The Midweek Meander

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

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

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

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

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

Welsh cake anyone?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My hallway lighting before…

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