This piece is lonnng but fabulous. It will almost definitely cut off in your email. That means you’ll miss half the good stuff. Sob. But fear not, you can read the rest in your app or on your browser, although easier on the app I’d say. Enjoy!

Hello, hello, how are you? I am a shell of a woman I tell you. A. SHELL. The boys have just a few days left of their summer holidays and I can no longer speak coherently, I am so exhausted. I am NOT moaning (ok I am, but guys, it’s been six-and-a-half-weeks!? With three boys. Whose idea was it to make the summer holidays so damn long?). We’ve had a blast, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. They. MUST. END. Do you hear me kids?

Before we get going, a small bit of housekeeping, because I’m changing up the content a little this month, and going forward, and I think you’re going to LOVE it.

I’ve spent the summer plotting, and what I’ve come up with is a proper monthly rhythm and pieces I think you’ll genuinely look forward to reading - whilst settled in a cosy corner for 10 minutes of course. One week practical design advice, one week nosey, one week honest, and one week of pure indulgence - so whatever you’re in the mood for when you open your emails, there’ll be something here for you. This is what you can expect:

Week 1 - Homes with Soul. The practical one. A real design problem, properly unpicked, so you end up with a home that feels unmistakably you. (The first edition of this starts today!)

Week 2 - Steal My Style. I take one room apart - a mixture of mine and other spaces I know you’ll love - and show you why it works, what’s in it, and exactly where to find it. Absolutely no gatekeeping.

Week 3 - The Personal Essay. The honest one. The sometimes raw, close-to-the-bone one. Slower, more meandering (because if you know me, you know I love a meander).

Week 4 - The Snaffle - Joyful Things & Links to Loveliness. Everything I’ve found, loved and want you to have too. Essentially, a monthly rummage through my saved folder. I shop the internet so you don’t have to.

And when a cheeky fifth Wednesday turns up, I’ll use it for something extra (and maybe seasonal, maybe random, we’ll see) - a bonus, basically.

Same me. Just kinda organised!?

Homes with Soul - Issue #01

Why you can’t work out your interior style

‘What style do you call this then?’

The question I dread. And one I’ve cobbled together an answer for countless times over the years of sharing my home online. In the past, I tried to articulate something that sounded vaguely authoritative, clever even. That OF COURSE I knew what my own style was. I would file my home under a neat little label, so people could go ‘ahh ok, so that’s what I want then’ - because I thought that’s what they wanted to hear.

But it’s a load of bollocks. And I want to tell you why. Because you won’t hear it said very often and there’s a good reason for that too.

A few years ago, my home was described as ‘Modern Vintage’ or ‘Relaxed Maximalism’. Last month, it may have been ‘Curated Cozy’. Next week, ‘Coastal Grandmother’. Personally, I prefer ‘Old Stuff Mostly From Dead People’. But you catch my drift?! Where does it end?

And we seek out these labels because they give us a neatly packaged idea to work with. But there’s a real danger that when you pin a specific name to your style and build everything around that ‘goal’, you end up losing the most important part of creating a home - YOU.

But if we don’t give it a label, how do we know what to look for? What to buy? How to put it together? It’s incredibly confusing. Which is why I’m going to share with you six bloody brilliant ways to work out what you love - without giving it a label.

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This is a deliciously longer read, with personal memories and images, so if you’re reading it in your email it may be cut off short before you get the chance to finish it (which would be a crying shame). If so, you can read it in full on the app. Enjoy!

The first thing we’d do when we arrived for our annual two-week holiday at my grandparents’ home on the Hampshire coastline was head straight to the kitchen where we knew there’d be a batch of ‘Nancy McCann’s’ waiting for us in the slightly dented biscuit tin that no one other than my Granny was permitted access. The Nancy McCann’s were always in this particular tin - perfectly square with a chocolate advert-style picture on the lid. 1940s, I’d guess. Even at a young age, it felt nostalgic, although of course, at the age of eight, you don’t know that something is ‘nostalgic’ as such - it’s just old, a relic from another time that predates your existence. It sparks a morsel of curiosity in you but then sits dormant for thirty years, until one day these snippets come back to you Polaroid fashion.

We’d take our modest squares of Nancy McCann’s - what I know now to be a sort of chocolate tiffin - go through the living room, past the oil paintings of some distant great-great-aunt, being careful not to bash into Granny’s antique writing bureau which always smelt of furniture polish, then on into the conservatory with its floral folding sun loungers and tomato plants, and finally out to the garden.

We’d have been hot and sticky by then - eight hours on a packed train is a long journey for a kid, but we loved almost every minute. Especially the last half an hour, when my mother would let us leave our seats and we’d go and stand by the carriage door, with our heads hanging dangerously far out of the lowered train window (no such windows on trains today, sob). The air rushing at our faces as the train raced through mile upon mile of thick bracken and a riotous stretch of purple heather. And then there would be the wild ponies - small and shy-looking. The New Forest. A magical wilderness compared to the neat little suburbia back home.

