Uniquities Architectural Antiques & Salvage

Best of Houzz, 2016! For over 2 decades Uniquities has been Alberta's go to place for European antique building materials, architectural antiques, garden antiques, vintage furniture, wine antiques, antique shop fittings, industrial furniture, lighting and oddities. We also design and build shop fittings for restaurants and stores, as well as bespoke pieces for retail clients using 19th century reclaimed materials. In 1992, my husband and I purchased a 1912 heritage home. We quickly discovered that it was nearly impossible to find the particular architectural antiques we wanted for our renovation and realized that other people must have been feeling the same frustration! I grew up in Wales and my family always owned older homes, so I’m very familiar with salvage yards. We were constantly looking for pieces to complete restoration projects. It seemed natural for me to bring what was familiar to Calgary, with the hope that other people would love it as much as I do. From an environmental perspective, reusing original building elements diverts waste from landfills, minimizes energy and manufacturing costs and preserves valuable forestry resources. Repurposing is the most environmentally friendly way to build and decorate. Salvage also helps to preserve architectural history. When antique Jacobean paneling is thrown into the landfill, it’s gone forever. The superior craftsmanship and beautiful patina of old materials simply can’t be reproduced. Using these pieces in our homes creates something totally unique and meaningful – what could be more beautiful? We source our salvage and antiques primarily from Europe; the United Kingdom, France and Belgium. Our architectural materials are saved from the dismantling of buildings that have been slated for demolition. We have developed a very specific brand for the retail aspect of our business. We like to call it “rough luxe” – a celebration of imperfection. You’ll find 19th-century furniture, many pieces with their original finish, industrial and schoolhouse design items, lighting, antiques, rare oddities and vintage Persian rugs and kilims. We also have a well-stocked warehouse full of doors, windows, paneling, flooring, beams and more. www.uniquities.ca