Thursday, 10 June 2010

Architectural salvage

This morning, I went on an expedition with my friend Melissa, to an architectural salvage shop which sells used timber doors, leadlight windows, sinks, bath tubs, light fixtures and kitchens. You name it, they had it.

Melissa insisted I accompany her as she wanted to pay for some French doors and casement windows she'd picked out for her house renovation. She had chosen lovely French doors for her entrance and gorgeous old casement windows to reinstate into her home.

She is renovating a post war timber and tin home. Last month, the house was raised to enable it to be built in underneath; effectively making it a double storey home. It is such a huge job but fortunately Melissa's other half is a builder.

I'm so grateful to have seen this amazing salvage place, however I curse myself for not having #3 Son minded for the morning. I wanted to have a good rummage for more windows for the sunroom, but the little one had different two-year old ideas. Thwarted yet again!

This place had the most amazing pieces for sale - cathedral windows from an old church and this leadlight ceiling which came from an old pub.  It was breathtaking. Sadly, photography wasn't allowed in the store, but being anti-authoritarian as I am, I took a couple of snaps anyway in the backroom. Sssh! Don't tell!



Walls and walls of casement windows

Casement windows

I also found a number of light fittings which appealed to my Danish Mod sensibilities. I bought one simple fixture which has a white glass shade and copper anodised parts. Sorry, that wasn't terribly descriptive.

Let's just say it is reminiscent of an Utzon lamp when you squint. And for $20 I was happy to secure it for one of the boys' rooms when the electrical work is done on the house.

Utzon Lamp image courtesy Great Dane. This light was designed in the late 1940s

Needless to say, I shall return to the salvage place soon when I am child-free for the morning.

22 comments:

  1. What a great place, I am sure you could find lots of goodies there. Your new blog design looks good! xx

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  2. No photography! How can they expect to be famous throughout the blogosphere with no photography!

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  3. I love your wild side, who bans a few snaps, dont they know thats how husbands shop, thru the snaps us wives take to show them what they SHOULD buy...& then we pick it up for them, LOL!!! Im sure you will head back there soon!!!

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  4. Where is this fabulous salvage yard. I am in Brissie too and would love it!

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  5. Hi Anita, sounds like you have discovered a little gem! We have a similar type of place near us called Calymax but yours looks like it has a better choice from the clandestine shots you shared! Lol. Have you also tried The Big Red Shed at Kelvin Grove? Happy hunting!

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  6. Oooh! I could get into some real trouble in this shop! Cool light fixture! & I'm with mise.. Someone needs to call them before you go back! They need to know how famous your blog is!! This is such a great way of advertising nowadays!

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  7. I 'heart' architectural salvage shops! When we are a bit bored, that's where you can find us.

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  8. oh my, all those windows!!!!!!! That lead light ceiling sounds amazing.

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  9. It looks like a fabulous place. We don't have anything quite that big here :)
    Have a great weekend!

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  10. I love salvage places. We picked up some amazing stained glass picture windows one time - they're just waiting for the right house to go into. :-)

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  11. What a fun place to visit Anita. I need to find somewhere like this on the Gold Coast.
    I went op shopping recently with a friend and her young daughter and I completely sympathised with her as she was distracted most of the time. It's a tricky one that.
    Angex

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  12. I love those places. Well done on the snaps, you rebel you!

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  13. i also am liking this rebel side. great job, and at least you still got a purchase in, even while distracted
    ~laura

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  14. yes and after you have been there you should pop around the corner to the garden centre and have a coffee with me! Hope you have a lovely long weekend

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  15. That is the best suggestion made to me today, Katherine! I will do just that!

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  16. I love those places and they are slowly disappearing - there used to be heaps of them. Glad you sneaked in some photos :)
    Pam

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  17. sounds like a great place - and the lamps seem like a bargain! look forward to seeing pics when they're up. jx

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  18. wow what a great find :) worth the outing for sure ... le

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  19. How funny. I was just looking at these places on-line last night as I am really interested in recycled materials. Great to see they exist!

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  20. Please, please, please....where is this place?! We've just bought an old Queenslander, complete with old gaol beneath the house (or room for the mother-in-law according to my partner!) and will need to shop in places like this!

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  21. Send me an email MummyDebs and I'll give you the details.

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  22. Hi from Brissy! Just bought ourselves a lovely old Queenslander and was wondering if you'd share the name of this architectural salvage place in Brisbane? Thx heaps. H :)

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