A three-legged couch? Practically perfect!
Magenta ball fringe? Simply fabulous!
Broken sticks? Instantly inspiring!
These humble items–and even ugly sidewalk leftovers–can be turned into things of beauty and awe, say Kathleen Hackett and Mary Ann Young, otherwise known as “The Salvage Sisters.”
After decades of picking through salvage yards and picking up people’s trash, these siblings have written their own how-to book, “The Salvage Sisters’ Guide to Finding Style in the Street and Inspiration in the Attic.”
The book describes 50 projects, from the basic (painting rocks) to the beyond (pulling a Maria von Trapp and creating a wardrobe out of curtains), intended to help widen the eyes to would-be decorating wonders.
At their author appearances, fans bring odd lampshades, old clothes, and whatnot that they just “know could become something stunning, if only they could figure out what.”
“Last week, someone brought a tablecloth with the state of Florida on it, and she loved it but didn’t want to put it on the table,” said Hackett, a ghostwriter in New York. “So we thought that maybe she could put it over a sofa back … or lay it in the guest bedroom–it’d be kind of fun.”
The sisters describe their style as quirky but elegant, apparently stretching the meaning of elegant to include pom-pom balls and cheetah-print fleece blankets. Who knew?
“Mostly, people are quite amazed that we created original items for the home in a mass-marketed world,” said Young, a freelance designer in Maine. “Our homes are unique and constantly evolving–and often tongue-in-cheek.”
The Salvage Sisters’ skill is being able to imagine a mirror covered in driftwood, or a curtain made out of shredded silk. They say they find things all over–at garage sales and abandoned on street corners, thrift shops and in alleys. Do they Dumpster dive? “Not necessarily, but if something’s peeking out, we’re not above hoisting it up,” Hackett said.
The sisters say their approach isn’t as much about acquiring stuff or having a lot of material goods as it is about “reimagining” things.
“We love the eureka moment,” Young said, “when we fall to our knees and figure out what we’re going to do with something. And often, multiple ideas come out.”
–KRT, THE DENVER POST
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The salvage rules
– When in doubt, don’t throw it out.
– Rust is a variation of red; red is an acceptable color.
– Never be the early bird at a yard sale. The real possibilities are in the rubble.
– Never sell among yourselves, trade only.
– Broken? All the better.
– Don’t look at it for what it is, look at it for what it could be.
– It’s about the eureka moment, not the thing itself.
– Make the recycling bin your first stop for art supplies.
– Hunt, find and tell. No secret sources.
– Never worry about how to get it home. Just get it.
–KRT
Endless possibilities
On a recent trip to Denver, the Salvage Sisters ripped through a Salvation Army store like thrift-shop tornadoes. Just inside the door, they spotted a $10 mirror that could be transformed into a driftwood-covered beauty like the one in their book, and a $30 low-slung credenza that would be a showstopper if given a new coat of paint.
In 30 minutes at the store, Kathleen Hackett and Mary Ann Young spotted a dozen or so items that could duplicate or expand on their ideas. Jeans can be turned into a denim quilt. Colorful silk blouses will be beautiful pillow covers. The sleeve of a striped sweater makes a chic nautical sweater for a little dog. Plastic dinnerware will add a splash to the lineup of fine china in a dining-room cabinet. High-backed upholstered armchairs can be cut down to more stylish dimensions.
Real simple
The Salvage Sisters told The Denver Post that they use simple tools for the projects in their book “The Salvage Sisters’ Guide to Finding Style in the Street and Inspiration in the Attic.” A glue gun and a sewing machine are about as advanced as the equipment needs to be for most of their ventures, they said.
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Edited by Curt Wagner (cwwagner@tribune.com) and Kris Karnopp (kkarnopp@tribune.com)
