Palmisano Joanne - Styling with salvage: designing and decorating with reclaimed materials

H ello, my name is Joanne and I have a problem. Im totally addicted to old stuff, vintage goods, salvaging, junkwhatever you want to call it, I cant get enough. Mixing old and new when styling homes has been my passion since, well, forever. As a kid, I loved searching for old bottles in the backyard to display on my dresser. Id spend hours in my parents junk room trying to create something out of old wood, metal, and scraps of fabric. (Thankfully, none of my childhood masterpieces survived.) Today, as an award-winning interior designer, stylist, DIY/craft specialist, DIY Network-contributing designer, and author of two internationally acclaimed books, Salvage Secrets and Salvage Secrets Design & Decor (both W. W. Norton), Im thrilled that I get to do what I love every day. In the ever-growing vintage-inspired design industry, Im honored to meet, share, and talk with other like-minded souls about our undying passion for all things old, used, and collectable.

Anyone whos passionate about pieces with a past knows its hard to explain their unique appeal. Sometimes, its the hunt, or the find, or maybe the thrill of getting a good deal that compels me, but in every case its the stories behind these objects that keep me looking for the next cool thing. Styling with salvage is not just about the love of vintage, or the way it makes your home look, its also about reusing materials, understanding where they come from, and making a difference to our environment. If you cant pass a secondhand shop without wondering what unique knickknack might be in there for the taking, or if youre constantly finding new crafts to make out of stuff in your basement, or if you hear a crazy out-of-this-world story about an old door and know that you just have to have it in your home, then welcome to the club. Youre just like me!

This book shows you how to blend, mix and match (or not) old things with new stuff, and it also explains why its so important to incorporate these materials into your home, especially in todays world.

My goal is to fire up your passion for collections, inspire your creative repurposing ideas, and amaze you with stories of folks who have made their home unique by using vintage and repurposed goods. An increased demand for these materials leads to increased recycling, which is one of the best ways we can help our environment, save our natural resources, and improve our economy. Thats a triple win!

Equally important, this fast-growing industry creates and supports thousands of jobs, from trade professionals to flea market vendors to antique store owners to salvage shop partners to large companies (and their employees), right down to the individual artisans and tradespeople who craft with old stuff. In reusing salvaged items and bringing jobs back to our local economy, you really can make a difference.

Im thrilled and excited to once again feature exceptional photography by the amazingly talented Susan Teare. Alongside her team, Lindsay Raymondjack and Susan Black-Turner, Susan makes my work, and the work of others, shine in her photographs. I could not have done this book without her. We were once again honored to travel around and visit some incredible people who have incorporated reclaimed materials into their homes. I appreciate everyone who invited me into their spaces and let me style their rooms, and who shared their passion for vintage and salvage.

I hope this book inspires you to create your own home style that speaks to you and about you, and that using reclaimed materials will truly help you change the way you live and view the world.

xoxo Joanne

Emily and Calvin Sellerss Umland Street Sunday Haus, a rental cottage on their Carmine, Texas, property, is filled with romance and character. Talk about extreme recycling: The previous owners moved the entire cottage there from a farm in New Ulm, Texas. Emily and Calvin added a new tin roof and porches, and continuing the previous owners passion for bringing old and new together, they filled it with unique finds. With its iron beds, vintage mirrors, antique textiles, and reclaimed-wood walls, this place is bursting with meaningful pieces that speak to Emily and Calvins joy and love for all things with a story and a past.

Simple pieces of scrap wood, left in their natural state, line the walls of Tricia Roses home in San Rafael, California. With eclectic flair, Tricia has a clever way of decorating, including placing old railroad spikes in the wall to hold up an old workmans lantern. Vintage wooden pulleys and a boat cleat make for unique decorative accents. A piece of lambs wool is thrown over a secondhand swivel chair to add warmth. Welcoming and comfortable, this is a perfect corner for relaxing and reading, created in a budget-friendly way.

Ive met so many amazing people who love to do what I dowork, live, and design with old materials. You, too, will find yourself meeting new friends, joining fellow salvagers at fairs, and sending texts to celebrate finds with other folks who get it. Have a great time and know that you are part of a community. The single most important thing is to have fun. Dont get overwhelmed by all the fabulous styles out there, just focus on what speaks to you. Working with older materials is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle; sometimes you dont know what the picture will look like until you put all the pieces together. At times, this requires a willingness to handle the unknown, but if you learn about your material, how it works structurally, and see all the ways other people use it, then you can go in armed with the knowledge that your design will be a winner. And whats more fun than completing a stylish puzzle?

Working with salvaged material can be a challenge, but that can be half the fun too. There are many builders, architects, and designers who love working with these materials because of the creative thinking it requires. Seek them out through your local architectural salvage shops, antique shops, and recycled centers. If you love doing it yourself, then chat first with the folks at the places where you get your stuffyou will no doubt find them to be exceptionally knowledgeable about the materials and pieces.

Not sure where to begin? Just start small. Collect poker chips, old school desk chairs, vintage books with blue covers, or even something as simple as mason jars. Once you have these collections started, then work on how to style them: in a display on a wall, on a table, or on your mantel. Even these small projects can get pretty addictive!