Add Patina to Your New Home

With old houses being demolished at a steady rate, a whole new industry has sprung up that attempts to rescue interior details — ranging from moldings to entire staircases — and fixtures, such as chandeliers and fireplace surrounds. "Architectural salvage" is now a yellow page category, and many such retailers have set up Internet shops. (New Spaces, Old World Charm also provides an extensive list of resources.) "Sometimes these finds are more trouble than their worth to adapt," says author Ann Sample, "so I usually recommend that homeowners start with smaller, more manageable items, rather than, say, a clawfoot bathtub." Another option: reclaimed wood flooring, complete with color gradations, varying widths, wormholes and nicks.