Architectural and Altered Antiques
Special thanks to Realtor.com for featuring us in the ‘How to Decorate With Secondhand Furniture From Craigslist and Nextdoor’ article. It is room by room article on how fashion designer Ms. Raquel Allerga used second-hand furnishings to decorate her second home in New Mexico. She purchased a Murano glass pendant from our Los Angeles retail location to hang above her copper dining room table.
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Our creative lighting team has put together a limited-edition hybrid collection of Modern Industrial lighting. They paired antique shades with antique finish brass fixtures to make a unique line of desk lamps, standing lamps, and pendant lights.
We have a whole array of original shades including 1920s X-ray mercury glass, scalloped white milk glass, and clear ribbed Holophanes. The mercury glass shade has the original silver painted finish on the outside with stunning silver mirrored reflective glass on the inside. The hardware for the pendant and lampstands are newly constructed of brass with an antique finish and an arm that articulates vertically. The hardware for the gooseneck desk lamps is old new stock. All the lighting is newly wired. The pendant lights require 1-2 weeks to process and the height is customizable.
Multiples are available while supplies of the shades are available. Simple yet sleek, these are a great addition to a home office, kitchen counter, or sitting or bedroom.
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One may think that lighting trends in 2021 are all tending towards modern or boho styles. There is still interest in these styles, but traditional and antique lighting has a major place as well. As people have spent much more of their time at home in the last year due to the pandemic, many are looking for a much more timeless look. Also, the trend toward quality over quantity has grown in the last year. People want to surround themselves with much better quality and even luxury items so their homes are more comfortable and desirable to remain long hours.
Even though 2020 is over, COVID-19 is still with us, and dealing with it will definitely be part of our 2021 lifestyle. An easy way to change the style of a room is to change the light fixture. Come in Olde Good Things. OGT has the largest inventory of original lighting imaginable, with lights as simple as a single light pendant to ornate 18-lite chandeliers. And the best thing is that the vast majority of the lighting available at OGT is original lighting which has stood the test of time.
Of course, there is a huge inventory of industrial and commercial lighting which has a simple utilitarian look. This is also quite desirable these days, especially in kitchens and workspaces. But quality lighting is definitely a major attribute of the lighting line available at Olde Good Things. Sure there are high-end lights that have been retrieved from notable residences and landmark buildings, but there is also a huge range of fixtures that won’t break your budget if you are looking for a simple upgrade.
Here’s just a small variety of different style lights from which you can choose:
The lighting sold here is cleaned and rewired unless it was removed already in excellent ready-to-go condition. Just ask about this service with your salesperson. We have hundreds of styles of lights so look no further, you will most likely find what you are looking for in the vast lighting inventory of Olde Good Things.
Many of us may have found ourselves in and around the house much more than we would be normally. If this includes you, you may be finding various home improvements needed. You may be finding yourself frequenting Home Depot or Lowe’s quite a bit these days. Well, a great alternative, especially if you are looking for original items for the home, is Olde Good Things, with an extensive inventory of original hardware, lighting, doors, and more. And now that it’s a new year, why not make a resolution to visit us for unique original items for your home or office.
Maybe you would like to change out that light fixture in your breakfast nook with a stylish pendant or original bell jar. We have a vast lot of original glass and crystal bell jars with all new wiring and brass fittings. You can even find doubles of the same glass if you are looking for more than one.
Click here to view all Bell Jar Pendant Lights
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Classic Bell Jar Pendant Lighting Instills a Vintage Eclectic Edge
Also, maybe you’re looking for an unusual front door replacement or stylish French door for an alcove or entry to a back porch. Olde Good Things has over 3,000 original doors in our inventory at very reasonable price points.
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Of course, if you need a replacement doorknob, original hinges, or furniture pulls, our extensive hardware inventory covers over 5,000 square feet in our warehouse.
And finally, if you are just looking for something special from a unique, famous place, shop here to locate items from the famous NYC landmark, the Waldorf Astoria. You can find items including, original iron, lighting, mantels, hardware, and even food service items to brighten up a stay at home dinner meal with the feel of a luxurious restaurant visit.
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Olde Good Things Salvage from the Historic Waldorf Astoria New York City
Always something new, exciting, and different at Olde Good Things, we hope you visit us soon online and in-store. Most of the retail stores have limited hours so please check with each location before heading over.
Why do designers & architects keep coming back to source their lighting at OGT? What sets us apart from most lighting companies is the larger stock quantity of rare vintage/antique lighting & the restoration of these lights provided.
