Reclaimed Flooring Ideas: How Salvaged Wood Brought Character to Our Home
Reclaimed Flooring That Changed Our Design Plans
We drove up to North Alabama to James & Co., a salvage lumber yard, looking for beams.
Shannin walked us around, showing us the stacks of beams, but none were long enough for our project. She gave us a tour around their property, where they mill flooring and even create furniture out of the wood they acquire.
While walking through the barns, we were looking for antique white oak flooring. But while digging through the piles, we stumbled across something unexpected: salvaged fencing that had been milled into flooring.
The fencing had been painted black, aged beautifully, and then milled, giving it a patina that felt masculine, casual, and unlike anything I’d ever seen. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. There was only one problem: I couldn’t figure out a place to add it to our home design.
That changed when I started designing the hallway and Connor’s office. His style leans toward rustic dark colors, stone, and a lot of wood. I had originally planned on stone flooring, but I couldn’t shake the idea of that salvaged fencing. I called Shannin to see if they had enough, and sure enough, they did!
We laid it in a herringbone pattern, which gave it even more character. Now this small hallway and office have a huge personality… warm, moody, and full of story.
More Reclaimed Floors Throughout Our Home
This wasn’t the only place we used reclaimed flooring from James & Co. Upstairs, we added more character in small but meaningful ways:
Bedrooms: fencing with remnants of white paint, full of history and charm.
Closet: antique white oak that feels timeless and grounding.
I love mixing these materials throughout the house. Even though they’re all different, each space tells its own story, and together they give the house layers of personality.
Why I Believe in Slow Decorating (Even With Deadlines)
This is what slow decorating looks like: choosing materials with intention, sometimes even changing plans when you find something that feels right. Even when you’re on a timeline, it’s possible to make thoughtful choices.
For me, that means:
Knowing where and how to shop.
Building relationships with shop owners.
Learning how and what to research so I know what’s out there.
Reclaimed flooring has become one of my favorite ways to add depth and character. Every board carries history, and when you use it well, your home gets a story all its own. Like I always say, “Build a new house with old things.”.
Would you ever use reclaimed flooring in your home?
