Decor 101

It’s sweltering sunshine one minute and thundery downpours the next – it must be the Northern European summer! And with that in mind, I’m continuing my seasonal guides to the best scented candles by rounding up my favourites for the warmer months. I’m always amazed by the power of scent to transform the ambiance of a space, spark distant memories or transport us to other places, and at this time of year I tend to find myself drawn towards heady fragrances that evoke sun-drenched days in the garden and balmy evenings under the stars. I’m also yearning for a bit of escapism in the form of fresh, coastal-inspired fragrances and scents that conjure up the Mediterranean and beyond. After a lot of deliberation I’ve narrowed my 2026 selection down to the 21 below, with some old favourites alongside a few new discoveries. I’ve tried and tested many of them myself, and most are produced by small brands and independent makers using natural in...

They say the journey is as important as the destination, and that’s certainly true of my recent trip to Bergen on the west coast of Norway. My annual girls’ getaway with my friend Becky, it was originally planned as a simple city break but turned into something much more exciting when we realised that inconvenient flight times meant we’d have to travel via Oslo on the way out. Rather than transfer straight onto another plane, we decided to use it as an opportunity to do ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ – a classic itinerary that connects Oslo and Bergen by public train, boat and bus, taking in dramatic lakes, mountains and fjords along the way. ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ can be done in a single day or spread over two or more, with overnight stops on route. As we were doing it as part of a short break, we covered off the whole thing in one go – an incredible 12-hour trip encompassing five different legs that will linger in my memory for a very long time. Read on for an account of our experie...