Decorating with Architectural Salvage

When I see a chippy old window in an alley or a battered door in a construction dumpster, 

I just can't let it end up in a landfill when it would look stunning in my house. 

I may not know how I will use it or where it might fit, but it's going home with me. 

You never know when a treasure might literally fall into your lap. 

This beautiful leaded glass window was gifted to me on a morning walk

in a hundred-year-old neighborhood.

If you missed my "Window Shopping" post, you can read that story HERE.

Incorporating salvaged architectural pieces into your decor creates a warm vintage look, 

especially in a new house. I love rescuing these bits and bobs from the landfill and 

giving them a new purpose as artwork, furniture or a focal point in a room. 

Old windows can be used in so many ways like framing a vignette. 

And they're easy to switch out with the seasons.

I started thinking about architectural salvage recently when we saw a beautiful old wooden panel tossed aside in a construction site. Seeing it in the dumpster that evening, we rushed to rescue it. 

It came from an old house in our historic neighborhood and appeared to be part of a bay window. Amazingly, the large glass window was intact in the seven foot panel.

I had no idea where we would use it but it was just too beautiful to imagine it in a dump. 

After cleaning it up and trying it in several spots, I finally settled on a corner in my sunroom. 

It added a historic feeling and warmth to this newer room. 

That lovely panel came from the same construction site where we found this amazing porch post.

If you missed that "Post on a Post", you can find it HERE.

 Antique mantels are one of the most desirable architectural pieces. 

They can be used as a headboard or as a faux fireplace like this one from an Ohio farm. 

Note the salvaged tin ceiling tile that makes a perfect firebox screen.

Old doors make interesting tables, headboards or focal points. 

This alley find draws attention to an empty corner and 

provides a distressed surface for displaying artwork. 

An old hand-carved peg board is a useful storage piece

while the small window anchors this vignette.

You could also cut a mirror to fit behind the window for a different look.

Finials, corbels or crystal doorknobs add interest on a shelf while old lighting 

always catches my eye like with these gorgeous salvaged sconces.

I also use a lot of salvaged materials in the garden and on the patio

and will share those with you in an upcoming post. 

Happy Salvaging!!

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