Friday, March 30, 2018

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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7 comments:

  1. You have some wonderful salvaged pieces. Glad you were able to rescue them. The only thing I rescued was a lovely, tattered antique crazy quilt - couldn't let it be thrown out.

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  2. Those are beautiful pieces and I hope to begin a new look for my home soon. These give me inspiration as I know a store in a town near us that sells a lot of these kinds of things.

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  3. Love all your architectural finds especially the fact that they are mostly all rescues. My favorite piece is the leaded window that you were gifted on a walk.

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  4. Enjoyed this post immensely. You are so lucky to live where you stand the chance of finding some of these beauties. Keep up the good work.

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  5. I love all your salvaged pieces and have been finding a few of my own. You certainly are creative and have wonderful ideas, thanks and have a great week.

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  6. Swooning over all your finds and the way you have decorated with them! Featuring you today at TFT! Hope you will come over this week and link up again!

    https://followtheyellowbrickhome.com/vintage-french-farmhouse-style-at-thursday-favorite-things/

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