But it wasn’t just the physicality of the landscape - as different as it was to our terraced home in the North East - that felt exhilarating. It was the escape…

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Well hello there, I write to you from an unusual…

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Hello there, it’s been a funny old week and I’m in need of a little pick-me-up, and maybe you are too… so, I thought I’d share the photo above before we get into the nitty-gritty of this week’s Midweek Meander. Isn’t it beautiful? I posted it to Substack notes recently and it’s gone bonkers this last week or so. I guess it’s the equivalent of a post going viral on Instagram, although I can’t be 100% sure because I’ve never gone ‘viral’ on Substack and generally have little interest in virality anywhere in my life these days ha. As I write, it’s garnered over 18,000 likes, which seems like rather A LOT. I get it though, it’s one of my favourite photos of a much-loved view not far from my home. And I have a hundred slightly different versions of the same image.

Some people have questioned whether it’s real. Some have said it looks like a painting. Thankfully no one has accused it of being AI (which is a small miracle these days, on Substack especially). I can assure you, this spot is as real to me as my children currently arguing in the background over who has the biggest space on the sofa (give me strength).

The view is actually a very tiny wild garden at the top of a cliff just minutes from the house I grew up in. It’s part of my daily walk and I never, ever tire of seeing it. What you can’t see in the image is the path just behind this little patch of wilderness and a crescent of Edwardian houses overlooking the sea - a street I’ve dreamt of living in since I was a little girl.

Since the age of about eight - by which time I’d set my sights firmly on being a writer when I grew up (I still do want to be a writer when I grow up) - I imagined myself writing at a wooden desk in the attic space of these beautiful houses. No doubt surrounded by cats, bookshelves and jam jars filled with wildflowers. Very whimsical (can I even say that on here anymore? I’m firmly in the whimsy-for-life camp I’m afraid). Anyway, that particular dream never really came to fruition. Although, I do now occupy a lovely old battered dining table to do my writing - surrounded by bookshelves and which looks out to my little garden (which I’m so very slowly making pretty). And I romanticise every single moment of it all, because it makes me bloody happy to do so.

This is why I got myself a bit miffed at a message left on a photo of my home last week. On the surface, it was nothing at all - a throwaway comment that someone had thought very little about. And it wasn’t a cruel comment as such, just plain wrong (and pretty rude!). They’d looked past everything in the photo and homed in on the one thing that really didn’t have any bearing on what the overall image was conveying.

Well anyway, it got me thinking about what this person had missed, what was right before their eyes but they couldn’t see - or maybe wouldn’t let themselves see - and so I did what I’ve always vowed I’d never do… and that’s respond to a negative comment. But of course I did.

So what did she say? And what did I say back? (Very politely. Mostly. Although there may have been a hint of mildly murderous in my tone, I can’t be sure.) And why I genuinely think she’d be a little happier if she understood the difference between what she saw and what was actually there. All coming up below, along with five easy ways to make your everyday spaces feel less mundane and more magical.

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Well hello there, how are you? I’m surrounded by half-unpacked suitcases and beach towels, while bags of beige snacks seem to be littering every available kitchen surface. How to say you’ve just come back from a holiday with young kids without saying a single word about said holiday ha. We arrived back from our trip to beautiful South Wales (more on that in a bit) last night and I woke up a woman possessed; the washing machine was forced into action at 6am, piles of unworn clothes now clog every floor space, and a jumble of charging cables (who on earth needs six charging cables for a one-week holiday?) is staring at me passive-aggressively.

I am not one of those people who can leave their suitcase, untouched, for days or even weeks after a holiday. The visual noise drives me insane. I almost wish I was that kind of person though; maybe I’d be much more chill about the state of my house right now. Anyway, it seems a pointless endeavour unpacking it all because we’re off to Scotland mountain-biking for a few days next week (god help me and my accident-prone ways), although I suspect an entirely different wardrobe is required for our forthcoming trip to a muddy Scottish forest.

Back to Wales, and we had the most fabulous week staying on the breathtaking Pembrokeshire coast. Glorious sunshine followed us around most days, the boys had a blast with other feral children in the sea, and I ate food so good all week that I can now only wear elasticated pants for the foreseeable.

It was my first time visiting South Wales, having only ever been to the North of the country very briefly, and it surpassed all my expectations. The dramatic clifftops, hidden coves and colourful little harbour towns reminded me a lot of Cornwall, although Pembrokeshire felt almost easier to explore and just a little bit less touristy. Favourite places included Tenby, Solva, Saundersfoot, and St David’s.

Of course, the trip wasn’t without some testing moments. I mean, can you even call it a ‘family holiday’ if you don’t want to divorce your partner several times over or lose at least one of your children? We actually did lose our youngest. At a cathedral. For about two minutes which felt like two hours. I’ve only ‘lost’ one of my kids once before, in a gigantic toy store, and that feeling of fear - unlike any other - is not something I ever wanted to repeat. Anyway, it all ended ok - the Welsh gods must have been looking down on me and my little pickle that day. I realise I sound like a terrible parent so let’s move swiftly on shall we?!

Welsh cake anyone?

The highlight of the trip - apart from the beautiful coastline and charming villages - was undoubtedly the food. Sadly, I didn’t get to gorge on as much of the local seafood as I would have liked, because not one of my three boys particularly likes fish, sob, but I did enjoy some spectacular meals at the cosy and romantic Il Caminetto, Umi, a Japanese restaurant serving the best sushi I’ve ever tasted, and Florentino’s, with beautiful views overlooking Tenby harbour. I also had the most divine cheesecake at Cheesecake Cove, and of course, the Welsh cakes are far superior in Wales, particularly at the Loafley Bakery & Deli.

