Using Architectural Salvage for Curated Art: The Secret to a Character-Filled Home

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Why Decorate With Old Salvaged Pieces?

As with any antique or vintage find, there’s a history and a story to be told. As I look at some of my architectural finds, I like to imagine the home it once adorned. What style of home would have had this piece of fretwork or that corbel? What were the people who lived there like? The stories these pieces could tell, and by adding them to your home, you are creating a new story. Maybe it’s the tale of finding the piece in an unexpected place or a funny story of how it was gifted to you. Regardless of the story, the character of these found treasures can’t be duplicated, although many have tried.

Adding authentic architectural treasures to your home will give it instant history and help to achieve that modern heritage appeal so many are striving for in today’s decor. So let’s get shopping.

Where Can You Find Architectural Salvage?

Some interesting pieces can be found in antique stores and vintage shops. However, I find that businesses specializing in salvage often have the best selection. I love visiting historical, non-profit salvage yards. Their profits go to preserving historical homes and buildings in the area. So their donations are usually items from homes that couldn’t be saved, but the pieces that were saved are incredible finds.

Also, look for salvage companies that demolish old buildings but also sell to the public. Those are harder to find, but check your area.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore will often receive salvaged pieces, and I find they are usually at a fair price.

I’ve also had luck finding great pieces at Antique Festivals, Pop-Up Vintage Sales, and Barn Sales. As with antique stores and thrift shops, these can be hit or miss.

If your time is limited and you prefer a sure thing, you can shop online. Etsy and eBay have multiple listings, and you can find just about anything you might be looking for.

Old Porch Posts and Columns As Art

Many of the old porch posts I’ve brought home have been repurposed, like the Shabby Chic Fireplace Mantel we made a few years ago. However, some are so unique, I’d never want to cut them up. One of my favorites is a porch column that I use as a decorative stand in my dining room. I display various seasonal items on the chippy white column that fills this corner of the space.

Another heavy porch post gets moved from place to place, and here it helps to decorate the front porch with chippy vintage pieces for a patriotic porch vignette.

Pediments and Fretwork

I love finding large pieces of fretwork and old pediments that are mostly still intact. Several years ago, I lucked up with this piece that we use over our barn door. It most likely was on a porch, and only a few pieces are missing.

Below, you can see a close-up of the barely-there chippy paint and the architectural details of the fretwork.

Another favorite find was this intact pediment. I’ve used it in a few places around the house, but I love how it balances out the TV with the fireplace mantel.

How To Create A Staircase Gallery Wall With Architectural Salvage As Art

I’ve told the story many times of discovering the giant hole right in the middle of my staircase wall. The solution was to add vintage windows to conceal the necessary air vent. But I added to the window gallery, along with additional architectural salvage pieces, to create a curated art wall.

First, this corner piece of fretwork fits perfectly into the stairstep display.

Next, I used some of my dad’s old scrap iron and shiplap board to create a sign that reads “HOME” as an art piece for the gallery wall.

Finally, I recently added these old wallpaper stamps that I framed. Although they are not technically architectural salvage, they look like they are. See more details about framing salvaged pieces below.

Vintage Wallpaper Stamps As Art

I recently purchased these chippy vintage wallpaper stamps at an antique show and knew that I wanted to frame them. They would also look great in a bowl alongside other architectural pieces, but I saw them in a chippy salvaged-wood frame.

How To Frame Pieces of Architectural Salvage

First, you need a rustic frame to enhance your old wallpaper stamps or any architectural salvage pieces you would like to frame.

I used an old salvaged shiplap frame that I’ve used for other projects. Since there is no back on the frame, I cut a piece of heavy-duty black cardboard to attach the back.

I used hot glue to attach the cardboard to the back of the frame.

Next, I decided to use Velcro to attach the stamps to the cardboard. I didn’t want to use glue because I wanted to be able to easily remove them from the frame if I later decided to use them elsewhere.

Just attach the adhesive Velcro to the handles of each stamp. Then align them on the cardboard in the design you choose. Press and hold for a few seconds to ensure a good bond.

Then you are ready to hang!

I recently framed another decorative architectural piece by attaching it to an art canvas. I painted the canvas black and used Velcro to hold the piece in place. I added a drawer pull to the top for artistic interest and displayed it on an easel.

How To Use Old Shutters and Doors To Hang Art

Old shutters are another way to frame art or other vintage finds. Using them as the background or a frame can make a collection feel cohesive and grounded.

These three vintage sap bucket containers would be lost on the wall without the shutter to frame them. Another year, the same shutter holds woven hats and a tote filled with blooms.

Another old shutter holds a set of vintage needlepoint birds together in this charming bedroom vignette.

I’ve enjoyed having this primitive cabinet door in our guest bathroom, and it’s usually adorned with some seasonal display.

How To Use a Salvaged Corbel as an Art Easel

I love old corbels, and they are so great for making open shelving, but I recently turned one into an art easel. Just find a corbel that you can lay flat, and that has a deep curve to hold a painting or mirror.

Just prop a canvas or framed print on the curved part of the corbel, and ta da, you have an easel for display.

I also like it with the small DIY Thrifted Beaded Mirror. You do want to ensure that your art is not too large for the corbel. Test before adding a heavy piece to ensure it is stable and will not fall off.

Salvaged Items to Hang or Lean

Many items, such as old doors, gates, windows, and screens, work well just to hang on the wall, lean against the wall, or lean against a cabinet. Some are hard to hang because of their size and weight. So just know that you can still decorate with these pieces by just leaning them against the wall.

I have two old window screens behind the side tables in our guest bedroom. They serve as a background for the table accessories and the hanging pendant lights beside the bed. They fit between the side tables and the wall, requiring no hangers. I can just slide them out without damaging the wall.

A heavy, crusty old iron gate works well leaning against the wall instead of hanging it in the screened porch. This is a heavy piece that previously hung in my powder room at my last home. It required a lot of wall anchors, and I didn’t want to go to that trouble on the porch. It still adds architectural interest without damaging the walls.

Thank you for stopping by and I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you!