Something Old? Before you chuck, check this out.

As Southeast Asian countries progress, many teak-wood homes and buildings are being torn down and replaced with modernized brick or concrete ones.

I recall living in an old style Malay "kampung" house while I was a kid in Melaka. When our family expanded, extensions were made to the house and in the process the hall made up of wooden planks and staircase to the entrance with beautiful and colourful inlaid tiles were demolished. If my family members have had the foresight to keep those tiles, we could easily sell them online or in antique shops along Jonkers Street for a good price.

Do you know that, there are also companies who would consider buying your wooden beams and planks that you can salvaged from the demolition? One such company is TerraMai. They sells "reclaimed" wood sourced from around the world. I read from their website that, SmartWood Certification Systems estimates that one thousand acres of old growth forest are preserved by reclaiming one million board feet of lumber.

So, on the next trip back to your hometown, take a look again at the old house to see what you can salvage before it becomes the next target for development. If you need some inspiration, here some ideas for those old shutters to start with.

Don't forget to take some pictures for your children to remember your childhood by.