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Meet the Host
Don Short
In 2006, Don moved his business into a 50,000 square foot warehouse on the edge of downtown Des Moines and West End Architectural Salvage was born.
About The Show
Episodes
See Episode GuideAn Unused Dining Room Is Transformed Into A Luxurious Lounge
Like many modern homeowners, Angie and Brett don't use their formal dining room one bit. Now, these two are ready to wipe the slate clean. They want an adult entertaining space and they're turning to Don Short and his band of misfits for a complete makeover. Using a copper cupola, some salvaged shutters, and drawers off a vintage card catalog, the West End team turns this hum-drum dining room into a swank lounge filled with bold colors and one of a kind creations.
The West End Salvage Team Creates the Ultimate Bachelor Pad
Daniel doesn't know what to do with his tiny eight hundred square foot downtown loft. He wants his place to function as living room, dining room and home office to boot, so he's hired Don Short and the team at West End Salvage to completely change the space from top to bottom. After flipping the floorplan to improve the flow, the guys install a focal wall made from salvaged lumber with some hidden storage. A playground tunnel, purchased from their favorite pickers, inspires an idea for a new dining table. Using the tunnel as a base, Hal then designs a fold out table with seating for up to ten guests. With everything headed in the right direction, Hal heads off to a concert. That's when Don steps in and flex's his design skills, creating a side table out of oversized wooden spools and a chandelier out of a teeter-totter. Is it the right touch for this playful space, or will Hal have to wrestle back creative control upon his return? Tune into West End Salvage to find out.
The West End Salvage Team Brings a Bohemian Look To a Master Bedroom
Joe and Rachel are looking for a big change in their master bedroom. They love the high ceilings and the large footprint the space offers, but are stumped as far as decorating goes. Just so happens that their neighbor is Brian, one of West End's carpenters, so they've come to the shop looking for answers. Based on their wants and some photos the couple presents, Hal and Don draw up a Bohemian design filled with upcycled elements. Brian isn't one hundred percent behind the idea, and rides Hal at every turn. He's especially freaked out by a collection of birdcages he's tasked to turn into a chandelier. When it's all said and done, will Brian's worst fears come true, or are Hal's instincts right on the mark? Tune in to the next episode of West End Salvage to see the reveal and what comes after.
Don Short and the crew at West End Salvage use reclaimed goods to make over a boring master bedroom
For the last six years, Don Short and his team at West End Salvage have been taking reclaimed architectural items and repurposing them into décor that could pass for works of art. Now they're turning their attention to making over an entire bedroom for homeowners Lauren and Stu Steenhoek. Using old barn wood, a reclaimed pocket door and some old tin ceiling tiles, Don and the guys turn a boring suburban bedroom into a one-of-a-kind space with a real sense of history.
Blah Basement Gets a Beauty Boost
Mark and Amy are at a loss on how to turn their boring basement into a comfortable and stylish entertaining space so they turn to West End Salvage for help. The West End team wastes no time in ripping out their drop ceiling, installing a new focal wall made from salvaged tin and retrofitting old oak tables into a sleek media center. While the team works on Mark and Amy's basement, they're also commissioned to create memory vignettes for a nursing home franchise. Using vintage items and collectibles they've bought from various pickers they assemble a wide variety of one of a kind art pieces. It's a busy week at West End Salvage as they put the final touches on Mark and Amy's room. The young couple love their newly designed entertainment space and are looking forward to the many parties they'll be throwing.
Don Cracks The Whip To Get Projects Done For A Local Racetrack
After meeting with the president of the Iowa Speedway, Don and the guys are hired to create three different tailgating games for the track's 25,000 fans to use on race days. Each game needs to tie into automobile history, but the shop is short on vintage car parts. To find enough pieces to work with, Don and Hal gain access to an auto graveyard which features hundreds of rusting cars just parked in a forest. Once back at the shop, Don has trouble getting Rex and Brian to complete the custom builds in the tight, two-week timeframe the track has requested. Something that's not helping his cause is Hal, who wants a new, mid-century modern mailbox for his own home and has secretly moved his pet project up to the front of the line.
