Hey everyone!
A quick report from my first outing looking for display goodies. My first stop was an Architectural Salvage in Louisville, KY. It's not quite what it sounds, I am sure that brings to mind lots of structural stuff. This is all antiques, decorative elements, furniture. "Salvage" is more a term of endearment I think. With your average piece of furniture from 1890 and $2000, it's far from junk. I hoped to find a few goodies and basically let the ideas come to me as I poked around.
This is simply one room in the first floor as you walk in the door. This building is about 4 stories, many large rooms per story and a second two story building. It's massive. I have been here before and I still spent a good 2-3 hours looking this trip.
An exterior room of wooden exterior stuff.
This is just a peek at the massive exterior "garden" sorts of antiques.
This would make the start of an amazing display, if it were not so heavy.
An upstairs room. I think everything here is at least 50 years old. There are probably 4-5 rooms like this, with different themes each, such as lamps, pool and fireplace mantels, etc.
I just thought this room was neat looking. And there is an entire floor and 6-7 rooms like this, full of different vintage and beat up trim and stairway parts.
This would make an interesting display.
This guy is AMAZING. He holds up as you get closer too, which you would not expect. Problem - he is not for sale.
Now, let's get to applicable finds. This is basically, perfect other than theres not much way to add a triptych element to it. Oh, and it's $3000. Understandable though.
This...actually has amazing potential. I am still considering it. It is two parts, the top separates. So about nine feet tall is ok. The biggest downsides are the price tag, of if I recall right about $4000. Also I dunno what I would do with the fireplace hole. Least of my concerns at the moment however.
The picture doesn't do this buffet justice. It's really very nice. It's older, real wood, and very well made. The legs are really cool too. Of all of these I looked at this was not only the nicest but the cheapest - around $250. Very doable.
The place had TONS of these things - fireplace mantels. And I mean they had rooms just packed with these. I didn't get a price on these before I left, they were up in the attic, but these seemed the most fixer upper, "this is for a project so it doesn't need to be pretty out the gate." There were plenty others more ornate, but this is a starting point.
So overall, quite worth it not only for ideas but for oogling cool stuff. I think the plan of attack now is to figure out a way to get one of those fireplace mantels that is suitably triptych/altar looking to attach to a buffet and be removable. And how to stain them both to get them close. Removing old stain or adding over top is going to be something to research.
Anyway, until next time!
