Antique enthusiasts don’t just adore old furniture and home decor. Architectural salvage pulled from historic homes before demolition is also a perennial favorite. From stairs to mantels, tiles, and more, architectural salvage stores are full of unexpected treasures. But some of the most affordable pieces come from their selection of antique hardware. And there are lots of ways to upcycle and repurpose those key plates, doorknobs, and hinges in new and clever ways.Read more ›
Farmhouse Lamp from a Wood Baluster
February 16, 2024 · By · 28 Comments
Many moons ago, I had spotted a gorgeous farmhouse lamp at a highfalutin antique shop in Cashiers, North Carolina. Constructed from an old porch baluster (the spindle’s more robust cousin), it was striking…and strikingly expensive. I went from defeated to determined, though, when Jon whispered to me in the shop, “We can make that.”Read more ›
Project Ideas with Architectural Salvage
February 13, 2024 · By · Leave a Comment
Architectural salvage is a blanket term that encompasses a wide variety of elements reclaimed from a home, building, or other structure. This includes anything from doors and windows to hardware, light fixtures, and tiles that hold potential reuse, even if the building itself is set to be demolished. These salvaged supplies are a special kind of “antique” that vintage enthusiasts covet for their own homes and DIY projects.Read more ›
Farmhouse Bookends and Architectural Salvage
February 13, 2019 · By · 32 Comments
When I spotted this pair of wood bookends at the thrift store, I grabbed them right away. They were just heavy enough to scream “well-made” to me, and were blank slates for an upcycling idea. I envisioned them paired with architectural salvage to create some farmhouse bookends.Read more ›
Architectural Wall Art from Porch Brackets
September 12, 2018 · By · 34 Comments
For someone who loves architectural salvage so much, I don’t work with it often enough. Sure, I’ve created a few projects in the past, but far fewer than those using, say…thrift store finds. So, I’m here to add another architectural salvage project to my collection. And this time, I’m using some porch brackets that I spied at Maliasmark’s booth during a local vintage market.Read more ›
Farm Sign on an Old Cabinet Door
May 18, 2017 · By · 43 Comments
While on a Junkin’ Journey to Blue Ridge, GA, I found an old cabinet door that just screamed BARN! It would be perfect for upcycling into a farm sign, given how much it resembled a red barn. So, I snapped it up and brought it home with me. Read more ›
Jacket Pins from Wood Medallions and Tweed
November 3, 2016 · By · 43 Comments
For two years now, I’ve had a bag of wood medallions for furniture (also known as wood medallion appliques) just sitting in my craft room. I purchased them at an architectural antiques store in Nashville, TN because they seemed PERFECT for a future project. At the time, I didn’t know what I’d do with them. Until I started envisioning them as jacket pins that I could wear…
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Antiquing and Thrifting in Louisville, KY
July 10, 2016 · By · 43 Comments
When you think of Louisville, KY, the first things that probably come to mind are Churchill Downs, bourbon, and baseball bats. Thankfully, though, that’s only scratching the surface of this sweet city!
Shotgun!: Brevard, North Carolina (A Junkin’ Journey)
February 4, 2016 · By · 22 Comments
*** Please note that this post on Brevard, NC has not been updated since early 2016. I had planned on updating it in 2020-2021, but as we all know, those years changed on a dime! So, please check back later for a freshly updated post. ***
I love to sit down, study the map, and figure out where I want to head to next for my latest junkin’ journey. For obvious reasons (money, time…), I tend to stick relatively close to home- with the occasional longer sojourn to further-away stops. But for right now, I decided to head back into western North Carolina.
What can I say? I’m a sucker for a mountain town.
So we headed up the mountain- literally- to Brevard, North Carolina. Home of the White Squirrel Festival, Brevard is a charming little town with an equally charming Main Street. And I’m happy to report, several charming little shops to explore…shall we?Read more ›
Antiquing and Thrifting in Knoxville, TN
January 14, 2016 · By · 30 Comments
I don’t know about you, but I love to visit college towns. They are perpetually injected with youth and the funky vibe that comes from college coeds. And as all things “vintage” become trendier, college towns are really turning into hotbeds of places to thrift for cool, unusual, or wonderfully seasoned secondhand pieces. So, revisiting Knoxville, TN moved to the top of my junkin’ journey list!Read more ›
