The Good Fight

01.15.2010

Photo to Steven Ly

Time: 9:23pm Thursday night

Location: My desk at work

Outlook: Grim

I am conceding to this week. Week, you have beat me. First, there was the awful stomach flu on Sunday night-Monday. Then, early meetings and late nights every day since. I had every intention of going home Thurs night, finishing my Fri post, getting the first Salvaged Grace shop item up, and dreaming sweet dreams of long weekend bliss.

But, it’s just not happening. So folks, bear with me! I’ll be back next Tues with a week chock full of good posts, the finale of this week’s treasure hunt series, renewed energy, and the launch of the Salvaged Grace shop.

Hope your week has been more forgiving! Have a great one and I’ll catch you Tues!

Of family lore

01.14.2010

MUCH to my delight, we found some items during our basement Excavation that have no dollar value at all. But these are the fibers of my family and truly Sentimental Salvages.

The outside signage for my great grandmother’s beauty shop. Note the phone number!

The clock that hung outside my grandfather’s dental office. All my cousins and I remember that when we were children, whenever we’d see my grandfather (whether at the dentist or not), he’d cup his hand under our chins and ask to see our teeth.

Many apologies for this picture! I didn’t realize the significance of this tin until later, when we discussed it and there wasn’t enough time to go back downstairs to take a picture. This was a tin that one of the (multiple) Ann’s in my family wrote her name on (I believe she was a teenager at the time), along with the year, 1935.

I believe that this is an heirloom in the making. It’s a weathervane that my (currently 28 year old) cousin, Emmy, made as a child. I hope they hold onto this one!

Uncle Jack told me that this (it is one of a pair) was a lamp that he and Aunt Ann got when they were newlyweds, with their grocery coupons. Apparently, grocery stores had a points system where if you shopped enough, you’d get to pick out an item. And these eagle lamps were their first purchase.

Ah, the infamous chicken coop. My mother told me that one day Nana and her mother, Grandmother Haines, came back from the flea market with this thing, and all the kids wondered what one earth she was going to do with it. Clever Nana! She added a glass top and made it a coffee table. It sat in my aunt and uncle’s living room for years and this is one that Emmy has HER name on!

Around the House

01.13.2010

I never knew my dad’s mother, Nana. She passed away when I was 2. Among the pieces of information I’ve collected about her over the years:

I know that she called me the “White Tornado,” because I had white blond hair and, even at 2, I left a wake of destruction in my path.

And I know that she was a flea market junkie. Her finds were scattered amongst my aunts and uncles after her passing. I’ve noticed that whenever I decide to “put my name on something” in my parent’s home, it’s oftentimes something that came from Nana. According to family legend, she was a notorious flea market haggler. It’s obvious that she also had incredible taste and a healthy imagination.

The items below were found in my mother and aunt’s homes in NC. Most, if not all, of these items were Nana inspired or inherited. They are all repurposed from their original usage. Note the similarities. That Nana had a style, for sure.

In Aunt Ann’s house:

former window

old timey fridge

grinder

one half of a toy rocking horse

bobbins

My mom’s house:

candlestick mold

old timey fridge

actually I forgot to ask about this one... Mom, Aunt Ann?

grinder

I have to hand it to my mom and Aunt Ann as well, they’ve figured out to integrate these items beautifully.

And below is something new that my Uncle Jimmy received from his mother and brought up from SC for one of his brothers or sisters to keep.

Not sure where this candelabra will land… but it would certainly be welcome in Brooklyn.

Carpetbag Chair

01.12.2010

Aunt Ann said “Erin, come here, there’s something I want to show you…”

And it was this: A folding chair made from a carpet bag, we assume from a carpetbagger’s carpet bag. I’m sure Aunt Ann will be checking with the local museum to find out what historic relevance this has. But what an interesting find! I did some light online research, hoping to find that there was a particular time when carpet bags were often repurposed in this manner, to no avail. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the verdict on this piece.

The Excavation

I’d like to preface the remainder of this week’s posts by stating what will soon be abundantly clear: I’m still figuring out how to properly work my Sony Cybershot camera!

