Best Places to Stay UK : Elmley Nature Reserve

January 26, 2020

Have you ever been on a road trip? The kind where you hire a classic car and head off down a route of impossibly gorgeous scenery with plenty of nice stopping points along the way? Our last big holiday before we became parents for the first time was a road trip down the Big Sur in California which definitely ticked the scenery and nice places to stop boxes. The only thing missing, owing to budgetary constraints, was the classic car. North London’s answer to Thelma & Louise (with Mr Malmo as Louise in this analogy) toured the route not in a convertible Mustang but a sensible Hyundai Hatchback that bore close resemblance to a large toad. The 9 years and three boys that followed have mainly featured roadtrips to visit our parents punctuated by rows about how to fit the mother f#cking travel cot in the boot and stops at Watford Gap services to change horror nappies and wolf down a Chicken Royale meal. However this Autumn, for Mr Malmo’s 40th Birthday( thanks to a kind babysitting offer from my parents -in-law) Thelma and Louise hit the road again and this time in a classic Mustang instead of a #TouringToad.

This would defo look cooler on the school run than our estate car come Variety Club Minibus

Our destination this time? The Isle of Sheppey. The Isle of where I hear you ask. Sandwiched between Gilligham, Gravesend and Herne Bay it is not, at first glance, the most obvious candidate for a scenic road trip I grant you. But bear with me because hidden away in this lesser known corner of Kent is Elmley Nature Reserve. We arrived on Sheppey just as the sun was starting to set on one of those perfect, crisp, Autumn days. Turning off down a bumpy track to reach Elmley Nature Reserve was like driving into the wide open plains of the American Midwest. It is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It took us 20 mins to get from the gate to the farmhouse because I must have stopped the car at least 15 times to take photographs

The Isle of Sheppey but could easily pass as the American Mid West

Stopping the car for my 15th photo break

What awaited us at the end of the track was equally special. Gareth and Georgina, who run Elmley, took over the land from Georgina’s parents in 2012 and over the last 7 years have added a small series of Shepherd’s Huts and cabins for guests to stay in across the Nature Reserve. Elmley is the only place in the UK where you can stay on a nature reserve. All of the huts and cabins are in a palette of materials which ensures they blend seamlessly with their surroundings.

The Saltbox, my favourite of the Cabins scattered across the Nature Reserve

You can bath under the stars and roast marshmallows on fire pits

I would love to have cladding like this as part of our renovation

There are also smaller Shepherd Huts to hire with the same amazing views

On the inside they are a cocooning mix of Farrow & Ball colours, silver larch clad walls and reclaimed materials and they have all the mod cons to ensure a truly comfortable stay with bathrooms stocked with delicious Bramley products and a cute kitchenette for making meals in. But the star of the show has to be the surroundings. You can fall asleep to the sound of owls and wake up to the sound of migrating geese flying overhead. It is enough to turn even this townie into a twitcher.

I loved the mixture of reclaimed materials used

The little kitchenette has all you need to see you through a stay

I loved these copper taps like the ones in my old bathroom

With the huts and cabins having proved a runaway success, the couple have turned their attention to renovating the Farmhouse and another cottage on the land so that Elmley now boasts two other exceptional places to stay. We were kindly hosted by Georgina in the Farmhouse which sleeps 14 in 6 truly amazing bedrooms, with an enormous kitchen diner and a choice of three ridiculously comfortable living rooms. The whole things is a masterclass in Modern Rustic Luxe. The kitchen is housed in a contemporary extension to the original farmhouse and combines traditional materials with modern architecture to great success.

The contemporary kitchen addition is a beautiful contrast to the original farmhouse

I loved the view through to the nature reserve from the floor to ceiling glass kitchen window

I think our trip may have been the first time in our entire relationship that I have woken up before Mr Malmo and volunteered to get out of bed to make him a hot drink rather than the other way around! Watching the sunrise over the nature reserve through the huge glass doors in the kitchen was worth going downstairs to put the kettle on for!

The kitchen from the inside is equally stunning

The side window floods the space with lights

If you are looking for a place to stay for a large family or group gathering I literally don’t think I have ever come across anywhere better! It sleeps 14 in 6 double bedrooms. There are also three different living rooms to chose from ranging from an elegant parlour style room, a sophisticated library and a gorgeous cosy snug with sexy velvet sofas and an exposed brick fireplace

I loved the blend of old features with modern accessories liked this rug in the hallway

Just one of the 3 gorgeous sitting rooms to choose from

This cosy snug was my favourite of the living rooms

With its exposed brick fireplace and wood burner

But the front sitting room in a rich teal blue gave it a close run for its money

All of the rooms combine insanely comfortable beds with lovely touches like hot water bottles and the kind of bathrooms that belong on a Pinterest board.

With lots of lovely luxe touches like white robes and hot water bottles in all the rooms

I loved all of the different colours that had been blended together seamlessly

With every room enjoying stunning views over the nature reserve

There are two cosy rooms in the attic with a bathroom which would be great if you were staying as a family of 4

The room we stayed in had a four poster bed and a cast iron bath at the end of bed in which I tried to pull of the insta legs akimbo in alluring fashion pose which ended in me looking less like a graceful swan and more like a dying duck

The stunning bedroom with 4 poster bed where we stayed

Doing my best Elizabeth Taylor impression

I will spare you the photo of me doing the dying duck pose in the cast iron bath that looks out over the nature reserve

If you are a smaller group there is also a freshly renovated clapboard cottage to hire. The black clad exterior belies a light, bright Scandi interior that has more of a coastal cape cod feel.

The interiors in the cottage have a fresh coastal feel

If I were ever to have a pink bedroom this is the perfect shade of blush

I loved the contemporary twist of painting the cladding in two colours

The gorgeous sitting room in the cottage with wood burner

It is often hired for yoga retreats and it is easy to see why

Oh and did I mention there is a fairly light festooned barn with an honesty bar where you can gather for a gin on a hay bale of an evening. Seeing the inside of the barn had me mentally getting down on one knee and proposing a wedding vow renewal to Mr Malmo.

The festoon strung black barn that made me want to re propose marriage to Mr Malmo

Both the cottage and the farmhouse are well set up to self cater but if you are feeling lazy (we were) you can rest your inner Delia Smith for the evening and let the Elmley team rustle you up a relaxed supper, delivered to your door in a hamper. It is basically like staying in the nicest of boutique hotels with all the comfort and relaxation of home. If I were ever to make (an unadmittedly unlikely) switch into agriculture this would be my fantasy farmhouse.

The kitchen is super well equipped but you can also opt to have Supper delivered to your door

This is the kind of farmhouse that could persuade me career change into agriculture

Sadly after 24 hours we had to return both the Mustang and the Farmhouse but this is one road trip we will remember for a very long time.

Thelma and Louise before they reluctantly left Elmley behind

Whole Farmhouse hire is available throughout the year but for certain weeks of the year it is also possible to book individual rooms on a self catering basis (be quick because these get booked up fast!). The Cottage sleeps 10 and must be rented as a whole property. If you would like to enjoy 10% off a stay in the Farm House or the Cottage quote Malmo19 when you phone or e-mail to book.

Stays in the shepherds huts start at just £85 per night and the cabins, which sleep 2 adults with room for 2 children as well, are from £115 per night. So whatever your budget there is a way to stay at Elmley and enjoy it’s magic. For all the details of how to book click here

Our night in the Farmhouse was kindly gifted to us by Georgina

A Weekend Break in The Cotswolds at Bibury Farm Barns

January 5, 2020

If I had to name my least favourite month of the year it would be a straight shoot out between January and February. January because it begins with a chocolate and cheese hangover and seems to last longer than a Caribbean cruise with Bobby Davro. February because it always just feels so grey and sensible. It is the calendar equivalent of John Major. To get through #MalmosLeastFavouriteMonths the first thing I do on the 2nd of January is start holiday planning for the year ahead.

I often get asked where I get my travel inspiration from so let me let you in only a little secret from my modern rustic rolodex: Sawdays Travel. Long before Mr & Mrs Smith were on the scene Alistair Sawday was searching out and recommending great places to stay in the UK and Europe. From self catering to hotels, bed & breakfasts to pubs with lovely rooms he has it all covered. I honestly cannot think of a more comprehensive guide of places to stay in the UK that caters to all tastes and budgets. So there are simple minimal places for the Scandi like me and more traditional grand properties for a cluttered Gothic like my dad!

Sawday Guides look good on a coffee table but there is also a comprehensive collection online

Having using Alistair as my holiday wing man for well over 20 years I was therefore delighted to be asked by Sawdays Travel to go and review Bibury Farm Barns, one of the new kids on their amazing holiday block.

Bibury Farm Barns

The five newly renovated stone barns are nestled in a particularly lovely corner of the Cotswolds (although to be honest am not sure there are any crappy corners unless Cirencester gets a bit lairy on a Saturday night). They are set on the edge of a working farm but the interiors are definitely more Daylesford than Old Macdonald. The focus of the renovation was apparently “luxurious comfort” and it is definitely a case of mission accomplished.

We stayed in the Cart Shed which sleeps six in three incredibly comfortable double bedrooms all of which are ensuite. The star of the bedroom show (in a non porn film sense) is definitely the ground floor master suite. You could probably fit the entire downstairs of our house into it with a bed so large that you could be sleeping with Eamonn Holmes and his three burly brothers and still feel like you were the only one in the bed.

The enormous bed in the master suite of the Cart Shed

I loved the rattan pendants beside the beds

The spacious garden at the Cart Shed with a big lawn

I loved the rattan style pendants either side of the bed which add contemporary edge and the Roberts Radio is on my bedroom bucket list. There is a separate dressing room area and then a large ensuite bathroom with an enormous freestanding bath and a generous supply of 100 Acres Bath products. The room also enjoys lovely views out to the garden.

The Roberts Radio that is on my bedroom bucket list when we start our renovation

And a generous supply of 100 Acres products

However if you lose the race to bag the biggest bedroom (is it just my family who do this on holiday?!) then the two upstairs rooms are equally comfortable and decked out in the same calming neutral tones. One of my favourite features of the house were the copper wash basins in the ensuite bathrooms of both these bedrooms.

The copper basins that captured my heart

If you can drag yourself out of bed of a morning the kitchen and living space are equally appealing. We visited in December so so enjoyed a cozy Saturday night on the sofa with the log burner blazing, Strictly on the TV and plenty of sheepskin blankets to snuggle under. The boys also enjoyed being able to watch Football Focus on a TV approximately 3 times the size of our ancient number at home.

A view through to the open plan living/dining space at the Cart Shed

The sofa on which we spent plenty of time happily snuggled up!

I think you can probably guess from this picture what the boys favourite feature of the barn was and it wasn’t the ceramic vases.

In the Summer you can shed the sheepskins, slide open the huge glass doors and enscounce yourself instead on one of the dreamy looking sunloungers in the garden. If you are part of a bigger group then rent the Grain Store next door which sleeps 10 and comes with the added bonus of a hot tub.

A view of the large Grain Store barn next door which sleeps 10 and has a hot tub

The kitchen in the heart of the barn was our favourite place to gather. What I really liked about it’s design was that the owners George and Polly had not gone down the traditional country kitchen route (nice as those can be). It was rustic with a contemporary twist - my favourite kind of decor. There are shaker style units but they have been paired with a geometric tile splash back which works brilliantly. It is also super well equipped. My Mum and Dad (the family chef) came with us.. My dad is not one to litter compliments around like confetti but he was praising the pan selection and was basically in #UtensilUtopia.

The contemporary kitchen that is the heart of the Cart Shed

For coffee lovers there is a seriously impressive looking coffee machine

There are several different seating options to choose from ranging from a huge limed oak dining table to more casual seating around the Island and my favourite: a butter soft curved leather banquette build into a corner of the kitchen. It was here I sipped tea and worked my way through the stack of lovely magazines and coffee table books provided.

The rustic oak dining table with statement curved mirror

Three years on Instagram and still look like I am holding in a fart in most photos

The view from the kitchen through to the living room

I also popped my parents Instagram cherry filming a video about our stay around the capacious kitchen island with them as my co stars. I know they say never work with kids or animals but I think that list might also need to include “your seventy one year old father” after he threatened Mariah Carey style to storm off set after a failed first take.

We got there in the end though with the perfect team teacup boomerang

If you manage to leave the luxurious comfort of the barns then a short walk away is Bibury, the nearest village which is nothing short of picture postcard perfect. Rows of honey coloured cottages, winding streams and frosty fields and a lovely cosy pub in which to warm up your frozen fingers after you have taken 1001 photos of said honey coloured cottages for the gram.

My 6789 photo of these dreamy cottages in Bibury

5 minutes further on is Barnsley House Hotel, home to a delicious spa, gorgeous gardens and a lovely restaurant. It is well worth popping into even just for a drink or a meal at the more affordable Village Pub. On a previous visit to the spa I encountered Mark Owen doing a topless yoga handstand on the lawn. That was in 2014 so he is probably not still on the lawn but the Cotswolds is the kind of place where you are never far from a celeb spot (although you are potentially more likely to see Jeremy Clarkson filling up on diesel than a half naked Take Thatter ).

Half an hours drive from the cottage is Daylesford Farm which offers up next level lifestyle goals although before you enter be prepared to triple the amount you thought you would ever spend on a Scotch Egg. I came away with a new mug, a toy tambourine and a candle in exchange for 34% of my monthly salary. If you can avoid looking at the price tags it is a gorgeous inspirational place to spend a couple of hours.

Poshest Santa’s Grotto ever at Daylesford Farm?

You will come away with lots of inspiration and a large credit card bill

One (okay 3) of these mugs may have come home with me from Daylesford

If I could have afforded or fitted this sofa into the car it would have been coming home with me

Five minutes down the road in Kingham (also owned by Daylesford) is the Wild Rabbit Pub where I would happily pay £70 to eat just one of their Yorkshire puddings again. We had the best Sunday lunch I have ever eaten there and the decor is every bit as gorgeous as the food. Closer to Cheltenham, Winchcombe is also possessed of a very nice pub in the Lion Inn and afterwards you can walk off your lunch with a scootch around Sudeley Castle.

Contender for best bread rolls ever tasted

The Cotswolds hold many more delights too numerous to list here all within easy reach of Bibury Farm Barns. A few of my other favourites things to do include a visit to Tetbury which is stuffed full of gorgeous antiques and vintage shops followed by a walk in nearby Westonbirt Arboretum. For the kids Cotswolds Wildlife Park and Adam Henson’s (of Countryfile rather than the Muppets fame) Cotswolds Farm are both good options.

* Our stay at Bibury Farm in The Cart Shed was hosted. If you would like to find out more about how to book a stay through Sawdays click here *

My Hallway Transformation

December 8, 2019

In a straw poll of reasons why people move house I reckon the most common answers would be: up sizing or down sizing; change of location; moving closer to family; school catchment; taking on a renovation. I would possibly be one of the only people to respond with: to gain a girthier entrance. There were of course other drivers behind our recent move but it really was a close of love at first sight of spacious vestibule for me.

The skinny hallway in our old house (I miss those tiles!)

Our old house was an Edwardian Semi with the stairs located in the middle of the house meaning much of the hallway was a long thin corridor. When the boys were smaller manoeuvring a buggy and bulging nappy bag out of the front door was like a challenge from the Krypton Factor. On at least one occasion I became an unwitting hallway hostage after the zip of my coat got caught on a rogue radiator valve leaving me effectively manacled to the wall for a good 15 minutes.

