Have you ever wanted those wonderful architectural ornaments found in old house? There is a growing demand for old house parts. Think of fretwork, tin ceiling, plaster trimmings and beveled glass. There is usually a place for any of these goodies in even the most contemporary home. A striking piece of beveled glass, removed in the nick of time from the front door of a house due for demolition, can make a marvelous work of art in the parlor. Surround it with special lighting, tall plants and soft, upholstered furniture and voila – a master piece. Those wonderful pressed tin ceilings – originally devised to conceal the poor plaster finishes as well as leaks from rain and soot from gas lighting.

Those intricately carved wood sections that framed doorways or porches of gingerbread Victorian homes are being reproduced in many designs and sizes; they can be used to frame a door or window. Even plaster accessories are being churned out. Brackets, used to decorate the sides of stair treads, make wonderful supports for glass shelving. A designer recently faced a challenge in a living-dining room, in which two French doors led out to a beautiful garden; the room itself was typically contemporary, narrow and long with plain walls. Fortunately, a high ceiling made the space seem wider than it was.