A custom home builder and owner often use reclaimed materials in their building projects, and as with the unique nature of every custom home project and the individual tastes that drive it, there are several different reasons reclaimed materials are chosen. It may be quality, nostalgia, replicating historical accents or for conservation reasons. Whatever drives the decision to include reclaimed materials, most often wood and stone, there are endless sources both local and global which can suit every project and budget for a custome home builder.
Restrictions naturally exist on importing materials from many countries, particularly if the material has significant historical value or relates to a diminished natural resource. Traveling to foreign lands and haunting antique stores and building artifact retailers can be an excellent source of inspiration for individuals embarking on a new luxury custom home project. Having a direction in terms of architectural style and taste in materials can make for purposeful “hunting”, to uncover key design elements such as copper roofing, tin ceiling tiles, a mantelpiece, doors, timber beams or hand painted tiles which could complete a room or provide direction for the home’s desired personality.
The time, effort and expense put into a custom built home dictates the homeowner, architect and custom home builder collaborate on the design and materials that make it unique. The process naturally evolves through this consideration, and examples of such expression unique to the project can be found mining the history or heritage of the homeowner or the building’s location.
Old farms and homesites in Wisconsin have yielded repurposed masonry, wood beams and siding that offer rich textures and accents that would be more costly to try to replicate. In some cases, architects and builders seek out woods that contain traces of the original paint used on the old barn wood and blend with other sources to create a rich and varied texture for interior or exterior design.
Re-using as much of a classic old home’s original materials as possible in a renovation is not only environmentally friendly, but it creates an opportunity to merge the past with the present and celebrate its history.
The process of creating a meaningful home that bears the imprint of the homeowners’ personality allows for the incorporation of a rich palate of personal interests and whimsy that extends beyond design standards. Many of the most interesting homes customized today emphasize unexpected treasures and histories in creative ways. It may include a relic from a family’s home or home country, such as copper gutters, stained glass windows, repurposed bricks, rebar or lighting. The following link offers a glimpse of such variety, particularly with reclaimed wood from many sources, and may provide inspiration for any future projects to consider for any custom home builder and owner.
https://www.pinterest.com/colbyconstruct/incorporating-reclaimed-materials/