Transformed Treasures

Ginger is an expert at seeing beauty in things others dismiss. The results are evident in both her largest work of art—her home—and in her whimsical creations. “My sister walked into the house and said, ‘I don’t know what you see,’ ” she remembers. “Even the Realtor said, ‘People get divorced over projects like this.’ ” But she and Doug have enjoyed giving the forgotten farmhouse a second life. She offers these helpful hints for winnowing a treasure from the trash:

c Imperfectly Perfect.

Ginger’s key to upcycling discarded goods is to look beyond their original function and dream up novel ways to display them. For example, she plucked part of a crib set out of the trash, painted it white, and it’s now suggestive of a fireplace screen— complete with tiny stockings.

c Windows of Opportunity.

Doug crafted toppers out of barnwood to serve as dressings for the living room windows. He designed them to be reversible—one side is plain to accommodate holiday greens, and the opposite side has a stencil that serves as a year-round decoration.

c Inspired by a Theme.

Ginger gathered horserelated items and layered them to make an attractive wall hanging. A horse collar anchors the grouping, and details such as a metal horse cutout, aged chain and riding gloves make it an eyecatching arrangement against the light-colored brick wall.