Behold our favorite uses of salvaged wood, from flooring to furniture
Wide horizontal planking wrapped around the island is a welcome change from a painted piece. The reclaimed wood has a gray tone that plays off the hazy wall color and adds warmth and texture.
It’s the log-cabin look for a whole lot less: Deconstructed shipping pallets make up this plank wall (some still have the stamped labels). Pallets are pretty ubiquitous; a Craigslist search should yield several sources. Or pull over wherever you see a stack—many people give them away for free.
In a home filled with glossy materials, hard edges, and a bold color combo, a reclaimed wood floor brings warmth and character. The mix of plank widths adds interest.
Dinner with a side of local history—that’s the m.o. in this open-air dining room whose redwood walls are from an abandoned water tower that once served a local stagecoach station.
A simplified Arts and Crafts dining table and benches become standout pieces, thanks to the dynamic grain in the reclaimed Douglas fir. A folded blanket serves as an ad hoc cushion. If it slips, tie it on by wrapping a vintage belt around each end.
This deck was constructed from bits and pieces left behind by the house’s previous owners. Before building anything structural out of found materials, have a contractor or carpenter check the materials for damage.
The shutters, the door, the wood and accessories ... almost every part of this backyard shed was salvaged or unearthed at a garage sale. (Even the hydrangea started as a hand-me-down cutting.) Bright chartreuse paint gives the disparate elements a fresh start.
Salvage scaffolding was the raw material for this farmhouse table and bench. The wood was left untreated; the original wear and coloring gives the simple set character.
You’ve reached salvage nirvana when a found material matches an existing one. This reclaimed redwood pergola was designed to mimic the wood rafters in the adjoining 1930s-era home. The oversize table is softened with a vintage ethnic textile.