I expected a dark, dusty warehouse filled with posts and beams. We found it to be much more interesting, filled not only with architectural materials but also with decorative items removed from old homes and other buildings before they were demolished. (And probably from at least one garage, too.)
I thought the owners of this business were adept at reusing and upcycling interesting salvaged items into new uses. Not all would work in a home, of course.
There were lots of windows, many made of stained glass; lots of lamps, and many mantles.
We saw many grates to cover heating and cold air vents, some repurposed for others uses, like this table.
The table below had a wagon wheel on the other side, too, which gave the impression of a cart.
Some of the larger items had information about the buildings from which they came -- old churches, Odd Fellows buildings, theaters, etc.
I liked the graphic aspect of this piano keyboard hanging above a mantle.
And I loved the idea of using an old window to display photographs.
Our last home had been built in the 1880s or 1890s. We put a lot of work into improving it but when it came time to sell we were lacking a grate to cover a warm air vent in the living room ceiling. We searched high and low but there was no salvage store anywhere nearby at that time and we did not find a grate to fit the hole. I remembered that a year or so before we'd been to a historic home in the city where they showed us a small table made from papier mache. I told my husband I would just make a vent cover. He didn't have much hope of success but when it was screwed to the ceiling neither the realtor nor the buyer guessed that the cover was not metal. I chuckle to imagine what the new owner thought, and then chuckle again when I imagine her trying to find a metal one to fit.
Do you love old, too?
--Nancy.
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This was a fun place to visit! The pictures turned out really well.
ReplyDeleteThat was a fun outing. I particularly like the stained glass windows. Would they have been from private houses or public buildings?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very fun day! How I wish there was a store such as this anywhere around here. There are some salvage places in Santa Fe, but they are very upscale (overly expensive because this is Santa Fe) and mostly the style is very unique to the southwest, which is not particularly my style.
ReplyDeleteWell, this place was in no way inexpensive. In fact, most things were beyond our budget, even if we'd needed them for a home repair. I suppose salvage in different areas of the country are representative of that area. I know we would have trouble finding Santa Fe-style salvage in Ohio. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment, Kathleen.
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