Architectural salvage

Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men.
- Richard Nickel

If you believe as Mies van der Rohe did that, "the whole, in architecture, is greater than the sum of its parts", you may be puzzled by my fascination with architectural salvage. Why would anyone wish to have just a piece of a building; an architectural leftover meant for something grander? I look at it this way, not only do these fragments represent ghosts of grandness, they are testimony to life's duality - the will to survive and inevitable decline.

Brackets, corbels, finials, pedestals, and portions of columns, as well as marble, terracotta and wrought iron ornament are supporting players in architectural history; helping to define a particular vernacular, period, or style. Though destroying buildings of stature is in no one's best interest (visit Brussels where relative few art nouveau buildings remain) if a building is going to be demolished anyway, than saving parts is better than losing the whole.

Besides, finding new purpose for these architectural amputees is satisfying work. Case in point: a troublesome dormer window in my ensuite. Its deep recess rendered the light from the window nearly impotent and posed a real decorating challenge - how to dress the window. Inserting a section from an old wrought iron gate at the front of the dormer resolved the issue and turned the former eyesore into a sculptural display.

There are hundreds of inventive ways architectural salvage can be incorporated into the home and garden. Introduced into contemporary interiors; artifacts can add Old World elegance.

Sources for Salvage

Five 0 Seven Home and Garden Antiques - 50 Carroll Street, Toronto. 416-462-0046 - www.507antiques.com Kent Martin is owner of one of Toronto's greatest design treasure troves. Five 0 Seven Home and Garden Antiques is a huge warehouse filled with fine antiques, garden furniture and a vast selection of architectural salvage sourced from Europe and the United States. Prepare to be entranced with a selection and quality that is arguably one of Canada's finest.

The Door Store - 1260 Castlefield Ave. 416-863-1590 - www.thedoorstore.ca The Door Store specializes in...you guessed it, antique hardware. If you're looking for a particular doorknob or hinges to match your home's existing hardware, you'll find it here. Of course you'll also find doors, mantels, windows, and lighting.

Artefacts Antiques - 1430-2 King St N, St Jacobs (519) 664-3760 - www.artefacts.ca. I have been known to drive to St. Jacobs just to visit Artefacts, though there are plenty of other reasons to stop by this pretty town. The store is a jumble of architectural finds both large and small - from doors to mantels to door knobs - and owner Chris Blott is a knowledgeable resource. Keep your eyes open for "Shady Bill" an unusually hairy black cat who is often in residence.

Irreplaceable Artifacts - www.irreplaceableartifacts.com. A recent catastrophe in July of this year nearly destroyed a lifetime's worth of collecting at this internationally respected source for architectural salvage. Owner Evan Blum is co-author of a book by the same name, Irreplaceable Artifacts - it's a must read for anyone interested in the subject. Irreplaceable Artifacts by Evan Blum and Leslie Blum published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers New York.