The radiator upon which I got impaled and ended up a #hallwayhostage

In contrast, in our new house when you walk in the door the stairs are directly in front of you and there is double the width to play with so my days of corridor struggle are over. We also have a separate utility room with an extra set of pegs where a platoon of the army of anoraks can be kettled slashing the likelihood of being hit in the face by a smalls boys anorak as you take your shoes off.

It might not look like much but this was the #vestibuleview that won me over to our new house

My Hallway Makeover Plans

The extra space and high ceilings alone are hallway heaven for me and it was all pretty neutrally decorated but this month I have undertaken a mini hallway makeover, in partnership with Cox & Cox to further “enhance my entrance” so to speak.

The main things on my hallway hitlist were: 1) finding a solution to the soviet sized radiator and accompanying cover that dominated the space to the left of the door; 2) changing the mirror for something with a more contemporary, clean feel; 3) finding a way to de-anagylpta that didn’t involve replastering the walls; 4) fitting in some more storage; and 5) lightening up the look and feel in particular of the floors.

Overall the look and feel that I wanted to achieve with the makeover is what I would describe as 1930s Scandi Rustic Chic. Am thinking Neville Chamberlain was a huge fan of the relaxed Ibiza beach club look.

The decor is all light and pretty neutral it is just not quite Malmo so I will be looking to downgrade the orange factor on the floors and take things more 1930s Scandi Rustic

The anaglypta wallpaper is on my hallway hitlist even though I know it is coming back into fashion!

One of my go to brands when I am searching for Scandi/Rustic furniture, lighting and home accessories has always been Cox & Cox. I have been shopping with them since right back in 2007 when I bought vintage table place holders from them for my wedding. 14 years and 3 kids later they still tick all my design boxes so I was over the moon when they said they wanted to collaborate with me on the revamp.

Adding Panelling

The first step in the makeover was to call Darren, my long suffering carpenter (who did the kitchen cupboards in my old house) and see if he would take on #Project Panelling aka my solution to “The Anaglypta Issue” (which, by the way, I think makes a great title for a Robert Ludlum Thriller!). My plan was to remove the dado rail and just panel over the anglypta to avoid a lengthy battle with a wallpaper steamer.

Panelling dilemmas: to stick below the dado or go above?

I deliberated long and hard about what height to go for. The safe option was to stick below the dado rail whilst more adventurous option would be to go all the way to the celling. In the end I went for a halfway (well ¾ way) house and panelled just under line of the doorway.

I would love to show you an inspiring DIY tutorial of me doing the panelling but the reality was Darren doing battle with several large sheets of MDF in his garden shed and then attaching them to the wall with a mix of nails and glue with quite a bit of swearing along the way. I am pretty sure he will be ghosting my calls in future.

Despite a few doubts along the way I am thrilled with the 3/4 height of the panelling

Radiator Solutions

Once the panelling was on the next big decisions was what to do about the radiator and what colour to paint the panelling. The radiator cover that was on the left hand side of the hallway as you walked in was my no means hideous but it pretty much dominated the whole space and precluded us having any storage on that wall.

The before with a large radiator on the left hand wall which took up lots of space

The after with the radiator dropped in height beneath a bench. The woven fringed cushion and black and white chevron cushion are both Cox & Cox

It no longer dominates the space and I actually love the look of the column one

The solution I came up with was to go for a much shorter radiator that would sit much lower on the wall and build a seating bench over the top thus ensuring the radiator was no longer the dominant feature in the hallway and we had somewhere to sit to put our shoes on. The bench was to be built out of reclaimed scaffold planks which I sourced from our local salvage yard and which cost £7 a plank. They are my number one favourite building material although I don’t think Darren shares my love of reclaimed materials judging by his reaction when I brought them home. Sample quote “you want me to leave the paint stains on??” accompanied by the kind of look you give someone who has just told you that they would like a threesome with Eaamon Holmes and Boris Johnson.

The Scaffold Planks that I love but which baffle Darren! This natural striped runner from Cox & Cox looks great against the sanded floorboards

Paint Choices

With my radiator strategy in place it was time to make a decision about the colour of the panelling. My first thought was to go dark after I came across this image in a Neptune catalogue. However because the panelling was going on both sides of the hallway I was worried that it might narrow the room down so in the end I erred towards the light side. A tester pot orgy later I had tried out every shade between bracken beige and perfect putty and arrived at my final choice: Ammonite by Farrow & Ball.

Slightly too late for me but excitingly next year Cox & Cox are launching their own brand of paint. There will be 16 dreamy shades and Flaxen or Landsdown would be a brilliant match for the look in my hallway. It will be formulated by Mylands so expect a great quality consistent finish.

Enjoying posing againg my newly Ammonite background with a rather spectacular faux string of pearls

With the panels painted it was time to install the radiator and build the bench. I opted for a more contemporary column radiator which I bought from this website for roughly £170 which I think is pretty good value. With the boards sanded down and installed over the top the radiator is now barely visible and it has transformed this side of the hallway.

Malmo vs Mahogany

My final step in lightening things up before I could tackle the fun finishing touches was to tone down the mahogany factor from the floor and the door which were a good 7.5 on the David Dickinson after a week in Barbados scale. The floorboards are actually really nice pine ones and sanded down they look so much better. In the longer term I would like to get a new door but for now just painting it in Railings has been a bit of a game changer (don’t look too closely at slapdash Scandi Handy Andy’s paint job!).

Adding the finishing touches with Cox & Cox

With all of the structural changes complete it was time for the fun stuff: enter Cox & Cox. I have been obsessed with rattan style pendant lights ever since visiting Ibiza last year and Cox & Cox has some beauties. We are blessed with pretty high ceilings so we could afford to go for one of the bigger ones to make a bit of a statement. I really like this one because it allows a view through it and doesn’t dominate the space too much (or hit us on the head every time we walk down the stairs.

The other big decorative item I was after to complete the makeover was a new mirror. With the radiator dropped and the bench in place I wanted to add a circular one to break up the square lines of the panelling a little bit. I think I lost about 1.5 days of my life to the google search large circular mirror until I hit upon this oversized thin frame beauty from Cox & Cox. Unlike lots of the ones I looked at it has a really thin black rim and adds a really subtle crisp contemporary edge to the hallway revamp.

I know some people might have opted to put pegs where I have put the mirror but I think it really opens up the space and reflects light and I have, instead, added pegs further back so they are not in your face as you wanted in the door. Oh and when I say added pegs let me introduce you to these #heavenlyhooks from Cox & Cox with a black slate base and burnished gold hook . You can buy a set of three but I opted for four five individual hooks instead and think they add a nod to understated glamour.

Obviously the insta reality of this photo is 5 primary coloured anoraks rather than an artful rattan bag and a pleasingly pale cream coat

I have four behind the door for coats and practical items and one is located next to the mirror for maximum insta faffery. I am imagine it will play host to artfully poised baskets, bags of impractical pampas and oft be draped in fairy lights.

Let the faffing commence. I am looking forward to the styling possibilities offered by the hook!

The First Noel …..in my hallway

With the hallway revamp complete just in time for the opening of advent calendars I am super excited by all the fresh festive styling opportunities that it affords me.

First and foremost the bannister! Our old one was boxed in by the downstairs loo totally raining on my garland parade. This year I will be going to Scandi town on our new ones. Cox & Cox have a great range of garlands to grace your stairs and work with a variety of different looks. I chose this really simple but effective pre lit pine one . It looks great even just on its own but has really nice thick branches/foliage that are perfect for adding further foliage of the faux or real variety to if you wanted to add more drama to your bannister.

The pre lit eucalyptus garland is lovely and bushy and easy to manipulate and can easily have foliage added to it for extra drama

There is also a matching pre lit wreath which fits rather perfectly on my insta faffery hook by the mirror. Again you could leave it plain of add extra foliage if you wanted to dial up the drama.

With thanks to Your London Florist I have added some extra eucalyptus and soft white dried grasses to complement the wreath

I have struggled for years with winding fairy lights into wreaths and trying to disguise the wires so really love the pre-lit one

The bench has not only created a handy place to sit when putting our shoes on but also lends itself to lots of great display possibilities. I love these beautiful crackle glaze ceramic Christmas trees that Cox & Cox have introduced this year to help you achieve a pared back minimal Christmas look. They look great on their own or in small groupings. I would happily have a whole forest of them!

These speckle glaze trees are a lovely minimal take on Christmas

But my very favourite type of tree has to be these beautiful illuminated ones. They add such a soft pretty twinkly light to the hallway and you can either keep them plain or hang them with baubles in the same way as a normal tree.

Welcome to Malmo’s Winter Wonderland created with a little help from these illuminated snow tipped trees from Cox & Cox

I love the soft warm white light of the trees

Cox & Cox have a fantastic selection of baubles for all looks and plenty that appeal to my Scandi aesethic, I particularly like these ones which wooden cut out stars and trees in the middle of a thin gold ring which are from their New Neural Noir range.

White chevron baubles adding all the boho feels to my hallway

If you wanted to add a bit of extra twinkle to your Christmas scheme then I have to let you in on a fairy light secret. I have had my fingers burnt in the past by fairy lights which promised to be warm white on the box only to turn up and turn out to be football stadium floodlight florescent but Cox & Cox have some naked wire cluster lights which are genuinely the warmest of whites!

My own mini forest of illuminated snow tipped trees

To complete the warm white winter wonderland feel to my entrance I have also add a couple of great outdoor lighting products from the Cox & Cox range. I think I may love the 7ft outdoor illuminated tree more than any Christmas tree I have ever owned. Mr Malmo I fear has less fond feelings towards it after a botched erection attempted on his part saw the top section hit him on the head at 7:30am on a Monday morning! I have also given our porch a dusting of twinkle with a brilliant indoor/ourdoor star. The lights on both the star and the tree are also the warmest of warm whites #fairylightwin.

Announcing our arrival in the neighbourhood with some Christmas twinkle!

The new apple of my eye, our outdoor Christmas tree

The fairy lights along with all of the other Cox & Cox products I have used in the make over are listed below if you would like to shop my look!

Illuminated Indoor/Outdoor Star

Outdoor light up Christmas Tree

Indoor/Outdoor Magical Light Up Snow Tipped Trees

Grey and White Chevron Baubles

Speckle Glaze Tree

Indoor/Outdoor Pre-Lit Wreath and Garland

Indoor/Outdoor Naked Wire Cluster Lights

Oversized Frame Mirror

Round Rattan Pendant

Natural Striped Runner

Hanging Potted Faux String of Pearls

Black and Brass Hook

Black and White Chevron Cushion

Woven Fringed Cushion

There are a few final finishing touches I need to make to finish the makeover off like applying a stain to the newly sanded floors and deciding whether to paint the bannister or sand it down but those can wait until I have finished my figgy pudding.

This blog post was part of a paid partnership with Cox & Cox. Many thanks also to Your London Florist for providing me with some foliage for styling my hallway and to Tia Talula for coming to my outdoor photography aid this week!

The Malmo & Moss Christmas Gift Guide

November 27, 2019

This Post Contains Some Affiliate Links

With just over a month to go until Christmas the Modern Rustic gift guide all (3) of you have been waiting for is finally here! As blog posts go this has been a pretty fun one to research and write. I have tried to cram in gift ideas from as many of my favourite small indie businesses as I can as well as featuring a few great ideas from the high street in the mix. I hope there is something for everyone in there: unless you have a great Uncle Bill who is a colour loving maximalist and whose interests are limited to billards, badgers and bitters. Sorry Bill.

When I asked you guys who you found it most difficult to buy for gifts for there was a common theme: men, mother-in-laws and teenagers. I think I have got the first two ticked off but I am guessing most teenagers are probably not into Scandi Rustic Living so maybe just a voucher for unlimited journeys in Mum and Dad’s taxi service in 2020?

I have loosely carved up the gift ideas into For Her and For Him with sub sections under each of: To Wear, For The Home and For Relaxation but obviously there may be things in the girl section that you think your guy might rather like and vice versa! There are gifts for all budgets included (well maybe not for the Richard Branson’s of the world) all of which are designed to be thoughtful gifts that the recipient will enjoy long after Christmas.

So without further ado dive into Scandi Santa’s list!

For Her

To Wear

Hopefully the selection of apparel below will see you through every Christmas eventuality from snogging someone special under the mistletoe in a racy pair of faux leather leggings (which also have the perfect elasticated waistband for eating Quality Street from 8am onwards) to slobbing out in front of the Queen’s Speech in Arket’s finest loungewear . Two items that will definitely be going on my own list are the engraved initial pendant from lovely indie jewellery brand Lines and Current and the mini pearl ear cuff from one of my favourite local stores Tailor Made Living.

1) The ultimate everyday grey T-Shirt from Arket 2) Blush pink necklace Jo & Co 3) Bed Socks, Noctu Organic 4) Cream Dungarees, The Olive Store 5) Black Silk Kimono from H&M 6) Knitted Trousers also Arket 7) Rose gold stacking rings Jo & Co 8) Personalised Pendant Lines & Current 9) Pink waffle robe from H&M 10) Sunglasses from Lines & Current 11) Faux Leather Leggings, Mint Velvet 12) Handcrafted Seaglass Necklace from Drift 13) Lily Print Pyjamas, Mint Velvet 14) Reed Shopper from Lisa Valentine Home 15) Tiny Gold Droplet Necklace & Other Stories 16) Recycled Cashmere Wrist Warmers from Turtledoves 17) Sheepskin Booties, Trouva 18) Gold and Grey Pearl Ear Cuff from Tailor Made Living 19) Leather 'Crossover Chloe Style Bag by Tailor Made Living 20) Ombre Scarf, Tailor Made Living 21) Miniature Star Necklace Jo & Co 22) Felt Bag, Muji 23) Mock Croc Clutch Bag, Tailor Made Living 24) Sheepskin Slippers from Toast 25) Delicate Stacking Ring from Ruby Tynan 26) Soft Cream Beanie from Selected Femme 27) Soft grey v-neck jumper Selected Femme 28) Morgan Leopard Joggers, Hush

For Her Home

Christmas being just around the corner seems to have caused me to go into the kind of inasane nesting mode most commonly experienced in the 9 month of pregnancy. I currently have about 8 different house projects on the go all of them, sphincter tighteningly for Mr Malmo, involving me, a paint brush, no masking tape and leftover cans of paint! Assuming I get at least one of them complete by the 25th I would very much like to be in a position to be adding a few of the beautiful items below to my own home in particular the monochrome cushion from Alice in Scandiland Shop and the Oui Oui Print from Tea & Kate.

1) Bamboo Candle, H&M 2) Daily Planner, Lisa Valentine Home 3) Monochrome Print Cushion, Alice In Scandiland Shop 4) Oui Oui Print, Tea & Kate 5) This is Home (The Art of Simple Living), The Wood House 6) Orange Blossom Reed Diffuser, The Botanical Candle Co 7) Let’s Stay In Bed Print, Tea & Kate 8) Stem Vase, Midgeley Green 9) Personalised Alphabet Print, On the Mantel 10) Clae Splatter Mug, Alice In Scandiland Shop 11) Table Lamp, Trouva 12) Zig Zag Monochrome Cushion, Trouva 13) Skog Forest Print, Nordic Nest 14) Mint Green Ceramic Beaker, Aerende 15) Christmas Mini Votive Set, Plum & Ashby 16) Je T’Aime Magique Print, Hotel Magique 17) Frank & Green Reusable Cup 18) Gold Rimmed Bowls, Aerende 19) Concrete Hanging Planter, The Living Lounge

For Relaxation

I have all the main bases of relaxation covered with this selection of great gifts. For me the perfect off duty evening would be make up off, John Prescott Scrotum Eye Bags soothed with wonder cream whilst, Isle of Harris Gin in hand, I thumb through the pages of Enki magazine for Scandi renovation inspiration!

