Within steps from the traffic, the signs and the car lots of U.S. 1 in Melbourne remains a preserved piece of Florida history lovingly restored by a Georgia couple.

In 1924, a young builder named Joe Alton Thomas built a couple of cottages on what is now Magnolia Avenue, a favorite shortcut between U.S. 1 and Babcock Street.

He built them well, as strong as the huge live oaks that surrounded them, and imbued in them the no-nonsense character of the land.

In 2008, one of the cottages caught the eye of collector Lynda Hughes, who would continue Thomas’ legacy of breathing life into the home.

Lynda and Clifford Hughes live in Carrollton, Georgia, but the couple enjoys their “beach fix” at their second home in Satellite Beach.

“I’m a Tampa native, so I’ve got to have the beach in the winter,” says Lynda.

Lynda’s brother, a Brevard resident, had noticed the 85-year-old two-bedroom, one-bath cottage for sale and urged his sister to come take a look.

“He just kept telling me that we had to see this place,” says Lynda. Brother knew best, because once Lynda saw the house, she was hooked.

“We love stuff nobody has ever messed with, and nobody had messed with this cottage,” says Lynda.

The Hughes, old hands at restoration, were fascinated by the cozy 758-square-foot home with strong, unblemished bones, but precious little else. It was the smallest property they had ever restored.

“It had been empty for 10 years,” says Lynda. “You couldn’t see it from the street. We had to crawl through one of the windows to get inside.”

Despite the neglect, the home’s resilience shone through, providing a durable canvas where Lynda could let her imagination roam.

“The windows, the siding, the screens, the floors, the ceiling were all original,” says Lynda. “They’re made from cypress or heart of pine. It’s indestructible. Termites can’t get at it.”

For Lynda, the house was more than just a project. It was a trip into the past.

“My grandmother had a house like this,” she says.

The Hughes had plenty of love and expertise to give to the disheveled little house, and the cottage was going to require a plenty of it. In January 2008, Lynda and Clifford embarked on a renovation of HGTV proportions.

“It’s a brand new house in an old shell,” explains Lynda. Whenever possible and feasible, the couple retained the original materials, adding only the features that would endear the home to 21st century homeowners.

The screen door, for example, is original, although artist friend Joe Mason designed and affixed a heron with palm fronds to enhance the old entrance to the cottage. Mason’s artistic touches can be seen throughout the home.

The front porch is so enticing that it is easy for guests to want to linger here enjoying the world from this vantage point. But so much more waits inside to be discovered.

Lynda has a canny eye when it comes to cottage chic furnishings, and the porch enjoys her acumen. A willow swing crafted by a friend invites a sit-stay. Wicker chairs Lynda discovered at Goodwill provide additional seating around a rug Lynda found at Yapa in downtown Melbourne. The large original wooden awnings keep temperatures comfortable.

The front garden, planted with native vegetation for easy maintenance, is outlined by a white picket fence. On the side yard, a bleeding heart vine provides plenty of privacy and a pit stop for butterflies.

Enhancing the porch décor is a cypress knee lamp Lynda purchased for a couple of dollars and a wonderful bird house one of Lynda’s Kentucky-based friends fashioned from recycled tractor parts and scrap metal.

The lamp was a definite must-have.

“I remember the old cypress knee lamps,” says Lynda. “Every house had them.” Almost all of the home’s “found chic” décor are thrift store treasures or unique finds discovered during her local shopping adventures.

Lynda has learned all the great spots to visit during her regular travels throughout Brevard County and beyond. One such visit to a Micco antique store unearthed the living room fireplace mantel that became the inspiration for the cottage’s new look.

“It had about 15 layers of paint on it,” explains Lynda.

“I started taking paint off and this beautiful blue color emerged.

That color influenced design and décor throughout the rest of the home.”

Part beach home, part Cracker cottage, the little house is furnished with stunning yet often ridiculously inexpensive accessories, such as the dining room chandelier that, for $35, casts a glorious glow.

“I found it at a yard sale,” says Lynda. “Every bulb was original. Almost everything here is from thrift shops.”

For some of the repurposed furnishings, all Lynda needed to do was look inside. The Duncan Phyfe sofa, for example, was found in the house. It was in bad shape, but Lynda recognized the classic lines. She re-upholstered the piece herself transforming the abandoned sofa into a contemporary shabby chic find that now anchors the space.

“It’s been here since the 1930s, at least,” says Lynda.

The coffee table was a couple of dollars, as were the chairs and credenza. If the cottage carries a mantra, it is recycling. Old becomes new under Lynda’s clever hand.

To update the cottage, the Hughes removed non-load-bearing walls and the low ceiling, adding an unexpected freedom to the small space. The electric system was completely replaced and a new 2.5-ton air-conditioning/heating system and on-demand water heater were added.

The floors covered by paint or carpet, were stripped to their original charm. To add depth to the narrow living area, Lynda installed a large window frame repurposed as a mirror.

In the bathroom, the commode was switched from its original highly obtrusive location in front of the door to a more demure site occupied previously by a closet.

“The bathroom floor was rotted, so we replaced and re- tiled the floors and walls,” says Lynda.

To reglaze the original clawfoot bathtub, Lynda contacted a local craftsman that, as chance would have it, happened to be builder Joe Alton Thomas’ grandson. She crossed paths with the Thomas family on yet another occasion, this time at a beachside garage sale.

“I started talking with this lady who told me she was building and decorating a Key West cottage,” says Lynda. “When I told her I was restoring one, our conversation continued. She turned out to be the original builder’s daughter!”

From Thomas’ daughter, Lynda received a photo of the builder. The picture of Thomas as a young man now takes pride of place in the airy living room of the house he built 85 years ago.

The kitchen, although small, was gutted to make way for custom cabinetry and new stainless steel appliances. Beyond the kitchen, the Hughes added a 10x20-foot light-filled back porch that overlooks the generous garden characteristically overgrown with native landscaping.

The work was indeed a labor of love for the retired couple. Lynda and sister Debbie scraped and stripped paint for weeks. Lynda’s husband Clifford toiled through the electrical, plumbing and trim work, and built the tidy deck with benches by the kitchen door.

The Hughes have left their imprint in the careful rehabilitation and tasteful decoration of the quaint cottage, but the house’s future remains to be written by its next owner. Lynda would enjoy nothing more than playing matchmaker for the cottage, introducing it to a new owner who would appreciate the home’s uncompromising character and its enviable location.

“It’s an open story right now,” says Lynda.

In early 2010 Lynda Hughes will entertain inquiries about the cottage. For information, contact her at 770-546-4088.