The Villages - May 2017 - 18

Bre nd a & Nor m S c h w e n t o r

A PlAce Where Pigs Fly
French country, shabby chic or farmhouse modern?
When you step inside the Schwentor home, you get
those three and more. And it all works beautifully. But
you won't find the couple's home décor in any book,
magazine or showroom. It is a design all their own, born
of Brenda's imagination, Norm's woodworking skills
and the couple's collective handiwork. The two have
reincarnated many flea market finds, turning a pile
of antique spoons into a creative chandelier, hanging
plant stands into fun side tables, a telephone shelf into
a charming little ledge, and so much more. In fact, there
are very few things in the Schwentor home that have not
lived another life or worn a distant and vaguely familiar
face. The Schwentors adore the unexpected.
"We don't waste anything," Brenda said.
They repurpose furniture, create decorative pieces
made from old scraps of iron and use their skills to
make headboards, cabinets, kitchen counters, tables,
drapes and anything that makes a house feel homey.
Their mismatched menagerie of distressed furniture,
shimmering chandeliers and cheery trinkets make the
space feel well worn, loved.
"You could be here all day and not see all of the
little treasures," Norm said. "There's just so much."
Various objects reveal the couple's sense of humor:
a collection of ceramic pigs with wings, fabric birds
perched in high places, a wall of plates featuring
happy farm animals. Each display is a whimsical
surprise. A bowl full of antique doorknobs gleams on
a sofa table Norm built using spindle legs and a slab
of smooth wood. A former machinist by profession,
Norm is accustomed to working with his hands.
"I worked with metal by trade and with wood as a
hobby for many years," he said.
When he and Brenda met, Norm already was
making basic furniture.
"She challenged me," he said. "She encouraged me
to make different things, more complex furniture for
our home."
Brenda said she got the decorating bug after
buying her first home.
"I was hooked on home décor," she said.
She began to study design and worked in the

18

MAY 2017



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - May 2017

Contents
The Villages - May 2017 - Cover1
The Villages - May 2017 - Contents
The Villages - May 2017 - 1
The Villages - May 2017 - 2
The Villages - May 2017 - 3
The Villages - May 2017 - 4
The Villages - May 2017 - 5
The Villages - May 2017 - 6
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The Villages - May 2017 - Cover3
The Villages - May 2017 - Cover4
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