Customer Projects Gallery Jacksonville, FL

While all of our custom farm tables are built from authentic salvaged or reclaimed wood, you can rest assured that when shop Manager Billy Leeka takes on a new project that the Eco Relics Wood Shop will be creating another stunning table. Most of our tables are built with lumber that we have either salvaged from old barns, historical houses,…

Buying furniture can be a daunting task for the ecologically-motivated shopper. A life cycle assessment of the average piece of big box store furniture is a scary sight. Carbon emissions, toxicity of materials, forestry practices, VOCs, and other concerns often lead furniture seekers to greener alternatives. Vintage Furniture Vintage or used furniture is one option. By keeping money out of…

There is just something incredible about having antique kitchenware and iron pots and pans in your home. Whether it is to decorate or to use in a functional way, it is just plain fun. What would your guests say when they see you serve a meal in an antique dish? What about when you find an item that reminds you…

Of all the building supplies acquired at the Eco Relics architectural salvage company, vintage and antique doors are among the most sought-after. Doors are often taken for granted, but they preform many silent (or squeaky) services beyond their aesthetic appeal. When open, doors admit people, animals, ventilation, and light. When closed, doors prevent the spread of noise or fire, enclose…

A Very Short History of Signage Merchants and tradespeople have used signs to advertise their services for at least 5,000 years. Symbols, rather than writing, was the preferred method to communicate to potential buyers before widespread literacy. In ancient Rome, a bush of ivy and vines engraved in stone or terra cotta indicated a tavern. Besides directing thirsty patrons to…

What is the difference between an artist and a craftsperson? That is the question I contemplated when I started thinking about the Fabrications Crew here at the Eco Relics architectural salvage warehouse. As it turns out, most of our fabricators would probably consider themselves both artists and craftspeople. Outside of work they paint, draw, and sculpt. They bring that creativity…

Food with Purpose For brevity’s sake, many people refer to Southern Roots Filling Station as a coffee shop. While the description is not inaccurate, Southern Roots proprietors Mariah and JP are selling more than just delicious coffee, food, and bulk. They are also selling a healthy and down-to-earth way of life. Healthy food has an expensive and snobby reputation, Mariah explains,…

Richard Bilyard’s Epoxy River Table Each item that comes into Eco Relics has a story. Every piece of lumber was once a tree. Once materials leave the store, they embark on another journey, a new chapter to its story. The Eco Relics DIY Customer Creations Facebook page is full of wonderful creations and this month we spoke with Richard Bilyard…

The Eco Relics crew is a great resource for Jacksonville’s DIY community. We are wood workers, metal workers, engineers, draftsmen, and builders of all kinds with over a century of experience and we are always available for you to consult. And we’ve just deepened our knowledge and experience by adding another unique personality to our crew. Let’s take a minute…

Our custom craftsmen in the wood shop, are always looking for creative ways to use live edge cookie slabs, and when Billy was approached by a customer with a different idea, he knew he could count on Roni Luebkert of RL Pyrography to help with this Cookie Slab Table With Pyrography And Paint Design project. (Click here to see another…

While sorting and organizing the vast vinyl collection at the Eco Relics architectural salvage warehouse, I came across several records produced right here in Jacksonville. While our fair city might not have the musical reputation of New Orleans, Austin, or Nashville, the truth is that Jacksonville has played a very important part in America’s musical history.   Ashley Street might…

Preservation and Salvage in Jacksonville, Florida After 6,000 years of human habitation, only a tiny fraction of Jacksonville’s historic buildings survive. The pole and palm-thatch buildings constructed by Mocama Indians are long gone, of course. The mysterious Fort Caroline, Jacksonville’s first European settlement, has never been located. The Kingsley Plantation house, built around 1800, is probably the oldest surviving structure…

Thanks to our custom wood shop, Eco Relics gets to work with some of Jacksonville’s greatest small businesses. The folks at Grassroots Natural Market recently contracted Eco Relics master fabricator Kris to construct a display shelf for their store. A Grassroots customer himself (sandwiches, smoothies, and Dr. Bronner’s Magic soap, an Eco relics favorite), Kris had a good idea what…

Looking to beat the heat this summer? You don’t need a pool or beach-side address to capture the shady relief of a traditional cabana. With a few modifications, a porch, deck, or even a room indoors can take on the look and feel of a cabana in your own home. Even folks in New York City are getting in on…

More than fifteen years ago, Robert and Mary purchased an old lamp base in a Williamsburg, Virginia antique store. To the untrained eye it might have looked like a candidate for the trash can. The electric components were shot, the shade was missing, and the metal base was tarnished and corroding. But Robert and Mary recognized something in lamp base’s…