There are times a complete stranger can walk into your life and end up making a huge impact. This summer Sarah (Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage’s newest employee for those of you who may not have met her yet) and I met two very energetic women named Tory Brokenshire and Dayna Collins. These two local artist…
Archives for design
Palmer/Wirfs Antique and Collectible Show 2010
We’re here! Today is the first day at the Antique and Collectible Show at the Portland Expo. We have a double booth highlighting our Industrial and Steam Punk items and it is going very well. Please come by to see us if you have the chance! Here are some photos from this morning as the…
Just a few Steampunk and Industrial Items at Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage
Yesterday I posted an article about a house that is decorated in the Steampunk style and I promised to post pictures of a few items we have around the store that fit perfectly with this. Great Industrial look too. Take a look!
Bruce & Melanie’s Steampunk Victorian
I love home tours. I love being able to see into someone else’s world and gleam ideas to improve mine. What I also love is being able to see a style that I may think wouldn’t match with my own yet somehow coming away feeling I’ve learned something.A few days ago I showed an example…
Industrial and “Steam Punk” at Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage
There is a scene in Gone With The Wind where Rhett Butler had given Mammy (played by Hattie McDaniel AND the first African American actress to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress) a red petticoat. He asked to see it and with a sly smile on her face, lifts her skirt to reveal…
Halloween At Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage
Is it too early to start thinking about Halloween? I say NO! Every year at Aurora Mills we have a pumpkin decorating contest – using architectural and other salvaged materials, of course. Here are some pictures from last year. I will be posting Halloween decorating ideas throughout the month. Mary Beth designed the…
Knowledge = Power! Books about Restoration and Using Architectural Salvage
I bought my first house when I was 25 years old. I always felt drawn to old homes. Maybe it was because so many people had passed through their doors that the walls became like an old friend. That said however, looking back, my husband and I really knew nothing. Like, I shouldn’t have tried…
Beautiful Salvaged Storage Ideas for the Kitchen
I live in a 1947 era home with a sad, sad kitchen. I found these great kitchen storage ideas from the Re-nest website I mention earlier this week. On top of that, we have virtually everything to create these looks at Aurora Mills! Well, not the airplane food cart bins pictured on the Re-nest blog…
What to do with an Old Door – Great reuse ideas!
Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage has been in business for 12 years and still many people do not know that we are in a 4-story building. Way down below we have literally 1000s of doors (windows, mantels, industrial, carousel parts…but that is another story) that people use for all kinds of projects. I found this article on the…
Customers Bill & Sarah Lorenze add vintage charm to their Palisade Homes
I have heard a few customers over the years say they love the items we carry but alas, live in a newly constructed home that just wont mix with our items from yester-year. What I try to remind people is that even our grandparents would have had some modern items from the day mixed with…