The Portland Salvage Home Tour happens October 6th. For those of you who can’t make the event in person, we’re featuring a few of the the five homes here.

This post is by guest contributor Nancy Ranchel, home décor enthusiast, salvage supporter, and blogger. Her home was featured in Salvage Secrets by Joanne Palmisano. Here, she shares her impressions of her neighbor’s remodel, and the role that salvage played in the final result.

Kerri and Dan live in a 1909 Sellwood bungalow, right next to Maria and Jim. And because they live next door, they passed Maria’s and Jim’s construction project every day. So, of course Kerri and Dan noticed that Maria and Jim’s mudroom addition was looking good.

What do you think happened next?

Well, Kerri and Dan called Arciform, of course. And while the couple and the two daughters spent some time in China, Anne DeWolf from Arciform began to design their remodel. Phase 1 was a second-story addition that included family rooms, a pantry, a stairwell to the basement and the second floor, and a master bedroom, bathroom, and “shower room.”

Phase 2 was the kitchen remodel. Some time passed between the two phases, and when Kerri and Anne finally sat down to go over magazine photos of kitchens Kerri loved, Anne was a bit surprised. Kerri had traveled extensively for work, and had picked up both new and salvaged items from around the world. And now, she was showing Anne kitchens with matching built-in cupboards, which kept the work surfaces bare – and her collections from her travels out of sight. It didn’t seem like a Kerri kitchen!

Salvaged shelves display Kerri’s collected wares

Anne was pretty frank: she didn’t think this was the right kitchen for Kerri, and told her so. So the two women took an inspirational field trip to Olympic Provisions, a local charcuterie and restaurant. Anne appreciated their inventive use of salvage and industrial vibe, and thought this might be more Kerri’s style – and she was right.  Kerri’s kitchen plans changed immediately.

The revised plans used salvage extensively. The wood for the bar, the rolling islands, and the open shelves were all shipping industry salvage. As seen below, islands incorporated salvaged mixed-species wood, which creates a wonderful, textured feel.

Rolling island with salvaged mixed-species wood

Several vintage storage pieces were incorporated into the décor as well.

Vintage kitchen countertop storage

Kerri’s antique butcher block 

While the kitchen Kerri thought she wanted was not the one she wound up with, she got something better: a kitchen that, thanks to the salvage pieces and her collections, truly expressed her personality and lifestyle.