A Dismal Den Gets an Unusual Update
Tasked with redecorating a large family room in suburban Des Moines, Don Short and the team at West End Salvage pull out all the stops, including reclaiming one hundred and ten year old chalk boards from a rural school house. With salvaged slate in hand, they set out to resurface an outdated fireplace, then turn their attention to the rest of the room. Meanwhile, back at the shop, master builder Brian attempts to outdo Rex with a one of a kind wine station for a charity auction.
Blah Bedroom Gets Glam Treatment
Divided by different styles, homeowners Dan and Shannon ask the West End Salvage team to intervene and update their boring master bedroom. With a mix of cool tones, rich fabics, and a new star-burst ceiling treatment, the team creates a one of a kind rustic luxe style bedroom that blows away both Dan and Shannon. Adding some competitive fun into the work day, the guys set up a friendly challenge to see who can come closest to mimicking owner Don's eclectic art projects. Honored that his employees want to emulate him, and fueled by his competitive nature, Don joins in the fun but changes the rules. Whoever's project sells first is the winner. Game on.
An Unused Dining Room Is Transformed Into A Luxurious Lounge
Like many modern homeowners, Angie and Brett don't use their formal dining room one bit. Now, these two are ready to wipe the slate clean. They want an adult entertaining space and they're turning to Don Short and his band of misfits for a complete makeover. Using a copper cupola, some salvaged shutters, and drawers off a vintage card catalog, the West End team turns this hum-drum dining room into a swank lounge filled with bold colors and one of a kind creations.
Building a Bar For an Out of State Football Fan
Don and the crew at West End Salvage are approached by clients who recently relocated from nearby Nebraska. The wife is in the middle of giving her football loving husband the ultimate Corn Husker haven in their basement. They task the team with finishing off the space with a perfect bar. Inspired by their story, Don gets the Basement Boys to build a custom piece with two acutal vintage corn huskers as the foundation. Meanwhile, Don takes the difficult job of turning a heavy glove mold press into a lamp and pawns it off on Joe.
Will Work for Beer: Tables For a Local Brewery
The West End Salvage team is asked to create tables for a local brewery. Inspired by the nearby bike trail, they deconstruct vintage bikes to incorporate handlebars, wheels and more into moveable tables. Don is surprised with the extra effort Rex and Brian are putting in to the project after they are promised some beer from the brewery. Hal and Joe purchase an old Jon Boat from some pickers and are determined to transform it in to something that's never been seen before. While sawing the boat in half, they make a surprising discovery, a treasure more than a century old.
When In Doubt, Expand a Table That Is
No space, no problem! This could be the new motto for the men at West End Salvage. When Audrey and Dylan bring the boys their most compact project to date, the guys rise to the challenge. Using some ingenuity from the early twentieth century, some salvage from their favorite spot, Iowa farms, and some old fashioned elbow grease, the guys come up with a fantastic solution to Audrey and Dylan's kitchen seating needs. The busy team even has time to build an elegant wine glass chandelier made of old farm wheels for Don's friend Kristi. But Rex has the icing on the cake, he takes an old, non-selling jukebox from the fourth floor and makes something supremely one of a kind. Then to top it all off, Hal buys a monkey sprinkler from a picker that you're going to have to see to believe.
The Guys Turn A Vintage Travel Trunk Into A Shelving Unit
When clients come to the shop with a vintage trunk, Don suggests turning the family heirloom into a six-foot high shelving unit. Although they are hesitant at first, the owners agree and the guys get busy slicing the unit into four pieces while preserving as much history as possible. Meanwhile, a picker brings by three old, oversized carts that were once used by The Des Moines Register to move piles of papers around their facilities. Don re-imagines the carts as dumbbell storage for a local gym and adds lightning rods and punched metal as decorative pieces. At the same time, the guys take an early 1900's icebox and convert it into album storage for the hipster set that may or may not live in Des Moines.
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