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  • The Vipp Pencil Case - a serene guest suite in Copenhagen | These Four Walls blog

    The Vipp Pencil Case – a serene guest suite in Copenhagen

    March 21, 2022March 23, 2026

    Vipp’s latest guesthouse is a converted 1930s pencil factory where minimalist Danish design meets Bauhaus-inspired architecture…

  • A cosy Cotswolds minibreak at Wild Thyme & Honey

    A cosy Cotswolds minibreak at Wild Thyme & Honey

    January 19, 2022January 22, 2026

    [Advertisement – this post is based on a press stay, but all words and opinions are my own] Despite all the talk of new plans and a fresh start, I…

  • Runo - a new Finnish hotel from interior designer Joanna Laajisto | These Four Walls blog

    Runo – a new Finnish hotel from interior designer Joanna Laajisto

    January 10, 2022

    I’m starting the week with a bit of interiors and travel inspiration courtesy of Runo – a new boutique hotel designed by Helsinki-based Joanna Laajisto. It recently opened its doors…

  • A foggy winter walk at Woodchester Park, Gloucestershire, South West England | These Four Walls blog

    A foggy winter walk around Woodchester Park in Gloucestershire

    January 5, 2022January 22, 2026

    Happy New Year everyone! I hope you’ve had a good start to 2022 so far. I’m back from a two-week festive break and I have lots of interesting interiors, travel…

  • Top tips for visiting Northumberland | These Four Walls blog

    Top tips for visiting Northumberland

    October 13, 2021October 13, 2021

    Every year my friend Becky and I head off on a travel adventure together – it’s become a bit of a tradition, and something we always look forward to. Past…

  • Plácido y Grata – a new minimalist design hotel in Seville

    Plácido y Grata – a new minimalist design hotel in Seville

    October 11, 2021

    When I was 17 and studying A-Level Spanish (I later went on to do a university degree in it), I persuaded my parents to choose Seville for our annual family…

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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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