Wales, you are utterly charming, and I can’t wait to go back.

When the ‘big lights’ just aren’t cutting it.

A lighting upgrade that has transformed my hallway and living room… and I’m about to share with you exactly what I chose and why.

I bang on (and on and on) about the importance of lighting - layered lighting specifically - in the home. How it is probably more important than what your sofa looks like. How table lamps cast ambient light and create a cosy, inviting atmosphere. How wall lights make your interiors feel that little bit more considered (and expensive). But the dreaded ‘big light’ - which we aren’t supposed to ever use if you believe social media - has got itself rather a bad rep.

But what if our big light was the star of the show and everything else the supporting cast? Would that then convince us that our main light is of equal importance and has just as much of an impact on the overall aesthetic of a space? Even if you don’t like using the ceiling light in your living room (I admit, I rarely turn on the big light and scold anyone in my house who does!), the light fitting itself is a wonderful opportunity to create an eye-catching focal point, a little drama even.

My hallway has two main lights; it’s quite a spacious hallway as average English entranceways go and doesn’t get much natural light, so in the darker months, these main lights do get rather a lot of use. But the light fittings I chose seven years ago when we were renovating really weren’t cutting it; they jarred with the rest of the space (which - long-time subscribers will remember - I revamped at the end of last year).

So, move over lacklustre lights and step forward these enchanting beauties…

Coming up below the paywall… a before and after of my hallway lighting, with links to my new chosen lights, interiors catching my eye this week and how to take from them inspiration you can actually USE, plus a round-up of my favourite décor finds this week.

If this is your first time reading The Midweek Meander, I’m thrilled you’re here. You’ll find a delicious mix of interiors, real life chat, and links to lovely things. If you fancy the full experience, a paid subscription gets you all my décor sources and the exact pieces I’ve bought for my own home, tips on using colour and accessories to make your home FEEL good, and honest chat about real life ‘stuff’ that I don’t share anywhere else.

My hallway lighting before…

The problem wasn’t that the old lights were ugly - they weren’t (although disco ball does spring to mind). It’s that they belonged to a different hallway. When we renovated seven years ago, these pendants felt like a safe, easy choice - but safe is precisely why I started to loathe them…

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Hello there, it’s day five of the summer holidays, the boys are happily plugged into a device (DON’T judge me) and I’m attempting to get allll my work out of the way before 10am (it’s now 8.52am). Umm yeah, let’s see how that goes! It’s been a pretty good start to the hols; we celebrated my birthday at the weekend, enjoyed the MOST delicious Indian street food, I ate a shameful number of chocolate truffles, and yesterday I had breakfast with an lovely old friend I haven’t seen properly in years. This week is already shaping up to be a bonkers one as we (or should I say ‘I’… there’s never a ‘we’ when it comes to packing us all up for a holiday * rolls eyes dramatically *) prepare to head off to Wales for a little holiday. I’m really looking forward to it as it’s somewhere I’ve wanted to explore for a long time - I’ll keep you posted on where we go and what we do if you ever fancy a visit yourself.

I had the MOST fun writing this week’s Midweek Meander (possibly, just possibly because it’s a tad self-indulgent ha!). After turning 43 last week, I decided to reflect on what I know about life, creating a home and a lot of other nonsense that will almost certainly give you a laugh (or at the very least, a wince). I so hope you enjoy reading it; do let me know if you relate to any of the points below, I’d LOVE to hear from you.

17 things I know about life, design, & nonsense at 43

1. I usually know within about two minutes of meeting someone new whether I’m going to like them or not. It’s not because I’m judgemental (or maybe I am!?), but I’ve always gone off the energy that someone projects. I’m a talker, hugger, and over-sharer and if you’re the same, I’ll feel it fairly instantly and want to know all your childhood traumas. And if you’re not… acquaintances it is! (Which is also fine; we can’t all be best mates.)

2. I long to be a yellow person. Butter yellow walls, yellow summer dresses - I love it all, on other people and in other people’s homes - but I’m not a yellow person and never will be. I’m finally understanding that not everything I love is meant for me. (Read into that what you will!)

3. Morning me and afternoon me are two entirely different women. One is Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music - skipping down the stairs, smiling joyfully at my kin, and trotting out the door at 6am for a mental health walk. But come 4pm, I’m definitely more Miss Trunchbull - decidedly haggard-looking, grumpy and raiding the cupboard for comfort snacks. And if you talk to me after 7pm… well, there’s little point in even trying actually ha!

4. Speaking of snacks - chocolate, cake and biscuits are my biggest vice. I’ve spoken previously about my sugar addiction - it’s OUT OF CONTROL. I bought the book Sugarless to try and help me kick the habit and was extremely committed… for about four days until my husband annoyed me and I found myself halfway through a packet of Oreos. (Don’t let my lack of willpower put you off the book though, it’s very good!)

5. At 43, I will still take my clothes to my mother’s to be mended (is that shameful?!), then get irritated when she tells me it’s cold out and I should have a cardi on. Our mother-daughter relationship hasn’t moved on a great deal since 1998, it would seem.