Photo credit: Erica Diskin of Assembly Design Studio
Boston Showcase at the Broadway Restaurant
Olde Good Things is known to acquire lighting from old factories and famous buildings that face demolition or renovation. The most recent large-scale recoveries took place at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, reclaiming well over 3000 lights. These lights are in such high demand because they provide a taste of old New York City history & represent a memory of special occasions with their purchase.
Located in our National Warehouse in Scranton, PA is the Lighting Shop. The shop carefully cleans, rewires, & upgrades parts in most cases to fully restore the lighting for modern installation. Generally, depending on the quantity, it will take about two weeks to restore most lighting but highly delicate lights may take longer. Certain specifications can be made such as finish color or drop height.
Below we compiled the top eight list of the large quantity lighting we currently have in stock in Industrial Lighting, Pendant Lights, Flush Mounts & Wall Sconces categories. All of the lights below have 10 or more in stock at the time of this posting.
The majority of these lights we salvaged from an old factory facing demolition. In the post, Colonial Eatery Brings Repurposed Architectural Elements view this style of lighting used in a restaurant space.
These lights below consist of antique schoolhouse globes, vintage globes, or milk glass shade paired with a new-made fitter. The finish and type are customizable. These are great examples of a kitchen island or bar lighting available. The post, How to Hang Kitchen Island & Dining Room Lights provides very helpful tips on positioning the pendant lights.
Most of these flush mount lights were salvaged from the Waldorf Astoria, New York City, and the others were uniquely acquired in Europe and New York. Again, turnaround time may vary depending on the quantity, but generally restoration time is around two weeks.
A few of the wall sconces were acquired new stock from Fine Lighting Company. The others were salvaged from the Toy Building, Waldorf Astoria, Greystone Hospital, and NYC Theater.
These are just a few examples of the types of lights we have in stock in larger quantities. Please contact us for specific types or finishes you are searching for. We have a huge inventory not listed online.
The kitchen and dining areas are two of the most important spaces in the home for combining ambience and functionality with lighting. They are the hearth of the home, the space everyone is drawn to, the area of nourishment for body and soul. Logically speaking, creating this resonance in kitchen and dining areas involves planning, particularly in relation to dining room tables, kitchen islands, and countertops.
Careful measurement of spacing and clearance is everything in making your lighting add to the overall ambience, organization, and spaciousness of your kitchen and dining areas.
For dining areas, consider how the table synchronizes with your lighting. Linear suspension lighting or multi-light pendant light fixtures go well with long dining tables which are almost always rectangular or oval-shaped. Chandelier lighting and single pendants are the best illuminations for square and round dining tables, with the light fixture centered over the table. Small rowed pendant lighting works, as well.
The overhead lighting should be spaced to leave an equal distance on the sides of the table is square or round, and an equal distance (about 6 inches) at each end of the table is long.
The entire drop of the fixture should be 28 inches to 36 inches from the bottom of the fixture to the table surface. Generally, in rooms with 8-foot ceilings, around 30 in. is optimal. You can add 3 in. if the ceiling is higher than this.
To space pendant lighting across kitchen islands and dining counters, first measure the island or counter surface. Measure the diameter of each light fixture/pendant. Add the diameters. Subtract the result from the length of the surface. Add “1” to the total number of your fixtures to account for spacing and the ends of the surface. So, if you have “4” pendants, use the number “5”. Now divide the subtracted result by this number. This will give you the length of spacing between fixtures.
Use the same formula for L-shaped bars. For a Kegger (corner) bar or two L-shapes attached by a 45 degree joint, use the formula for all three sides. Lighting for a U-shaped bar can follow the “U” shape, or you can space the pendants or fixtures in a straight line by measuring across the diameter.
For the drop of the light fixture (s), hang smaller fixtures 66 in. to 72 in. from floor to bottom of the fixture. Fixtures hung over islands, countertops, and tables allow a little bit of play in clearance because no one will be walking directly underneath, but you also want the fixtures to equally spread an appropriate amount of light for eating or working on your surface.
If you are starting from scratch in purchasing a light fixture for a kitchen or dining room, decide what your options are. A single chandelier or overhead pendants can be grouped directly over tables for dining or working on tasks, while sconces, ambient, and accent lighting are affixed to walls or hung from remote corners. You will need to ensure first that you have the electrical wiring necessary in these areas unless you also wish to bring in an electrician.
Come visit one of our Olde Good Things locations or view our selection online to select your ideal chandelier, pendant lighting, wall sconces, and other vintage lighting for home and commercial spaces.
