Living Etc Magazine|August 2017

HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM ADAM HILLS AND MARIA SPEAKE run Retrouvius, an architectural salvage and design company working both residentially and on projects such as The George hotel in Rye and shops for Perfumer H’s Lyn Harris and cobbler Rupert Sanderson. Here, Adam shares what catches his vintage-loving eye…

Article Reader

How did you get interested in salvage?

We were straight out of college (Maria and I met on our first day at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow) and for us, it was very much about saving materials that had an innate value. At the time, in the early Nineties, it wasn’t something many people recognised – provenance wasn’t as important as it is now.

What do you love about vintage pieces?

They give depth to an interior – I always think new things often feel a little uncomfortable, they need to wear in a bit, whereas salvaged pieces have stood the test of time. With age and patina, a lovely bit of wood always becomes warmer in colour and tactile to touch.

How do you sort the diamonds from the duds on a demolition site?

We’ve never been interested in what’s in fashion – I look at quality first, what might be popular next and what I like last. When we first started, pale woods such as beech and maple were in, but now darker woods are more popular for flooring, so maple has become a good choice if you’re on a budget.

What sort of things have you saved?

この記事は Living Etc Magazine の August 2017 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Living Etc Magazine の August 2017 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

LIVING ETC MAGAZINEのその他の記事すべて表示
modern extensions
Living Etc UK

modern extensions

WITH STRIKING USE OF COLOUR, MATERIALS AND SHAPE, THE LATEST DESIGNS ADD SO MUCH MORE THAN AN EXTRA ROOM

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
think like a pro
Living Etc UK

think like a pro

It's not just interior designers who are skilled at picking the perfect palette architects are in on the act, too, and Richard Parr knows just how to get the ideal shade

time-read
2 分  |
August 2024
colour decoded
Living Etc UK

colour decoded

As with all successful schemes, there's much more going on beneath the surface of this space than first appears -Livingete's colour expert Amy Moorea Wong reveals all

time-read
2 分  |
August 2024
enduring style
Living Etc UK

enduring style

B&B Italia has pioneered modern Italian furniture design since 1966 - but its latest collection feels as fresh as ever

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
Living Etc UK

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

Seventeenth-century origins meet vibrant contemporary design in a cleverly reimagined Amsterdam canal house

time-read
2 分  |
August 2024
ROCK OF AGES
Living Etc UK

ROCK OF AGES

The owners of a Menorcan home have made a stylish yet sustainable retreat using the island's signature stone

time-read
2 分  |
August 2024
FORCE OF NATURE
Living Etc UK

FORCE OF NATURE

An unexpected flood into what was already a dark basement flat prompted a new vision, full of light, natural materials and foliage

time-read
2 分  |
August 2024
TOP OF THE WORLD
Living Etc UK

TOP OF THE WORLD

High above the busy streets of Bangkok, two talented designers have created a tranquil retreat that nods to chic 1970s style and makes the most of the views

time-read
2 分  |
August 2024
A PLACE IN THE SUN
Living Etc UK

A PLACE IN THE SUN

An apartment within a former luxury hotel celebrates - and updates - the style of France's Côte d'Azur

time-read
2 分  |
August 2024
OUTSIDE IN
Living Etc UK

OUTSIDE IN

The design of this modernist bungalow in South Africa was dictated by the trees on the plot and the desire for an indoor-outdoor flow

time-read
2 分  |
August 2024