Still to come: the thing people often get wrong about me, a decorating trend that makes me wince, and the one I’m only half-brave enough to tell you…

If this is your first time reading The Midweek Meander, I’m thrilled you’re here. You’ll find a delicious mix of interiors, real life chat, and links to lovely things. If you fancy the full experience, a paid subscription gets you all my décor sources and the exact pieces I’ve bought for my own home, tips on using colour and accessories to make your home FEEL good, and honest chat about real life ‘stuff’ that I don’t share anywhere else.

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A quick note: It’s a bumper issue this week so you may need to view the full post in your Substack app (well worth the full read though as there is SO much to devour).

Hello, hello, I’m a day behind this week and it’s THROWN me completely. It doesn’t take much these days; I am a creature of routine and get positively twitchy if things aren’t as they should be. Case in point: yesterday was Monday (confusing if you’re reading this when it lands in your inboxes on a Wednesday morning and so actually, yesterday is technically Tuesday, annnyway…) and on a Monday, I normally sit down at my dining table with my little library behind me and a view of the garden to my left, a giant mug of coffee at my side, and write this newsletter to you. I like Mondays, mostly because it’s my writing day, but also because the house is empty and silent - which is bliss following a weekend of noise and multiple humans in the house. But yesterday was not as it usually is.

This was because I VOLUNTEERED to help out at my youngest son’s end-of-term beach trip. This entails wearing a bright blue hi-vis jacket emblazoned with ‘parent helper’ across the back and helping to shepherd 30 children from the school down to our local beach - without losing any of them - and then spending several hours GENTLY telling them why it’s not a good idea to throw sand at each other and to keep their crocs on their feet instead of using them as makeshift sand containers. I’ve done a fair few of these beach visits over the years; my eldest son now being almost 15 and my middle boyo being 10.

On previous trips, I would sit on a beach towel, soak up some rays, and watch the kids play. All rather delightful. Not on this trip. Oh no no. My youngest, who has just turned eight, requires a little more… ‘supervision’, shall we say. So, the vibe is less chilled beach day and more HIGH ALERT with potential disaster at every moment. Bless the little ‘pickle’ that he is.

Anyway, long story short. I didn’t even get a chance to drink my water bottle, let alone enjoy my usual 10am coffee. And by the time I got home, I was in no fit state mentally or physically to start writing my Substack ha!

But, I have a really lovely Midweek Meander in store for you this week. We’re looking at lighting and oh boy, have I been shopping the internet (so you don’t have to). If your interiors feel like they’re missing something - or you’ve fallen out of love with a room and can’t put your finger on why - this may well be the issue for you.

Coming up this week: My top three statement pendant lights, the most popular light fittings in my home and why they work, plus - have you considered a striped lampshade? And if not, why on earth not? And as always, a round-up of my favourite décor pieces this week - not to be missed!

If this is your first time reading The Midweek Meander, I’m thrilled you’re here. You’ll find a delicious mix of interiors, real life chat, and links to lovely things. If you fancy the full experience, a paid subscription gets you all my décor sources and the exact pieces I’ve bought for my own home, tips on using colour and accessories to make your home FEEL good, and honest chat about real life ‘stuff’ that I don’t share anywhere else.

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Hello, hello, today is a good day folks, because my first ever dahlia has ‘popped’ open. And it is a BEAUTY. I am giddy with excitement. Is that daft? Well, if it is, I don’t care. You have to find pleasure in the small stuff, don’t you? It makes up for feeling rather ashamed at snaffling the majority of the homemade choc chip cookies I baked with the boys at the weekend. They were INSANELY good, so I wasn’t to blame really. My willpower evaporated at the first sniff of them. ‘Where’ve all the cookies gone?’ my 14-year-old asked yesterday, when he returned home from school starving hungry, no doubt having fantasised about said cookies all the way home. ‘It was only a tiny batch’, I replied, a tad too defensively. Shameful, I know.

The dahlia also makes up for the fact that I think I’m growing whiskers. Around my mouth AND chin. My grandmother had ‘whiskers’ as my mother called them. But she was in her 70s and I’m in my early 40s. What’s going on?? I have since panic-plucked away suspected whiskers - which was surprisingly painful - and I am whisker-free… for now. I didn’t actually realise they were whiskers (or should I refer to them as ‘course hairs’?) and mistook them for a crumb of food. This all came about when I was on the metro home after a meal out for my husband’s birthday last week and I felt something sharp at the side of my mouth. Thinking it was a tiny morsel of food I hadn’t wiped away (following my delicious steak from the fabulous Flat Iron), I tried brushing it off. But it was still there. For god’s sake. So very irritated by this spiky little nuisance, I whipped out my phone to inspect it. On the dreaded front camera. The absolute horrors of the front camera right in your OWN face. On public transport. And there it was, a bloody whisker.

Anyway, oversharing aside (yikes), lots of you have been taking advantage of the massive 40% discount I’ve offered on a paid subscription. So THANK YOU! I absolutely love writing this Substack each week, but it does take up a considerable number of hours of my week, so having you support my writing - and enjoy it - is the best feeling ever. There’s still a short time to take advantage of the discount, which you can find here, or by clicking the button below.

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In this week’s Midweek Meander, I’m talking about BIG but affordable changes to my kitchen, along with whether your home aesthetic suits tiles or panelling. Plus, links to the most asked about item of décor in my home this week… it’s a bumper one! (If it cuts off in your email, you may need to read the rest in the app.)

Am I mad to change my kitchen?

