Bring the past back to life; turn it into beautiful new decor

There’s something about those special bits and pieces of old furniture or architectural salvage from buildings no longer in use that simply begs to be reborn, to live again to add beauty and interest to our surroundings. It’s the recapturing of art and style (perhaps nearly lost in this modern era) that beckons when we see a hand-carved corbel, a rustic barn door or an exquisite leaded glass window. It is as if we catch the strain of a long-forgotten song, and waves of nostalgia and appreciation carry us back to some happy time in our memory. So it is with salvaged architectural pieces, they remind us of the beauty, creativity and the craftsmanship of former eras.

At the Cottage, we absolutely adore those pieces of the past! We really look carefully for these sometimes obscure items, and our searches have yielded some amazing treasures. We’ve traveled here in the US all across the country as well as in Europe and South Africa, always on the lookout for those little bits of history, and we’re always delighted when our efforts have been rewarded. We’ve been successful in finding domestic and imported salvage of every type and material. And there is a unique joy when after re-purposing them into a new function, someone notices and is inspired to try their hand with something they have found or have lying around.

Pros will tell you to assess your particular decor style, and to measure everything carefully, this cuts down on the time spent looking and helps narrow your search to only the pieces that will work for your project. At the Cottage it’s not so much the planning, but the thrill of the hunt and the fun of making a unique piece work in a display. Obviously both approaches are equally valid… impromptu purchases and working everything around them, or searching for specific pieces to complete a pre-planned project.

Among the most popular re-purposed salvage applications, fairly easy to put together and very rewarding, is the trend of using old rustic wooden doors to create a visually striking headboard.

Using old corbels as wall-mounted plant stands or brackets for wall shelves is anther popular use. Old hardware and plumbing fixtures make great “hooks” mounted on old rustic boards in a mud room. Old windows, particularly multi-panes ones are great for using in groups to create wall decor, or even mounted and hinged to make a room divider which still allows light to flow.

Old wood pallets with a little work and old industrial cart or castor wheels can be brought together to produce a one of a kind coffee table. The possibilities are as vast as your imagination, virtually any salvaged item can become an exceptional centerpiece or part of an overall motif.  Using architectural salvage is fun and lends itself nicely to every kind of project, and as an industry, it has caught on. There are myriad sources for reclaimed construction pieces and all sorts of variant materials are readily available. Come visit the shop and get inspired by these beautiful pieces of history.