As I mentioned yesterday, on Christmas Day my family embarked on an exploration through the family vaults (aka Aunt Ann and Uncle Jack’s basement.) I’ll forever remember this Christmas for that one event, it was super fun family time and if you have attics or basements in your home or parents home, full of old relics, I’d encourage you to look through them as a family. You might find some interesting things, or in the very least hear some interesting stories. These were my favorite finds from the day…

My brother spent the majority of the time looking through Aunt Ann’s record collection while I was just secretly lusting after that storage crate.

My mother actually has one of these little hand things as well… anyone know what they’re called? Mom always kept this in the bathroom with handtowels hanging from the hands.

The scale of this balance was magnificent. I keep thinking of how great would look in a modern-traditionally decorated classic Connecticut farmhouse.

The lines of this stool are perfect, the leather is actually original. This is a piece which would look stunning with new upholstery, yet so hard to let go of that leather!

Look at the curves on this baby!

I know… these are just bottles. But then, we’ve been through the myriad of ways bottles can be utilized.

Miss Dolly. No further explanation needed. I would frame this record and hang it on a wall ASAP.

The old timey golf scene on this old box (cigar box) was quite beautiful!

My cousin, Em, modeling this gorgeous letterbox.

Aunt Ann graciously allowed me to take home this adorable tray. I’m so in love with it!

And well lookey what we have here… my dad, his siblings and all their spouses. What a handsome crew! I don’t know why this has been relegated to the basement!

Stay tuned for the best basement find of all coming up later today…

a PERFECT fit

01.11.2010

My great-grandfather made this bookshelf quite a few years ago. My mother’s father then had them in his apartment. When he passed away two years ago, my mother’s younger sister took them and had it in her basement. She has two younger children, so it endured some crayon and marker marks, but it had been refinished in a cheaper black paint anyways, so it wasn’t the prettiest thing in the world when I got it anyway. I just moved into a new apartment, and painted my walls grey and lavender, my favorite colors. The black paint was chipping, and it just didn’t fit. It was too harsh. Then I realized how PERFECTLY it fit under the mirror in my foyer, so I found some leftover white and lavender paint and went to town. Since the foyer is small, I wanted to paint the back panel lavender, to match the walls. This helps the bookshelf kind of meld into the space. Now I see it as soon as I walk into my new home and I love it!

Submitted by Kate of The Swankest

Check out the before picture of Kate’s grandfather’s shelves!

A Sentimental Salvage is the story behind that truly special, one-of-a-kind piece in your home. It may be furniture that’s been in your family for years or an accessory you delighted in finding yesterday. However long it’s been in your life, this piece of your home holds special meaning and sentimental value. Email salvagedgrace@gmail.com if you’ve got a Sentimental Salvage of your own to share.

It’s the treasure hunt that makes it fun

via Andrew Burrows' Flickr

Over Thanksgiving in NY, my Aunt Ann announced that she is planning to clean out her basement, which has become a dumping ground for both family heirlooms and less valued items alike over the years.

If I were a dog, my ears would have visibly perked straight into the air at this statement.

Before she begins throwing things out, I begged to be allowed to salvage through the remains of the past. And so on Christmas Day, back in NC, our two families embarked on a treasure hunt in my aunt and uncle’s basement. This week, I’ll share with you my finds, ideas for how I’d repurpose some of the “junk,” some additional goodies spotted at my mother’s home and I’ll introduce the first item to be sold in the Salvaged Grace store.

Oh, these are exciting times! Hope your week is off to a good start!

99 Bottles of Beer…

01.08.2010

Here’s the thing… this may be my most favorite post ever. Why, you ask? Because I learned something SO SUPER COOL. I’m saving it til the end… wait don’t you scroll ahead!

Today ends our week of “what you can do with your alcohol bottle leftovers from the holidays”. And hopefully you’ve been given some inspiration for “what to do with your alcohol bottle leftovers of tomorrow”. Items recycled, repurposed from beer bottles… GO.

Same as with the wine bottles, old beer bottles make lovely glassware.

Corona Bottle Cup, who's? glass

And clocks.

Recycled Melted Beer Bottle Clock, MeltedBottleClock.com

I can’t emphasize how much I adore this little beer bottle light. It’s so precious!

Beer Bottle Light, source unknown

Oh my goodness, these antiqued glass bottle lamps are gorgeous!

Antiqued Mercury Glass Bottle Lights, via SecondStoryView

You’re going to use your imagination and pretend this is a beer bottle lamp. Actually the designer sells the kit and you provide the bottles, so it easily could be!

