aged beauty

Twenty-foot-long Ancient Chinese Elm timbers are being reclaimed from demolished 400-year-old Ming Dynasty structures to be milled into exquisite flooring. Nails were never used, so nearly all of the 25-inch-thick logs can be recycled into especially wide planks. Milling yields a rich butterscotch color with a deep chocolate swirled grain. Mountain Lumber, 800.445.2671; www.mountainlumber.com.