1) Katie Leamon Diary from Jo & Co 6) Balance Me Wonder Eyecream 3) Cowshed Lip Balm and Hand Cream gift set from John Lewis 4) Rosy Toes Speedy Pedicure Sachet Jo & Co 5) Subscription to Enki Magazine (includes a free candle) 6) Reusable Make Up Remover Pads , Etsy 7) Moa soft face cloth Jo & Co 8) Wool and Sheepskin Hot Water Bottle Cover Mint Velvet 9) Faux Leopard Skin Hot Water Bottle Cover Graham & Green 10) Soft Furry Sleep Mask from The White Company 11) How Not To Kill Your Plants Nik Southern 12) La Eva Wash & Lotion Set 13) Space Masks, Tailor Made Living, 14) Middle Cyclone by Neko Case 15) Good & Proper Earl Grey Tea Bags 16) Harris Gin & High Ball Glasses 17) For the Love of White, The White Company 18) Papier Photo Book 19) North Star Coffee, Barbara Hepworth Gallery

For Him

To Wear

Men can be tricky beasts to buy for. My default option for Mr Malmo is always to go for something to wear in #dresslikeyourhome pleasing tones of navy, grey, white and, if I am feeling adventurous, olive green. If this recipe works well for the men in your life then hopefully they love some of the apparel items below.

1) Navy Blue Pyjama Set, H&M 2) Grey Felt Slippers, Tea & Kate 3) Bon Parfumier Cologne, The Hambledon 4) Selection of Navy Ties, Arket 5) Monochrome Cufflinks, John Lewis 6) MAM Limited Edition Watch 7) Olive Green Rucksack, Etsy 8) Navy & Stone Rucksack, Trouva 9) Shoe Cleaning Set, Tea & Kate 10) Coureur T-Shirt 11) Olive Green Zip Up Jacket, Kin at John Lewis 12) Football T-Shirt 13) Black Washbag, Trouva 14) Windle & Moodie Hair Texturising Cream 15) Aviator Sunglasses, Trouva 16) Olive Green Suede Boots, Trouva 17) Organic Cotton Pyjamas, Noctu Organic 18) Cycling T-Shirt 19 ) Fjall Racken Beanie 20) Veja Canvas Trainers

For the Home For Him

When I asked people on Instagram if the men in their life were into interiors only 3 people replied in the affirmative. Cycling yes, Golf yes, cushions? Not so much! However I am hoping that I can turn a few of the mountain bikers into modern rustics with the selection of gifts below. Don’t tell Mr Malmo but I will definitely be getting him the vintage British Library mountain print from Surface View and upgrading his morning espresso experience with a had crafted espresso cup from Midgeley Green.

1) Set of Four Japanese Noodle Bowls, HK Living 2) Pestle & Mortar, Baileys Home 3) Ceramic Teapot, Aerende 4) Vintage Metre Ruler, Baileys Home 5) Retro Alarm Clock 6) Retro Cycling Print 7) Metal Lunchbox, Daylesford Organic 8) Frisbee/Art Hanging, The Baltic Gallery 9) Walk This Way Print, The Hambledon 10) Black Ribbed Huskee Cup 11) Kurt Cobain Tea Towel, The Baltic Gallery 12) Vintage Metal Ampersand, Lovestruck Interiors 13) Personalise Year of Birth Print, Little House Shop 14) Espresso Cups, Midgeley Green 15) Neon Alphabet Letter 16) Monochrome Leaf Print, The Poster Club 17) Retro Measuring Tape, Tea & Kate 18) Japanese Metal Tool Box, Tea & Kate 19) Vintage Mountain Print, Surface View 20) Monchrome Print, The Poster Club

For Relaxation

Games involving minature dogs, cooking contemporary curry, reading ghost stories and brushing his teeth in an environmentally friendly manner. Are these just a few of your man’s favourite things?! If they are then I got you covered and if not there plenty more relaxing gift ideas for your man in the guide below as well.

1) Fourpure Craft Brewery Gift Set 2) Dishoom Indian Cookery Book 3) The Folio Book of Ghost Stories 4) Oven Gloves, The Organic Cooking Co 5) Where There Is A Will, Emily Chappell 6) 2020 Diary, Tea & Kate 7) Boy Smells Candle, The King and I 8) Daunt Books Crime Thriller Book Bundle 9) Wheat Eye Pillow 10) John Lewis Coffee 11) Sam Fender, Dead Boys (Album) 12) Glycerin Soap, Aerende 13) Alessi Coffee Pot John Lewis 14) A Flash in the Pan, John Whaite 15) La Eva Blu Wash 16) Scottie Dog Noughts & Crosses, Muji 17) Subscription to Noble Rot Wine Magazine 18) Nomad, Designing a Home for Adventure by Emily Reddington 19) Bamboo Toothbrush, The Living Lounge 20) The Great British Hotel & Inn Guide, Alistair Sawday

Malmo & Moss Renovation Diary: Our Loft Conversion Plans

November 17, 2019

Somehow we have been in our new house for 4 months already and with Christmas just around the corner I have been working hard with our lovely architect Reah of Detail Architects to finalise our renovation plans for 2020 (and beyond!). Apologies to Reah for misspelling the name of her architecture practice in my last blog and accidentally directing people to a Siberian architect specialising in extremely well insulated wooden huts. A key part of those renovation plans is adding a loft conversion to increase the amount of upstairs space we have. If you look at the floorplan of the new house against the old house you will see that whilst we have gained additional reception (and most importantly utility) space, the bedrooms are actually smaller than those we left behind meaning we have lost quite a bit of storage space! If there is a world record for the number of vacuum bags one household can fit under a bed I am fairly confident we would be going home with the trophy (or the £1000 Robert Dyas voucher). Also whilst at the moment two of the boys happily (well most of the time) share a room but we can imagine a (teenage) day when this might not always be the case!

The ground floor of our new house. It has lots more width which was a key selling point

However when compared to the bedrooms in our old house (see floor plan to the right) we have marginally less space upstairs

So whilst there are changes we would like to make to the downstairs layout our priority for next year is going to be the loft. It is, therefore, fortitious that I had actually previously written, in paid collaboration with VELUX, a blogpost all about the secrets of designing a successful loft conversion not realising at the time that I would actually get the opportunity to put them into practice. Whilst there may be seven deadly sins (and flavours of Magnum Icecream) there are, for me, five secrets to successful loft design and here is how I will be using them in our new house.

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Perfecting My Floorplan

We inherited the loft in our old house (in the sense of the conversion having been done before we moved in rather than it having been passed down in my great Auntie Pat’s will). That meant whilst we could change the décor we couldn’t change the layout. There were aspects that worked really well like having generous eaves storage, 6 huge VELUX roof windows that flooded the space with natural daylight and a spacious bathroom separated out from the sleeping space.

The loft in our old house with natural daylight flooding in through the VELUX windows

However it was a long room and the design meant that the bed had to be positioned under the eaves rather than closer to the dormer window meaning we didn’t get to take advantage of the views out of the garden. We also had limited options for built in storage. This time around I am eager to achieve a layout with more separation of spaces, better connection to the view from the dormer and much more built in storage (so that I don’t have to find the hoover every time I want to locate my winter jumpers!)

The loft room in our old house was spacious but quite long which broke the connection between the bed and the view

The floor plan that I think will best achieve this is set out below. What do you think? The sleeping space is smaller but better connected to the view and there is a much more generous “dressing room” space. Our plan is to build some seating into the space to the right of the VELUX windows to make the most of the daylight coming into the room and make this feel like a multi purpose relaxing space. But would you sacrifice the seating and have a dressing table instead? I am more of a do my make up on the train and dry my hair wherever there is a plug kind of gal but maybe I could be won round to being a bit more sophisticated!

Option 1: my preferred layout for the loft is broken, created by Detail Architects, is broken plan rather than open plan with three distinct areas to dress, sleep and bathe

This is Option 2 which I had discarded on the basis it would mean we had to have a skinny bed and allows for very little bedside table space. But I am now wondering whether having the bed facing the view would be better and there might be a way to … — This is Option 2 which I had discarded on the basis it would mean we had to have a skinny bed and allows for very little bedside table space. But I am now wondering whether having the bed facing the view would be better and there might be a way to make this work?? Any bright ideas?!

In trying to decide on my perfect floorplan I have found it really useful to visit Building Inspiration, a sister site from VELUX. There are lots of case studies of real-life loft conversion projects featured which gave me some fresh ideas about how to design the space. There are also handy how to guides to walk you through the loft design and conversion process

Letting the light in

One of the most successful aspects of our previous loft was definitely the bank of roof windows on one side. I didn’t know this at the time but VELUX roof windows actually let in twice as much daylight as vertical windows of the same size. And doubling the amount of daylight means boosting your metabolic processes (without wishing to sound too #StraightOuttaTomorrowsWorld) improving your mood, reducing your risk of obesity and helping you get a better night’s sleep. The windows we had were top hung meaning we could open them to get a full, open view and maximise the amount of natural daylight that can be allowed in.

Positioning your bed under VELUX windows can actually help you sleep better

So we will definitely be incorporating VELUX roof windows again in our new space. We have some planned in for the dressing room space but I would also love to see if we can incorporate one into the bathroom space so that we can see the stars whilst brushing our teeth or at least as much of the stars as you can see when everyone has their lights on in North London! Has anyone done this in their loft conversion? Does the reality live up to my Pinterest dream??

I am looking forward to actually being able to choose the design and size this time around and there are some exciting new products being introduced by VELUX in 2020 hopefully just in time for our conversions. For example, I love the sound of the top hung INTEGRA windows being introduced which have tech built in that allow you to operate the roof windows at the touch of a button. I would also like to add some inbuilt blackout blinds which again can be remotely controlled.

Sadly I don’t think we will be able to go for a VELUX CABRIO pop out balcony window so I will have to keep this image on my Pinterest a while longer.

Creating Character and Zoning Like Beckham

In my last blog I spoke about the fact that lofts can easily feel a bit “Keanu” (likeable but bland) and need character injecting into them. In our old loft I “De-Keanued” with the help of a small builders’ yard worth of reclaimed scaffold boards on the wall behind the bed. I loved how it added texture and warmth to the space and it is very tempting to repeat the trick again.

However, this time I love the idea of using a crittall screen to create a focal point, acting as a divider between the bedroom and the dressing room and injecting a little bit of sophisticated industrial edge into the room. Although I may be back down the builders’ yard if it turns out I have crittall dreams on a cardboard box budget.

I also love the idea of having the ability to open up part of the bathroom to the bedroom with a pocket door and, with some clever layout (and waste pipe location) planning am hoping I can fit a freestanding bath into the bathroom for a bit of added wow. This is my inspo for the idea although obviously on a slightly less dramatic scale than this!

I adore these sliding doors and the bath concealed by them. Image via @viral.archi

By having three distinct spaces divided in this way I am hoping to banish the bland and create a multifunctional space that we can sleep, bathe and relax in! If you need more ideas about how to design your space for maximum wow (and non-Keanu) factor then VELUX has a brilliant EBook available that has lots of great tips about things to bear in mind when you are designing your space. Definitely worth looking at when you consider that 70% of people have regrets about their loft conversion and that 19% of people wish they had spent more time planning their space before starting to build.

Glaze to Amaze

One of the key attractions of our new house is that is has a lovely mature garden with some seriously attractive trees Because it is so mature you cannot really see the houses behind so it feels very secluded and connected to nature.

Could be New England in the fall but is actually Enfield

Concentrate on the view not the chunky UpVc windows that are definitely on my hit list to replace

One of my key design aims with the loft is to ensure that there are clear uninterrupted views to take advantage of the setting. In my last loft blog I detailed how we removed a set of white UpVC doors to de-dentist surgery the old space and open up the view. At the time we had a limited budget so had to install, in their place, a large fixed picture window and a small opening side window. Whilst that definitely gave us uninterrupted views it would have been nice to have had the ability to open the window to enjoy more fresh air in the summer months.

The picture window in our old loft which created stunning uninterrupted views

This time around I am therefore hoping that we can stretch the budget enough to go for either folding or sliding doors in the dormer like this amazing loft conversion I have saved on my Pinterest boards (source unknown). Has anyone done this in their loft? I also love the idea of having the bath positioned in front of a big pane of glass like in this inspo picture .

I am hoping god (and the Halifax) willing that we be able to finalise the design, put it in for planning and get started in the first half of 2020. If you are planning a loft conversion and need more practical information on the timings and process then click here to read bags of useful information on just those topics complied by VELUX or contact VELUX for support. Using the VELUX Project support tools has really helped me so far and it is a great way to get to know more about the whole range of different types of windows that they offer. Did you know for example that you can open and close their INTEGRA windows with just one touch of a wall switch?

I look forward to sharing our final choices and our loft conversion journey with you over the coming months. I would love to hear from anyone else also embarking on a similar journey in 2020!

This blog post was sponsored by VELUX as part of my paid brand ambassador partnership with them

Renovating our bathroom to create my ultimate sanctuary space

October 6, 2019

It has been two months since we moved into our new house and, bar one bad wobble unpacking cardboard box 3456, we haven’t looked back. I thought I would be longing for my metro tiles and modern rustic interiors but we have been so busy making renovation plans for the new place there hasn’t really been time to pine for the old one.

The room I am pining for the most: our old bathroom

However, there is one room that I haven’t quite got over saying goodbye to and that was my bathroom. It wasn’t the largest room in the house but, as the only one with a lock on the door and a ready supply of scented candles, it was my sanctuary. Apparently it is not just me that feels that way either: 43% of people in recent survey by top bathroom brand Geberit listed it as their sanctuary space. I am guessing I am not the only mum who barricades herself in there for a bubble bath after the end of full day adulting!

The copper taps made by my builder added an industrial edge to the bathroom that I loved

It was one of the first rooms that I completely designed by myself from scratch and the combo of a vintage roll top bath, copper piping taps and hexagonal floor tiles was probably responsible for 89% of my Instagram growth!

Even managed to acheive my ultimate goal before we left and snuck an olive tree in

Candles lit, bubble bath poured ready for relaxation

So are you ready to see what my new bathroom is like and find out more about my plans for transforming it into my ultimate sensory sanctuary space with some clever tips I have picked up from working with the clever bathroom people at Geberit? Ok here she is!!

This was the bathroom when we first came to visit. All clean and tidy with strong folded towel game

Like most of the house we are lucky in that everything is in pretty good (ish) condition and fairly neutral style – we are not overwhelmed by an avocado suite or battling a beige bog. It is more of a case of things looking a little bit dated oh and the shower running at a temperature indistinguishable from lukewarm tea.

Up close the bath panel and unit are starting to show their age and I would like to swap them for something more contemporary

One of number one desires is to find space for a separate shower as at the moment we have a shower over the bath

As you can see from this floor plan there is a very obvious reconfiguration of the space we can do that will allow me to escape from my own personal bathroom hell: a shower over the bath. By shifting the water tank out of the cupboard shown on this plan we will be able to separate the shower out and then I would like to switch the bath so that it sits under the window.

The current configuration is a bit awkward with an airing cupboard containing a water tank in a space that would be perfect for a standalone shower

Detail Architects have drawn up some plans to show how we could incorporate the shower into the bathroom

I love the arrangement of have the bath under the window that @the_girl_with_the_green_sofa went for in her new bathroom

By knocking through into the airing cupboard we would be able to achieve a shower space similar to @the_girl_with_the _green_sofa bathroom as well.