Is that a rhetorical question, you might be wondering?! And let me preface all of this with, ‘I know there is absolutely nothing wrong with my kitchen’, BUT (and here’s the really honest bit I don’t share online)…

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Hello hello lovely people, it’s been quite the morning here, she says wiping the literal sweat from her brow - we’re in the middle of a heatwave in England, if you hadn’t heard ;). We waved goodbye to our eldest son this morning who’s off on an expedition for two days into the wilds of beautiful Northumberland. He’ll be supervised, but from afar and must only contact supervisors in extreme emergency, so he and his pals have to fend for themselves for 36 hours. A group of 14-year-old boys left to their own devices in the countryside; it’ll be fine… won’t it?!

Yesterday was mostly spent packing his bag, ensuring he had everything he needs to survive - Bear Grylls’ style, obviously. I felt rather smug about how organised we were; all kit checked off and stowed away, with time to spare (this was a short-lived sense of smugness, as you’ll come to realise as you read on). The whole packing was made more exhausting than it needed to be though, because hunting out camping gear from the deep, dark depths of the ‘everything cupboard’ led to an impromptu declutter (poor, poor decision given the heatwave rendering us all incapable of functioning. Did I mention we’re in the middle of a heatwave?). I mean, that’s just a classic isn’t it? You go to look for a handbag you know is buried in a drawer somewhere and end up knee-deep in a wardrobe cull, questioning your life choices with a torrent of expletives filling the air.

Anyway, all packed and ready to go, it was a hasty goodbye as I had to dash up the motorway to a hospital appointment. Which is when it hit me. The realisation that although I’d remembered to pack him 18 hot dogs and homemade flapjack (there was also homemade brownie - I was on a roll), he had no pyjamas or a sweatshirt with him. What in the bloody hell was I thinking?! Well, that was it. Already feeling a little emotional about my biggest lad being so grown-up, I then wept all the way to my appointment over the shame of not packing my son a measly sweatshirt, only to look in the mirror when I arrived and see white streaks down my face where the ugly-crying had created rivulets through my bronzer. Great. Bloody great. Now I looked like I’d applied my make-up with one of the kids’ felt-tip pens.

What a start to the day! (I’ll not go into how I then couldn’t find a parking space and a van driver also yelled at me, so I yelled back whilst frantically rubbing at my cheeks, trying to blend my patchy face.)

So, the boyo may be a little chilly this evening but at least he has hot dogs aplenty to keep him feeling full, ha! Thank god for the heatwave, that’s all I can say (although, typically, it’s meant to be a lot cooler this evening). I’d definitely describe my style of parenting as extremely enthusiastic but with a dash of haphazardness thrown in, just to keep things spicy.

Moving hastily on before I overshare other examples of my ‘excellent’ parenting, and I was going to share with you the latest designs for my kitchen makeover (which is actually very exciting), but I’m going to save that for another time, and wanted instead to talk about something a little more personal this week. Very personal actually.

I occasionally share pieces like this because, not only is it good to mix things up now and again, but I’ve always maintained that this would be a home for more than just beautiful interior design inspiration. It’s also a place that should feel relaxed, relatable and almost as though we’re sat down, having a cuppa and a chat together.

So, let me share with you something I’ve been sitting with for a little while. It might even resonate with a few of you…

(You can get a whopping 40% off and upgrade to a paid subscription for just £3 a month by clicking the button below. Offer available for a limited time, so be quick!)

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I know exactly what I should be doing online. And I’ve decided not to do it. Am I crazy?

Some raw truths about my feelings around social media right now, along with…

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Well hello there, how’s your week been so far? I write to you on a Monday morning, no wait, it’s technically afternoon now (wow, where’s the day gone? I’m powered by coffee and Nutella today; I opted for a jar of the bad stuff over a healthy, protein-packed lunch like social media relentlessly instructs me because I’m feeling rebellious and lazy), and I’m looking out at my little garden feeling a smidge pleased with my green-fingered efforts this year. After seven years of trial and error with quite frankly, the WORST soil in the world, my dream of having a colourful - and slightly wild - cottage garden is slowly, very very slowly, coming to fruition. Pink roses are exploding into bloom, foxgloves are multiplying in a self-seeding frenzy, and I’m bloody impatient as anything to see if the collection of dahlias I’ve been tending to more conscientiously than my own children are going to gift me a mass of beautiful flowers this year.

The house and garden are blissfully silent after a packed weekend with the family, which is lovely but always leaves my batteries running on empty by Sunday evening. I had a fabulous trip to the theatre on Friday to see The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by the Reduced Shakespeare Company. When I told my husband what we were going to watch (I booked the tickets six months ago and forgot all about them), he practically wilted in front of me. ‘It’ll be good’, I promised him, ‘and it’s only 1 hour and 20 minutes long so it can’t be too boring’. Having never heard of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, I said this almost as much to convince myself as him. But we needn’t have worried about a stiff, monotonous run-through of all of Shakespeare’s works, for it was easily one of the most hilarious stage shows I’ve ever watched. Variety magazine describes it as a ‘madcap condensation that features non-stop laughs’ and The LA Times called it ‘wildly funny’. I highly recommend trying to catch a show if you can, although they only have a few performances left in and around the UK, which you can check out here.

