“Junk Beautiful: Room by Room Makeovers With Junkmarket Style” by Sue Whitney and Ki Nassauer (Taunton Press, $25): Trash turns into treasure when these authors go hunting for ways to redecorate on a budget. Searching flea markets, Dumpsters and tag sales, the two show how to create a unique look while not spending a small fortune. Their ability to find and re-imagine how to use cast-off items is pretty amazing: a chicken feeder turns into a light fixture; a cart from a flour mill turns into a reading-room table; a broken piece of ceramic trim becomes a stand for a vase. There are dozens of examples of repurposed items, each distinctive in its own way and used to refurbish a tired-looking style. Their collecting and redesign ideas combine to create comfortable, attractive living spaces and take what was junk out of the trash heap.
- PAM ROBINSON