Architectural salvage and antiques shop browsers know interesting and unique treasures can be found while strolling open-mindedly through aisles and aisles of sometimes dusty, rough-looking items such as panel doors, shutters, stairway spindles, entire fireplace mantels, hinges, knobs and other hardware.

Some folks need a nudge and some prompting to be able to look past the rust, dust or chipping paint. Sometimes it's even necessary to look beyond the original purpose for the piece and see it in a new setting, occasionally taking on a new role altogether.

Having walked through a recent bathroom remodeling, looking at it through an interior designer's eye and tying in several old architectural pieces, it is evident some homeowners may embrace the concept of reusing interesting elements from the past but need a professional's vision to pull it together, according to Marisa Morgan of Marisa Morgan Interior Design of Lancaster.

Sometimes, Morgan's input might be as simple as designing a custom vanity to pulling an entire kitchen and bath remodel together or consulting prior to the onset of a project.

BATHROOM REMODEL

A pair of cast-iron decorative brackets supporting a shelf at an architectural salvage shop became the catalyst for a bathroom remodel. According to Morgan, the brackets were purchased at BUiLDiNG CHARACTER, 342 N. Queen St., then she waited for the project to be built around them. Also from the store came a slab of Carrera marble, and the project was on.

As the interior designer, she looked at the space and the marble slab and saw it as a backsplash and vanity counter atop the brackets. It had been removed from the bathroom walls of what had been the Lancaster Trust Building just off Penn Square.

Morgan had to determine overhang limitations, consider the sink's users when setting the vanity's height and respect industry standards and codes for kitchens and baths.

"As a designer, I look at a project and consider function as well as beauty," she said. "You want to respect the lines of the space. You work with the architectural details of the room and of the piece. The goal is to look at what currently exists and work the piece in as if it has always been there."

The Carerra marble, along with the black iron brackets, invited the use of a black and white marble basketweave, mosaic tile floor and a white and gray paint scheme that includes crown molding painted to match the wood wall panels and trim to complete the room.

A salvaged 11-inch round antique sink was found at Burning Bridge Antique Market, 304 Walnut St., Columbia. The size worked better for Morgan's design and space limitations and cost almost three-quarters less than sinks available at home improvement box stores.

When shopping for architectural remains, though, Morgan cautions homeowners to factor in the restoration cost, which, in this case, brought the sink up to about the cost they would have paid for new. The white porcelain sink, which was chipped but sound, was resurfaced at Surface Restorations Service LLC, 1501 Cloister Dr. According to Surface Restoration owner David Selfon, almost anything in the kitchen or bath can be resurfaced, from ceramic tiles to acrylic tub surrounds. Small pieces can be brought to them, but most of his projects are done in the home.

Generally, a small repair and blend costs a minimum of $75, and a complete resurfacing of a bathtub runs around $375.

Morgan notes not all salvage items can be restored or fit the renovator's needs. In the bathroom remodel, the original marble slab had a hairline crack that was found when the piece was going to be cut and edged at the fabricator, LappTops, 174 Commerce Dr., New Holland. A second piece of marble was needed and fortunately was available.

Joe Lapp of LappTops said, "The big thing is to make sure that people understand is what they see with marble (before restoration) is what it's going to look like (afterward). We can clean it up some and put new edges on it but it is relatively soft. Granite, on the other hand, is really hard. It's a piece of rock, and we can re-polish the edges and make it look amazing and last a couple thousand years more."

Morgan semi-recessed the salvaged sink into the countertop instead of completely recessing it or using it as a vessel atop the counter.

A final accent salvaged piece in the bathroom remodel is a stained glass window found at Black Angus Antiques Mall in Adamstown. The window was removed from its frame, re-leaded then reframed.

LITTLE EXTRAS

Interest can be created by incorporating a piece into any décor, which often becomes a focal point in a room.

Due the renewed interest in salvage pieces, Marty Hulse, owner of BUiLDiNG CHARACTER, said his business has grown in the past two years to a 6,000-square-foot warehouse housing not only architectural salvage but also furniture made from pieces of history as well as many other items such as antiques and art.

FUNCTIONAL RE-USE

Salvage Chic by BUiLDiNG CHARACTER debuted in November. A furniture line designed by Hulse and built by local artist and craftsman David M. Patton, the pieces are built from warehouse inventory, according to Hulse.

"For example," said Hulse, "we have a bar that is made from an old window with textured glass and donated barn wood. We had a pile of wood and an interesting window and, voilà , an interesting piece of furniture."

Several pieces are already created and available at BUiLDiNG CHARACTER, and they do take custom orders.

"We think it's a great opportunity to take things that may have been thrown away," Hulse said, "and turn them into modern-day, functional art."

rmcroberts@lnpnews.com