A Cozy, Colorful Collector’s Cottage You’re Going to Fall in Love With

Photography by Mac Jamieson

Text by Katie Ellis

When Suzy Reynolds and husband David Smith moved into their charming 1935 Cotswold cottage nearly 20 years ago, they brought with them a passion for vintage treasures. The home’s exterior is lined in cedar shake siding—a stark contrast from its more Arts and Crafts style interiors. Inside, each and every nook is filled with vintage collections that invite a cozy, timeworn charm in the form of delightful stories and colorful vignettes.

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Photography by Mac Jamieson

Suzy reveals that it’s actually David who is the true treasure hunter of the pair. “When he was 12 years old he went to an estate sale with his dad, and bought an old cathedral-style radio,” Suzy says. “He got the bug at a young age when his dad got him interested in old things.” From that time on, it was primarily about the thrill of the hunt. “He loves finding things that people didn’t really know what they were, or what they’re worth,” she says. “He’s never paid top dollar for just about anything.” As a lifetime vintage treasure hunter, David can now quickly work his way through an antiques store, but Suzy says they usually find better items at junk stores or estate sales.

Photography by Mac Jamieson

With any good collection, comes a good story. In a home like Suzy and David’s, layered in more than a dozen different collections, you wind up collecting just as many stories as you do treasures. “This house is literally filled with stories, and my husband is a great storyteller—he’s very knowledgeable on all of it,” Suzy says. “Meanwhile, I still know very little; it’s very overwhelming to me. We’ve been married almost 20 years, and I’m still learning.”

Photography by Mac Jamieson

Overwhelming as it may be, the pair still enjoy uncovering a new treasure. When it comes to decorating and living with a home filled with vintage finds, Suzy suggests pursuing either a color or particular item you love. “One thing I like is color. So starting a collection of bottles—it’s something easy to find and it’s not real expensive—adds a fun pop of color to any room,” she says, adding that she painted her once terra-cotta kitchen white so her collected treasures would pop. For those who enjoy decorating in neutrals, Suzy is quick to suggest that there are tons of things worth collecting in shades of white. “We’ve got a really cool collection of old cold cream jars,” she says. “They’re all white, but they’re all different.” Whatever your interests may be, this treasure hunting duo say there’s a vintage find for everyone.

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