With those structural changes made I can then hopefully get down to the fun part: designing a bathroom to stimulate all my senses!

It’s all about the Olafractory

Ok smell may not seem the obvious sense to start with but if there was one thing that took the edge off my old “dream bathroom” it was the fact that the toilet was positioned in the bathroom 30 cms from the tub meaning that a) 1 in 2 baths were interrupted by one or more of the boys bursting in to drop off something that smelt like it had been ejected from the bowels of a Victorian and b) when they burst back out again a smell remained that even a whole pine forest of toilet duck couldn’t shift.

In the new house the toilet is actually separate from the bathroom an arrangement that some people view as old fashioned but which I am increasingly coming round to! But what do you think? Would we be better bringing it into the bathroom as shown on the floorplan below?

The alternative option of bringing the toilet into the bathroom

However, if we do incorporate it into the bathroom to create more of a spacious feel, then it is reassuring to know that Geberit’s toilets actually have the latest in duo fresh odour extraction technology incorporated into them, filtering the surrounding air to diminish unpleasant smells and extracting odours directly from the loo before they have the chance to spread!

I love the fact that Geberit have developed a toilet with built in odour extraction

Coming Over All Kinesthetic

Come again Malmo I hear you say? I realise it sounds like I have got in touch with my inner Mystic Meg but your kinaesthetic senses actually relate to your awareness of the position and movement of parts of your body (in essence your sense of touch) rather than your ability to read the fortune of a reader of The Sun.

So in designing a bathroom to stimulate your kinaesthetic side you need to pay attention to things that are tactile and nice to touch! In our last house the polished concrete sink in our ensuite totally ticked this box.

I would love to be bolder and introduce more concrete or micro cement into the new space this time potentially on the walls or even on the bath itself. These are a couple of the inspo pics on my pinterest board that I keep coming back to.

I love the way in this one that the concrete sink sits against a polished concrete wall. Image via Pinterest source unknown

I love this concrete bath from @viaparissi but wonder if it might be a bit much in a family bathroom?

If I can make it work without having to take on a second mortgage I would also love to bring a reeded glass shower screen into the scheme for some additional texture. I saw it used to great effect in this bathroom

I think I have pinned this image approximately 6788 times I love it so much! Image via Living Etc

The reeded glass shower screen is a great way of bringing texture in. Image from Living Etc

I also fell in love with a basin at the photoshoot I did with Geberit earlier in the year (click here to read all about it) that was made of a super matt, soft material called varicor. I don’t know quite how to describe it but it felt like the basin was made out of the softest silk you can imagine.

This Geberit basin made of a soft material called varicor is super tactile

As you can see I coulnt’t keep my hands off it!

On the techy side my derriere very much likes the idea of sitting down on an intelligent Aqua Clean toilet that is programmed to know exactly the warmth to heat my toilet seat to for me.

Scroll Stopping Visuals

I started with smell but obviously the other biggy when designing your ultimate sensory bathroom space has to be how it all looks! Whilst I loved my old bathroom and the rustic vintage industrial vibes it was channelling I actually have in mind a softer slightly more minimal look for the new bathroom. Still retaining touches of industrial edge but introducing calmer colours and softer textures. Also shockingly even to me I am toying with the idea of bring some non neutral colours in. Before you start imagining bright pinks and neon yellow I should probably clarify that I am more thinking of dabbling with a very light mint green. I adore these tiles for example and how they look with brass taps.

Soft mint green is the new avocado in this bathroom by Sarah Shearman Samuel

Lighting is also a hugely important part of the visual experience. My Malmo would happily bathe with the big light on (any other Northerners call the overhead light that?!) but for me dimmable wall lights are a massive important part of creating a relaxing bathroom experience.

Geberit have also come up with some smart solutions to avoid dazzling your eyes when you enter you bathroom space such as soft automatic orientation lighting as part of their vanity units and mirrors. Exposure to harsh light sources in the middle of the night can apparently negatively effect your sleep patterns so incorporating gentle orientation lighting into your bathroom design is a great way to avoid being awake all night after popping for a 3am wee!

Soft orientation lighting built into the vanity unit and mirror avoids dazzling your eyes if you pop to the loo in the night!

Turning up the tranquillity factor

Unless I at bathe at 11pm (which has been known to happen!) there is very rarely silence in our house. The very best I can usually hope for is no-one under the age of 10 breaking through the door to enquire why there is a hairy glove floating in the bath or to ask my opinion on the Sheffield Wednesday back four.

There are some clever things you can do to maximise tranquillity and reduce noise in the bathroom though. Geberit recommend planning features into your bathroom such as a decoupled pre-walls, opting for acoustically optimised pipework and choosing wall hung ceramics. The soft touch buttons on their flush plates also ensure a super quiet flushing action. I can confirm I have heard louder whispers!

Geberit's soft touch flush plates ensure the tranquility of your bathroom experience is not disturbed

Also there is one person I always enjoy taking into the bathroom with me (when Ryan Gosling is too busy to pop by for a bubble bath) and that is Alexa! Being able to ask her to play Zero 7 to drown out any rows that might be happening elsewhere in the house about turning the Octonauts off is invaluable!

I look forward to sharing more details of our bathroom makeover with you as our renovation plans progress. Hopefully soon I will be in a position to pull together a moodboard that whittles down the 3567890 bathroom images I have saved and shapes them into a coherent design incorporating the sensory design principles I have picked up from Geberit!

*This post is part of the my long term paid partnership with Geberit*

Girl Meets Scandi Rustic Cabin of Her Dreams: Our Week Glamping in Belgium

September 8, 2019

If you did a straw poll of 100 people asking them where they went on holiday this year I am guessing the results might be: Spain (40), Greece (20), France (20), UK (10), Belgium (1). That one would be me! So why did we choose Europe’s least obvious holiday destination for our Summer break this year? There is actually a very obvious reason : two of the national culinary specialities are chocolate and cheesy chips. What is not to like?!

But if you are more of a plant than prailine based diet person there is a actually another great reason to flock to the Flemish land. Enter the Scandi/Rustic cabin of my dreams. About 6 months ago this image popped up on the explore page of my Instagram. It had me at festoon light. When I discovered it was located in the pine forests of Belgium rather than the plains of the American Mid West I was sold on a glamping holiday for 2019.

The rustic cabin picture that popped up on my Instagram explore page

We booked 4 nights over the August bank holiday. At 700 Euros it was approximately half the price of the equivalent break in the UK with a significantly reduced risk of coming home with a veruca. I am not going to lie, I was a little bit worried that I had gone completely off piste as we drove ever deeper into Belgium past all the places I had heard of and could easily pronounce but when we arrived all of those fears evaporated and hopefully after reading this Belgium will also be top of your holiday hit list for next year

The Setting

There are approximately 28 of the cabins at Nutchel located in a beautiful pine forest close to the border with the Netherlands. It is the perfect mix of being secluded/an escape from everyday life whilst also 10 minutes drive from a supermarket that stocks toilet roll and marshmallows should you run out of either in the middle of the night, There are a mix of different cabins depending upon your party size and budget. We stayed in one of the cozy cabins which has all of the living accommodation at ground floor level and then a raised covered platform with seating for outdoor dining up in the trees.

Our own slice of Scandi cabin heaven for the week

This was one of my favourites. It overlooked a lake and had a hot tub

If you were there as a couple one of the smaller cabins would be really cosy

There are some which are all elevated though which looked really cool and a couple which come with their own hot tubs which I would definitely splash my Euros on when we return next time. But to be honest you really can’t go wrong as all of them have the same great combo of crittal style doors/windows, contemporary cladding and festoon lights

This is the cabin in the trees that we have our eye on for next time!

The Interiors

Where do I start? They were my wildest Little Modern Rustic House on the Prairie fantasy!

THe kitchen was small but perfectly formed

I loved the industrial interiors touches like the copper taps

Wooden clad walls, flowing linen curtains, cosy woodburner, industrial inspired kitchen, fairy lights and lanterns, cosy corners to curl up and read a book in, fluffy white duvets and a view of the forest from your bed, hell even copper piping taps in the bathroom!

My favourite spot to curl up in the window

The layout is basically one open plan room for the living space that has a sofa, a kitchen, a table and built in seating (as well as the woodburner) and then a separate bathroom and sleeping area with the beds sort of stacked up on top of each other. Hopefully you can see what i mean from the picture below.

The view through from the living space to the bedrooms

The sofa had lots of clever storage so the cabin never felt cluttered

The sleeping arrangement did mean that marital relations were pretty much off the cards for the week on account of us having children directly below and above us at all times but I did have a really good book I was reading so that actually worked out quite well for me!

I am going to miss waking up in the trees

I loved how much the kids enjoyed the whole experience

A Camping Experience with Glamping Comforts

The cabins definitely deliver on the back to nature front and offer the chance to live a simpler life for a few days. There is no television, no WiFi, no microwave and no fridge (though there is a clever cold box before you start worrying about where you will store your almond milk).

The two sources of lighting were fairy lights and oil lamps

I want o say that without Wifi the kids were reading books but I think he was scrolling my phone in this picture!

But before you worry that you will be pooing into compost and unable to charge your phone, I should reassure you that there are power points flushing toilets, warm water and 4G reception in the cabins. So it is back to nature with data roaming still intact!

Things to Do

In all honesty your really won’t miss the TV because there is so much to do on the site and in the surrounding area. What i hadn’t appreciated when I booked is that there is a actually a really nice common area that all of the cabins have access to that includes a lake with a sandy beach around it which is dotted with Tiki style parasols, lazy boy bean bags and happy looking parents. The lake has a series of stepping stones in it for jumping off , a mini water slide and then in the landscaping around the lake there are also some adventure challenges like log stepping stones, a net bridge to navigate over a pond and some tightropes. On a Wednesday night there is a big barbecue in a cosy tipi strung with fairy lights over looking the lake and they open a bar up on the sand. Our kids loved this whole area (as did I Aperol Spritz in hand as I watched them play) and we easily spent 3-4 hours each day hanging out there.

If you can prize your bum off a bean bag there is also a Go Ape style adventure park which culminates in a huge zipline across the forest and for littler ones there is a woodland playground that doesn’t require a crash helmet or for you to conquer your fear of heights! One of the things our boys loved the most though was just playing in the woods! They set up a mini cricket pitch in a clearing by our cabin and played a woodland version of the Ashes (with perhaps a greater proportion of tantrums and runs ending in one of them calling the other an idiot).

But our boys just loved playing in the woods

They used this little area as their cricket pitch

On our last day we booked a session in the hot tub set in the woods in a bid to persuade the boys that sitting in gently bubbling warm water is more enjoyable than trying to find a cricket ball in a bramble thicket. There is also a sauna and a Finnish wooden hut you can hire for a barbecue experience!

I am hoping I have won them over to a Spa experience!

We also ventured into nearby Masseig one of the days which has a pretty square with restaurants and bars around. The boys declared our meal their the best they had ever had on account of the waiter giving them both a football and a plate of fizzy sweets at the end of the meal. Note to Heston Blummenthal if you want that fifth Michelin Star swap Petit Four for fizzy dummies.

Two holidays in one

The other thing I loved about this as a break is that you can really easily combine it with a city break on your way there. We drove and from Calais to the cabin it was about 4 hours but we broke the journey up by both having lunch in Bruges and then staying a coupe of nights in Antwerp. I would really recommend Antwerp. It has not perhaps got the Belgium Venice good looks of Bruges or Ghent but it has lots of great museums, cafes, restaurants, parks and, as the fashion captial of Belgium, shops!

Would definitely recommend it for a city break

So have I persuaded you to swap Greece for Ghent next year? This is the link to Nutchel so you can have a closer look and if you are interested I would say it is worth e-mailing and asking them to let you know when availability for Summer 2020 is released as I hear it gets booked up really fast!

The Malmo & Moss Guide to Majorca

August 25, 2019

We recently got back from spending the week in Majorca. It was my fourth visit to the Island and it is rapidly becoming one of my favourite holiday destinations. Although when we first visited on honeymoon 11 years ago we left feeling a little underwhelmed. It was the weather rather than Majorca’s fault though. It tipped it down almost the entire time we were there meaning we spent most of our time sheltering from torrential rain rather than dipping our toes in turquoise waters.

The view of the mountains from the pretty village of Fornalutx

However, 3 years ago we hired a villa in the Tramuntara mountains on the North-West side of the Island with my cousin (who is conveniently married to one of my husband’s best friends) and finally fell for its charms. In fact so much so that we returned for girlie city break in Palma just 12 months later losing ourselves in the winding streets of the old town and the changing rooms of Mango and Zara.

Being on a girlie break meant lots of time to pratt around getting Instagram shots against graffiti walls

This time round we hired a villa in the middle of the Island in a village called Consell. It is not really a touristy type of a place lacking the postcard good looks of Deia or Fortnalux but it still has plenty of flaky paint doors, white washed buildings and winding alleyways to fill up your camera roll with and felt much more like we were discovering the “real Mallorca”. So with four trips now under my belt I thought I would do a little roundup of my favourite places to stay, eat, beach and explore on the Island. Please do add suggestions in the comments below as I feel like I have probably only explored about 35% of this gorgeous place so far oh and Rafa Nadal’s home address if you happen to have it…..

Best Places To Stay in Majorca

Hotels

Son Brull

When we visited on honeymoon we stayed up in the North of the Island near Pollenca in a boutique hotel called Son Brull. If you are unencumbered by children and want to stay somewhere Mr Tumble free with beautiful crisp clean interiors, an infinity pool and a bartender who memorises your favourite cocktail after the first night this is the place.

Hotel Nakar

On our girlie break we were looking for somewhere right in the middle of Palma that had nice interiors but which wouldn’t break the bank. We chose the Nakar Hotel which I would whole heartedly recommend for the following reasons a) it is very centrally located so very easy to get to the Old Town, Cathedral and Harbour as well as to pick up buses to get to places along the coast b) the rooms are large, clean and contemporary c) it has rooftop terrace and infinity pool which look out over a view of terracotta rooftops, blue skies, the twinkling sea and magnificent Cathedral (in the evening a DJ plays so you can go up there after a few Roses and two step dance like it’s 1998 again) d) there is a breakfast buffet that features both limitless chocolate cake and cava and e) the concierge staff are almost exclusively very handsome young Spanish men who smell and look great as well as obviously being great fonts of knowledge on Palma’s cultural sights.

The view from the roof terrace where breakfast was served

Self Catering

I actually deliberated long and hard about writing this blog and sharing the details of the Villa we stayed in this time round as it was such an amazing find and I am slightly worried that when I let the secret out it will get booked up and I won’t be able to go back!

One of the the gorgeous outdoor seating areas at the Villa

As I mentioned above it was located in a village about 20 mins North of Palma called Consell and it’s location was perfect as we could explore all over the island without ever having to drive more than an hour. There is a little bakery, a bar on the local square, a newagent, supermarket and a couple of nice restaurants (of the local rather than trendy variety).

A view of the street on which the Villa is located

But to be honest most days it was hard to drag ourselves away from the Villa compound! It really was heaven. Sleeping 12 in total there are 5 double bedrooms all ensuite with air conditioning and two with their own private roof terraces. Downstairs is a huge dining/living space with a whopper of a kitchen table and a massive corner sofa with access to Netflix. Outside there is a lovely enclosed courtyard garden, a further outbuilding with seating and a table and chairs and then through a gate is the stunning infinity style pool and outdoor dining area.

