Reclaiming The Past: Holly Covington's Journey To Timeless Lumber

Holly Covington, owner of Hollywood Boards, Beams and Flooring - an antique wood distributor based in Atlanta, GA - has a soft spot for vintage lumber and new wood trends. Originally from Kentucky, Covington fixated on the rustic charm of nearby antique structures from her youth - especially those constructed of the hardy timber of yesteryear. Her business, primarily in flooring and boards reclaimed from old buildings, was spawned by sustainable reclamation of the characteristic, sturdy, yet often disused lumber of the past.

"I fell in love early," Covington admitted, referencing the aged horse stables and tobacco barns she admired growing up, quickly finding her passion deep within the grains of that ancient wood. She said she was blessed to have access to a few barns to reclaim at the start of her business and that her fondness for the gorgeous timber she discovered in those old structures quickly became a calling. "I hated seeing all of that incredible wood going to waste and wanted to be able to preserve its beauty for younger generations. That's just too much character to let go to waste."

While some clients may prefer newer sources for their dream projects, Covington does that, too. She offers many wood species for flooring, box beams, cabinetry, trim, moldings, and furniture. Covington favors keeping her sourcing at least eighty percent forest-free, relying on preexisting sources instead of modern lumber. "Most of the time, I prefer to bring new life to old wood," she said, and, for most of her projects, primarily resources lumber from old barns, mills, and other old structures in Tennessee, Ohio, and her home state of Kentucky, where older woods are more readily available and often more robust.

"Antiquated wood tends to have a much tighter grain," Covington explained, stating how many new processes pressure the wood to grow too quickly, resulting in more open, less attractive grains. She also said it is much easier to custom-cut longer lengths and widths for client jobs with reclaimed wood: "Regarding aesthetics and durability," Covington said, "you can't replicate old hardwood with the current lumber industry and milling methods. Our jobs are custom, with dimensions and character you can't buy 'off the rack.'"

"Instead of new growth foresting, there's plenty of lumbered wood in the world perfect to source; You just have to know where to look." With that in mind, Covington often advises would-be clients and others to reclaim before rot renders the wood unusable, lamenting the many new construction projects that tear down existing historic wood structures for new, metal ones and just let the wood go to waste. "With the quality and character laden in most old timber we can properly reclaim, it's a real shame when it's discarded."

Covington said she adores wowing clients with the subtle beauty of her wood projects, noting a recent job along 30A. "On that one, we did it all - floors, box beams, doors, wall boards - and I love it," she said, noting numerous rave reviews of the reclaimed woodwork. She encourages parties to see the home at 102 Bullard Road, Santa Rosa Beach, FL. "It is on the market and one of my favorites! All ready to move in, the only thing to do is bring your sunscreen!"

Indeed, Covington's woodwork, often marked with subtle nail holes, knot holes, or hand-hewn marks - remnants of workers years past - gives her finished products an uncommon charisma. Whether hardwood flooring boards or solid oak beams, Covington gives her work a sense of timeworn toughness and aged beauty. Oh, if only this beautiful wood could talk - but it certainly does when you see it yourself!

Elegance In Every Grain...