Heather Riches Home

A magpie at heart, I have always been an avid collector of all things old and interesting- whether I was finding fossils on the beach, digging up coins or flicking through antique books, anything with a story had my interest. 

I have many fond memories of weekends spent rummaging through market stalls and vintage shops with my Mother, in the hopes to find pretty trinkets or anything a bit unusual that I can add to my collection of ‘found goods’.

I grew up in a very “make do and mend” household- my Father, a skilled carpenter, would often build and restore furniture, while my Mother would make curtains out of thrifted fabric and hand-me downs. I spent my teenage years altering second-hand clothes to give them a new lease of life, as well as up-cycling furniture during my university years.

My passion for antiques and beautifully crafted furniture really flourished when my partner Sam and I purchased our first home- a Victorian farm workers cottage that was in need of a full renovation. After spending the first year restoring the bones of the house, we started sourcing pieces of decor from auctions and markets, where I soon learnt I had a keen eye for quality pieces. 

Lodge Cottage Brocante was born out of chance in 2019. We had accumulated furniture and wares that no longer suited the evolving style of our cottage, so to help pay for the next stage of renovating we sold some items online and in person- I found great pleasure in helping a piece continue its journey. 

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do- restoring and repurposing old furniture ensures a piece stays out of land-fill, whilst also reducing the waste produced when new manufactured items are made. 

Throughout the first lock-down of 2020 I expanded our online stock to include hand-crafted products and dried floral arrangements to keep up with demand, all keeping with the vintage theme of corse! In 2021 I started selling at markets and brocantes- I love being able to meet customers face to face and really connect over a shared love of antiques.

Basically, I'm obsessed with old furniture that would suit a working, country home- whether it's scrubbed pine for a scullery kitchen, polished mahogany in an old drawing room or a sturdy oak piece thats been scratch built, I love it. I try to keep the original patina where I can, because this is the history of a piece!