A Short But Sweet History of Chandeliers
Classic Bell Jar Pendant Lighting Instills a Vintage Eclectic Edge
A few distinctive reclaimed items from historic places can take your space from plain rugged to rustic luxury. Architectural salvage always carries a story with it. When you know the story of your items, you can surround yourself with the fascination and warmth of times gone by in your contemporary setting. Take a look at how these homeowners transformed their cabin in Idaho with a few select items from Olde Good Things.
This salvaged gate highlights an entry to the cabin. OGT iron and wooden gates can be used both functionally and for decor, depending on the piece you select and your needs. Gates are available in various architectural period styles for a solid statement piece.
OGT end tables bring together a cozy living area and add functional, beautiful surface space to the bedroom. OGT salvaged furniture and building materials are green; we negate the waste of the manufacturing process and keep fine, older furnishings out of landfills. Our reclaimed furniture is also higher quality than what you can find in stores today, whether it is an intact salvage piece or one of our pieces designed in-house. You can find just about anything you are seeking — farmhouse tables, end tables, coffee tables, accessories, and lighting when you browse our quality reclaims.
Notice how this OGT mirror complements a rustic contemporary bathroom in the Idaho cabin. Our mirrors are salvaged from some of the most famous architectural landmarks. There are a wide variety of frames to choose from, including various metal and wood mirror frames, and stunning copper frames! Visit our line of altered antiques to see what we have available. We are always glad to offer suggestions on specs, design, and framing.
An industrial rustic fire door adds a wow factor to the cabin’s kitchen. This piece gives an edgy look to the overall design. You can see how the metal complements the prevalent wood in the cabin, giving the entire space sheen and texture.
We have doors for every use, many of them from iconic buildings. Check out our wide selection of salvaged doors in every style. Some of our latest includes doors rescued from the famous Waldorf Astoria in New York City!
The clients were pleased with the result of incorporating these charming home elements to their “little” barn-house in Idaho, as they call it. It only takes a few significant pieces to change the shape and feel of a space. Olde Good Things has a little something for everyone. Contact us for ideas today, or visit one of our locations.
The Waldorf Astoria was erected over an entire city block on Park Avenue, Manhattan, in 1931. It was the successor to the original on Fifth Avenue, which was demolished to make room for the Empire State Building.
The Park Avenue Waldorf Astoria was designed by New York architectural firm Schultze & Weaver, the architects who designed a line of Biltmore hotels and redesigned the Grand Ballroom of New York City’s Plaza Hotel. When the hotel opened, it was the largest and tallest hotel in the world at 625 feet and 47 stories. It hosted 1,416 guest rooms, each one unique, for a total of 2,200 rooms. Famous for its Art Deco luxury, this is the hotel that invented 24-hour room service in its early years. Herbert Hoover gave the opening speech from the White House on the radio in 1931.
Waldorf Astoria Drew the Elite & Famous
A 1946 conference held at the hotel hosted representatives of allied countries to discuss the future of eastern Europe after World War II. The April in Paris balls attracted figures like John F. Kennedy and Marlene Dietrich. Suite 2728 housed Marilyn Monroe when she hid away from Hollywood in 1955. In 1956, actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco convened at the hotel for their engagement party. Frank Sinatra lived on the 25th floor & later on the 33rd floor. Queen Elizabeth II Prince Philip stayed at Waldorf Towers in 1976. The Duke of Windsor and Mrs. Simpson lived on the 42nd floor in Royal Suite 42R.
Other visitors who appreciated the luxury of the Waldorf Astoria were Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Dalai Lama, Dwight Eisenhower, Vince Lombardi, John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, and every U.S. president after Herbert Hoover. The hotel served as the venue for the elite International Debutante Ball from 1954.
Before reconstruction began, the hotel’s most iconic spaces — the West Lounge known as “Peacock Alley”, the grand ballroom, and the lobby containing 13 murals and a floor mosaic by artist Louis Rigal — were granted landmark status by New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. The building itself was designated a city landmark in 1993.
Waldorf Astoria New York City Closes
The 86-year-old hotel, bought by China’s Ambang Insurance Group in 2014 for $1.95 billion, closed its doors on February 28, 2017. A major renovation project will turn 1,400 rooms into 375 luxury condos.
Olde Good Things began the project of salvaging the famous Waldorf Astoria New York City for renovations in 2017. The salvage included marble and wooden mantels from the Cole Porter Suite and doors from the Marilyn Monroe Suite, along with 2,000 light fixtures from the suites and hallways of the famous hotel. Other treasures rescued prior to refurbishment include chandeliers from the Starlight Room and other architectural elements from rooms steeped in history.
