Reinvent your home with reclaimed materials
Each week, Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week we take a look at the design with recycled materials,
From reused brick to refurbished old doors, architectural salvage is a hot trend in interior design. Designers often look for this star piece to add personality to a single room or organize a collection to transform an entire home. These historic elements can blend in with the traditional and avant-garde style and intensify the style in any interior.
“The layering of ‘time’ in the spaces creates rooms that feel seasoned and have a soul,” says Josh Hildreth, owner of Josh Hildreth Interiors in Washington, DC Hildreth advises learning the story behind the objects and allow architectural recovery to lead the way in the creative process. “It can provide inspiration for other parts of the design that might not have been considered otherwise. “
We turned to a select group of designers for their best advice on finding and mixing vintage and salvaged pieces in residential spaces.
After: Create the right kitchen flow
Reuse unexpectedly
“Our process for choosing this type of item is to discuss and plan as we develop the aesthetic of the home – if that’s something the customer is looking for. Often times, a vintage or reused item is just the right thing to bring some authenticity or a unique vibe to a project.
“If you are doing a project in an old house, it can also be a source of unique vintage pieces. We were able to paint and reuse a pair of the home’s original interior doors to create a new built-in closet that is now a beautiful and authentic focal point in the home’s entryway.
“We like to use vintage pieces in unexpected ways, like an antique dresser turned into a vanity unit. Antique doors, windows, and stained glass are all fun to use as accents or focal points. Let these pieces shine by using them sparingly, so that their uniqueness can truly be appreciated and celebrated.
Morgante Wilson Architects reused a pair of old doors to create a new built-in closet in a foyer.
Photograph by Mike Schwartz
– Elissa Morgante, co-founder and partner at Morgante Wilson Architects in Evanston, Illinois
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Online source recovery
“We love to incorporate salvaged architectural items such as salvaged doors, tubs, pedestal sinks, flooring and even corrugated glass. We will use salvage both in a practical and ornamental way to add an extra layer to the interior of a house. Rooms steeped in history and character can add warmth, texture, irregularity, and good history to historic homes and new construction. In addition, it is excellent for the environment.
“The internet is an incredible resource – whether it’s sourcing antique Delft tiles or a historic French marble fireplace mantel – and most sellers have their products online. There you will find precise measurements and photos that will help you visualize the item in context with the rest of the finishes and accessories in your home. We love online auctions like LiveAuctioneers and eBay, local classifieds, and aggregate sites like 1stDibs or Chairish.
Designer Keren Richter says the Internet is a great resource for finding vintage items like this AGA line.
White arrow
– Keren Richter, co-founder and designer of White Arrow in Brooklyn, New York
After: Design a living room around monumental works of art
Don’t expect perfection
“Before buying the bulk of the items in a room, find a unique and preferably vintage or antique item and let it inspire other design elements, such as color, texture, and pattern. The rooms are often better for this.
“If you plan to use salvaged materials, make sure they are appropriate for the context. For example, barn wood from an old farmhouse doesn’t make sense in an urban loft, but materials from an old factory or warehouse would.
“Don’t expect perfection. Part of the charm of using reclaimed materials is their imperfections – you have to be prepared to embrace their character and how that will affect the design. If you want perfectly straight lines and smooth surfaces, you should consider using new materials.
At a residence in Bethesda, Md., Josh Hildreth clad a load-bearing beam of reclaimed lumber from a barn, then created a dummy beam to balance the design. He also added reclaimed wood to the ceiling.
Kip Dawkins
– Josh Hildreth from Josh Hildreth Interiors
After: Opposites attract: Soften the edge of waxed concrete
Treat vintage items like art
“In designing new spaces, it’s best to first know the new room you want to use, and then design the environment around the room to integrate it seamlessly.
“There is something to be said for ‘collect as you go’. But unless your style is prone to a natural eclecticism, I generally recommend treating a special vintage object as a work of art, allowing it to inform the room rather than trying to make it work with a beat. visual already established.
“Using architectural elements recovered in unexpected ways is one of my favorite ways to personalize a space. Consider using reclaimed woods as decorative elements in a large room (although they often need to be hollowed out first due to their dense weight). Another favorite Insta-charm trick is to use reclaimed Chicago bricks, which can be used on floors, fireplaces, and walls. Reclaimed, vintage historic furniture comes first to many minds, but reclaimed architectural materials are the unsung hero of aged charm.
Purple Cherry Architects specified bricks salvaged from Chicago for a staircase wall in a house in Centerville, Maryland.
Durston saylor
– Cathy Purple Cherry, Director at Purple Cherry Architects in Annapolis, Maryland
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