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Architectural Salvage—Reuse For A Beautiful Purpose

A lot has been written about recycling what can be salvaged in order to protect the environment from the overuse of landfills and extraneous waste. A great way to do your part in reclaiming and reusing where you can is to utilize architectural salvage to adorn your home and garden. Many of the vintage doors, door hardware, windows, stained glass and wrought iron pieces you find show remarkable workmanship that in many cases is unmatched today, and these types of architectural salvage antiques also offer the beauty that comes with age and the patina of use.

Antique salvage can be identified as items that are anywhere from fifty to one hundred or more years old, and are priced based on their condition, rarity, utility and beauty. If you live in a home of this same age, you can use architectural salvage pieces on your residence and they will blend in beautifully. However, you can also use antique salvage items on a newer home to give it the appearance of a vintage one as well.

Architectural reclamation is energetically sought after by historic home and building owners, because when you need to replace a window or door, for example, modern equivalents just do not come close to matching the style and design of the vintage home. Antique salvage is often found at collectables shows, which is a show where vendors specializing in antiques and architectural salvage come together to offer their wares to the public. There are also stores, both brick-and-mortar as well as online with a focus on architectural antique pieces for use inside and outside the home.

Many times, creative homeowners also use architectural salvage antiques in ways outside of their original purpose. You might take a beautiful door, for example, and re-purpose it for a magnificent large tabletop as a way of adding period ornamentation to your vintage home’s dining room. Architectural reclamation can also be used as decorative elements for adding historic flair to your staircases, corners of rooms and doorways, and even as ornamentation for your garden.

Some architectural antique pieces are so well-preserved that they can be used in their current state. Others may need refurbishing and refinishing to increase their strength or to repair broken or missing parts, or simply to refinish the surface to bring the piece back to its original luster. Some historic pieces may be more valuable left in their original states with the original finishes, so this is something to research and discuss with your salvage store.

It is a great idea, if you are considering the purchase of architectural salvage, to read up on it at your library, online and to consult with knowledgeable sellers of these fine home antiques.

About the Author

Susan Slobac writes about– architectural salvage