I've been amazed at the different ways restored antique ceiling tins are being used:

  • A Realtor friend gives a ceiling tin to her Clients as a "Thanks for buying your new home from me" gift.
  • Interior Decorators are using them in offices and homes - they're "one-of-a-kind" art decor.
  • The tins make unique Christmas, birthday, anniversary, Mother's Day, etc gifts.
  • One lady used them in her kitchen... as a backsplash. Another put them around her kitchen island.
  • Home Builders use the ceiling tin medallions above the chandelier, in the "recessed" ceiling areas.
  • A vintage ceiling tile makes a stunning fireplace screen... available by special order.

How I came to be in the "Antique Ceiling Tins" business...
For many years my brother lived in a little town in the Texas Panhandle. And when the the old school house was being torn down, Tommy bought some of the building materials. In the pile of stuff were several hundred rusty ceiling tins. Nearest we could tell, they were over 100 years old, and there were several different patterns..

He knows that I'm always doing something "crafty", so he gave me a stack of them. My husband pitched a fit! Since I didn't have a clue WHAT I was going to do with a bunch of old rusty, antique ceiling tins, I stuck them in the attic and forget about them. But about a year later I was in an antique shop and saw some ceiling tins that had been painted and were being offered as "wall decor".

They were stunning!

I took Gary to see them and even HE was impressed... immediately apologized and helped me dig the tins out of the attic. He mounted them on wooden frames, and I painted and hung them in different places in our home. I even salvaged a piece of one that was in really bad condition and made a shelf to go above the sofa. They turned out beautifully... even if I do say so myself. And everyone who saw them raved about how unique and beautiful they were. I sold a few, and gave some away as gifts. Pretty soon, I had folks calling wanting to know if I would make some for them. Little did I know what the demand would be!

It wasn't long before a business was born... DesignsByCheryl.com!

Since the majority of our panels are created from vintage ceiling tin that has been salvaged from old buildings and warehouses, each piece is unique. The availability of ceiling tins come and go, and most don't stay around for very long, so if the pattern that you order isn't available, we'll let you know.

Remember also, that each ceiling tin is hand painted... so no two are exactly alike in color.

They're very lighweight... they are tin, after all... and have a stained, wooden frame around them.

Cheryl


©2005-2007 BostonMountainPublishing LLC