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…
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?
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