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Friday, April 23, 2010

What do Trash Collectors Dream About?

Do you know what trash collectors dream about? Think for a minute. I bet you guessed it...That's right...Free Stuff. Imagine my excitement when a friend told me there was a house at the end of our street being knocked down and you could take anything you wanted from the inside. This house has been bank owned for quite sometime and has definitely suffered from neglect. The new owners (who happen to live right behind the house) will actual have a new house built and sell it to a sister of someone who live across the street from the house. (Did you follow all that) They evidently placed an ad on craigslist over the weekend announcing the salvage opportunity. I found out about it Monday and it was scheduled for demo on Tuesday. So as soon as Mr. Right got home from work we headed over. Here it is...
It's a beautiful brick home that's almost 5,000 square feet. Sad that it has to be knocked down, but after walking through it, I realize it really wouldn't be cost effective to try and fix it. Here's what it looked like after the weekend ad had run on Craigslist.
This is the kitchenHere's the family room with bay window and fireplace.
This is the hallway leading to a bedroom.

Imagine my surprise when we walked into the library and discovered none of the cabinets had been removed. I looked at Mr. Right with that, "We've got to have them" look, but it was starting to get dark, the house would be leveled the next day, and we really didn't have the tools we needed to remove them. So sad.
Despite the fact that I didn't make it to the house until after the craigslist ad had run for the weekend, we did still managed to fill Mr. Rights truck with a few things. So do you want to know what I found?
I picked up four of these bi-fold doors- can't wait to show you what I'm doing with them.
This solid door was found in the basement
And this mirror was in one of the bathrooms. Here's what the house looks like today...


It amazing how quickly a house can be taken down. I heard the original owners had come to take pictures before it was leveled. Years ago, this was their dream home. Hopefully I can use the items I salvaged to make something beautiful. This is why we collect trash. If we just threw everything away there would be no stories and no memories. The new objects I create were once pieces of someone's fairytale, someone's dream and they will always have a story. Love, Kelly

PS: Don't forget to vote on your favorite project. See pictures in Yesterday's post. Thanks for all you help.


Linking up to:
Frugalicious Friday At Finding Fabulous
Remodelaholics anonymous at Remodelaholic
Show and tell Friday at My Romantic Home




6 comments:

  1. This post made me so sad, I would hate to see such a pretty home leveled. Oh well, looks like you found some fun treasure to work with.

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  2. WOW The Trash collector in me is so excited for you!! But the lover of all things old with history is sad to see the house go...

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  3. Made me sad too. I think if I lived any where but Phoenix, I would figure it had to be pulled down. But I have seen SO much mid century history knocked down in the valley it makes me want to cry thinking about it. I live in the Biltmore district, I see gorgeous immaculate brick houses being pulled down to build monstrosities. I love Phoenix but we are tearing down our history one brick house at a time.

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  4. Wow, what a sad story...but it teaches us why we should be careful not to be neglectful, because the end results are devastating...
    I love the end of your post, it's so poetic.
    you are not trash collectors, you are preservers of memories.

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  5. Take more of that wood and make something from the knock off wood blog.

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  6. I can't believe it was that house! I always thought that house was adorable. Sad to think next time I drive by it will be gone.

    Just like that.

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