Update , Reusing, Reviving a Bathtub

Here is the finished bathroom. Thank you to our customer for remembering us and sending on these photos it really is one of the best things when we get to see the items that we salvaged given a new life.




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Reusing, Reviving, Reinventing Bathtubs

One of the nicest things about our business is that we often get to see what people do with the items they buy from us. We really do think of ourselves as responsible for finding good homes for the items we sell. Kind of like a matchmaker. This is a story about a perfect match.

Steve and his wife drove up from Urbana, Il. last summer in hopes of finding a vintage, left hand drain, art deco corner tub with a “wrap around” apron. A hard to find piece and it had to be in excellent condition. It was a serendipitous moment as we had just received word on such a tub. We moved quickly to rescue the tub and bring it back to the store for Steve to see. Here's a recent email from Steve:

Tabitha and Liz, I'm a customer from over a year ago, but we're finally going on our bathroom project and I wanted to forward you a picture that includes the centerpiece, an awesome corner tub that DIDN'T need refinishing, that you helped me cram into a little white toyota station wagon last year and drive down to Urbana. Our contractor was so skeptical when he sweated the dirty tub (in our garage for a year) up our narrow staircase, "what the heck are these guys thinking?" Since I cleaned it up, it's been the talk and pride of him and every subcontractor to come through. It's awesome! Thank you guys for finding it for us. I'll forward another picture when it's all done.

Before After

Tiling a Hearth

Tiling a Hearth from This Old House Online

By: Harry Sawyers, , December 2007

www.islandgirlsalvage.com/Tile

This is Not Your Mother’s Stove…Oh Wait, It Is!

In our line of work we have come across a number of original appliances in various stages of disrepair and condition. Now, I have spent the better part of the last three years slowly restoring my own 1926 English Cotswald home, using, as much as possible, original items from our own salvaging efforts. After getting a glimpse of these wonderful old ranges, I decided that the only option for me was to replace my stove, whose touchy temperament did not allow me to use the oven and the burners at the same time, or even more than two burners at once regardless of my oven use. You can just imagine Thanksgiving at my house. More recently it had become obsessed with its own cleanliness, on more than one occasion I had found myself unable to open the oven door as it had somehow locked itself into a self-cleaning cycle. So given my situation I decided that the search for my new “old” stove needed to begin and quickly. Finding someone locally who could do the repairs on one of my “found” stoves proved to be difficult. Add to that, the fact that I am limited by space in my quaint kitchen and could not have anything wider than 30 inches.

Not being easily discouraged I dug deeper and searched wider. I found a number of companies that take these vintage gems and completely restore them. Refurbished with completely new valves, piping, insulation, and enamel finishes, these stoves are in the long run less expensive, have far more character than the reproductions, and actually cook more evenly. You might be familiar with Rachel Ray from the Food Network who cooks on an old Chamber stove and swears by it. I purchased a vintage O'Keefe & Merritt newly re-porcelained white gas range circa 1950. It’s been two years now and I still marvel at its simplicity and style. It’s the center of my kitchen. Where can you find these gems? There happen to be a few options.

Here is the picture of the stove when it was first put in and another after the entire kitchen was remodeled (see post on remodeling with architectural salvage.)

I purchased mine at SAVON Appliances and General Appliance Refinishing, Inc. both are owned and operated by Emmett Julian. Originally from Chicago, Emmett has been in the used appliance business for over 30 years, and started SAVON Appliance in Burbank, CA, in the early 1980's. You can call Emmett or Marsha directly with any questions about buying, selling, trading, resurfacing, painting, moving or completely restoring any appliance. When my stove arrived it was neatly wrapped in cellophane and crated to perfection. Not a scratch was found.

SAVON Appliance2925 Burbank Blvd.Burbank, CA 91505phone: 818-843-4840 or 818-843-4908email: info@savonappliance.com

Another resource is Antique Gas Stoves in Montclair, Ca. Since 1982, Antique Gas Stoves has been rebuilding vintage stoves of all types for it’s customers. Contact Terri Smith for more information. Antique Gas Stoves ships worldwide and stoves start at around $3000.00

Antique Gas Stoves
Antique Stoves - Sales - Service - Parts – Restoration
P.O. Box 3175 Montclair, California 91763 USA
voice: (909) 445-0300
email: cookin@AntiqueGasStoves.com


And finally, Antique Appliances.com. Antique and vintage appliance restoration is what AntiqueAppliances.com is all about. Located in the mountains of North Georgia, in the small community of Clayton, their crew of six craftsmen restore all makes of antique and vintage refrigerators and stoves, even adding unique design concepts to the exteriors. Custom colors to fit your decor are readily available. They too ship worldwide and gas stoves start around $1800 up to $50,000.00, electric stoves $1800 up to $18,000.00, refrigerators run about $1800 up to $12-$15 thousand. Restoration takes about 4-6 weeks from the time a restoration begins. AntiqueAppliances.com is currently scheduling projects out two years because of the demand.

AntiqueAppliances.Com30 West Savannah StreetClayton, GA 30525USA
Telephone: (706)782-3132Fax: (706)782-7326
E-Mail Address:John's direct e-mail: john@antiqueappliances.com Sales Department e-mail: sales@antiqueappliances.com

My next project is to tackle a vintage refrigerator. I just haven’t gotten past having to thaw out the freezer every month.

Tab's Dreaming Again...

I've been dreaming about re-doing a ranch. I know it sounds completely out of character for me but I finished remodeling and decorating my current home this summer (look in the archive for photos) and so I'm itching for a new project, a new adventure. And I recently tumbled down my stairs in the middle of the night and broke my wrist. First thing my husband said was "we should buy a ranch". It's what he grew up in and finds familiar comfort in but...a ranch? It's been nearly eight weeks and I'm out of my cast and in occupational therapy now (totally hurts) and for some reason the idea of a ranch has permeated my dreams at night.

My parents are famous for finishing a restoration and then placing the house on the market and unfortunately I think I've got this disease as well. I'm thinking something a little sparser and open with a much greater mix of periods and styles. This keeps bringing me back to a ranch where I can play with mixing and not feel guilty about staying true to the architectural integrity of the original design. Who really cares about the integrity of 70's ranches? Is there even any?

I've been wondering through blogs and websites for ideas to convince my husband that we should get serious and start looking for a ranch while the interest rates are down and housing prices are falling. All I need is a house with good bones. All else can be reconfigured to suit our needs.

Here's what I'm thinking... white on the walls in the hallway/entryway

and a mixture of my favorite French gilded empire mirrors along

with paintings by my husband Pete.

I nabbed this photo from LivingEtc. Magazine.

This is a clean line design and I think I'm moving towards this kind of decorating. I would use my existing antique furnishings from my family but streamline my choices a bit. I'm feeling the urge to unclutter and accentuate some of the great pieces I already have. Now if I could just get my husband on board...

Tab