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The 3-5-7 Rule: The Code Behind Effortless Interiors
Stop Guessing. Start Styling. You don’t need more cushions, another vase or a new sofa. You need a rule. The 3-5-7 decorating rule is the fastest way to make a shelf, console or sideboard look intentionally styled. Once you understand it, you’ll see why some rooms feel balanced and others feel restless. Why Your Brain Loves Odd Numbers Human vision looks for pattern, rhythm and manageable groupings. Cognitive psychology shows that the brain processes
Costa Calida Chronicle
4 days ago2 min read
Why Buying a Business Could Be a Smart Move for Expats Moving to Spain
A Different Kind of Fresh Start For many expats, moving to Spain represents a lifestyle reset. Sunshine replaces grey skies, long lunches replace rushed routines, and the promise of balance begins to shape daily life. Yet once the initial romance settles, practical questions quietly emerge. How will income be sustained long term? How does one integrate beyond the surface level of being a visitor? For an increasing number of newcomers, buying a small local
Costa Calida Chronicle
4 days ago2 min read
Talking Dogs
The Moment That Stopped the Scroll The button clicks. A recorded voice says outside.The dog pauses, looks directly at its owner, then presses it again.In tha t brief silence, something feels almost impossible: intention. Across Instagram and TikTok, millions of viewers have now watched similar moments unfold. Dogs appear to request walks, toys, affection and companionship through simple sound buttons placed on the floor. For many people encountering th
Costa Calida Chronicle
4 days ago3 min read
Winter Escape
When Spain cools into winter mornings, the urge to borrow warmth from elsewhere becomes irresistible. Dubai glows at a comfortable 21–26°C, ideal for terrace lunches and beach walks. The Maldives settles into a steady 25–30°C, where clear lagoons deliver calm. Barbados and much of the Caribbean hover around 28–30°C, offering warm seas and island rhythm. Marrakech enjoys sunshine near 15–20°C, perfect for wandering souks, while the Canary Islands d
Costa Calida Chronicle
4 days ago2 min read
The Beauty of Things That Age Well
The hand knows the difference before the eye does. Cool stone in the early morning. Timber still warm from yesterday’s sun. Leather yielding into a familiar curve. Some materials feel alive not because they are perfect, but because they remember you. They carry temperature, pressure, light and time in ways synthetic surfaces never quite manage. Long before a room looks beautiful, it feels settled. Modern interiors often chase instant perfection. Surf
Costa Calida Chronicle
4 days ago4 min read
Warm Pets
Winter Pets: What January Is Really Like for Animals As January settles in and the days grow shorter, winter quietly reshapes the routines of our pets just as it does our own. Behind the cosy blankets and warm homes, animals experience subtle biological shifts driven by daylight, temperature and instinct. Understanding these changes allows owners to respond with confidence, not concern — simply with better seasonal care. Dogs in Cold vs Mild Climates Not
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 163 min read
Did You Know?
What is Trust? Did you know that ‘trust’ is mentioned many times both in the Old and New Testament? Why is trust important? What does trust mean? How can one trust? Where does trust come from? How can one begin to trust in the Scriptures? Lets explore what the Scriptures have to say about trust. The dictionary definition of trust is “the belief that somebody or something is good, sincere, honest etc and will not try to harm or trick you”, “confiden
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 165 min read
Go MAD Charity
We are now going into a New Year and let us hope it will be as much a success as last year. We were able to donate the sum of 13,535€ last year to many charities, both British and Spanish, who provide help and aid to families and individual people in our area. We have also provided funds to schools enabling them to complete projects and we continue to provide food donations to the San Jose Church for their Food Bank based in Puerto de Mazarrón. We have made a r
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 162 min read
TV NEWS
Happy New Year to all our readers – we thought we would take a little look at the history of UK TV in Spain and what 2026 may bring. UK TV in southern Spain has never been straight forward – back in the 90`s when I first arrived, we could only get Channel 5 and Sky News on the SKY analogue satellite and we were quite happy with that. Then over the years SKY went digital, Freesat was launched and new satellites were introduced that had much tighter
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 163 min read
Three 10-Minute Hairstyles
Three 10-Minute Hairstyles for Everyday and Party Wear When life is busy, hair should feel effortless rather than demanding. These three ten-minute hairstyles are designed for real days and real events, taking you seamlessly from daytime errands to evening plans. Each look is polished without feeling overstyled, easy to recreate at home, and perfect for those moments when you want to look put together without overthinking it. See example on the page opposite.
