4 Renovation Ideas for Reclaimed and Remnant Materials

One of the hottest trends in modern building is sustainable design. Builders, designers, and homeowners are all innovating new ways to use and re-use building materials to reduce the carbon footprint of each project. 

Reclaimed wood, pulled from old buildings before they are demolished, can be re-purposed as floors, paneling, and even furniture. Tiles left from a kitchen renovation can be re-purposed in the downstairs bath.

For homeowners who already have a renovation planned, it becomes a fun and eco-friendly challenge to find new, beautiful ways to use restored, recycled and remnant materials for both structural and artistic purposes.

Love the idea of making the best possible use of building materials while making your home beautiful? So do we! Let's dive into our favorite renovation ideas for working with restored, remnant, leftover, and scrap materials in breathtaking new kitchen & bathroom designs.

Granite Countertop Remnant Designs

When you get custom countertops, often you buy a slab and have the stone fabricator cut out your countertop shape. This usually leaves plenty of room for islands and backsplashes, but there are always remnants.

Granite remnants are beautiful pieces of the same slab and can be worked into other elements of your home design. In fact, using the same piece of granite (or marble) create a beautiful theme that flows through your home when used throughout.

Top your entryway half-wall or adorn your mantelpiece with only a small strip of granite. Larger remnants can be used for a small bathroom counter or even a bar. Just a small strip of granite can become a mantelpiece a beautiful topper for the half-wall in your entryway. Create a sidebar in the dining room or an artistic inlay for your favorite coffee table.

Even granite fragments can become mosaics, cold-cut boards, or polished stepping-stones in the garden. You can, absolutely, use every part of your slab in inspired home design.  

Restored Light Fixtures

Light fixtures can completely transform a space. If you're looking to make a big difference with a few changes (and keep your carbon footprint low), a restored light fixture is a great investment.

Some people DIY creative pieces of art that hang from the ceiling, others find salvaged light fixtures from the past that are the perfect addition to your kitchen when surfaced and finished.

When you restore a light fixture, you reduce landfill space, decrease the need for newly mined and smelted metals. Buy local to minimize shipping emissions.

Floors and Panels in Reclaimed Wood and Tiles

Reclaimed wood is a huge trend right now, in part because many old buildings are being razed but still have beautiful wood floors or panels. These boards are meticulously removed and can be rebuilt into warm, history-rich new floors and wall panels in modern-built homes.

Restored old tiles and bricks have joined the trend, giving homeowners a wide selection of eco-friendly building materials with a history behind them.

Explore restored tiles for a feature backsplash in your kitchen, not just retro but fully from a stylish previous era. For wood floors that feel like those wonderful ancient floors of historic buildings, try restored wood pulled from renovations and tear-downs of older constructions.

Antique and Second-Hand Furniture

When choosing the furniture in your home remodel, look for second-hand, restored, and antique pieces. Why order new wood furniture when beautiful older pieces will do?

With so many style eras behind us, second-hand and even 'antique' doesn't have to mean heavy solid-wood carved style. Choose any style you prefer and you're sure to find some great pieces for your design already available.

For many renovators, building the final design around available furniture pieces is all part of the fun. You can significantly bring down the carbon footprint of your projects by choosing furniture that has already been subtracted from the eco-system many years ago. 

Can't find exactly the right couch or bedframe? Build your own from salvaged wood, doors, and furniture frames available.

Creative, Sustainable Home Renovations

Kitchen and bathroom renovations today can be very eco-friendly. By choosing sustainable designs and restored, reclaimed, and recycled building materials, your home renovation can have a minimum carbon footprint cost.

Reclaimed materials bring warmth and history. And using remnants of your countertops is a creative challenge that is its own reward.

To begin your plans for a green design renovation, contact us today!