A business owner in Boston e-mailed me the other day to vent about a homeowner who eschewed her bid to restore the leaded glass windows in her Tudor-style home, choosing to go with the installation of new windows instead. It seems the leaded glass is already gone, and that’s a shame.

Shiny new things are fun, but there’s a lot of treasure to be found during a home renovation. Tons of discarded fixtures, furniture and supplies still have a lot of life left in them, and it’s not usually hard to find someone who will put it to good use.

I wouldn’t decorate my garden with old toilets-a theme I have read about-but I do love to run across examples of old things given new life. One homeowner I know ran across discarded doors from the Indiana Statehouse and put them in her own home. They’re gorgeous.

On the other hand, one friend of mine grew frustrated while clearing out her parent’s home. They were dedicated auction-goers and had a barn full of stuff they’d stored but never restored. One exception is a pew from her family’s church which is now on display in her sunroom.

What do you think about salvaging old stuff? Do you consider it environmentally friendly or evidence of pack-rat tendencies?