It’s time for part three of my festive gift guide 2023 – today, focused on the hard to buy for. Ie. those people in your life who have everything and are a little on the picky side when it comes to aesthetics! I think in those cases it’s often best to pick experiences over material things, so you’re giving something that they can enjoy time and time again. So we’ve got a gallery membership, a basket weaving kit, a candle making kit, a magazine subscription, a wine selection case and more. 1. Attirecade shoe cleaning set, £35, Arket 2. Marjolein Delhaas 2024 Basic Planner, £26, Tea and Kate 3 ..read more

I can’t quite believe it’s December in a couple of days! I’m kicking off my series of festive gift guides for 2023 with one focused on curious and creative little ones. This was mainly an excuse to have a good dig around and find some ideas for my own two and a half year old daughter. It’s a tricky balance between wanting to celebrate the excitement of Christmas but not wanting to welcome in too much stuff that they don’t really need. I’ve picked a selection of gender neutral toys and accessories which will appease the design conscious parent while also providing joy for little minds. I know m ..read more

What is there to say about Lewes except that it really is very lovely. Located in East Sussex, England, and not far from the coast, it’s a pretty market town with a quaint high street that runs down a hillside to the River Ouse. I first visited as a stepping stone to Charleston house – the curious, modernist home of the Bloomsbury Group of artists and writers, which lies 15 minutes drive away in the Sussex countryside. I’ve since returned to Lewes on mini day trips out of London, to mooch around the antique shops, and stop for coffee and cake. Now there’s even more reason to visit Lewes since ..read more

Are you in the Christmas mood yet? It’s very nearly time for the first mince pie of the season and perhaps a carol or two on the radio. I love this time of year – it brings cosiness to the dark, grey days and comfort when it’s cold and chilly outside. And this year is extra magical as my two year old daughter takes in the wonders of Christmas with joy and delight in her eyes! Fully embracing all things festive, I’ve been getting my home ready for the Christmas season with the help of Very. Now we have the new extension and all the additional space, it makes me want to go all out with the decor ..read more

If you’re in the process of designing a kitchen, as well as the aesthetics of the kitchen fronts and the overall style of the space, you’re probably most concerned with what type of worktop to choose. Now we have more options than ever, from traditional natural stone and richly veined marble, through man-made quartz and high performance composites, to porcelain surfaces and sustainable recycled materials. There’s even smart materials that use innovative tech to integrate invisible hobs into surfaces so you can cook directly through your worktop!  There’s pros and cons of each and it pays ..read more

The pretty English town of Rye makes the perfect weekend escape, whether you’re heading to the coast in summer or hunkering down next to a fire in the winter. A hodge-podge of medieval buildings and historic townhouses line the quaint cobbled streets, winding their way down to the harbour and river mouth before it makes its way out to the nearby sea. The small town was once a small fishing community, almost entirely surrounded by water, before becoming a protected port for trading, and later smuggling. Once home to Henry James and visited often by Rudyard Kipling, today you’ll find a quie ..read more

You’ve seen the first look at my new light-filled extension space, now let’s have a look at the little room that sits above it – my minimalist home office. At the beginning of the year, we added a double storey extension to our two bedroom Victorian terraced house in London, quite literally doubling the size of the downstairs and adding a new bedroom and a petite bathroom upstairs. We started the project in November, completed the build in April and I’ve been painting, primping and perfecting the spaces ever since. With a large contemporary window overlooking the wild foliage of the garden, th ..read more

Danish design is defined by the idea that furniture should be made to last, so that it can be cherished and passed down, whatever styles may come in or out of fashion. I think that’s why mid century design continues to endure – not only were the designs incredibly well made and beautifully functional, they also had a simplicity to them that meant that they could fit seamlessly into any setting. I love the idea (if you are able to) of buying less but better, so that you can fill your home with meaningful objects that get even more beautiful with age. Then you’re less likely to keep replacing fu ..read more

It’s time for my (slightly irregular) feature ‘On My Radar’, where I round up a selection of new furniture launches and simple homeware finds that have caught my eye in the last month or so. In this month’s edition we have gorgeous olive green sideboards, minimalist wooden stools, foam free sofas and tactile porcelain lamps. Enjoy! USM launches limited-edition colour Olive Green for autumnAvailable in 14 signature colours, USM’s modular furniture is instantly recognisable as a design classic. The last time USM added a permanent colour to their collection was in 1995, so it’s with muc ..read more

Venice – there’s no other city like it. It has an otherworldly charm and magic that captures your soul and makes you fall in love with it as soon as you hop off the vaparetto or walk through the doors of the central station right onto the Grand Canal. I think that has something to do with the combination of the crumbling architecture, the tranquil waterways and the special quality of light that gives everything it touches a soft glow. That and the innate fragility of the place, which makes you feel grateful to see it still standing as you walk over it’s umpteen bridges and hear the sound of la ..read more