My craftsman home in South Pasadena was built in 1903. One of the original glass door handles became stripped through 100 years of use and broke. This is the door we use to access our laundry room from the kitchen – so needless to say it has gotten used a lot.
But where on earth am I going to find a replacement vintage glass door handle in relatively good shape from 100 years ago? It turns out the answer is simple, elegant and very close by – Pasadena Architectural Salvage.
This local shop is filled with just about anything you may need to replace in a craftsman home from the early 1900’s. Each item is authentic and has been preserved from another home or business of that era. When you enter the shop you are greeted by very friendly and knowledgable people who truly care that you find what you are looking for. Within just a few minutes inside of Pasadena Architectural Salvage I was staring at a bin filled with similar glass handled door knobs.
Ironically, I was willing to replace my door handle with pretty much any door handle that looked similar – until I was presented with dozens of options. Then I got picky and started noticing every (extremely) minor flaw. Eventually I settled on a well preserved glass handled door fixture what was slightly larger and more elegant than the original. It still maintained the authenticity of the original door.
My original glass door handle (l) and the replacement from Pasadena Architectural Salvage (r)
I took the piece up to the front and met co-owners Gayle Stoner and Wendy Chambers. Gayle graciously showed me around a bit – pointing out unusual pieces and allowing me to view a new section of the store that is currently being remodeled as a plumbing-related showroom. My thanks to Gayle and Wendy for being so professional, helpful and nice. I have posted a few pics I took below. However, these few pictures don’t do justice to a shop so close by that contains hundreds (if not thousands) of hard-to-find craftsman pieces all within a few minutes drive of South Pasadena.
If you are searching for a piece to match in your craftsman home you can find outstanding examples of: doors (both interior and exterior), window frames, stained glass pieces, vintage sinks, clawfoot tubs, period toilets, lighting fixtures of every description from modest period glass fixtures to oversized industrial lights, and hardware galore. I could easily have spent hours in this store finding new gems on every counter and around every aisle. It’s literally a living museum of craftsman era art – that functions in our homes and brings joy to everyone who sees them.
My thanks to Gayle and Wendy and their associates for a great afternoon at Pasadena Architectural Salvage. If you’d like to stop by – here are the details:
Pasadena Architectural Salvage
2600 East Foothill Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91107
(626) 535-9655
www.pasadenaarchitecturalsalvage.com
Co-owners of Pasadena Architectural Salvage – Gayle Stoner (l) and Wendy Chambers (r) – showing off a rare vintage British phone booth destined soon to be a display piece in a residence.
Vintage light fixtures including one that bears a striking similarity to the SouthPasadenaHomes.com logo.
Just some of the vintage pedestal sinks at the shop.
Need a key for an old door lock? They have those.
