Fans of such TV home renovation shows as Fixer Upper, Design on a Dime, and Property Brothers are familiar with the term architectural salvage. But if you’re not, it’s the booming business of reclaiming, upcycling, and repurposing architectural building materials. The architectural salvage marketplace, once the sole province of old-house owners and a curiosity to nearly everyone else, is going mainstream in a big way.
As more people are fixing up their homes but still want an eye to the past, designers may seek to add a historical touch to their milestone purchase by incorporating architectural salvage. Upcycled antique fixtures ranging from vintage tin ceilings and historic chandeliers to porcelain bathtubs and refurbished flooring add the perfect sustainable transformation to the home. Below, we rounded up six vintage materials and a few of our favorite ways to repurpose them to create a home that is filled with character and life.
Vintage Glass
Chicken wire was the forerunner of today’s safety glass. Invented in 1844, it was a mesh wire commonly used to fence in chickens. It was made of thin, flexible, galvanized steel wire with hexagonal gaps.
Fireplace Mantels
Industrial Factory Lighting
Tin Ceiling Tiles
Tin ceilings were first manufactured and sold in North America in the mid-1800s as a more affordable option to emulate the look and elegance of the ornate plasterwork that was popular in Europe at the time
Subway Tiles
Industrial Wood Flooring