Anyway, there’s a lot in store for you in this week’s Midweek Meander… we’re tackling, in my opinion, one of the trickiest rooms to get right - and still love after many years - the BATHROOM. I’m going to be completely honest, I fell out of love with my bathroom quite some time ago and as someone who obsesses and ruminates over absolutely everything in life (mentally exhausting!), this has taken up quite a lot of my headspace. Something had to be done.

I’m going to show you what I’ve done (including a before and after) and share some top tips for updating and elevating a bathroom that you just don’t have all the feels for anymore. And as always, I’ve linked all my sources and shared some fabulous décor ideas…

(Plus, if you scroll down, there’s a lovely photograph of my hometown I took at the weekend. It’s so stunning! No one would believe me if I told them where it actually was!)

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Hello, hello, how are you? I write to you surrounded by carnage. Well, that’s a slight exaggeration, but let’s just say, there’s STUFF everywhere and it’s giving me anxiety. I half started painting the new front door (an original 1930s door which will hopefully be glorious once finished) at the weekend, then panicked about the colour (standard) and so promptly gave up in the hope that some physical space between me, said door and the paint tin of questionable colour would help me feel a little more… assured by its hue. Alas, I still feel conflicted, but on principal refuse to spend another £35 on a tin of different coloured paint, only for the same indecision to creep in yet again. This is me to a T folks. (It’s actually a lovely colour, so all will be well.)

Anyway, the new door is awkwardly propped up in the dining room, in the blimmin’ way of everything quite frankly. Add to that, the remnants of some intricate den-building my boys were engaged in at the weekend, a collection of random water bottles (I’m convinced they’re breeding), and a stack of mail addressed to my husband who only seems to open mail twice a year at most (not annoying at all), and the visual noise is making me want to scream ha! What I need to do is whack on some 90s dance tunes and blitz the entire house - extremely therapeutic I find, especially if there’s good coffee and snacks involved, and then it almost feels like a party for one - bliss.

Clutter and chaos aside, I really enjoyed writing this week’s Midweek Meander, because not only am I sharing my latest décor finds - and believe me when I say, there are some DIVINE bits and pieces - but I’m also delving into FIVE easy ways to bring joy to your interiors and we’re not talking big, expensive changes or upgrades here. These five additions are so simple, so budget-friendly but unbelievably effective if you have a space that’s feeling a little… flat.

If I’m being honest, some of these easy additions have had more impact on my home than the big, expensive pieces. So, here goes (and I’ve included links to the most popular pieces in my home; not to be missed!)…

Five Simple Things that will Lift Your Interiors

The one thing I’ve learnt from many years of writing about interiors, styling products for brands, and creating content for social media, is that it is almost always the small details which have the power to transform a space.

We look at an image of a room and wonder why it stands out, why it resonates with us, and quite often, it’s more simple than we think. These five items are pieces I try and have in every room - and it just WORKS.

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I’m all outta sorts folks. I think it’s a sleep thing. Or it could be a work thing, or a parenting thing, or… the house is a tip thing. Maybe it’s to do with the moon? Who the heck knows! I just know, I feel a bit bleugh. Anyone else feeling that at the moment? I bumped into a good friend on an evening stroll last night. ‘Are you out for a mental health walk too?’, was the first thing she said to me. It made me laugh because that’s exactly what I was doing; trying to sort my damn self out (well that, and walk off the big bowl of curry I’d just inhaled).

We both bemoaned the fact we’re not sleeping well, that teenage sons are hard work, and husbands appear to be especially irritating on weekends. It was a good old, healthy moan between two midlife women. And I felt infinitely better for it. We parted ways and I walked back home, by the sea, feeling a little… lighter, I guess. Never let it be said that it’s not healthy to have a bloody good rant sometimes (all things in moderation of course).

On the sleep thing though; this is a real obsession of mine. I’ve suffered with chronic insomnia in the past and so these days, my sleep routine is the number one priority (aside from keeping my kids alive obvs). It’s been terrible lately, and it’s probably my own fault for not sticking to the SLEEP RULES. So, this week, I’m going back to basics and making sure I do absolutely everything I can to give myself the best chance of blissful slumber. If you’re someone who struggles with decent sleep, definitely check out my tried and tested tips below the paywall, as they really do help.

Also this week… interiors I’ve saved, items I’ve added to the shopping basket and gorgeous things I’m lusting after, including where to find the most beautiful decorative plates for your wall, and the easiest way to hang them.

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Hello, hello, I write to you post hideous work-out and with my face in a bucket of coffee (half term holiday with the kids has done a number on me and I’m EXHAUSTED!). For three to four years now, I’ve been strength training 3x a week; it started as a way of trying to reduce the number of injuries I was getting whilst running, but has somehow taken over as my main source of exercise, alongside walking. Running has sadly been downgraded to just once or twice a week, sometimes not at all, despite the fact that I probably enjoy it as much as walking. On the other hand however, I despise working out with weights with each and every last inch of my being. I loathe it. Every second of the 30 minutes I force myself to do is torture. But, BUT… it is unfortunately true what they say, it’s made me damn strong, with less injuries, and in the long-run I know my body (and mind) will thank me for it. But my god, is it dull.

If you don’t already strength train, then I’m very happy to offer up some beginner’s tips. But if you’re sick to death of being told you should be doing it, I promise you I’m not here to guilt-trip you into it! All I will say is that it’s taken me over three years to work up to a decent lifting weight, and slow and steady + a bucket load of consistency is the way lovely folk, it really is. And if you already do it and hate it too, then we can definitely be friends, ha!

