My sister, Molly, and I went to a great place this weekend in East
Palo Alto called
Whole House Building Supply and Salvage. It's this place that takes apart houses that are going to be demolished, piece by piece, and sells the recycled materials to the public. They also get a bunch of donations. The place was amazing. It was kind of like an organized junk yard that went on and on forever. They had absolutely everything...wood, picket fences, antique and modern windows, doors, toilets, sinks, tubs, bricks, ducks (yes, really), hardware, lights...everything! I'm definitely going back there with all my door measurements and buying a bunch of old doors that belong in a house like ours. There were also a bunch of cool bricks that caught my eye and some glass french doors that I want to make into mini greenhouses in the vegetable garden some day. Getting lost in isle after isle of doors was fun, but the best part of the day was when the guy who worked there told us that they were actually doing a house demolition that day and gave us a map to a nice neighborhood in
Palo Alto. We decided to drive by and check it out and I'm so glad we did. When we got there the ladies in the garage gave us a price list with over 200 items on it all corresponding to something in the house. It was so
weird! All these people were
hurrying around (kind of like
vultures) tearing out every last piece of the house. There were big holes in the walls where window used to be and bathroom cabinets with no more sinks in them. Some guy was taking out the front door when we were there and there were sold stickers on nearly everything. I even got caught up in the excitement and bought an old wooden potting bench for the back yard!
The sale lasted Saturday and Sunday, and then on Monday the house would be demolished and anything that wasn't sold gets taken back to the shop. It's actually a pretty great concept. Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, right?
A cell phone pic of what was left of the master bathroom shower!
My new potting bench!
A cell phone pic of what was left of the master bathroom shower!
My new potting bench!
6 comments:
It was very fun. I liked the ducks. :) Tell me when you're heading back and I'll come and get wood for my mirror.
I want to come too, and I don't even have one square inch of space in my house or yard for new old junk. I could make room.
The potting bench looks smaller in the picture than it really is. Looks cute in your yard! I think you made the right decision.
wow, that's an awsome concept. how fun. i can see how one could easily get carried away. how are the prices?
mom - you could just buy stuff for me if you need an excuse to buy something. we'd like a new kitchen table/chairs. :)
Thanks Molly for letting us know that the potting bench has been added to this post. I wouldn't have seen it. I loved it (in the dark)and now it looks even better with the plants on it. The location is perfect. Amy, what style table and chairs are you looking for?
um Amy- what is wrong with the totally awesome tabel and chairs you have now? (will amy ever even see this post?)
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