The pool was a lovely temperature and had shallow steps in so perfect for little ones. It also had colour change lights for the evening which the kids said were their favourite bit of the whole holiday. Around the pool dotted amongst lemon and orange trees are sun loungers, parasols and ridiculously comfy bean bags

The pool glistening in the early morning light

There wwas lots of stylish seating around the pool and shady spots to retreat to

It really has got everything you could ever hope for and more. If you are in a smaller group then the neighbouring property is owned by the same person and has the same great combo of stylish, simple interiors and a knock out pool. If you travel as a group in peak Summer months it works out at about £350 per person for the week which is amazing value compared to some of the other far far less nice places we looked at.

So if you would like to book this slice of paradise for your holiday click here for the link. Promise to leave me a week free in July 2020 though?!

Best Beaches

Majorca has a lot of great beaches to chose from it just depends what you are looking for. My personal beach criteria are: turquoise clear waters, access to shade, a secluded/cove like location if possible, beach bar in easy reach, parking in close proximity and a walk down to the beach that does not require you to have previously gone on a survival skills course with Bear Grylls. Oh and if there happen to be Rafa Nadal types playing Beach Volleyball near my sandcastle all the better.

Blue skies, turquiose sea and white sand = my beach paradise

Our favourite find from our first trip was Cala Fornells down in the South of the Island. It is not a huge beach but we rocked up late afternoon and found a lovely shaded spot in amongst rocks with plenty of shade from pine trees and it delivers the full turquoise sea experience. It is theoretically possible to hire loungers although we had a stand-off with a German man in very small trunks after some confusion about which ones belonged to the hotel that backs on to the beach.

One of the idyliic coves at Cala Fornells

This time round we headed East for a day and our favourite find was Cala Mesquida . We parked easily and it was a simple five minute stroll down on to a sandy beach with loungers under Tiki Parasols to hire (with no stand offs with Bavarians in Budgey Smugglers). The water was incredibly clear and warm and there is a great Beach shack serving up snacks and a mean mojito. There is a resort above the beach but it is very small, low rise and unimposing. If you are child free or have somehow ended up with the kind of kids who will walk for more than 5 minutes without asking to turn back/be carried/be given sugar then from Cala Mesquida there is a tail you can walk over to Cala Torta a more secluded beach with no resort attached and the famous Dolores and Manolo’s beach bar which is renowned for serving up great seafood in this beautiful setting.

A walkway leading away from Cala Mesquida to Cala Torta

There is an option to hire a more deluxe sun lounger if you are flush with Euros. the standard sun loungers we hired were 15 Euro for two for the day

Our other new discovery was Playa D’Albercuix up in Port de Pollensa. Port de Pollensa has a big wide sandy beach well served for water sports and family friendly facilities but the bit that we explored and fell in love with was at the end of the Pine Walk that stretches along the harbour in the Port. We parked up near the Hotel Illa D’Or (which itself looks like a lovely spot) and then based ourselves on a lovely little stretch of sand on Playa D’Albercuix just along from the hotel which had stone jetties reaching out into the water for the kids to fish from and beautiful clear, shallow water for swimming and cooling off in. If you fancy an ice cream walk from there towards Pollensa under the shade of pine trees whilst taking in some of the beautiful Villas that back onto the beach. We had a beautiful seafood lunch on the terrace of the Hotel Illa D’Or (whose rather nice loo facilities we also used for the day) which is lovely and shady and has a great menu that changes daily.

The shade stretch of sand that we made our base

The lovely shady pine walk in Port de Pollensa

If we come back to the Island I would be tempted to base myself in Pollensa or Port de Pollensa and then to go off exploring the stunning Cap de Formentor. If you don’t fancy the slightly butt clenching journey to the end of the Cap you can catch a boat from Port de Pollensa to Formentor beach which would make a lovely day trip.

Beach Clubs

Puro Beach

When we were on our girlie break we took a bus from Palma to Illetes Beach which in itself is a lovely little beach with a couple of great bars from which you can watch the sun set whilst sipping a cocktail. You can hire loungers from the beach club there which was our original plan. However when we arrived we discovered there had been a mix up and our booking lost. However whilst we were waiting for them to reveal this fact I spotted just around the bay the glistening of white Balinese beds on a rock above crystal clear waters.

The Balinese beds that caught my eye from across the bay

Enter Puro Beach. To know it is to surrender your credit card and fall hopelessly in love. For 60 Euros a day you can lie back on a white lounger and spend a further sum of your monthly salary on Rose Wine, perfect crispy squid and at lounger Spa treatments. We made our way back there again this time and it was just as heavenly as we had remembered.

The turquoise sea view from my lounger at Puro Beach

Assasona Beach

A new opening since our last visit and located in the trendy Portixol suburb of Palma, Assasona has more than a little flavour of Ibiza with its boho beach good looks. The setting in the harbour right on the beach is amazing. There are loungers to hire but we visited for dinner just as the sun was going down and enjoyed a gorgeous open air dinner looking out to sea

New for 2019 Assaona Beach Club (their image)

Roxy’s Beach Bar

Not strictly a beach club but on our girlie break we visited Puerto Portals and loved this place. It is right at the end of Puerto Portals beach on a pontoon out in the water from where you can watch yachts coming into harbour and tanned young types on jet skis whilst sipping Sangria and listening to a chilled out sound track.

The view when sat in Roxys Beach Bar Sangria in hand

Puerto Portals itself is sort of like a Majorcan version of St Tropez. Think a harbour full of yachts, boutiques full of clothes that look like they have got caught up in a Swarkorski Crystal hurricane and boulevards full of Sugar Daddies and their twinkies. That makes it sound awful but if you take it with a pinch of salt and add 10 Euros to what you thought was your previous ceiling price for a pizza then it is a great fun place to while away a few hours people watching.

Places to Eat

Because we were staying in such an amazing Villa (and had 5 kids between us) quite a few of the nights were there this time we just ate in.

Palma

We visited Palma one evening and parked near the Cathedral. Parc de sa Feixina is just adjacent with a great playground to let the kids burn off some energy and then from there you are a short stroll into the winding streets of the Old Town. Just off the square is a Tapas place we didn’t eat in but which has great reviews called S’Angel. We were due to eat at the Mercado de San Juan but realised it was actually 30 mins from the centre so instead nabbed a last minute table at Forn . It has great industrial style interiors and tapas style menu and they were very family friendly although the prices were a bit eye watering.

Just across the Street was the sister restaurant Koi which came recommended by a friend and is known for its great oven cooked Pizzas. We rounded off our evening with an icecream at Can Miquel which is located through a maze of the beautiful old streets. The Hazlenut flavour is not to be missed.

Both of the times we have holidayed as a group we have traded babysitting so we each got to go out to a more special occasion type of place. The first time we wen to Hotel Castell Son Claret and I cannot recommend the magical setting enough. It is an old castle and the enter courtyard was strung with tiny fairy lights making it look so pretty on a clear starry night. The food was almost as pretty.

This time my Cousin visited Cap Rocat and ate at the Sea Club (we were also meant to but I booked for the worng week!). The food itself is ok but the real draw is the amazing setting on the cliffs from which you can watch the sun go down with a huge gin and tonic in hand . I guess I will just have to go back next year to experience that sunset!

A snapshot of images from the Cap Rocat Instagram to wet your appetite

So there you have it the Malmo & Mos Guide to Majorca. It probably only scratches the surface of all this gem of an island has to offer. I guess i will just have to keep going back for the purposes of research. Puro Beach 2020 here I come.

Malmo & Moss Renovation Diary: August

August 18, 2019

This week marked the end of our first month living in our new house. I would like to say we celebrated this milestone wrapped in each others arms sipping chilled glasses of Dom Perignon but the reality involved mugs of builders tea and an aborted attempt to change a light fitting that nearly ended in divorce and Mr Malmo losing a testicle to an electric screwdriver.

To briefly recap in case you didn’t see my previous blog post about the move, we have swapped our old Edwardian semi for a bigger 1930s style house which offers us the potential to extend up, out and sideways but which currently looks like it got caught up in a pebble dash hurricane.

I am not going to lie, I was worried that leaving behind our old house (which we had completely renovated) would leave me feeling like a fish out of modern rustic water with nothing to instagram but laminate floors and Laura Ashley wallpaper. But, despite all its current imperfections and a distinct lack of metro tiles, this place surprisingly already feels like home. It helps that we have actually only moved five minutes around the corner so we haven’t had to leave behind friends or change schools. The move was driven by wanting more space and whilst the current configuration of rooms is a bit of a jumble (more on that to come….) gaining a garage, utility and a bigger, leafier garden has already made family life much easier.

There is not a metro tile in sight at the new house so having to get my fix looking at pictures of our old bathroom instead

Although my dad has expressed some deep concerns about the width of the toilets. Apparently in order to stay on the right side of his bowels I need to factor toilet cubicles the size of a small Belgian city into my renovation plans.

Me and my Dad who is smiling despite his narrow toilet concerns

To keep me sane as we attempt to create a contemporary Scandinavian inspired family home (with spacious toilets) out of this pebble dash Princess, I thought I would keep a monthly renovation diary here on the blog. That way I can show you the ‘Before’ , share our plans for the ‘After’, and hopefully acquire and impart some wisdom along the way about designing and building your dream home. Although there is not much renovation to document so far as most of the first month has been spent unpacking endless boxes. It turns out a girl can have too many shoes, coats, rustic benches and artfully distressed candleholders (33 and counting….). It felt at one point that Rogers Removals boxes were waiting until we went to bed and then frantically procreating.

The procreating removal boxes and some wallpaper that looks like it could have inspired one of Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen’s frock coats

Obviously I unpacked the really important things first like a giant rustic flower wreath

To escape the #RampantRogersRemovalBoxes we have been spending as much time as possible outside in the garden. The previous owner was a keen gardener so we will hopefully just need to try and keep things alive rather than starting from ground zero. It is south facing which means the outdoor seating area pictured below, gets lots of sunshine. Actually I know it feels wrong to say this (given that August seems to have got itself confused with February) but if anything it actually gets a little too much sun for this pale skinned Northern girl.

To escape the chaos inside we have been spending a lot of time outside in the lovely leafy garden

Because it is south facing it is a bit of a sun trap

I was, therefore, excited to discover that we have actually inherited an awning. Although that excitement slightly fizzled out when I discovered that it was in Sheffield Wednesday colours and looks about as Scandinavian as the Go Jetters.

The current sun shade situation is more Sheffield Wednesday than Stockholm

Apologies for the eyeful of my pebble dash

The hunt as begun for some alternative shade solutions with more of a relaxed Ibizan beach club vibe. So it was great timing when Solero Parasols got in touch to tell me about their extensive range of garden parasols. This cantilevered gem would completely meet the beach club brief. It is what is known as a free arm parasol and can rotate 360 degrees. It comes with lots of smart features as well. The fabric is fade resistant and hydrophobic and also has a UPF Value of 50+. On days when temperatures soars the fabric will release rather than retain hot air adding to the stability of the parasol. It also comes with wireless rechargeable lighting meaning you can stay outside and enjoy long Summer evenings. To be honest I think it might be cleverer than I am!

A Cantilevered parasol from the Solero range.

Another option I really like (and hadn’t seen before) was having a wall parasol. The patio area we have to play with is not huge so I like the idea of saving space by having one mounted to the wall. And lets face it I am 100% there for any solution which obscures more of the pebble dash!

This wall parasol might be the perfect replacement for the awning!

When it comes to inside there are even bigger plans afoot. We have appointed Detail Architect to start drawing up plans for re-configuring and extending the current space and hopefully by my next diary entry I will be able to share some preliminary floorplans with you!

In the meantime I am going to leave you with a couple of shots of areas of the house that are starting to look vaguely Instagrammable (if you squint…..) Do you recognise the light fitting from our old house? 10 points if you can remember which room it used to hang in!

This is one of my favourite areas of the house so far. It has got quite high ceilings so it is possible to show my Abigail Ahern light off to full effect!

I have big plans for making over the fireplace in here but for now enjoying this corner

This Blog Plost was kindly sponsored by Solero Parasols

Styling my Garden for Summer

July 21, 2019

It has been quite a week in the Malmo & Moss household. After nine happy years we have moved house, leaving our Edwardian semi behind and taking on a pebble dash dipped renovation project. It is fair to say that as I closed our front door for the last time on Monday I was about as composed as Gwyneth Paltrow upon discovering that her local Whole Foods had run out of tofu.

Saying goodbye to our first family home has been emotional

One of the things I will be saddest to leave behind is our kitchen extension and the relationship it allowed us to have with the garden. That sounds like we were embroiled in an unhealthy coupling with our hardy geraniums but what I mean is the way the design of the extension opened up the house to the garden allowing it to become like an extension of the house in the Summer.

My favourite feature if our old house: the cantilevered corner

A corner of our old garden where I proved to be surprisingly green fingered

Designing a kitchen extension for indoor/outdoor living

We were originally going to just have bifold doors going across the end but ended up going for a cantilevered corner. It was definitely more expensive ( I will probably still be paying for it when I am 79) but it created so much more wow factor. We loved having friends round for dinner and opening the doors up to enjoy all of the view of the garden from the table.

Table set ready for dinner with my favourite items from the Marks & Spencer Spring/Summer homeware range

Another key part of the design was having a raised deck that wrapped around the extension and using concrete constructed planters to create a seating area. That little corner was the sunniest spot in the garden and I loved sitting out there with a cup of tea in the morning or with a glass of wine in the early evening (when the sun had gone down just enough for me to venture out without turning tomato red in twenty seconds).

The seating area on the wrap around decking that we created using raised concrete planters

Summer Styling with Marks & Spencer

Over the last few months as we have prepared for the move, I have been working with Marks and Spencer (as part of a paid partnership) to explore their Spring/Summer range and to get to know more about the brand I have loved since I was a little girl. With just days to go before we moved I enjoyed a final fling with my kitchen and garden styling them up to showcase some of the items I selected from the range and to inspire people to go alfresco Scandi Rustic style this Summer.

Table laid with the beautiful, simple Marlowe dining set

When I attended the launch for the Spring/Summer collection there were four items that really stood out for me and which I was dying to get my hands on. They were the small bulb vases, the Marlowe dinner set, the white washed wooden hurricane lanterns and candles from the calm range. I knew that all four would look great on my Summer table when mixed in with my existing tableware and vintage pieces.

These lovely little bulb vases are great for displaying single stems of flowers like these blousy peonies

The Marlowe dinner set is a lovely soft grey and has a great raised rim detail that I really liked. I set the table with a lovely natural linen table cloth, added the plates and bowls from the set and then lit candles to flicker in the evening sun in the hurricane lamps from the collection.

The candle from the calm range which is crafted with sweet orange and lavender essential oils

It is no exaggeration to say I love these hurricane lamps so much that they have appeared in literally every shot on my grid since I got them! The original ones have sold out online but there is a slightly different shape which is equally nice which is still online and linked here . To add some scent to my Summer table I lit two of the candles from the Calm range the style and price point of which I loved! A single candle is just £7.50 and has notes of cedar wood and clary sage.

My hero item from the range has to be the white washed hurricane lamps which I would happily buy for every room in my house

The last hurrah I had in the garden was to take my three hero items outside and add in some cushions and planters from the Spring/Summer garden range to create a more casual dining scenario on the decking.

Creating a low picnic table from a couple of old pallets covered with a linen tablecloth. These jute outdoor cushions from the Marks & Spencer range make great seating

I used a couple of pallets to create a low table and then for comfort, colour and seating used these great outdoor cushions which I have in both a mustard and navy stripe. Given that we have experienced #SiberiaInJune this year I can vouch for the weatherproof nature of them!