Annnyway, this is not a fitness Substack, god forbid, so let’s move swiftly on. The boys are back at school this week and as wonderful as the beach days, park days, and nothingness days have been, I have to admit to having been desperate for some routine the last few days. I have lots of small-ish home projects floating around my head, and I’m itching to get cracking with them.

I shared the image above on Instagram stories the other day, and it got so many lovely comments and responses. I’ve been playing around with some different bits and pieces and it really is amazing the vast difference a few tweaks can make. The most asked about questions were, where are the striped wall lights from and where did I find the patterned bedspread. I’m about to share ALL the details for paid subscribers below… (you can subscribe for the price of a coffee each month, it’s literally too good to be true).

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Also, this week, does your living room feel like it’s missing something? There’s often one piece of furniture that’s completely overlooked when it comes to this particular space in the home, so I’m delving into what it is and giving you some options for elevating your entire living room, with just this one item.

First up… these lights are now firmly in my shopping basket. And they’re proving to be extremely popular with lots of you too.

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Hello hello, I write to you whilst seeking shelter from the blistering sun we have finally been bestowed with in North East England. ‘Seeking shelter from the sun’ is not a sentence I thought I’d ever say, and is certainly one 20-year-old Elle would be aghast to hear. But, alas, I’ve reached my early 40s and can no longer hack the heat like I once could. I still do, and probably always will, love the sun but whereas once upon a time, I could lie prostrate in it for hours, soaking up every last harmful ray, I now find myself dipping in and out whilst slathering myself in Factor 30. Much more sensible of course. Anyway, I’m sat at my dining table, admiring the view of my garden, which I’ve poured love, sweat and tears into the last few days. It has been poorly neglected over the previous couple of years, mainly due to the fact that writing my book took over my life. That, and the undeniable fact that I’m really not much of a gardener, so although I enjoy it, I’m actually pretty clueless and never seem to make much headway with it before Winter arrives again and ruins all my efforts. Or is that just gardening regardless of your level of green-fingered skill?!

The boys are on their Half Term holiday this week and we spent the morning at one of our local beaches - we have four within walking distance of us so are completely spoilt for choice. Most people maybe think of Devon or Cornwall when they picture beautiful beaches in England, but ours rival even the very best in the South West. So, if you ever fancy a visit to the North East, let me know and I’ll point you in the direction of the best beaches to visit ;) (But don’t go telling everyone because we like to keep them to ourselves really, ha)

We had a lovely morning, although it did include a rather embarrassing encounter with an ex-boyfriend of many years ago. Now, I’m almost 43 so getting embarrassed rarely happens and not giving a sh*t about virtually anything anymore is the most gloriously freeing thing about your 40s, but… this was a little… awkward shall we say. A funny story though and gave both me and my husband - who was there - a good laugh. Read on to hear the full story…

Also in this week’s joy-filled Midweek Meander, I’m sharing the Insta homes that I find truly inspiring. Homes that are lived in, but full of character and individuality. Homes that are inspirational because they are achievable.

We’ll be taking a look at the pieces which make them work and how you can apply this to your own home. You’re not going to want to miss these beautiful spaces, I promise you…

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Well hello there, how’s your week going so far? I’ve had one of two distinct halves; a work trip to London for the launch of a very lovely new collection of bed linen (and some VERY cool beach towels) followed by two days of some serious cake-baking for my youngest son’s 8th birthday party. I mentioned my trip to the city in last week’s post and how travelling to London, as fun as it is, often leaves me a bit overwhelmed, and let’s just say that after four different trains and a cab ride to get to my destination, I was definitely feeling a bit ragged around the edges. But despite a journey of many parts, I arrived in one piece, if a little frazzled after missing my final train by quite literally three seconds. Anyway, it was all fine and the event venue was incredibly beautiful. Set just 12 miles outside central London, Petersham Nurseries is an absolute delight; meandering paths filled with the most beautiful plants, flowers and greenhouses.

A totally delightful time was had and I met some gorgeous new people, including the loveliest lady who, some way into our conversation, slipped in that she was celebrating a milestone birthday soon. I, of course, didn’t want to guess out loud which particular number she was celebrating but placed her around my own age, maybe a few years older. When she told me she was turning 60, I nearly fell off my chair (and it had nothing to do with the delicious orange wine the extremely generous waiter kept me topped up with). Her skin was FLAWLESS. Well, at this point, all proper decorum was out of the window and I demanded to know her secrets. ‘Proper food and as little stress as possible,’ she informed me. Ahh goddammit, that’s me out then.

Anyhoo, missed trains, orange wine and cake-baking aside, I’ve been busy drawing up a list of the most asked-about items of décor in my home and those pieces which I think pull everything together - the showstoppers of each room if you will. I’ve linked my exact pieces where possible and very similar alternatives if the item is vintage or a one-off.

So, without further ado, let’s jump straight in…

FIVE beautiful pieces that elevate my interior (& where to source them)

A closer look at the pieces that make my spaces SING - because these are the details that matter. And, of course, all the important links to source your own.

