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  • A weekend aboard Blackbird - a stylish houseboat rental on a peaceful North Devon lake | These Four Walls blog

    A weekend aboard Blackbird – a luxurious houseboat rental in North Devon

    June 6, 2022February 26, 2026

    For the perfect balance of luxury and nature, a stay aboard this stylish North Devon houseboat is hard to beat…

  • A relaxed seaside stay in Mousehole, Cornwall

    A relaxed seaside stay in Mousehole, Cornwall

    May 27, 2022March 10, 2026

    My review of Morvoren – a stylish self-catering cottage rental with sea views and simple coastal interiors in the harbour village of Mousehole, Cornwall…

  • Holloways of Ludlow – a new design destination in the heart of Bath

    Holloways of Ludlow – a new design destination in the heart of Bath

    March 14, 2022March 23, 2026

    Its largest yet, Holloways of Ludlow’s fifth showroom is home to a wide selection of European brands, with a particular focus on pared-back Scandinavian design…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Profile | Ceramicist Reesha Zubair

    Profile | Ceramicist Reesha Zubair

    June 29, 2021January 22, 2026

    Today I’m continuing my series of interviews with independent designers and artists by talking to ceramicist Reesha Zubair, whose work has captivated me ever since I first stumbled across her…

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A few people asked how effective the flame on our A few people asked how effective the flame on our bioethanol stove is, so here's a peek - and I reckon it's pretty good. Obviously you don't get the lovely woodsmoke smell that you have with wood-burners, but you can always recreate that with a scented candle - 'Smoke' by @essenceandalchemy, 'Tinder Box' by @thebotanicalcandleco and 'Winter Embers' by @charlesfarrislondon are ideal. And of course no smoke means no nasty particles in the air...

#cosyseason #autumnhome #cottageliving #cottagerenovation #neutrallivingroom 

Bioethanol fire | Cottage living room | Rustic minimalist interior | Neutral home decor | Cosy home | Soft minimalist decor | Minimalist home | Cottagr renovation
[AD - the flooring is a PR product] We've had a br [AD - the flooring is a PR product] We've had a break from renovating over the past couple of months, focusing on enjoying the finished ground-floor rooms rather than starting on any others. But that's about to change, as work on our bland, tatty and dated bathroom kicks off on Monday. We had originally planned to leave it until next year, but the bath has started leaking through the ceiling of our newly painted living room so we've brought things forward.

It's a small space and there isn't really any other way to lay it out, but otherwise we'll be giving it a total overhaul. We're going for a timeless, pared-back look with a hint of rustic cottage charm, mixing tongue-and-groove panelling with beautifully imperfect Zellige tiles and a linen shower curtain. We'll be using the @quickstepfloors pale oak 'Cascada' flooring that we're fitting throughout the house (it's totally watertight and ideal for bathrooms), and adding some much-needed storage by concealing the toilet cistern within a built-in floor-to-ceiling cupboard. The taps and shower will be the same gunmetal finish that we've used in the kitchen, as I love the way it patinates and ties in with the overall palette. I'm also thinking of painting the bathroom in a darker colour than we've used elsewhere - probably @farrowandball's stony 'Light Grey', which we chose for the front door. 

Swipe through the carousel to see my digital and physical mood boards for the bathroom, and a peek at what it looks like at the moment. 

Flooring: @quickstepfloors [PR product]
Tiles: @bakedtiles 
Taps and shower: @abiinteriors_uk 
Shower curtain: @fermliving 
Wall lamps: @corstonarchitecturaldetail 
Mirror, travertine accessories and towel: Zara Home
Vase: already owned

#cottagerenovation #interiormoodboard #bathroomrenovation #neutralhomedecor #minimalistbathroom 

Batheoom renovation | Neutral bathroom decor | Cottage bathroom | Minimalist bathroom | Bathroom panelling | Neutral interior | Neutral home | Soft minimalist home | Simple interiors
The pocket-door cupboard is perhaps my favourite f The pocket-door cupboard is perhaps my favourite feature of our new kitchen. We dithered about having the pocket doors as they're more expensive than normal ones, but I'm so glad we decided to go for them. They're perfect for a small-ish kitchen like ours, as they slide back into the frame when open rather than jutting out into the room. That makes the kitchen so much easier to use and circulate around, and it's freed up enough floor space for a little freestanding island unit in the centre. 

We've added a section of worktop inside the cupboard to give us some handy extra prep space, and we can open it up or hide it away as needed. It's turned out to be particularly useful when we've prepared food in advance and need to shut it away from a curious and rather greedy cat...

#shakerkitchen #cottagekitchen #minimalistkitchen #cottagerenovation #neutralhomedecor 

Minimalist cottage interior | Shaker kitchen | Cottage kitchen renovation | Scandinavian kitchen | Soft minimalist interiors | Neutral home | Neutrak kitchen inspiration | Pocket doors
Scenes from Avebury Manor, taken a couple of weeks Scenes from Avebury Manor, taken a couple of weeks ago. It's always the little details - the way the light falls, the texture of an old wall - that draw my eye in historic houses like this. And the gardens (currently home to an outdoor sculpture exhibition) are beautiful. 

@avebury_nt 

#visitwiltshire #bitsofbuildings #nationaltrustuk #wiltshireuk #thisprettyengland
I’ve always loved the cosy warmth and soothing glo I’ve always loved the cosy warmth and soothing glow of a real flame, and a working fireplace was high on the wish-list when we moved from the city to the countryside. We haven't installed a wood-burner or a gas fire though - instead we've opted for a bioethanol stove, which uses a liquid plant-based fuel. Here's why... 

#bioethanolfire #cottageinterior #cottagerenovation #minimalistcottage #cosyseason

Minimalist cottage interior | Cottage renovation | Bioethanol stove | Bioethanol fireplace | Cosy minimalism | Soft minimalist home | Minimalist living room | Neutral home decor | Autumn home decor

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