As somebody who is somewhere on the English Rose spectrum between Silas the Albino Monk from the Da Vinci Code and Casper the Friendly Ghost, early evening is actually my favourite time of day in the summer. I love the light at that time of day not to mention the festoon related Instagram opportunities

All that is missing is the food! We actually had an outdoor curry but it didn’t Instagram up as attractively as the cushions!

The hi-ball glasses are also from Marks & Spencer. They have a lovely rippled effect to the glass. I have linked them here if you would like to take a closer look

New Beginnings: Our New House

Whilst I alas could not take my cantilevered corner with me in the move (at least not without causing some serious conveyancing complications) I did bring all of my favourite Marks & Spencers items with me and I am now excited to share some sneak peeks of the new house and garden with you where, after a box unpacking rampage, I have settled in enough to do a little bit of styling!

Pebble dash and White UpVC have replaced my previous cantilever corner but the garden is really rather lovely

Happy to have unpacked these concrete planters which are great for adding a modern industrial element to your garden

I love how “mature” the garden is, it feels like even we can’t manage to kill a hedge this abundant!

A bigger garden for the boys was one of the drivers for our move (along with my desire for a utility room). The garden in our old house was no postage stamp but it was, like the house ( but alas not me) on the narrow side and we ideally wanted somewhere with a bigger wider lawn to see us through the next 15 years of back garden football fixtures.

The garden is south facing so gets lots off sunshine

I love the contrast of the jute striped yellow cushions with the pink hydrangeas

This place instantly ticked that box. It is, like the house, wider and also longer. It has also been been cared for by someone who knows her Foxgloves from her Fingers so is really mature and fully of things that are thriving rather than barely surviving!.

However, the existing kitchen extension does not make the most of the possibilities of the garden and so we are excited to get to work with an architect to explore ways to better open the kitchen up to the garden and to reconfigure the internal layout (which is pretty higgedly piggledly but more of that another time). I will be sharing more about those plans as they take shape on the blog but I thought you might like a sneak preview of the kitchen for now so you can get a feel for the scale of the challenge!

Introducing my new kitchen. In an Instagram poll this week it came out on top as the room in the new house people most wanted to see! We are working with an architect to explore how we can better open it to the garden

It may not be my modern rustic dream but it is liveable with for now!

#This Blog Post is part of my Paid Partnership with Marks & Spencer and the items that I feature were gifted to me as part of that partnership.#

Malmo & Moss is Moving House

July 7, 2019

We moved into the Malmo & Moss house on a scorching hot day in July almost exactly nine years ago. It was just me, my husband and two cats at that point. Although the cats were lucky to survive the move after they spent the entire journey around the South Circular emitting the kind of noise that I imagine would come out of Michael Gove’s mouth if he were to get his penis trapped in a lift door. Maybe they just had feline reservations about their owners moving from South to North London having only visited the area where our new house was located twice before. However, whilst they might have liked to remain #ClaphamCats we didn’t have a budget big enough to stretch to a family home in that part of the City.

Winchmore Hill, the area of North London we alighted upon, is probably most famous for once having played host (if that is the right word) to Augustus Pinochet who was briefly exiled here in 1998. However, before you get the impression that it is some sort of haven for war criminals I should balance that fact act out by telling you that it’s other famous ex resident is Lionel Ritchie (whose crimes are mainly perm and power ballad related).

Winchmore Hill Green the pretty heart of this lesser known part of North London

We moved when I was 37 weeks pregnant with our first son who arrived just two short weeks later. Whilst the move to a little known area where we had no friends just as we were about to become first time parents was definitely risky, it is a gamble that has more than paid off. Unlike Pinochet we have stuck around, seduced by lots of green open space, great schools and a street so friendly we go on holiday with our neighbours (although not John at the end of the street who I once overheard in Tesco trying to return some chicken he had purchased in 1999) .

July 2010: just two weeks after moving in we welcomed our first son

Two tired first time parents and a very proud (and very young looking!) uncle in the days before the front room went over to the dark side!

The house has slowly but sure been transformed from a #SanitaryPadPurplePalace with a conservatory #StraightOuttaBrookside to a light, bright modern rustic home. We have knocked through, extended and renovated the kitchen, enlarged and overhauled the family bathroom, reconfigured the loft space and breathed fresh life into the ensuite, tiled the hallway and installed crittal style dividing doors and added hygge to the living room by going over to the dark side and installing a woodburner.

You can get a glimpse in the background of the very off message Kermit the Frog green conservatory we inherited when we moved in

A couple of years (and another son later) we said goodbye to #KermitsConservatory and replaced it with a modern extension. This is it just days after it was finished

6 years later we still love how it has transformed the house

My favourite view looking back into the kitchen from the garden

Knocking through from the kitchen to the dining room has also been a gamechanger

However nine years and two further sons later we are on the move once more. This time there will fortunately be no need to subject ourselves to #CatCarTorture on the South Circular as we are actually only moving five minutes up the road!

Reasons for the Move

So why are we moving? The answer can be summed up in one word really: space. Or rather a growing realisation that we could do with a bit more of it. Our existing house, unlike me, is tall but comparatively narrow. Click here to see our floorplan. We have already extended the kitchen and the loft was converted before we moved in so we have no real options left to create extra square metres we are after.

We have maximised our existing space to create a kitchen/diner

But alas we cannot magic up enough space for another bedroom

Our two youngest currently happily share a room but we know there will come a time when that arrangement may become less harmonious. Possibly between the ages 11-16 judging by my relationship with my own sister. Apparently having your little sister pick up the phone whenever you are on the line to your first boyfriend and sing “Let’s Talk About Sex” is not as funny as I thought it was at the time.

One day we anticipate all of the boys will want a (Scandi Forest Chic) room of their own

So when I saw a girthier house on a street we have always loved come up for sale 4 months ago with a floorplan that made heart flutter we decided to go for it.

The New House

OK brace yourself, this is the back of the new house which looks like it started a fight with pebbledash and lost. Inside it is less Scandi Rustic and more Sharps Showroom circa 1996 when fitted wardrobes were all the rage. But when I saw the floorplan I was sold. It actually currently has less space upstairs than our existing house but there is scope to add a generous loft and the downstairs space, after a reconfiguration and possible further extension, will offer us the big open plan kitchen/diner we have always wanted. And, of course, most importantly of all, I will finally be able to realise my greatest dream: a separate utility room.

My new rear end is decidedly bigger. It is the width of this house that really sold us on it

As well as the lovely big garden complete with apple tree

For the boys there is a bigger garden with plenty of Wembley and Hide and Seek possibilities . Whereas the clincher for Mr Malmo was the prospect of a garage of his own. Not because he is a car nut (our family car is more likely to be quarantined by DEFRA than appear at Goodwood) but rather because he has an ever growing collection of impulse purchased power tools which will now have a home of their own. I am slightly worried I am going to come downstairs and find him jigsawing wood in his pants at 2am down there!

First on my hit list: transforming the fitted wardrobes . Decor wise everything is actually pretty neutral though and has been well cared for so it is definitely liveable if not immediately instagrammable!

We move a week tomorrow so the next seven days are going to be spent in a haze of cardboard boxes, trips to the tip and snotty hankies as I reminisce about about all the memories we have made together in this house. We arrived as a couple and will leave as a family of five. This is the house is where our son’s first steps were taken, first words spoken and first poos on the potty (and floor) were completed. We have ticked off so many milestones, celebrating birthdays, christenings, christmases, and surviving a brush with Brian the misogynist bathroom tiler. It’s going to be emotional, not least as I have to say goodbye to my greatest ever E-Bay bargain: our £25 roll top bath.

Moving will be sweet sweet sorrow in that I will have to bid farewell to my roll top bath

So are you ready for Malmo & Moss: The Renovation Years?! My head is already spinning with ideas so over the coming weeks/months/possibly decades I am looking forward to sharing more pictures of the new place with you and my ideas for transforming it one fitted wardrobe at a time! I hope you enjoy coming along with me for the renovation ride.

Secrets of a Successful Loft Conversion

June 29, 2019

When we first bought our house nine years ago one of the main attractions was the fact that it already had the loft converted saving us the expense and hassle of doing so. Thanks to six big VELUX windows it was flooded with light and had beautiful views out over the blossom trees on our street. However, after living in the space for a couple of years, we came to realise that whilst it was light, bright and spacious, it had about as much character as Keanu Reeves. Sorry Keanu but I have seen beige carpets with more dramatic impact that your performance in The Lake House.

The bright, bright loft conversion was one of the factors that sold our house to us

Over the last few years we have made a series of changes to the space to de-Keanu it and it is now one of my favourite rooms in the house. So I was delighted when VELUX asked me if I would like to team up with them to share my top five tips for designing a successful and stylish loft conversion. VELUX started out by installing their first roof window in a Danish school house 75 years ago and now sell their products in over 40 countries so working with them is a Scandi dream come true for me!

We have made a series of changes to add character, warmth and texture to it

My favourite of which has to be the addition of a scaffold plank wall

I hope my tips will help anyone planning a loft conversion or struggling to inject some character into their existing space to #BeLessKeanu. I have included in my tips advice shared with me by my Instagram followers who have some pretty stunning loft conversions of their own and have some cautionary tales of misplaced internal walls, incorrectly spaced skylights and awful attics!

Tip One: Perfect Your Floorplan

There are essentially three main types of loft conversion: a simple VELUX loft conversion where the roof slope is not altered; a dormer loft conversion which allows for vertical windows and doors; or a mansard loft conversion which is less boxy in appearance than a dormer (although there are multiple possible variations on each design and VELUX windows can easily be combined with mansard and dormer style conversions as well).

Our conversion is a dormer which is a popular choice as it is often the design which best maximises available space and does not, typically, need planning permission. Although click here for more detailed Government Guidance about when planning permission might be required (my inner lawyer is still strong!). If I was to tackle another renovation and convert a loft from scratch I would be tempted to go for a Mansard conversion (budget allowing) as they are less boxy in appearance than a dormer.

Seen here from the outside our loft extension is a dormer conversion

Once you have decided on the best option for your space start work early on your floor plan and how you will actually use the space. Loft conversions are often full of awkward spaces and getting the most out of them often relies upon embracing and finding clever uses for them. Think, in particular, about how you will use any space under the eaves. Ours was predominantly dedicated to storage but there was a large space tucked around a corner that was left empty in which I originally had my dressing table .

Once I realised that post children I had about as much chance of sitting on Brad Pitt’s lap as I did sitting at a dressing table we converted that corner into a walk in wardrobe which has made much better use of the space. It also allowed us to get rid of a large bulky wardrobe that sat in front of one of the windows blocking the view through to the outside.

Don’t be afraid to change your mind as you go along either. @Sodia _ Haddassi _ Amma shared with me that she would regularly go up and check on her loft as it was being built even if it meant balancing on scaffold boards and as she saw how the space actually looked made several decisions to change internal walls that infuriated her builders at the time but left her much happier with the end result!

Loft conversion with reclaimed scaffold plank wall

Tip Two: Let the Light In

Did you know that according to the World Health Organisation we spend a whopping 70% of our lives indoors? When you have small children and 70% of that 70% is also spent in the company of Mr Tumble that can feel like a long long time! Sunlight is actually a natural anti-depressant so in the absence of it (and in the near constant company of Mr Tumble) it is easy to become glum! It turns out that people need daylight to help control the most basic metabolic processes, just as they need food and water. So getting the design of your loft right in terms of the number, size and position of windows can actually improve your mood, reduce your risk of obesity (although not if you , like me, keep an emergency packet of wotsits by the bed) help you get more restful sleep and boost your immunity to diseases and infections!

Our bed is position underneath our Velux windows to take advantage of the natural daylight and fresh air

We have six large VELUX roof windows in the front sloping side of our loft and as a general rule you should aim for glazing to take up to 15-20% of your room’s floorspace to maximise the amount of natural light. We have top-hung VELUX roof windows because they open at the bottom making them a within arms reach and gives us a great view out of the windows to the blossom trees beyond.

@KBro1979 asked what VELUX options are available if your windows are out of reach? Because of your roof height rather than you being the size of a Borrower. Fear not the answer does not involve a trapeze. VELUX has an INTEGRA® range of electric and solar powered windows that open remotely with the touch of a button. They have blinds that can be controlled this way too!

Our windows are within easy reach but it is possible to automated opening systems if yours are a little further up

The position of your roof windows will likely be dictated by the shape of the roof; for example, a long, shallow room will benefit from windows spaced evenly along its length, whereas a narrow, deeper room might benefit better from fewer larger windows. However in terms of reaping those sleep enhancing benefits consider positioning your bed close to your windows to soak up as much daylight as possible and speed up your metabolism when you have raided that emergency packet of Wotsits.

Tip Three: Create Character

Some of the loft conversions I love most on Instagram are actually the VELUX rooflight type where the shape of the roof has not been altered and cosy spaces have been created with original features such as exposed brick walls left in place.

The challenge with our dormer was that it felt very much like a new build in the worse sense of those two words. It was spacious and bright but had no distinguishing features and it often felt like we were echoing around in it. I had a couple of attempts at injecting a bit character in using “feature wallpaper” both in the dressing table nook and then also behind our bed to break up the space and create some drama. Whilst Lawrence Lwellyn Bowen may have been proud of my paste and paper efforts it wasn’t until we added the scaffold plank wall behind our bed that the space really started to come together for me. The rough sawn wood creates warmth, texture and character and I would really recommend thinking about how you can bring rougher less “perfect” finishes into your loft conversion. It might be be asking your builder to leave a wall unplastered, or by using brick slips to create the same effect or using lime wash or concrete effect paint but try and get some texture in if you can.

It cost about £250 in materials and labour but the reclaimed scaffold plank is worth every penny

I love how cosy it makes the loft space feel at night

Tip Four: Glaze to Amaze

When our dormer loft conversion was carried out over 10-15 years ago white uPVC doors in dormers were as ubiquitous as Noel Edmonds. Their popularity has since gone the same way as Noel’s TV career and thankfully a host of much more visually pleasing glazing options are now emerging. When we were renovating our loft ensuite we had a little bit of budget left over a decided to say sionara to our uPVC doors, the chunky frames of which obscured our view to the garden beyond. If money had been no object I would have loved to go with either crittall style doors like those in the loft of @FallowGrey or for a sleek sliding door system like in this conversion by Mulroy Architects.

Replacing the white UpVC doors with a picture window has transformed our loft space

I love sitting in this corner looking out over the garden

However we came up with a compromise that overall I am pretty pleased with which was to replace the doors with one large fixed picture window. The frame is still uPVC but because it is dark grey instead of white it is not as noticeable and to be honest the difference in price didn’t justify going for aluminium on basis probably only I would notice the thinner frames. We retained the smaller opening window to the left hand side so that we still had ventilation and through draft. The cost of doing this was approximately £1000 including labour which I consider to have been money well spent.

So when you are planning your loft conversion think really carefully about your glazing options and don’t just go with what builders and loft conversion companies fit as standard. There lots of still cost effective options out there which offer much better wow factor.

VELUX, for example, have a really cool pop out balcony window product called CABRIO ® which I discovered through this collaboration that I would love to incorporate into any future renovation I take on! When shut it sits flush to the roof like a normal window and when open it pops out to create a mini balcony , have a watch of this little video to see what I mean, is so clever!