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 162 min read
Shower Smarts
If you’ve made a New Year promise to spend less time scrubbing limescale and more time actually enjoying your bathroom, 2026 is your moment. Modern shower designs are cleaner, safer, and far easier to maintain than ever — and choosing the right one can save you hours every month. Frameless vs Framed Screens: The Clear Winner If cleaning is your priority, go frameless. Traditional framed screens have seals and metal edges where grime settles like it’s
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 162 min read
What to Do on the Days You Feel Flat, Tired or Unmotivated
There will be days when motivation disappears completely. No fire. No excitement. No inner gym playlist playing in your head. Just a heavy feeling and the temptation to skip everything. These days are not a failure of willpower — they are part of the process. The first mistake people make is waiting to feel “ready”. Motivation is unreliable because it is emotional. Discipline, on the other hand, is practical. On low days, your only goal should
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 162 min read
IFEPA Events in January
The 6th Levante Caravanning and Leisure Show will return to IFEPA-Palace of Trade Fairs and Exhibitions of the Region of Murcia between January 15 th and 18 th 2026, solidifying its position as one of the leading events in the sector nationwide. The show will occupy over 25,000 square metres of exhibition space, where visitors can discover the latest models of motorhomes, caravans and campervans, both new and used. A meeting point for caravannin
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 161 min read
Polished Flow
The Chaotic Morning We All Know Most mornings begin the same way for many of us — a rushed coffee, a glance at the phone, a mental to-do list already overflowing before the day has properly started. We promise ourselves we’ll get organised tomorrow, start fresh on Monday, reset next month. Yet the chaos quietly repeats. What we rarely question is whether constant variety is the very thing keeping us stuck. The Quiet Pattern Behind High Performance Benea
Costa Calida Chronicle
Jan 162 min read
The Storage That Makes You Feel Rich
The First Rule of Expensive Living: Visibility You can tell instantly if a kitchen truly works — not by its worktops or appliances, but by how smoothly everything moves when you open a drawer. Great storage is quiet luxury. The best kitchens eliminate deep, dark cupboards and replace them with full-extension drawers where everything is visible at a glance. Corner units pull out rather than swallow items. If you can’t see it, you’ll lose it, overbuy it
Costa Calida Chronicle
Dec 31, 20252 min read
Hosting Ideas
1. The Fire-Pit Soup Night (Casual, Social & Interactive) This is the most relaxed way to host outdoors in winter, built around one shared pot of slowly cooked soup over the fire. At the centre of the space, place a large cast-iron pot over the fire pit. Guests arrive with one prepared ingredient each and add to the pot as the evening unfolds. It becomes both the activity and the meal. Ideal soup ingredients: Beef shin, lamb shoulder or chicken thi
Costa Calida Chronicle
Dec 31, 20252 min read
Using Your Outdoor Space in Winter
Let’s be honest: winter will never compete with summer when it comes to outdoor living. Shorter days, lower temperatures and unpredictable weather naturally reduce how often we sit outside. But that doesn’t mean your garden, terrace or balcony should be completely written off for half the year. With the right setup, it can still be used occasionally and comfortably, rather than standing dormant. Start with placement, because winter seating only works whe
Costa Calida Chronicle
Dec 31, 20251 min read
Form & Function
Mornings Designed on Purpose A routine-building bedroom doesn’t stop at a nice headboard. Place the bed so you see natural light as soon as you wake, not a wardrobe or a screen. Add a narrow console or shelf just outside the bedroom with only what you want to touch first thing: water, supplements, watch, maybe a book. Keep charging points for phones away from the bedside; fix a charging drawer in the hallway or dressing room so the default behaviour is to
Costa Calida Chronicle
Dec 31, 20252 min read
This Year Looks Like Me
A Health Reset That Actually Lasts For decades, the new year has been framed as an emergency. A dramatic overhaul. A final warning to become someone “better”, leaner, stricter, faster. Gyms swell, diets tighten, and bodies brace for punishment disguised as progress. Yet by February, most resolutions disappear — not because people lack willpower, but because the approach was never sustainable. Science now confirms that lasting change doesn’t h
Costa Calida Chronicle
Dec 31, 20253 min read
TV NEWS
December is here and we can now mention the “C” word! What will you be doing for the festive season - here at the Rainbow house it will be a quiet time – probably too much food, wine and TV but the dogs will like the day long sofa access! I did go to Torquay for a “tinsel and turkey” few days with family as this year we could not get together for the 25 th – and very nice it was. I am sure we will be helping out with transport for our sponsored
Costa Calida Chronicle
Dec 1, 20253 min read
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