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St. Francis Cottage a case study in secondhand chic

A chair purchased from Habitat for Humanity's Chattanooga ReStore is part of the decor in the Azalea Room at St. Francis Cottage. Owners Wallace and Nancy Braud partly furnished the bed-and-breakfast with items from various secondhand stores. A chair purchased from Habitat for Humanity's Chattanooga ReStore is part of the decor in the Azalea Room at St. Francis Cottage. Owners Wallace and Nancy Braud partly furnished the bed-and-breakfast with items from various secondhand stores.

By Lisa Denton August 1, 2019 7 min read

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St. Francis Cottage

Wallace and Nancy Braud purchased this double sink for their B&B's kitchen at a Habitat ReStore.

In addition to furniture and decorative pieces, Wallace and Nancy Braud found pieces for utilitarian use at resale stores, including this shelving.

Wallace and Nancy Braud shopped resale shops for items ranging from dishes to countertops in order to furnish their B&B.

Owners Nancy and Wallace Braud relax in the backyard at St. Francis Cottage. The table between them was purchased at a discount at a resale store.

Detail of a backyard table purchased at a resale store.

A wingback chair in the Monarch Room at St. Francis Cottage was among Wallace and Nancy Braud's secondhand finds.

Owner Wallace Braud sits in the Monarch Room at St. Francis Cottage. The spacious rooms are furnished with multiple chairs and wooden side tables and cabinets.

St. Francis Cottage sits on property that is surprisingly secluded, considering the bed-and-breakfast inn is within a mile and a half of Hamilton Place, the largest shopping mall in East Tennessee.

A personalized chalkboard sign welcomes a guest to the Hummingbird Room.

Wallace and Nancy Braud have done their fair share of traveling, but it’s possible their furniture has had even more adventures.

Two years ago in April, the Brauds opened St. Francis Cottage, a bed-and-breakfast neighboring their home in East Brainerd. To furnish the seven bed/bath combos and common areas, the Brauds relied on luck and perseverance to acquire an inn’s worth of gently used, previously loved merchandise. It’s secondhand in many cases, but hardly second-rate.

“Guests give us lots of positive comments on the decor,” Wallace Braud says.

Not everything is secondhand, of course. “Used mattresses are not a good idea” for an inn, says Wallace. But even the new merchandise has been bought at a discount from dealers who specialize in closeouts or liquidations.

Tips from the Brauds

* Think beyond the expected. Wallace Braud has modified several furnishings for other uses. A writing desk became a bathroom vanity with the addition of tile. Metal carts became a serving buffet when topped with a plank.* Don’t worry about imperfections. They can often be camouflaged. In the sitting room, for instance, a large piece of quartz not only adds visual interest, it hides a blemish on a side table.* Keep your options open. St. Francis Cottage is fully furnished, but the Brauds say they still find items to add or change out in the decor. They still pay visits to favorite resale stores.* Don’t worry about matching. The Brauds say they get lots of compliments from guests about the eclectic nature of their decor. They prefer to coordinate pieces through like colors rather than having perfect matches.