Washington, D.C. - November 02, 2009

Nesting Instinct

Housewerks Salvaged Furniture

Hunting for cool furniture is like bird-watching for a blue-footed booby, only with less chance of a sighting.

Train those binocs on Maryland, home to the quietly awesome Housewerks salvage store.

Owners Tracey Clark and Ben Riddleberger scavenge old factories, warehouses, and even buildings slated for demolition in search of offbeat statement pieces.

Ogle their inventory of prewar chandeliers and ironwork (artfully arranged in the converted 19th-century gas valve house) or create a personal wish list: The duo will roam the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, or even Europe in an attempt to find a match.

Not only do they give old stuff new life (making your shabby chic stage a distant memory), they build custom pieces from barn timber and old industrial equipment.

So start writing that wish list.

Or just wing it.

Housewerks, 1415 Bayard Street, Baltimore (410-685-8047 or housewerksalvage.com).

Photo: Courtesy of Housewerks

  Awesome Old Shit, Old School