But a single quirky piece in a room makes a huge difference. It sticks in our mind and we never forget it. I define “quirky” as different, unexpected, off-beat, out-of-the-box and memorable. Quirkiness gives a room personality.

For example, who could forget this striped ceiling? Following are more examples of quirkiness that will str-r-r-e-e-etch the imagination so that we, the Design Junkie Community, can express our wonderful weirdness

 Random color is quirky

Over sized objects are quirky

Rick Baye

Giant Branch Canopy

Over sized art is boldly quirky

WL Interiors

Wild wall color is startlingly quirky

Michael Penney

A unique chair is energetically quirky

Russell Groves

Quirky salvaged architectural pieces are unforgettable

Brown Cranna / Douglas Callaway

oliveandlove.com

Flea market furniture adds quirky personality

….even a small inexpensive chair

An unusual contemporary light fixture adds quirkiness

Christine Hanlon

Unique decorative painting is delightfully quirky

Animal prints are a great place to start

for those who are shy about stepping out…

Lisa Sherry

Go quirky at Restoration Hardware

It’s like a flea market!

1890 Iron Stag Head and Antlers approx. $289

Dry Dock Pendant $1695

Deconstructed Wing Chair $1995

(notice the back is intentionally exposed as if it’s unfinished)

Watchmaker’s Task Table Lamp $459

I hope this blog post jogged your creative mind. I need to stretch my quirkiness muscles too so….thank you! my dear Design Junkies, for prompting me to explore more fun ways to create eye candy so I can share them with you.

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In the photo above we see someone’s creative idea for using a fragment of a corinthian column capital. It was about the same height as the kitchen cabinets and so it was installed as an additional support for the counter. The beautiful thing about most rock pieces is that they blend with just about any style interior. It’s difficult to say what style this kitchen is anyway…but doesn’t it bring memorable character to the space!?!

When you find an appealing artifact made of rock, such as this beautiful goddess, buy it and make yard art out of it. Let Mother Nature do its thing and grow around and upon it. This creates a sense of history that can’t come any other way.

I love this handsome wood archway. As you can see from it’s simple design, it doesn’t need to be carved or fancy to look good. The shape of the arch is absolutely elegant! (with no further embellishment needed). When found it was hidden beneath layers of paint. The homeowner had the vision to strip away the paint and apply some stain which ties it nicely into the rest of the house.

Here is one of the cleverest uses of architectural salvage I have ever seen. Do you see a mantel here?……Did you have to look twice? Yes, you guessed it. It’s the console table. Perhaps some resourceful person with a keen design eye saw the beauty of the wood carvings, but had no need for another mantel in their house. So they cut off the top approximately 20″ (same height as the chair seat) and attached it to the wall. Et voila! Accessorized with a mirror and a vase of flowers, it makes a beautiful vignette in an entry hall.

Shutters abound in the salvage world. And in most cases we can easily understand why they have been discarded and left homeless. However, there are some lovely unusual ones out there and these “wave-slats” are very charming, are they not? The pealed paint finish is perfect for a french country interior. The shutters have simply been screwed to an interior wall of the home. A pot of geraniums beneath gives it balance and creates an attractive composition.

If you hunt, you can easily find wood columns to install somewhere in your home. Some are smooth and round, some are smooth and square…these are fluted and round. A bit of an ancient Greek flavor to them. The best location for a pair of columns is flanking a doorway, either against the wall or within the door frame. If you only find one column, and you love it, buy it and attach it to a wall where one room transitions into another.

Brackets also abound in the world of salvage. I have seen many which are distressed beyond recognition, and just not that pretty. This is a particularly beautiful one and some lucky person had just the doorway for it. What do these things cost? Need I say that this depends upon whether you are buying from a trendy Soho (New York) dealer or from a collector in Independence, Kansas where my friends live. I saw one like this (about 24″ high) last year in Seattle with a pricetag of $475.

Interesting glass windows can add a phenomenal amount of elegance to a space. This gothic arched window set above an antique copper tub creates the bathing nook one might dream about. Just a little warning, when installing “found” windows be sure to calculate size. If you are not a professional carpenter, you will want to hire one for this sort of retrofitting project. It’s possible that a window this size may require demo of supporting wall studs and it could get ugly if you attempt it yourself. Another wonderful way to use salvaged windows is on interior walls between rooms. This allows light to pass from room to room in an unusual way.

