Reclaimed house
Nestled between junk shops and Brazilian cafes on an ungentrified street in west London, the Retrouvius warehouse is an unlikely destination. But for design insiders, this cavernous, L-shaped emporium, stretched over multiple storeys between two buildings, has become something of a cult address.
Stripped and fi nished parquet fl ooring complements the fi ne vintage furniture. Right: designed to be the heart of the home, this dining room accommodates informal mealtimes with the children and, later in the evening, dinner parties with friends
Inside, stock ranges from elegant reupholstered sofas to stacks of limestone cladding and graffitied school desktops. There is always something unexpected: a vast Art Deco bathroom set, an antique optometrist’s table, or science laboratory taps – and there is a story behind each piece.
Old bible rests are used as shelving Right: a backdrop of shimmering pink tiles blend with the industrial furniture
At the heart of Retrouvius is the belief that good materials and wellmade items are precious; whether quarried stone or a piece of expert joinery, these objects were hard won and have an intrinsic value that argues for them to be reconditioned and elegantly reused – much of the stock might otherwise have ended up as bon re fodder. Good salvaged materials yield astonishing results if treated with care, style and an adventurous spirit.
Founded 20 years ago by partners Adam Hills and Maria Speake while studying architecture in Glasgow, Retrouvius began as a way to help conserve the city’s Victorian tenement buildings.
In no time the scope of the company grew, from salvaged oddments from the tenements, to selling church pews to pubs and stainedglass windows to a more generalised interest in materials and reuse.
As Adam Hills sums it up: ‘The whole principle of antiques dealing is to take something from where it’s not appreciated, to somewhere it is.’
Reclaiming Style by Maria Speake and Adam Hills, with photography by Debi Treloar, is published by Ryland Peters & Small, priced £19.99. The book is available to our readers at the special price of £17.99, including p&p. Call Macmillan Direct on 01256- 302699, quoting reference GLR 7GS.
Retrouvius: 020-8960 6060, www.retrouvius.com
Stripped and fi nished parquet fl ooring complements the fi ne vintage furniture. Right: designed to be the heart of the home, this dining room accommodates informal mealtimes with the children and, later in the evening, dinner parties with friends Inside, stock ranges from elegant reupholstered sofas to stacks of limestone cladding and graffitied school desktops. There is always something unexpected: a vast Art Deco bathroom set, an antique optometrist’s table, or science laboratory taps – and there is a story behind each piece.
Old bible rests are used as shelving Right: a backdrop of shimmering pink tiles blend with the industrial furnitureAt the heart of Retrouvius is the belief that good materials and wellmade items are precious; whether quarried stone or a piece of expert joinery, these objects were hard won and have an intrinsic value that argues for them to be reconditioned and elegantly reused – much of the stock might otherwise have ended up as bon re fodder. Good salvaged materials yield astonishing results if treated with care, style and an adventurous spirit.
Founded 20 years ago by partners Adam Hills and Maria Speake while studying architecture in Glasgow, Retrouvius began as a way to help conserve the city’s Victorian tenement buildings.
In no time the scope of the company grew, from salvaged oddments from the tenements, to selling church pews to pubs and stainedglass windows to a more generalised interest in materials and reuse.
As Adam Hills sums it up: ‘The whole principle of antiques dealing is to take something from where it’s not appreciated, to somewhere it is.’
Reclaiming Style by Maria Speake and Adam Hills, with photography by Debi Treloar, is published by Ryland Peters & Small, priced £19.99. The book is available to our readers at the special price of £17.99, including p&p. Call Macmillan Direct on 01256- 302699, quoting reference GLR 7GS.
Retrouvius: 020-8960 6060, www.retrouvius.com