>allreplaced.Thepreviousownerswererelocatingto
a retirementhomeandleftbehindalloftheirfurniture.
‘Weremovedthekitchenislandandsoldalltheunits
astheywerebrandnew,’saysZara.Intheirplace,she
haschosena mixoforganicmaterialsandupcycled
reclamation-yardfinds.‘I lovereclaimedwood– the
morerusticandfullofhistory,thebetter.Daddida
greatjobconvertingsomeoldpotatochittingtrays
intokitchendrawers– they’retotallyunique and we
areabletostoresomuchawayinthem.’
Therearemorequirksateverycorner,suchasthe
pairofvintagetheatreseats,anAmericanmailboxand
acoppermilkchurn.Eventhediningsettellsa story.
‘Wefounda batteredbarndoorata reclamationyard,’
saysZara.‘Ourbuildersremovedthelock,cleanedup
thewoodandturnedit intoa tabletop.Thebenches
camefromanoldpotteryworkshopandarestainedin
claypowder– I lovetheirsoft,wornpinktone.’Upstairs,
thereis a hiddengeminsidethebedroomcupboard
bythewindow– anemergencyropewithwrittensafety
instructionsonanoldpieceofcard.‘It’sa littlepiece
ofhistorythatbelongstothecottage,’shesays.
Havingspentmanyweekendsintired-looking,
largecountryhomesorsmallercottageswithfuddy-
duddy interiors, the couple spotted a demand for
Livingroom
Bygivinglifetonew
things,Zara’screated
anentirelyuniquehome.
Vintagetheatreseats,
ArdinglyAntiques and
Collectors FairLivingroom
Foranunusualsidetable,Zarapaintedanold
Americanmailboxinchalkpaint,thenscratched
throughthesurfacetorevealgreenlettering.
Americanmailbox, Norfolk Reclaim