salvage shops: why old is better than new

devin and i recently went to an old salvage shop in perkasie, PA. if you're in the area, you have to go check it out: architectural antiques. it's a converted barn (or farm house?) that's f u l l of old treasures. old mantles, banisters, light fixtures, door knobs, wooden windows, shutters, etc. you could buy anything you've ever seen on pinterest, but the original version. it made us want to have an old farm house to decorate!

here are a few reasons to consider buying old, instead of new:

//1// old things are usually better quality. nothing against ikea, but hand cut nails? and wooden benches made to last 200 years? just saying.

//2// environmentally friendly! instead of letting old things go to waste, why not repurpose? that old wagon wheel could sit at the bottom of a land fill.......orrrr it could be a statement piece at the end of your driveway.

//3// at the risk of sounding like a bad hgtv commercial, old things have so much character. the stained-glass windows, original hardware, and real oak doors are usually more unique than the typical builder-grade doors and cabinets.

and now, some of my favorite things from our trip: