Simple, Scandinavian-inspired Christmas decorations (+ giveaway!) with Cox & Cox | These Four Walls blog

    Simple, Scandinavian-inspired Christmas decorations (+ giveaway!) with Cox & Cox

    November 7, 2018June 20, 2019

    [Advertisement – this is a paid partnership with Cox & Cox, but all words and opinions are my own] I know it’s only November, but there’s a distinct chill in…

  • Home tour - a minimalist apartment in Helsinki | These Four Walls blog

    Home tour | A minimalist apartment in Helsinki

    November 5, 2018June 20, 2019

    It’s time for another home tour and today I’m taking a peek inside the stunning Finnish apartment of Riika Wikberg, Head of Business Development at Marimekko, and her family. I…

  • Handmade textiles from Stitch by Stitch | These Four Walls blog

    Profile | Handmade textiles from Stitch by Stitch

    October 29, 2018October 28, 2018

    I discovered a raft of interesting makers and independent design brands on my recent visit to the North London home of interior designer Louisa Grey, but one in particular stood out:…

  • Making paint personal - a warm take on neutrals with Crown Paints | These Four Walls blog

    My minimalist yet warm dining-room makeover | Mood board & plans

    October 26, 2018October 25, 2018

    Now that the living-room makeover is complete, I’ve moved on to sprucing up our dining room – another space that’s in need of attention, having been decorated in a bit…

  • Home tour - a Swedish apartment in soft green and white - These Four Walls blog

    Home tour | A Swedish apartment with a soft green bedroom

    October 22, 2018

    A lot of the homes I’m drawn towards at the moment seem to feature soft green interiors – maybe it’s because of some deep-seated desire to retain a connection with…

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I always think pears are the prettiest of the autu I always think pears are the prettiest of the autumn fruits, and I love the way they look displayed in this vintage stone bowl. Just don't ask me to put them in a crumble or anything similar - I love cosy season, but I don't have much of a sweet tooth and find cooked desserts and stewed fruits far too stodgy! Any pears I get go into salads, pasta or risotto with cheese. 

#cottagekitchen #cottagekitchendecor #neutralkitchen #autumnishere #autumnhomestyle 

Shaker kitchen | Cottage renovation | Autumn home decor | Autumn kitchen styling | Autumn fruits | Kitchen details | Neutral home decor | Cottage interior | Modern country kitchen
[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

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