Investigate the amazing things we preserved from this NYC icon by visiting the Waldorf Astoria category online.
Top 10 Gifts from the Waldorf Astoria
Here you see photos of a London Pub, The Old Queens Head, designed with many decorative sustainable items from architectural antique sources all over the world. Riz Shaikh, owner and seasoned head designer of the Colombo Group with an eye for detail, envisioned a speakeasy design with warm sepia tones. He sourced decorative ceramic tiles, wooden paneling and wainscoting, fireplace mantels, elegant chandeliers, and church stained glass windows.
He chose Olde Good Things for multiple huge 4 ft wide chandeliers and decorative slag stained glass to create the warm ambiance seen in these photos. These multi-arm slag glass and bronze chandeliers once graced the banquet room of the famous Toy Center at 200 Fifth Avenue, which now houses the famous Italian market Eataly. The ceiling and partition walls, as well as the decorative amber-toned stained glass which decorates the back bar, were reclaimed from a Presbyterian Church, The Church on the Edge, in Northern New Jersey. The dark tone wood paneling adds warmth to his design. As seasoned designers know, the original patina is the key to its authenticity.
Our architecturologists are constantly seeking great finds like these chandeliers to make amazing statements in our customers’ creations. Only a fraction of these astounding treasures can be seen online, so feel free to call or visit our New York City and Los Angeles stores. You can also peruse our six-story department store warehouse in Scranton Pennsylvania, often referred to as a ‘candy store’ or ‘treasure trove’ for those with an eye for building with original antique architectural pieces in wood, marble, glass, and bronze.
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Chandeliers are one item that originated in high status and one which has consistently remained so throughout its development. Humans have typically reserved their best—and, in the case of chandeliers, brightest—resources for their places of worship. Churches and abbeys were one of the few areas where large crowds of people were able to go at the same time and unite for a common purpose. The clergy and the structures themselves were revered by the people and typically well cared for. This is where the first recorded uses of these innovative light fixtures developed back in the fourteenth century.
Having derived its name from a French word that means candle holder, the earliest chandeliers hung in churches and literally held candles with drip pans. The relatively simple designs were made of wood and shaped as crosses to serve practical functions: to provide light for as much of the inside of the church as possible at one time and reduce the possibility of fire from low lying, lit candles among large groups of moving people. The chandeliers were attached to the ceiling of other large spaces where crowds gathered, also, such as meeting halls.
The cost of the light fixtures was inhibitive even then, with only the common areas that benefited from crowdfunding and rich citizens able to afford to use the larger ones. Some households of modest means may have owned small versions of the wooden lights, with simpler designs and fewer candles ( seen below). It took no time for chandeliers to become the wealth status symbols they remain today, with castles commissioning the most elaborate fixtures for display.
18th-century glass chandeliers were produced by Bohemians and Venetian glassmakers. French leader, Louis XIV, ordered sumptuous chandeliers to adorn his castle and chandeliers became all the rage for the wealthy elite. During the Victorian Era, chandeliers dictated a social order for the aristocracy. The detail of the design, what they were made of, and the size determined how much clout a person had. Queen Victoria sent the heaviest chandelier known, to a fellow royal in Instanbul. This magnificent structure weighs just over four tons and holds 750 light spaces. A gift of a chandelier this substantial spoke of the Queens’ immense power and highest social status. The receiver of her gift must also have been in the top area of the royal ranks. This chandelier is still known as the largest Bohemian crystal chandelier in the world today, pictured below in Dolmabahce, Istanbul.
Chandeliers were then made of various other materials, metal being the most common choice, although crystal embellishments soon took over a great part of the design. The technology of glass production helped to develop crystal details for chandeliers. By the time the 1800s rolled around and gas was used in producing light, chandeliers were customized to accommodate the changes. However, once electricity began in the 1890s to be used for general lighting needs, chandeliers were no longer necessary for light but held steady as home décor.
Today, chandeliers still reign from up high as one of the most innovative ways to show household wealth and taste. Even though chandeliers have been somewhat losing to history; pushed aside by bolder, more industrial lighting options, the architect-urologists at Olde Good Things have gone out of their way to hunt down, salvage, and reuse vintage and antique chandeliers in 21st-century homes. The chandeliers in stock at our warehouses are made of almost any type of material, such as brass, bronze, glass, crystal, & iron.
We recently acquired a unique collection of chandeliers from Waldorf Astoria in New York City. The Waldorf Astoria opened its doors in 1931 and in the 1980s went under extensive renovation. So the collection is a mix of styles from the whole century. You have to see it to believe it.
