Architectural Salvage: Make Some, Buy Some

My living room/dining room is one big, boring rectangle with no architectural interest whatsoever. When remodeling this room recently we thought about putting in some columns with shelves but that just wouldn't work as it would have cramped the living room.  The next best thing would be to have the "illusion" that the two rooms were separated without losing the views from both sides or losing precious space.  That's when I started looking for a pair of antique corbels.

I won bought a pair on eBay. Couldn't live without them.  You know how that goes!  I wanted to hang them between the two rooms.  But normally corbels are attached to a beam.

Beam?  What Beam?

 
Not a problem when you have a junk heap corporation yard like we do.
There's some nice aged redwood in there.  Just enough for a beam! 

We made a trial beam.  Thumbs up!

Gerry and my husband (The Professor) building the beam.

Supports are up.

Beam is up.  Time to nail it in place.

  Oops.  Poor baby. Not a good thing to hammer your finger instead of the beam :(

I love my new beam!

Once that finger isn't so sore we'll put the corbels up.

For now the corbels look nice on the sideboard.  Can you see the beam in the mirror?

Linked to:

Simply Designing The Shabby NestBetween Naps on the Porch It's so Very Cheri Tip Junkie