Let’s Talk About Wood… Baby…
Here are my 3 FAV ways to reuse wood in design and decor in our homes and businesses.
RECLAIMED WOOD LUMBER (Vintage, Reclaimed and Urban)
RECLAIMED ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE (Doors and Trim and More)
VINTAGE/ANTIQUE WOOD PIECES (as Fixtures, Furniture and Decor)
After 25 years of working with salvage materials for myself and others — I want to share some easy ways you can use it as well. If you want more… my books are always available to you at your favorite bookstore or online Also — please sign up for my mailing list — once in a while I’ll send some really cool ideas and giveaways (once or twice a year).
Here I am — checking out wood at my local Rebuild Center… I mean — look at these boards!! Swoon worthy!
RECLAIMED WOOD LUMBER…
There is reclaimed wood from an old building that came down (usually amazing hardwoods you cannot even find today), then there is left-over dimensional lumber from somebody’s project that they dropped off at the rebuild center, then there is urban lumber (trees in a city that have to come down for a variety of reasons — that are usually unique species that are super special)… and that is just to name a few different types of reclaimed wood.
Let’s start small… this homeowner found these boards washed up on the shore and she painted them in beach cottage colors. She left the edges as she found them. This whole house is an amazing example of how to use reclaimed wood lumber in a variety of ways. She just cleated this DIY headboard to her wall. We photographed and styled it for my second book, Salvage Secrets Design + Decor.
Love this example of a house we photographed at one of my favorite designer’s cottage. Designer, Jessica Helgerson, shows us how using reclaimed wood does not always have to look dark or shabby — here she used reclaimed wood in a natural finish on the floor and white on the walls. An exceptional example of how reclaimed material can be any style — it just depends on how you use it and finish it.
Old reclaimed lumber doesn’t have to be used just on floors and walls or headboards — here is a custom designed vanity piece that I had created for a client. This wood is from a 1700’s barn. The depth of character is hard to describe. The custom carved marble sink that sits on top is in perfect modern juxtaposition of the rustic wood style of the vanity base.
Barn doors are super simple to make — what I love about barn door sliders is that in small areas, they really help you save space! Not to mention, the amount of character you can add to any room. These we left in their natural barn wood color (used to be outside on this old barn). But imagine these in a bright blue or pink in a seaside cottage, or a high-gloss black as a pantry door in a modern house… endless I tell you, endless…
Same project — different door — again saving space where it was really needed! Super fun turning an old barn into a vacation home. This Modern Rustic Luxury Vacation Home was an incredible project — what I loved is reusing the old barn siding in a variety of locations on property including as the sliding doors to the rooms and bathrooms.
RECLAIMED ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE — DOORS, TRIM and MORE!
To tell you how much time I spend in Architectural Salvage Shops and Reclaimed Building Stores would be a bit embarrassing. But worth every second. The treasure they hold are incredible and we have to appreciate the amount of time it takes to deconstruct the buildings and bring these treasure to us. I’ve used
In this image alone I can point out numerous items you will find at an architectural salvage shop. The farmhouse table, the vintage chairs and the newel post (plus light and decor…). This entire home is featured in my second book, designed by the homeowners themselves. This simple farmhouse style shows how you can really incorporate reclaimed architectural bespoke elements and still have a contemporary feel.
This is one of my favorite — easy — game-changing — diy — headboards! Grab some old wood cabinet doors from your local salvage shop or rebuild center, place them on the wall behind your bed — screw them to the wall — fill the holes and then paint it all in a modern contemporary color that fits your style! Voila — SUPER EASY BUDGET-FRIENDLY HEADBOARD!!! All made from reclaimed wood cabinet doors. Blushing…
We featured this entire home’s budget-friendly design ideas for your vacation rental in our book, Rock Your Rental and it was featured online on Domino, Apple News, Vermont Ski and Ride and many more pubs. :)
Here is a project I did for HGTV and DIY NETWORK. An 8-part video series on Designing with Salvage Material. We created this kitchen island using old doors (we cut to use the bottom 2/3 of the door) and vintage brackets and a piece of copper for the top. These doors are actually the color we found them and the brackets as well. We just gave everything a coat of poly to see the chippy paint. This design style perfect for a country house but with only a few minor changes it would work well for a rustic modern or farmhouse style house. Just picture it painted all black — or all white — or stripped down to its natural wood color. Just these easy simple changes could transform the design look and feel — while still using the architecturally reclaimed pieces.
Ah… the days when someone else did my hair and makeup… oh wait — this is about salvaged wood…
Remember — when you are looking at salvage materials — including old doors — see what they can be — not what they are at that moment. This amazing interior designer, Kelly Giesen, shows us in her New York City apartment how to create a high-end glamourous look with all her salvage finds. All the doors are reclaimed she found at her local architectural shop — then she had them painted in a high-gloss white and added mirrors to some of them. Drop dead gorgeous — proof is in the pudding — old doors have a ton of character and charm — but can be made to look modern and bespoke at the same time!! It was a blast to photograph Kelly’s entire apartment and have it be in our Success Stories chapter of our book, Salvage Secrets Design and Decor.
VINTAGE/ANTIQUE WOOD PIECES (as fixtures, furniture and decor)
Okay, we could go crazy here — the hundreds of ways I’ve used old wood furniture and decor pieces in design, DIY and decorating is ridiculous. So I’ll just show you a few to get your juices flowing…
One of my favorite tricks of the trade… turning old wooden dressers into amazing modern vanities. They add charm and character — and not to mention — super functional. (BTW— I WOULD NEVER CUT UP a true antique piece. If you don’t know the backstory of a piece you are thinking of cutting into — ask the person you bought it from or our favorite antique dealer.) Great team on this project! Award-winning!
Here is the before picture.. We added a black stain over it and updated the knobs. :)
I mean… seriously — dresser to vanity — mic drop!! I did this project with my twin sister. We purchased this mid-century dresser at the Salvation Army for $50! Painted it white — spray painted the knobs — and dropped in the sinks. Then the plumber came and hooked up the faucets. Voila! Double Trouble DIYs. :)
The amount of times I use vintage wood mirrors in a project — well… I cannot even count! This whole project (a must see) was a blast — and in all the of the bathrooms we used vintage wood mirrors. Such an easy way to add warmth and character (not to mention — old mirrors have the best glass — so for some reason I always look better in them. This luxury modern church turned into a home/condo was a fabulous project!!
Just buy and place. Doesn’t get any simpler than that! Vintage wood pieces are beyond measure! Seriously — you can never go wrong! This was a fun vacation rental project I helped renovate all via online (during Covid).
A tiny table, a step ladder, old cutting boards, frames, wooden spoons… bespoke vintage and antique furniture and reclaimed pieces are beyond affordable. Plus — these one-of-a-kind pieces will make your project stand out! The quality of the materials are hard to find today — and if they were built the exact same way — they would not be unaffordable. The saying Oldie but Goodie holds true for unique wooden treasures.
Old Wood Kitchen Cabinet Turned Coffee Table DIY project is featured in my book, Salvage Secrets Design and Decor. Found objects will make your interior design project stand out!
Get out there and have some Reclaimed Fun! XOXO Joanne
