HOMES Australian Country 123B
renton and Sharon Kinnear
happened upon a life of
treasure hunting by chance.
As newlyweds more than
three decades ago, they set about
furnishing their fi rst home together and
soon discovered a shared love of things
old and worn, rather than shiny and new.
“We started buying pieces that
needed work,” Sharon says. “We found
we enjoyed the whole restoring and
conservation process.” “As Sharon was
busy going about buying and collecting
things in the early days, someone
had to then pick them up and do the
restoration work,” Brenton adds. “That’s
when I became involved and loved the
transformation from junk to a useful and
beautiful piece of furniture.”
‘‘At that stage,” Sharon continues, “we
didn’t know the direction that this hobby
would take us in. We both had jobs and this
was a weekend pastime.”
As time went by, their hobby took a
fi rmer grip on their hearts and minds, and
they decided to take a leap of faith. “An
existing antiques shop became available in
Coff s Harbour, so we jumped in,” Sharon
recalls. “Brenton then went off to do his
French-polishing trade ... we had the Coff s
shop for 14 years, then one in Grafton for
six years.”
During those years, the couple were also
building a family. They had four childrenThese pages: Burfield House was built in Toowoomba during the Federation era. The front verandah, with its views of the expansive garden, high ceilings, polished
f loorboards and timber panelling are features Sharon and Brenton knew at first sight would make a great setting for their collection of antiques and old furniture.›