Tip Five: Zone it Like Beckham

Sadly I do not have any pictures for this section of David Beckham reclining in my loft. The tip I want to pass on here is about how to break up your loft space into mini sections. Our loft has a fairly large footprint overall at 21sqm but because we are semi detached it is a long but relatively narrow space at 7m by 3m. The challenge is, therefore, how to stop it feeling like a big spacious corridor. We have always had our bed positioned underneath the Velux windows because I love going to bed able to see the stars, lying back listening to the rain falling on them in colder months (and the Summer months based on this June) and opening them up for a breeze on stuffier nights. However the second section of the room originally didn’t really work for us at all. We had a massive double wardrobe on one side and then a double set of chest of drawers on the other side both of which blocked the view out of the back windows and made it feel a bit being inside a storage locker at BIg Yellow Storage.

I added a monochrome gallery wall and armchair to this corner to create a separate sitting area within the room

Hopefully this picture gives you a feel for how the space fits together

I am one picture short of a full gallery wall!

Making the alcove into a walk in wardrobe meant we were able to get rid of the bulky wardrobe, move the radiator that had been under the window to that wall instead and then put the chest of drawers where the radiator had been (still with me?!) On the side of the room where the chest of drawers used to be I have now created a seating area with a vintage armchair and side table and made this area distinct from the sleeping area by painting it a different colour and adding a gallery wall. It makes it feel as if there are two rooms within a room so if you have a large loft space or large and awkward footprint think about the different ways in which you can use the space and how you can decorate to subtly create different zones.

So there you have it my five top tips for creating a truly instagrammable loft conversion in collaboration with VELUX as part of my paid partnership with them. Thanks to everyone who shared their loft conversion stories and questions with me to help me write this post.

House Tour: Aerende Store

June 23, 2019

Creating My Dream Bathroom with Geberit

June 1, 2019

When I started using Instagram two years ago I wasn’t actually posting pictures of interiors. Shoes yes, random day trips to National Trust Properties yes, pictures of my pudding yes but interiors no. The mists of time and mum brain mean I can’t actually pinpoint why I switched from posting cakes to kitchens but I do remember that it was a picture of my bathroom which first got likes other than from my long suffering friends who were probably tempted to block me if I posted another picture of a profiterole by that point.

One of the first shots of my bathroom I ever posted to Instagram. Yes I did like the Valencia filter a lot back in 2016!!

Having finally got my head around hashtags a picture of my bathroom was included in a midweek montage for #MyHomeVibe and it turned out that people rather liked the curve of my copper pipe taps and cut of my metro tiles. And whilst I do feature other rooms in my house on my account (to avoid people feeling like they are trapped in some sort of Suburban Bathroom Groundhog Day) it is always pictures of my bathroom that do the best. In fact this photo of it, when regrammed by Apartment Therapy garnered over 70K likes and was in the top ten most liked pictures on their feed last year. Not bad for an e-bay bargain bath and a slightly dodgy 3am paint job.

The picture that got regrammed on Apartment Therapy

Aside from its Instagram popularity it is also my favourite room in the house because a) it is the only room with a lock (a not to be underrated feature when you have three boys) and b) I am pretty sure I share DNA (and a waistline) with a Walrus in that I could happily spend 23 out of 24hrs submerged in warm water.

Designing My Dream Bathroom With Geberit

So when Geberit got in touch asking if I would like to design and style my dream bathroom using their Xeno²range I didn’t need asking twice. In fact I don’t think I even needed asking once as I said yes before they had even got to the end of the sentence! They had me at vanity unit of my choice.

In case you have not heard of Geberit before they are a Swiss company with a long pedigree in designing and producing innovative, high quality, long lasting bathroom products. To use a Swiss sporting analogy, they are to bathrooms what Roger Federer is to Tennis: stylish, refined, durable and always ahead of the rest of the pack. The only difference is they are serving up sanitary ware rather than aces.

A basin and vanity unit from the Xeno² range

The crisp, clean design aesthetic of the Xeno² range obviously tickles my Scandinavian sensibilities but what I loved about the brief was the challenge of bringing some of my signature Modern Rustic/Industrial Vintage style into play to create a bathroom which mixes Geberit products with my personality.

My Design

The building blocks of my fantasy bathroom chosen from the Xeno² range were a double vanity unit with built in basin, sleek intelligent sensor mirror, tallboy storage cupboard and a super intelligent AquaClean shower toilet. Intelligent in the sense of its ability to leave your bits as shiny as a whistle rather than out score Steven Hawking in a Mensa test sense that is.

The AquaClean Shower Toilet that will save you a trip to Japan

I don’t know if you have found this but if you talk to friends and family who have visited Japan the number one thing they rave about is not the splendour of the cherry blossoms or the speed of the bullet trains but the technology the Japanese use in their toilets which come with heated seats, varying wash modes and just generally more of a brain than our standard British Bogs. Thanks to Geberit there is no need to trek to Toyko for your derriere to experience that kind of dream experience.

More information on all of the products featured in my dream bathroom from the Xeno² bathroom range is available here.

I actually initially found having totally freedom to design my dream bathroom left me a little stumped! Not in the sense of having no inspiration but more in that my inspiration cup was overflowing and my mind was boggling at all the possibilities. To marshall my inner runaway rustic I used Canva to create a mood board for my room. This really helped me to focus on how everything would look together and create a cohesive vision for the room (without wishing to sound too Llewelyn Bowen).

With my moodboard complete it was time to take things off the page and into the back of a sweaty battered Audi A6 estate and head up the motorway to a photographic studio in Warwick where a bathroom set, photographer, videographer and make up artist with her work cut out were awaiting me! I was more than a little relieved to arrive without being pulled over by the police as am not sure how I would have gone about explaining the contents of the car to the boys in blue. Yes officer that is an enormous dried flower cloud in the passenger seat and a rustic Hungarian milking stool you can see gracing the parcel shelf.

Luckily I was not pulled over with this amount of pampa grass in the passenger seat

Having never done anything as exciting as this before I thought it would be fun to share some behind the scenes footage with you from the day so that you can get a feel for what I was up to in a Warwickshire warehouse and to then talk you through the different elements of my dream room. Spoiler alert soft neutral colours, warm natural textures and materials will feature rather than bright colours, clashing patterns and glitzy metallic finishes!

The Day

What initially threw me when I arrived was the fact that it was not a “bathroom” in the traditional sense that was awaiting me. It was a bathroom within a roomset (so far so Truman Show) which meant there was no ceiling and half of the room had no walls! The next thing to get my head (and generous eye bags around) was the fact that it would be me as well as my dream bathroom captured on camera because as well as photographing the bathroom, the Geberit team have also made a clever video about my roomset to help you get a better sense of the look. Click here to take a look at the video

Eyebag and brow miracles worked ready to roll (looking a little like I am wearing my pyjamas)

So it was actually quite a busy and buzzy set with a photographer and a great videography team there to capture all the action.

As someone who has, to date, largely taken pictures on my phone, I learnt so much that day about all the tricks that professional photographers use to get the very best out of a room and space. The positioning and strength of lighting in particular plays a huge role in how a finished photo looks. Consequently, it will be a giant light reflecting umbrella and stage lighting rig rather than bubble bath and some new hair straighteners that will be on my Christmas list this year! I loved seeing the shots come through on the photographer’s computer as we went along.

So having seen glimpses are you now ready to see the end result? I hope so because here it is!

Creating a Cosy Corner

This may make me strange but I love a bit of company when I am in the bath. Not in the actual bath itself just someone to sit and chat to me in the bathroom as I bathe. Although my three year old frequently misinterprets this bit and climbs in to join me in the actual bath with a large toy boat/collection of aged flannels/a whole toilet roll.

I loved how this corner worked out with the flower cloud

Having an armchair in my dream bathroom was, therefore, an essential item. The chair of my bathroom dreams is actually from Ikea. I am a huge fan of their Soderhamn range of seating. It has simple clean lines and a great price point whilst looking easily more expensive. It has a lovely wide back and deep seat meaning your companion can be as relaxed on the chair as you are in the bath. To be honest even if I wasn’t having a bath I would be tempted to sneak in and sit on it curled up with a magazine

Adding Stylish Storage

Whilst the vanity unit and tallboy cupboard from the Xeno² offer great storage (with clever features like soft close doors) I also added in some additional storage options under the sink for stowing away bulkier items like toilet rolls and towels. To contrast with the sleek lines of the Xeno² unit I chose rougher textures such as wood and rattan to bring some warmth and texture into the room scheme. One of my favourite places to source baskets like the ones used in these photographs is from French Brand Maisons Du Monde. The Candian Dry box is a vintage find which I paid £10 for at Ardingly Antiques Market 3 years ago and which I could, in the interim, have sold 10 ten times over for ten times the price. I cannot, however, bring myself to part with it! If you are not able to find a vintage equivalent H&M Home often have a great range of vintage style/rustic storage boxes to choose from.

The Canda Dry box that is one of my most prized possessions added great towel storage

Lowering the Lighting

It goes without saying that my dream bathroom would feature candles. In fact that tallboy storage unit would probably be predominantly filled with them. Scented, unscented, real, battery operated I love them all! My current obsession are these hurricane lanterns from Marks & Spencer which have a lovely limewashed wooden base and speckled glass and create a lovely soft glow when filled with candles. However, woman cannot read Living Etc by candle light alone so I also added two wall lights into my bathroom scheme from Cox & Cox. I chose black to add a nod to the industrial into the room and they are, of course, bathroom rated. They are actually outdoor lights which is a great trick to employ if you are struggling to find bathroom rated indoor light options!

I was really pleased with the industrial edge the black carriage lights added

The Xeno² Vanity Unit and AquaClean toilet actually also have smart motion sensor lighting built into them as well to prevent you stumbling around in the dark in the morning/middle of the night.

Turning Towels into a Feature

I know a lot of people like their towels to be neither seen or heard (a talking towel would admittedly be rather alarming) but I like mine to become a feature of my bathroom design. They are a great way to add subtle nods to colour, pattern and texture into a room. Using a vintage ladder to display them on is also a great way to add some height into your bathroom scheme. There is a probably a retired builder called Dave laughing all the way to the bank after I purchased his paint splattered step ladders (possibly brought out of the back of his van by mistake/an after thought) at a car boot a couple of months ago. The selection of towels I have featured are all from HM Home.

H&M Home have some great towels this season including this linen striped one

Elsewhere in the bathroom I have also added soft texture and a touch of hygge in with shaggy sheepskins on the floor and bench.

All Hail the Humble Tooth Mug

When I first met Mr Malmo he was using an aged Sheffield Wednesday Mug with a fading picture of Chris Waddle on as a toothmug. It took me four years and two house moves to finally give Waddle the red card from our bathroom and replace him with something more Scandi than Sheffield themed. The moral of this tale is that small details can actually make all the difference to a room and there is no reason why practical things cannot also be beautiful ones. With this in mind, I sourced a handmade tooth mug and soap dish in earthy colours from the ceramics range stocked by socially minded small business Aerende Store. For display rather than practical purposes I also mixed in some vintage bottles I have amassed over the years as well as some new favourite vases from the Nordic inspired range at Marks & Spencer so that I had a range of different sizes, textures and colours.

Vintage and new ceramics adding some texture to the basin area

The basin upon which they are resting from the Xeno² range is actually made from a super soft matt material called Varicor which I have never come across before but would happily now enter into a long term relationship with.

In Praise of [dried] Plants

I have a confession to make which may make me an insta outcast by the time you finish reading this blog: I don’t really like houseplants. Yes they have carbon dioxide absorbing life enhancing benefits to having them around but my ability to reduce a monstera to mulch in less than a month means I just don’t dig them. However I am not an all round nature hater in my home, I do still like to bring the outdoors in and embrace plant life I just prefer, in the bathroom, for it to be in dried rather than semi biodegraded form. I think the 1970s kinda gave dried flowers a bad rap. Pot Pourri has a lot to answer for. But the last 12 months has seen them having a major resurgence and no-one is happier about this than me. They add soft texture, natural colours and a bit of drama to the bathroom, require zero maintenance and need never be thrown away. I used them in two ways in my dream bathroom design. Soft wavy pampas grass to soften the wall the toilet was hung on and then in a super size flower cloud in my cosy corner.

The cloud is actually much easier to recreate than you might think, you just need a floristry oasis wreath (easily obtainable on Amazon) and then a selection of dried grasses and flowers. Mine was made for me by Your London Florist and they use a mix of grasses and then dried hydrangea heads and roses to add in some (subtle) colour and drama.

Wall Art and the Wall Hung Toilet

I don’t know about you but I grew up in a house that had both a separate toilet (in a room no bigger than your average glovebox) and the cistern proudly on show. With space now at a premium that sanitary set up is increasingly uncommon (I say this based on a survey of my friends houses rather than backed by official census data on the bathrooms of Britain). With a toilet now more likely to be featured in the bathroom itself, the looks of your loo have become more important. Geberit were actually one of the first companies to introduce and champion the wall hung loo in the UK: stoying away cisterns and making flush plates a thing to covet not conceal. When I visited their showroom in Warwick recently I was gob smacked by the range of flush plate options they offer. My dream bathroom features one hewn from slate that looked completely unobtrusive and part of the general rustic theme. Another great way to blend your toilet into your room scheme is to add art to the wall on which it is hung so people have something that draws their eye other than just the WC.

So there you have it the bathroom of my dreams. Hope it has provided you with inspiration for how to style your own Rustic/Scandi bathroom paradise and how to use the Xeno² bathroom range as part of that dream.

One Bathroom Two Ways

If you fancy seeing how the colour loving Yin to my neutral décor Yang got on with the same challenge then head over to Come Down To the Woods Blog by clicking here. Her dream is definitely different to mine but I still found myself seduced when I saw it. She certainly has a way with wallpaper and I don’t mind admitting that I was tempted to nip up the motorway to Leeds and purloin the Tom Dixon marble bathroom lights she included in her scheme.

There is also a line in her blog that made me laugh about imagining me wafting around with sheepskins, dried hydrangeas and hamman towels as I would say a solid 40 minutes of the day were spent with me either fluffing a sheepskin, positioning a hamman towel or handling a hydrangea. You know me too well Woods….

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the work I have been doing as part of my long term paid partnership with Geberit. It has been so much fun so far (in fact I kind of feel a fraud calling it work!) and I have more exciting content to share with you later this year so watch this space!

Best Places To Stay UK: The Fife Coast

May 19, 2019

Do you ever get stuck in a holiday rut where you end up packing your suitcase to head back to the same places over and over again? When it comes to UK staycations we have fallen into the habit of heading South-West in search of Cornish beaches, cream teas and the opportunity to potentially spot Poldark indulging in some topless farming. However this Easter we headed North rather than South of the border after a chance conversation with my Sister lead me to discovering a secret the Scots have been keeping under their Sporrans: the East Neuk of Fife. This stretch of coast between Leven and St Andrews is where well heeled Edinburghers come to spend their Summers drawn by the miles of sandy beaches, gorgeous little fishing villages and some of the best food and drink in Scotland.

Granted you may have more chance of spotting Gordon Brown paddling in the sea with his trousers rolled up than Poldark tending a field with his top off but that is pretty much the only drawback of visiting this beautiful part of the world. We travelled up from London by train (which takes about 4.5hrs) and then hired a minibus from Edinburgh for the final hour or so of the journey. Before you start thinking that I am a secret mormon with enough children to fill a bus I should point out we were travelling with friends so there were 12 of us in total. I would highly recommend getting the train as the stretch of the journey north of Morpeth runs alongside the sea and includes coastal views stunning enough to cause kids to look up look up from their I Pads.

