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  • Minimalism meets traditional crafts at Milan Design Week exhibition ‘Still Life – The Art of Living’

    Minimalism meets traditional crafts at Milan Design Week exhibition ‘Still Life – The Art of Living’

    April 27, 2023February 17, 2026

    This collaborative Milan Design Week exhibition from Ariake and other brands fused Scandinavian minimalism with traditional crafts from Japan, Portugal, Ethiopia and more…

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

    Home tour | A minimalist Japandi apartment in Stockholm

    October 31, 2022February 18, 2026

    This Stockholm apartment is a wonderful example of soft, minimalist Japandi style, with cosy lighting, muted neutral decor and layers of texture…

  • Calming neutral bedroom with minimalist beige lounge chair from Danish design brand Muuto's Oslo seating series | New finds - May 2022 | These Four Walls blog

    New finds | May 2022

    May 6, 2022March 10, 2026

    Design finds this month include minimalist art, sustainable furniture from a new British name, relaunched 1971 icons and a twist on a contemporary classic…

  • Home tour - a minimalist cabin in a Swedish forest | These Four Walls blog

    Home tour | A minimalist cabin in a Swedish forest

    February 23, 2022

    For today’s home tour we’re heading deep into the Swedish wilderness, to a beautiful cabin that’s just been remodelled by Copenhagen-based Norm Architects. Perched on top of a ridge and…

  • The 'Frame' collection from Kristina Dam Studio | These Four Walls blog

    The ‘Frame’ collection from Kristina Dam Studio

    February 1, 2022January 31, 2022

    Normally the first week of February would see me heading off to Sweden for the Stockholm Furniture Fair – one of the biggest trade shows in the design calendar. That’s…

  • New pieces from Menu

    New pieces from Menu

    October 18, 2021

    It’s not long since I last featured Menu, but it’s recently added even more designs to its collection and I couldn’t resist sharing them. As always, they’re gorgeous – and…

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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
[AD - PR invite] Going to the Summer Lates at @the [AD - PR invite] Going to the Summer Lates at @theromanbaths in Bath has become a bit of a tradition for us in recent years. They stay open until 10pm, and they're absolutely magical illuminated by the setting sun and flickering torches. They even set up a bar by the main pool, and there are music sessions on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It's nice to enjoy such a special place in a relaxed, sociable way, just as the Romans did 2,000 years ago.

Summer Lates run every evening until 31st August, so do head along if you're local or visiting Bath. 

@visitbathuk #summerinbath #bathuk #theprettycities #summermood #thisprettyengland

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