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Guuud morning (or midday, afternoon or evening, depending on when you’re tucking into The Midweek Meander), I do hope you’re well. By the time this reaches your inboxes, I shall be recovering from a full day in London. I say ‘recovering’ because although I LOVE going to London - and as a small-town gal who doesn’t leave home much, I really do bloody love it - it is a full assault on the senses and requires some post-trip recuperation. The noise, the rush, the sheer number of people, negotiating tubes, busy streets etc; it can all feel a little too much, especially, if like me, you hate noise and most other humans ha!

Why on earth go then? You may be wondering. Well yes, it is most definitely a huge step out of my comfort zone, and yes I much prefer the tranquillity of living by the sea, but I can’t deny how good a ‘taste’ of the city feels, even if just for the day, and I love the work that brings me to the capital. It also reminds me that it is actually rather lovely to connect with like-minded people now and again, and when you work alone, that’s pretty important I think. I can so easily fall into a routine of not seeing people, not socialising, and generally that’s how I like it (I’m becoming more and more anti-social the older I get!) but when I DO socialise, I absolutely love it. Extroverted introvert to the max, right here.

When I was planning for my little work trip to London (the control freak in me likes to know exactly what I’ll be wearing, which type of jacket I should take, which shoes will be comfiest, the snacks I’ll eat, the tube I’ll need to catch and which route I’ll take), it got me thinking about where this rather crazy social media journey has taken me over the last 10 years - from journalist to interiors writer and content creator - and so I thought it would be fun to do a little round-up of what almost a decade of sharing my home and life online has taught me - both about myself AND others.

So strap in, because it’s about to get personal (and possibly a little controversial)…

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Hello, hello from a very cold and blustery North East coast, where Spring seems to have slipped helplessly through our fingers after teasing us with the merest sniff of it. I know I’m moaning about the weather. But what else is a Brit supposed to do?! It was so gloriously warm in my garden last week; I sat out with my laptop, I gardened (or attempted something resembling gardening as one who perpetually kills off most plants each and every year), and marvelled, as I do every Spring, at how much I NEED sunshine in my life. But then low and behold, I am now back in a thick jumper and sitting here with a hot water bottle. I kid you not.

In other news, I took my youngest clothes shopping with me at the weekend - more out of desperation than as something ‘fun’ for us both to do, as I had no one to look after him and urgently needed to find something to wear for an imminent work event. I expected it to be Hell. On. Earth, with him moaning at every turn and me grabbing the first thing I saw on the rails before making a resigned dash for home. But, it was SO much fun. He patiently sat outside the changing room and critiqued three pairs of white jeans/pants (they were all pretty much the same but he gave them each a rating out of 10), even telling me which pair went best with my ‘beautiful face’, ha! So very VERY cute. He’s only seven so still utterly adorable at times (whilst completely feral at others). Anyway, I treated him to a new SpongeBob SquarePants t-shirt as a ‘thank you’, which he dutifully tried on in the changing room before committing to the purchase, complete with a little happy dance in the mirror at the sight of his reflection in said SpongeBob attire.

It felt very unexpected and wholesome, and a lovely way to see out the May Bank Holiday weekend before packing them all back off to school again yesterday. These were the white pants I went for in the end; so incredibly comfortable and perfect for dressing up with a smart shirt and oversized blazer or equally ideal for beach days with a casual tee or vest-top.

Moving on, and today, not only am I sharing this week’s joy-filled wishlist, pictured above, but also FIVE ideas for statement pieces in your home. We’re moving far away from safe and bland, looking into how you can stop your home from feeling flat and instead bring CONFIDENCE to your interiors, and it’s easier than you might think…

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Hello hello, I’m pretty sure April has only been four days long this year… WHERE has the month gone? The blistering speed at which life seems to go these days is nothing short of terrifying. “It’s because you’re old now”, my husband - who is eight years older than me I might add - hilariously commented the other day (I’ll leave you to imagine my response). Nope, it has nothing to do with age, and more to do with the fact that most of us have 101 tabs open in our overwhelmed, frazzled brains at any given moment and so time simply slips through our fingers at a seemingly uncontrollable rate. I will admit to having several projects - both imaginary and real - on the go all at once, which probably doesn’t help and could account for some (a lot) of the lost hours I grumble about.

Anyway, this last week I’ve been having a serious think about which home projects I want to complete (or at least have started) this year, and I’ve gone for the two most expensive rooms to change in the whole house (for pity’s sake!) - the bathroom and kitchen. I’ve previously and somewhat tentatively mentioned plans for a refresh of both of these rooms, and I say tentatively because anything I do decide to do will be done on a budget - no major revamps allowed here!

Both rooms were ‘done’ around seven years ago when we completely renovated our house, so realistically are still in fairly good nick and certainly aren’t in any need of major work. But…. BUT… as is to be expected, my taste and style has changed considerably since I designed these rooms and it kind of feels like the right time for a little refresh.

With that in mind, I made a somewhat impulsive purchase for the kitchen over the weekend. It’s the first step to righting a ‘wrong’ in my kitchen and getting closer to that dream space and I’m both hugely excited and nervous about it. It is a beautiful piece BUT I haven’t seen it in the flesh and it could turn out to be a total disaster. But that’s the thrill of sourcing treasures for your home, amiright?!

Do you want to see it?

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Just popping on quickly to say firstly, I hope your Tuesday is treating you well, and secondly, you’ve only got 24 hours left to claim a whopping 30% off a 12 month subscription!

I s…

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