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  • Our cottage renovation – an update

    Our cottage renovation – an update

    February 20, 2026February 20, 2026

    It’s three months since we moved into our 19th-century stone cottage on the edge of the Cotswolds. Here’s a renovation progress update, plus details of what we have planned next…

  • A new home and a new renovation project: plans for our 19th-century stone cottage

    A new home and a new renovation project: plans for our 19th-century stone cottage

    November 25, 2025February 9, 2026

    Why we’ve moved out of Bristol to the beautiful town of Bradford on Avon, and our plans for the renovation of our 19th-century Bath-stone cottage…

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From a blustery, atmospheric weekend on the Northu From a blustery, atmospheric weekend on the Northumberland coast, around this time last year. We were there for a friend's birthday celebration, and it's a beautiful place - well worth the looooong drive from the West Country. It was during that weekend that Chris and I realised just how much we enjoyed being out of the city and decided to give our longed-for move to the countryside a go. In fact we'd called the estate agent by the time we got back to Bristol, and our house was on the market within a fortnight! 

#visitnorthumberland #thisprettyengland #thewildnesstonic #mistyfoggymilkymoody #gowildlyandslow
I couldn't resist bringing a bit of blossom from o I couldn't resist bringing a bit of blossom from our copper beech inside to display in our home office - one of the few rooms that isn't total chaos at the moment! 

Going out to the garden to be greeted by the blossom has been a lovely surprise this week. Obviously I knew our new house came with the tree, and I know trees blossom. But somehow I still hadn't expected it! 

#springhomedecor #springstyling #blossomwatch #seasonalhomedecor #natureinthehome
Small joys amid the renovation chaos today: beauti Small joys amid the renovation chaos today: beautiful spring light, discovering the copper beech tree in our garden has blossomed, and sitting down to read @thedesignchaser's wonderful new book The Quiet Home (which includes a photo of our previous house). And laughing at a cat who thinks he's good at hiding but really isn't! 

#springjoy #slowsimpleseasonal #blossomwatch #seasonalhome #chasinglight
[AD] I feel like we're starting to make real progr [AD] I feel like we're starting to make real progress with the renovation now. The beautiful pale oak @quickstepfloors Cascada hardwood boards [PR product] have been laid in the main bedroom and office, both of which are now almost finished. The carpet has also been removed throughout the downstairs rooms so fitting the flooring can start there, our new internal doors, bronze handles, bronze plug sockets and bronze light switches have been installed throughout, and a chimney breast has been built in the living room ready for the custom-made Bath-stone fireplace that arrives on Friday. Meanwhile Loki is alternating between site supervising and delivery-box inspection, and taking both roles very seriously. 

#renolife #cottagerenovation #softminimalism #minimalinterior #cottageinterior
From a beautifully wintry, frosty morning before t From a beautifully wintry, frosty morning before this seemingly endless rain set in... I'm not normally one to complain about the weather, but seriously...?! 

#thebeautyinwinter #mistyfoggymilkymoody #visitwiltshire #thisprettyengland #cornersofmyworld

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