It’s deep winter and I’m craving all things cozy: warm drinks spiced with cinnamon or nutmeg, fuzzy mittens and knit scarves, and glowing candles in the cool dark evenings. And my design aesthetic shifts too. Summer’s bright whites and breezy linens won’t be a reality for a long time, and instead I want to surround myself in rich velvet or heavy wool. It’s like I want to retreat to a rustic cabin in the woods. Can you picture it?  Rough hewn beams, worn hardwood floors, knicked up old wooden furniture …

Weathered wood is definitely in style right now. I think there may be two reasons for this. One, we don’t want our homes to look so straight-out-of-the-box brand new; we want them to have character, patina, and a collected look. And second, more and more people are considering the environment in their design and re-using wood fits right in with the “Three R’s” mindset.

Here are some examples of reused wood in some beautiful interiors:

Design by Claire Archambault, Photograph by Monic Richard for Maison & Demeure

Wooden ceiling by Restoration Timber featured on Remodelista

Another ceiling clad with old barn wood. Design by Sarah Richardson and Thomas Smythe. Photograph by Stacey Brandford.

Design by Kevin and Layla Palmer from The Lettered Cottage

Reader room featured on Design*Sponge

Stairs designed from old wood by Jan Korbes, featured on Apartment Therapy

Painted barn boards. Photograph from Better Homes & Gardens

Design by Kriste Michelini Interiors, photograph by Lisa Duncan for Elle Decor

Design by Christie Hansen, architecture by Pearson Design, photograph by Virginia MacDonald for Canadian House & Home

As you can see, the material is really versatile – used on ceilings, floors, or walls; used for tabletops, staircases, headboards, or doors.  It’s used by high-end designers and every day handy DIY’ers. It fits in a pretty cottage, a funky vintage bungalow, a grand country house, or a clean modern condo.

So why not search your back yard, or UsedEverywhere, for wooden boards from old barns, sheds, floors, doors, palettes, boxes, fences… and add some old charm to your home?  I found this listing on UsedRegina offering old barn wood!

Old barn wood and windows for sale on UsedRegina

And if you do a project like this (or have already done one) please share it with us here at UsedEverywhere!