Ruby Bay beach in Elie which our holiday house led directly out onto

Where We Stayed

There are four or five different places to choose from as a base on this stretch of coast. St Monan’s, Elie, Anstruther, Crail, Pitenweem and St Andrews itself are all charming. We chose Elie after I lucked out and found a stunning contemporary house right on the beach. For all of you who asked for the link click here. Midrock House sleeps up to 12 and has a wonderful open plan layout downstairs with floor to ceiling windows to take advantage of the stunning views out over the beach.

The entrance to Midrock House with bags of coastal kerb appeal

The design of the house maximised its stunning coastal location

The back of the house and the path down onto the beach

This side of the house has a bedroom with 4 beds for kids and a separate living space and TV to keep them entertained

There are polished concrete floors throughout, an open plan kitchen/diner, five double bedrooms, three bathrooms, three living rooms, a utility and boot room. Everything is built around the stunning views which in the Winter you can enjoy snuggled up inside in front of the beast of a log burner.

I loved the concrete seating bench which also housed a woodburner

We lit the woodburner one of the colder nights and cosied up watching the sea as the sun went down

There is an amazingly well equipped kitchen at the centre of the living space that had every pot and pan you could ever desire and then there is a gorgoeus (and enormous) vintage farmhouse style table for dining at. This is positioned to take full advantage of the views and in the Summer there is an outdoor seating area on the terrace that runs the width of the house that is steps from the beach.

There is a huge island in the centre of the kitchen which makes it a really sociable space

We easily fitted all 12 of us around the vintage farmhouse style table

The open plan living/dining space. There is a further seating area with TV beyond the wall behind the table

When the sun was shining you could open up the doors and eat outside on the terrace

Upstairs the bedrooms have been designed to take full advantage of the view. The decor is fresh, white and neutral but huge picture windows flood the rooms with light and offer an outlook over the bay and beyond. I can’t tell you how soothing it is to fall asleep at night with the blinking light of a lighthouse reflecting at you over the sea. There is almost an annex/separate wing of the house that is designed as a cool kids crash pad with four single beds and a separate living space with its own tv.

One of the bedrooms with views of a lighthouse

Another bedroom which had an enormous picture window running the width of the room

Five things to see and do

Exploring Elie

We chose Elie as our base mainly because the house just completely bowled me over but when we got there I realised it was actually a great choice for a number of other reasons as well. If you come out of Midrock House and turn right you come to the huge, flat main beach and, most importantly, The Ship Inn. This lovely pub has great interiors that have just the right amount of nod to the nautical and is the place to eat in Elie. The menu majors on amazing locally caught seafood and they have just added a new outdoor Gin Bar for 2019 which means that you can sit outside, drink in hand watching the sun go down whilst the kids play happily on the beach just metres from you.

The famous Ship Inn which was just 3 mins from the house

The house itself looks over the second beach which is the more sheltered Ruby Bay (so called because garnet stones have been known to be found on the beach). And beyond Ruby Bay you can follow the coast around to the lighthouse and explore a ruined temple. For the more adventourous (who do not have a toddler hell bent on throwing himself in the sea) there is the Elie Chain walk. We didn’t do it because of aforementioned toddler but is basically a bit like coasteering but with chains to help you navigate the rocks.

We loved doing the walk around to the lighthouse from the house

There is also the option of further exploring the coast on the Elie Chain Walk

The Bowhouse Market

Ten minutes up the coast from Midrock House is the Bowhouse. A monthly food and craft market in a super cool converted agricultural building that gathers together some of the best local food and drink producers and adds in some great local designers and makers so that you can chow down on a freshly baked Creme Egg Brownie whilst perusing locally made ceramics and jewellery. There is a brilliant atmosphere with lots of great stalls. The are big communal wooden tables to sit, live music and some great food demonstrations. It is an absolute must visit

I loved the concrete planter in the entrance to the market

And a separate barn with huge communal wooden tables and more great food trucks

When at a farmers market dress like a footballing farmer?!

St Andrews

Hands up anyone born between 1983 - 1986 who considered popping St Andrews on their University application form to have a go at #WinningaWindsor. Prince WIlliam is long gone but this great little town is definetely still worth visiting. It has great beaches, oodles of lovely architecture, golf if you are that way inclined but most importantly of all in Janettas potentially the best ice cream parlour I have ever visited (and I am a veteran #parlourpurveyor).

Scotland’s Hidden Bun ker

Whilst the Fife Coast is Scotland’s sunniest spot this is still Scotland so you will get the odd overcast/rainy day. In which case this place is defo fun to visit. Declassified in the 90s it turns out that in a non descript field in the middle of nowhere there is in fact a huge underground bunker built to withstand a nuclear attack from which the cold war was being fought. Well I say fought, it mainly seemed to involved lots of men looking at maps and practising their morse code every now and again. If you are used to London Museums where the cafe is part of the attraction you may want to adjust your expectations before visiting though as the err facilities are more of the formica table and vending machine than avocado on toast and filament bulb variety. Although the vending machine did sell Wham bars which I am pretty sure may have been outlawed some time around 2003 on account of their e-number account but which I would still happily lose a tooth to eat.

The err retro cafe which looks like it is still trapped in the Cold War era

Craigtoun Country Park

If you are, like us, in possession of kids who seem to share their DNA make up with Labradors and thus require exercising everyday in wide open spaces then Craigtoun Country Park is great. It is about 30 mins from the house and great to combine with a trip to St Andrews. There are loads of different adventure playgrounds and activities to choose from as well as the park itself being rather beautiful and it is the number 1 visitor attraction in Fife for good reason

A couple of soft southerners struggling with the Scottish breeze at Craigtoun Park

Anstruther

There are lots of lovely villages to explore on this stretch of coast with lovely fishing harbours, sandy beaches and pastel and sand coloured houses but Anstruther might just edge prize of the prettiest. It has some nice indepdent shops and an award winning fish and chip shop (the Anstruther Fish Bar) right in the beach to round off your visit.

Best Places to Eat and Drink

I should probably caveat this heading as best places to eat and drink if you have kids with you who have a maximum restaurant concentration time of 25 mins. Any meal that takes long than that to arrive and be eaten usually ends in carnage so unfortunately I am not able to offer my review of some of the more fine dining establishments ( Seafood Restaurant and Craig Millar @ 16 West End both look amazing). However the beauty of this stretch of coast is that there are loads of great farmshops so even if you are not eating in restaurants you can still fill you tum with fabulous food. One of the best is Adross Farmshop and it is just five mins from Midrock House. Here is my round up of my favourite places we chowed down

Cocoa Tree in Pitenweem

It doesn’t look very promising from the outside and the decor does have a slight feel of Mystic Meg’s dressing room but this is the best place for a Hot Chocolate for miles around. It is part chocolate shop part cafe run by the Pitenweem Chocolate Company so you are guaranteed an amazing chocolate experience. They have a stove in the winter that creates a cosy feel and a sheltered courtyard garden to enjoy in the Summer and the owners were extremely friendly and accomodating of our party which included 6 kids between us. Pitenweem itself has a lovely little fish harbour and pretty pastel houses and buildings.

The Cheesy Toast Shack

Mr Malmo tends to take a back seat when it comes to our holiday planning but every now and again he comes up with a gem out of the blue that makes me think he would make a very good substitute #ModernRusticJudith Chalmers were I to retire. The Cheesy Toast Shack is one such gem. A chance read of a Jay Rayner review in the Observer led 20 of the best minutes of my life sat in a steamy mini bus looking out to sea whilst eating a macaroni cheese filled toasted sandwich which may have furred my arteries but was worth every ounce of cholesterol. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. No pretty flat lay for you of this one just a full frontal shot of the melted cheese magic.

The Ship Inn

I have mentioned it already but I am going to mention it again because we had such a great meal here. If budget had allowed I would happily have eaten here every day of our stay. Seriously amazing food in a lovely relaxed atmosphere. In the Summer the Ship Inn also organises beach cricket tournaments with a barbeque. No pressure but they have been known to attract ex professional cricketers from the West Indies so make sure to pack your cricket A game.

The upstairs dining room with great views of the beach

The Millhouse Pizza Company

Whilst the Bowhouse market that I mentioned is only on once a month, there is a permenant woodfired pizza restaurant in the same building that is open 6 days a week and serves up the most delicious pizzas in a gorgeous beamed ceiling space. They also do coffee and cake if you are not in the mood for pizza (if that is even possible).

So there you have it my round up of the best of the Fife Coast. I would put this in out top 5 holidays of all time. I loved it that much and we are already planning a return trip next year having spotted these amazing looking Cath Penny Safari Lodges just outside Elie. We also added a night in Edinburgh into the mix on the way back which I would highly recommend. Although I would probably not recommend climbing Arthur's Seat with a toddler who (within 1 minute of starting the ascent loses all of the power in his leg batteries).

No leg batteries but a big smile at least

Creating the Perfect Floorplan for Family Living

April 28, 2019

We bought our current house nine years ago. We came to view it when I had just found out I was pregnant with our eldest son and we were living in a one bedroom flat at the time. Having put the (trouser) horse before the house cart there was a certain degree of urgency to our search. We had seen a number of other properties and all were either out of our budget or in budget but with rooms that only a hamster would describe as spacious. After 5 minutes looking around we decided to put an offer in because, to quote Clint Eastwood in ‘Bridges Over Madison County’ ', this kind of certainty comes but once in a lifetime. Or put another way, within 5 minutes of a viewing when you encounter a house that has four genuinely double bedrooms.

One of the four double bedrooms (by human not hamster standards)

The previous owners did have a penchant for painting rooms sanitary pad purple but shades of Always Ultra aside it was in the kind of condition where you could move straight in. The loft had already been converted so we had all the bedroom space we needed. The two most obvious “big jobs” that needed doing were an update of the bathrooms and a reconfiguration of the downstairs space to create a more open plan kitchen diner.

One of the selling points of the house was the fact that the loft had already been converted saving us a big job

The Victorians may have given us the railways and the Royal Albert Hall but they did not bestow generously sized kitchens upon us. When we moved in we had the fairly classic Victorian lay out of a long narrow kitchen which some dude in the 1980s had then latched a conservatory on the back of. Getting out into the garden was like a challenge on the Cystal Maze involving having to shoulder barge a cheap UPVC door that often swelled shut. With son number 2 on the way we drew up plans to get rid of the conservatory and replace it with a proper extension. In an ideal world we would have liked to extend the kitchen to the side but Enfield council have an enormously annoying policy that prevents this unless your neighbours are doing it at the same time. GIven we had trouble persuading our then neighbours not to call each other mother f’ckers within earshot of our kids it was safe to say they weren’t the kind of people who would obligingly whack up an extension to their kitchen for us.

We replaced the previously unsightly 1980s conservatory with a contemporary extension at the back of the house

That meant we had to extend outwards at the back rather than to the side. We replaced the conservatory with a proper extension so that this space became part of the house instead of a room that you only went in during the summer if you were trying to recuperate from hyperthermia and therefore needed to sit somewhere the same temperature as Mars. We also knocked the wall down between the kitchen and the “dining room” to get more light into the kitchen and create more of an open plan layout. Those changes brought us to our current floor plan which is below.

The current floor plan of our house. It is what I think estate agents would describe as deceptively spacious

As you can see we have a separate front room and then one big L shaped open plan room which is used as kitchen diner and second, less formal familiy living space. This is where the kids watch TV, cover every surface in butter or banana and have their toys. Whilst the changes we have made (including adding a downstairs loo under the stairs) have radically improved how this house works for us as a family, there is one missing room which I can’t stop hankering for: a utility.

The utility room of my dreams in the home of @thislittlehouse

That’s right, my greatest desire these days is not to lick Nutella off Brad Pitt but to possess a room in which to process my laundry and store the hoover. Although obviously the dream would be to lick Nutella off Brad in said utility room and be able to pop his Hazelnut covered smalls straight in the washer dryer afterwards. I want to reclaim the spare room from the drying rack which is almost permanently erected in it trying to keep pace with the volumes of pants, school shirts and football kits that having three sons generates.

@hornsby_style is another one of my #UtilityIdols

Mr Malmo is unsurprisingly not as obsessed with creating a #placetoputapulley but luckily I know an interior designer with an architecture background or two (ok just one but a really bad ass one) who was willing to play around with some floorplans for me to work out how we might be able to squeeze one in. The interior deisgner in question is the wonderful Rebecca Wakefield of Studio Fortnum who has built up an instagram following of over 20,000 people who love her signature stylish, calm and unpretentious interiors as much as I do. She came up with four layouts for me which explore different potential locations for a utility.

One of Rebecca’s interior design projects

Now I want this sitting room as well as a utility room

As a person who struggles to visualize anything unless it is right in front of me, having floorplans to look at was an amazing way to get to grips with the changes we would need to make to fit a utility in and the impact it would have on how we currently use the space. It rapidly became apparent (looking at Option 3 for example) that if we squeezed one in without also extending the kitchen space to the side, we would be left with a significantly reduced second living space. However whilst we now have neighbours who are much less likely to call each other MoFos and are also open to a mutual side return situation, it would still be a fairly major investment to gain the utility of my dreams.

The four floorplans the amazing Rebecca Wakefield drew up for me

Of the three remaining options (all of which assume a side extension) I think my favourite is Option 4 as it gives the biggest /best layout of utility. But I do worry that we would still be sacrificing quite a bit of the space where the sofa currently sits in the living room and that it might potentially make that room feel cramped. A completely different plan which would preserve all of our current living space and potentially work out cheaper than adding a side return, would be to build a garden room at the end of the garden and relocate the washer dryer out there. But perhaps that is a discussion for a different blog

In the proposed layouts, the utility would be to the right of the partition doors so we would lose some of the space where the sofa sits.

The view from the kitchen would be rather different

Whilst we continue to mull it over I would love to know what you guys think? Do you have a utility room, do you understand my laundry room lust? If it were your house which one of the options would you go for? Or do you think pursuinh my utility dreams would compromise the space we have? Would love to know your thoughts! In the meantime thank you so much to the layout legend that is Rebecca Wakefield . If you have your own interior dilemma or project I cannot recommend Studio Fortnum enough.

Recipe for the perfect Easter Cake

April 14, 2019

I have always been a keen baker. My attempted journey from hopeless to Hollywood (Paul) started age 11, baking batches of cheese scones for my family. They were obliged to force them down and make encouraging noises despite them being chemically indistinguishable from glue. The arrival of kids of my own meant new forays into the world of cakes and the production of several buttercream heavy creations that no one of sound mind or steady hand would recreate. Cakes of Infamy (which by the way would make a great name for a board game) include an Octonauts cake that looked like I was trying to recreate “The One Where Kwazi Kitten Falls Into A Volcano And Gets Melted” and a Fireman Sam cake where I had to resort to printing out a picture of Fireman Sam to stick on top of the cake after my attempt to render him from fondant icing left him looking like it was him who needed to call the emergency services.

5 Steps to Finding Your Dream Job: The Story of My Career Switch

March 31, 2019

In 2012 I had a job as a Senior Associate in one of the top five law firms in the UK, advising a host of multinational companies on high profile environmental law matters. I had an impressive shiny office in the heart of Spitalfields Market, my own PA and a six figure salary that meant I could comfortably afford to shop in Whistles during my lunch break, go on nice holidays and invest in a pension. But I was miserable. I had returned to work after having my first son and was regularly leaving the office at 5:30pm, picking him up, putting him to bed and then logging on to do another 4 or 5 hours work on corporate deals which left me feeling that I was making little or no difference to the world my son would grow up in. My boss was a nice guy but wanted someone who could be in the office day and night if he needed them and he flatly refused to entertain the idea of me working from home even one day a week in case it “ set a precedent”.