A Home of Her Own
By Nancy R. Hiller
Indiana University Press; $29.95
4.5 stars
Gorgeous is the first reaction to this book, with photographs inviting you into the act of being part of each project. Reading the accounts of 18 women who have reclaimed a structure to make it a life-giving place takes us beyond the visual into the visceral.
Reclamation here is more than physical repair, it’s equally restoring a place to its historical and cultural significance in a neighborhood and community. The act of finding suitable items of material culture for exterior and interior use connects a new owner with the feel of the past.
As readers we become part of the process, which translates to keying us into a closer association with our own place of residence. Whether it’s living simply or attaining a more elegant approach, a reclaimed house is both an extension of personality and circumstance. A lot hands-on work and personal conviction goes into every project, creating an investment beyond money.
The goal is for a happily-ever-after ending—and when it’s not, the wrenching separation inflicts a hurting-ever-after. Perhaps the most poignant episode is the story of Catherine Stafford, whose life-long passion for a particular old house was thwarted, rewarded and ultimately tested through daunting twists and turns.