Vessel sinks are very popular these days. Of course, they are not really new. They are inspired by the old pre-plumbing bowl and pitcher that sat atop the dresser…in your great grandmother’s day. Here’s a salvaged drop in wash basin that has been placed upon a simple marble counter, allowing the chrome drain pipe to be exposed for all to see. The mirrors look as though they were stolen from my son’s diesel pickup truck. Big and heavy duty and mounted within two chrome towel bars placed vertically.

We have merely scratched the surface of the fascinating subject of architectural salvage, which is enjoying even more popularity now that our consciousness has been raised about recycling and reusing old things. There is so much more to show you, more stories to tell and so many exciting things for you to create. I plan to revisit the subject in the future so check back in with Design Like the Pros for more information. Suffice it to say that salvage “yards” exist in most large metropolitan areas as well as many small towns around the world. My favorite spot in Seattle, WA is Earthwise, Inc. Building Salvage. Another one that has attracted my attention is Black Dog Salvage and Architectural Antiques in Roanoke, VA. In the meantime, please send me the names of your favorite salvage yards and I will publish them for everyone to read.

Photos from Decorating With Architectural Details by Michael Litchfield – Friedman/Fairfax Publishers – Copywright 1995

Here is a decorator’s dream come true, especially if that decorator loves history and antiques. The ingredients: A huge 19th century white stone building. 13,000 square feet of peeling paint, tall ancient windows and character galore. Gorgeous French countryside. Two antique purveyors with remodeling skills and a great eye for possibilities. The challenge for owner/antiquarians Claude and Alain Fassier, was to restore this run down building (that had a former life as a girl’s boarding school) into both a home and a place from which to market their fabulous collectibles. My mouth is watering. What a great project! Imagine clusters of chattering schoolgirls in white blouses and plaid skirts pushing through these doors to their classrooms. This sweet little child pictured above (a Fassier grand daughter) sits at a French sewing table.

A work in progress as this photo was taken. Layers of paint were carefully peeled away to reveal handsome trompe l’oeil fluted columns. The painted Louis XV table holds red tulips.

Through the doors we catch a glimpse of the library?with its miles of brand new bookshelves that are made to blend seemlessly with the old walls. A large work table from an electronics atelier is covered with old engravings and posters, globes and a glass bell displaying a papier mache’ algae plant. With vintage mannequins and glass cases housing stuffed birds, the whole room has an “air of wit and scholarliness” which is so appropriate for this former place of learning.

This room is on the ground floor of the building, and is part of the antique shop La Maison Fassier.?The large multi drawered chest is from a seed merchant’s storeroom. And the Persian rugs are from Ikea…do you believe it? This is a perfect example of using any and all resources to pull a room together. I will often find great pieces at Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel that blend beautifully with more expensive furnishings.

I love this mixture of contemporary and antique. The classic Le Corbusier chaise lounge sits in front of some old roof finials, an abstract painting, a dried pumpkin and a resin sculpture. Putting an old relic up on a stand (that any gallery or metal fabricator can make for you) calls attention to it in a special way. It’s a popular thing for designers to do, and any appraiser will tell you that it adds value to the object.

The owner inserted these beautiful old doors into the room. They are especially lovely because of the unique stained glass panels of butterflies and flowers, and they look as if they were original to the building.

The guest bedroom continues with the magic of more vintage treasures. The carousel horse is 19th century German. The headboard is an 18th century painting on canvas.

Looking like a greenhouse of sorts, this is the schools open air glass roofed play area. It has become a useful veranda for the family. The eating table is covered with vintage linens. There are comfortable upholstered chairs for reading and lounging. Interesting old wicker chairs, iron stool, a doll house and all sorts of other goodies.

So…the next time you’re in Paris, drive southwest about 90 miles (how many kilometres would that be….anyone?) to the popular and newly chic town of Remalard. Stop in to La Maison Fassier and let us know what surprises your discover.

Photos from House & Garden July 2007