Reproduction lighting fixtures and fans may not have the full heft and charm of the originals, but then they don’t have to be rewired, replated, or taken apart and scrubbed with metal polish. Luckily, many antique lighting specialists will rewire a lamp for you. Have an electrician install vintage ceiling fixtures and fans. If you’ve fallen in love with an old gaslight fixture, remember that converting it to electricity is a job for an expert.
Wide floorboards of pine, chestnut, or other old-growth woods are a wonderful alternative to new hardwoods. Some of the choicest have been salvaged from attics, where they escaped paint, nails, and wear. In the East, the most commonly available woods are white pine, hemlock, spruce, and chestnut. In the West, Douglas fir and redwood are sought after. “Redwood is becoming increasingly rare,” says Mary Lou Shepas, manager of Omega Lighting & Design.
Expect to pay at least $7 a running foot and more for wide, long, beautiful flooring. Shipping can add significantly more to the cost. Experienced dealers may remill the flooring to get rid of imperfections and warps and to make the dimensions consistent. Whether remilled or not, salvaged floor boards should be warp-free. Tongue-and-groove edges should be in good condition. If you are matching an existing floor, select boards of an appropriate thickness, grain pattern, and color.