Beer bottle lamp, Replayground

And here are a couple variations on the beer bottle chandelier.

Bottle Light, source unknown

Beer Bottle Chandelier, The Design Blog

Though I know this guy’s table is a homage to his favorite beer, I wish many of these artists would have painted the beer bottles. I think it could resulted in a sleeker look…

Beer Bottle Table, via Instructables

LIKE my friend Lauren’s fabulous Menorah!

Stella Bottle Menorah, submitted by reader, Lauren Heath

You might want to begin collecting now for next year’s Christmas tree installation.

Heineken Bottle Christmas Tree, via interiordesign.net

I think these beer bottle partitions are spectacular. It’s always nice to see things recycled in a manner that yields a truly beautiful (and upscale looking) design.

Beer Bottle Partition, Johnsen Schmaling Architect, via Renest

Using beer bottle glass in garden paths is a super idea. Though one commenter noted it would be slippery when wet!

Beer Bottle Garden Path, via Julie Brydell

Now things are going to get interesting. A Buddhist monk made an ENTIRE temple of recycled beer bottles.

Beer Bottle Temple, via Renest

A closer look at his masterpiece…I don’t think he drank all those beers.

Beer Bottle Temple, via Renest

Are you a beer can guy or gal? Never fear, here’s an option for you as well…

Beer Can Table, Confessions of a Beer Geek

Note that this was from the 1930′s, how cool!

Which brings me to my most favorite find yet… in 1903 this house made of beer bottles was built in the desert of Nevada because there wasn’t enough lumber. Waaay back at the beginning of the 20th century, people were repurposing beer bottles! There are actually MANY beer bottle houses scattered about the country. Did you already know about this? I find this so incredibly neat. Click through the picture link to learn more about bottle houses!

1907 Beer Bottle House, via weburbanist.com

Hope you’ve enjoyed the other postings this week on repurposing/reusing your wine bottles, corks, and barrels in home design products. I’ll see you here on Monday with a new Sentimental Salvage AND all next week I hope you’ll join me for a Treasure Hunt!

Hunker down and stay warm this weekend!

Get Corked

01.07.2010

During the first year I lived in Manhattan, my roommates and I would often venture down to Vintage Wines in Soho. Being that we were poor and hungry, the $5 wine tastings and free oyster crackers were just the remedy for survival. On a later trip (when I was less poor but still hungry), I noticed a large barrel of wine corks and had the idea to use the corks as name card holders for an upcoming dinner party. I thought I was pretty genius at the time… But here are many more (genius) ideas for recycling and repurposing those leftover corks.

I like these varied takes on the cork bulletin board:

Cork Bulletin Boards, Apartment Therapy ReNest

Cork Bulletin Board, Apartment Therapy

And this pincushion is just adorable!

Cork Pincushions, Poetic Home

LOVE the cork doorknob!

Cork Drawer Pulls, Cottage Living (via Poetic Home)

And a festive fall cork wreath.

Cork Fall Wreath, Jersey Jems

Then there’s this which is… interesting. Moving on…

Cork Armchair, Gabriel Wiese

Cork is often used in home design materials. I, for one, love the idea of walls of cork to just stick stuff on… And I’m a sucker for moveable walls and sliding doors (like in the picture below), for the record.

Cork Sliding Walls, Source Unknown

How smart to use a gold paint pattern over the cork, so lovely!

Patterned Cork Board, Source Unknown

And the tiles at the Tribeca Cinema Lounge are made of cork. (Coincidentally, my agency had our holiday party here a few years back!)

Cork Floor Tiles, Globus Cork Flooring

Finally, here’s the cork nametag project I spoke of above:

Wine Cork Place Card Holder Project, Young House Love

And my most favorite cork application of all… tiny little cork chairs. Where can I buy a village of these?

Mini Cork Chair, via The Design Blog

Ps. I apologize for the fact that when I wrote Wine’d It Up yesterday I thought of this and when I typed in Get Corked today I thought of this. I don’t know why that happened.

Wine’d It Up!

01.06.2010

Yesterday, we covered the barrels and crates, today it’s all about the wine bottle. If there is someone in your home who shames you for frequent trips to your local wine store, feel free to send them this entry and say (with a smirk)… “I’m just gathering bottles for my next home decor project!” Here are some ideas:

Wine bottles can be recycled or repurposed for the table top…