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  • Natural autumn styling with a dried wreath & pumpkins

    Natural autumn styling with a dried wreath & pumpkins

    October 24, 2025January 23, 2026

    A soft, understated and textural take on fall styling, with natural decorations in muted greens, off-whites and beiges…

  • The best scented candles for autumn – updated for 2025

    The best scented candles for autumn – updated for 2025

    September 16, 2025January 23, 2026

    A round-up of the best scented candles for autumn, from deep, woody aromas that evoke forests and firesides to comforting fragrances for cosy nights in…

  • Profile | Artist Savita Hartsteen

    Profile | Artist Savita Hartsteen

    July 15, 2025January 23, 2026

    I chat to Rotterdam-based artist Savita Hartsteen about her minimalist yet deeply meaningful paintings, her artistic journey, the power of nature, finding fulfilment and turning a dream into a reality…

  • Sleeping in a heatwave with cooling bamboo bedding from Laud

    Sleeping in a heatwave with cooling bamboo bedding from Laud

    July 11, 2025January 23, 2026

    My review of Luff Sleep bamboo-silk bedding from UK bedding specialists Laud: what does it look like, is it good for your skin and does it really help you stay cool in a heatwave?

  • The Briiv 2 Pro – my tried-and-tested Briiv air purifier gets an upgrade

    The Briiv 2 Pro – my tried-and-tested Briiv air purifier gets an upgrade

    February 7, 2025January 23, 2026

    Tackling indoor air pollution with the stylish and sustainable Briiv 2 Pro air purifier – my tried-and-tested review…

  • This year’s Christmas decorations – minimalist elegance with glass, bows & earthy tones

    This year’s Christmas decorations – minimalist elegance with glass, bows & earthy tones

    December 5, 2024January 27, 2026

    This year I’ve used fluted glass baubles, paper stars, bows, pine cones and fir to create my neutral, minimalist Christmas decor…

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One of the things I love most about our house is t One of the things I love most about our house is the 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
[AD - PR products tagged] The view that makes me h [AD - PR products tagged] The view that makes me happy every time I come in through the front door (until I get to the bottom of the stairs, which is where the extent of our cottage renovation currently stops!). #diningroomdesign #cottagerenovation #rusticminimalism #neutralhomedecor #simplehomestyle
Back in May I spent three fantastic days exploring Back in May I spent three fantastic days exploring Bergen with my friend Becky, and I've finally got around to putting together a city guide. Norway's second-largest city and one-time capital is known as the ‘gateway to the fjords’, and many people fly in and head straight back out again on a cruise. But it’s a place that’s well worth exploring, either as part of a wider itinerary or as a destination in its own right. Sandwiched between mountains and sea, it's a wonderful mix of history, culture and scenery, with a Unesco-listed Hanseatic harbourside, plenty of art galleries, a thriving food scene, and pretty wooden houses that creep up the slopes of its famous seven hills. Here are my top 12 things to see and do in Bergen, including restaurants, viewpoints, museums and more. Save this post for your future travels, and find my full Bergen guide on the blog. #visitbergen #visitnorway #travelblogger #travelphotography #divineworldplaces

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