Skip to content
  • HOME
  • BlogExpand
    • Interiors
    • Travel
    • Seasonal living
    • West Country & Cotswolds
  • About
  • Work with me
  • PortfolioExpand
    • Interiors & seasonal living
    • Travel, nature & location
  • My booksExpand
    • Bring The Outside In
    • The Soft Minimalist Home
  • The Edit
  • Contact
Instagram Pinterest Threads
  • 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…

  • The ‘Vega’ chair – a versatile design classic for today’s home

    The ‘Vega’ chair – a versatile design classic for today’s home

    January 30, 2023February 17, 2026

    Carl Hansen & Søn’s stackable ‘Vega’ chair is a versatile and timeless Scandinavian design classic for today’s multifunctional home…

  • Autumn-winter 2022 news from &Tradition

    Autumn-winter 2022 news from &Tradition

    September 7, 2022February 23, 2026

    Danish brand &Tradition’s new-season launches include minimalist lighting, multi-functional furniture and a relaunched mid-century modern chair…

  • Home tour | Soft, neutral decor in Finland

    Home tour | Soft, neutral decor in Finland

    September 1, 2022February 23, 2026

    Look around a stylish Finnish apartment decorated in soothing beige and white, with a beautiful mix of period features and contemporary design…

  • New design finds | August 2022

    New design finds | August 2022

    August 4, 2022February 24, 2026

    Minimalist design launches catching my eye this month include portable lamps, beautiful bathroom vanity units and gorgeous furniture from Denmark and Ukraine…

  • The iconic CH24 ‘Wishbone’ chair gets an Ilse Crawford makeover

    The iconic CH24 ‘Wishbone’ chair gets an Ilse Crawford makeover

    July 28, 2022February 24, 2026

    Tasked with adding a new perspective to Hans J. Wegner’s famous CH24 ‘Wishbone’ chair, London-based designer Ilse Crawford created nine beautifully timeless, earthy colours inspired by Scandinavian nature…

Page navigation

1 2 3 … 5 Next PageNext

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

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

DISCLAIMER


This site occasionally contains paid-for content, gifted products and affiliate links. All such content is clearly marked.

Simple, relaxed living at home & beyond

Instagram Pinterest Threads

Copyright 2026 © Abi Dare

  • Privacy Policy
Scroll to top
  • HOME
  • Blog
    • Interiors
    • Travel
    • Seasonal living
    • West Country & Cotswolds
  • About
  • Work with me
  • Portfolio
    • Interiors & seasonal living
    • Travel, nature & location
  • My books
    • Bring The Outside In
    • The Soft Minimalist Home
  • The Edit
  • Contact
Cart Shopping Cart 0
This site uses cookies to give you the best possible web experience. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with this.