PLUNDER WITH CARE GRANADA HILLS DESIGNER CINDI MILRAD LOOTS THE SECONDHAND SCENE AND FINDS GOLD.

Byline: Barbara De Witt Staff Writer

ONE PERSON'S trash is another's treasure.

Specifically, Cindi Milrad's treasure.

The Granada Hills resident has been known to check out trash bins by night, get to flea markets before most people have even had breakfast - and spot an item with what she calls ``potential'' before noon.

And by bedtime she's probably sanded, painted and decorated her treasure to complement all the other stylish castoffs in her Granada Hills home.

``I love looking for old things. What I really like is the design and quality of the past - especially the '30s,'' says the petite Milrad. Some might think she's obsessed with bargain hunting, but she calls it a therapeutic hobby much like gardening, and adds that it has allowed her to decorate lavishly without spending much money.

Stepping into her airy, light-flooded home, it's clear she loves white and weathered furniture. The decor seems inspired by Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic fame, but Milrad says she loved the look long before she'd ever heard of Ashwell.

Having similar tastes in decor was a bonus for Milrad, since she designs the throw pillows for the Rachel Ashwell collection available at Mervyn's stores. She's never met her, but Ashwell has approved her designs, which is a real compliment, says Milrad, who is in charge of product development for home textiles at Barth and Dreyfuss in Burbank.

Sitting in her living room, Milrad points out some of her treasures. Her favorite is a milky white-finished coffee table with dainty Queen Anne lines and a trio of mosaic designs on top made from broken china.

``I found it for $65 at the Long Beach Antique Market, and it had these cheap marble insets on the top of the table ... but I used some imagination to visualize what it could look like (with the mosaic designs),'' says Milrad, who admits it was one of her biggest projects, taking more than 20 hours to design the plate pieces, adhere them with cement and fill with grout.

Graceful wrought-iron floor lamps were also found at flea markets. They were black, but she painted them white, occasionally adding a little pink or gold accent with a sponge, then topping with a new old-fashioned lamp shade. And maybe a pearl necklace or other ornaments draped at the base for a touch of girlish glamour. On several vintage curio shelves - once brown and now white - are pastel-colored pieces of pottery, often shaped like ballerinas and swans. ``My big passion is California pottery, such as Roseville or Weller, which can go for as much as $125, but I've found these pieces for $10 to $15 at garage sales,'' she explains.

In her spacious all-white bedroom are more of her ``finds'' such as a wicker chair rescued from the trash, curtains she made from cutwork tablecloths and chenille bedspreads - plus dainty accessories found on the cheap at the Northridge Flea Market (held on the last Sunday of every month).

Other places she recommends are the antique shops along Sherman Way in Canoga Park and Main Street in Ventura because the prices are still reasonable, but she doesn't rule out off-price stores such as T.J. Maxx or home-improvement stores. In fact, she ripped out and completely remodeled her old bathroom with new tile, counter top, faucets, mirror and a chandelier for $1,000.

Many of the projects she learned from reading how-to books.

``Don't be intimidated by them. Most of the projects are easier than you think, and if one doesn't turn out right the first time, just redo it,'' she advises.

For the novice bargain hunter, Milrad advises looking at decorating magazines and noticing what the trends are in furniture stores so you'll know what to look for at flea markets. Eventually, you'll find the style that appeals to you, and that's what to focus on when you're shopping.

She again stresses the importance of looking for potential. ``Look at things with an open mind. Don't be turned off by something that's painted brown ... or is chipped or slightly damaged - because once painted, nobody will notice. Instead, look for the shape or silhouette, especially in lamps or curio shelves, and visualize how they might look in your house painted in a different color and decorated with your things. And sometimes you really will find a treasure - something that won't even need to be repainted,'' she says, referring to a metal baker's rack that was already painted the same shade of barely pink paint as her living room walls.

Love that weathered look?

Housewares designer Cindi Milrad shares these step-by-step directions for creating a distressed finish on any wooden object, whether it's kitchen cabinets, a dainty curio shelf or a picture frame:

1. Clean the item gently with soap and water. Then dry.

2. Check for loose parts that might need to be glued or nailed into place.

3. Sand off original paint or varnish but just until the shine is gone (so that paint will adhere). Milrad prefers a small hand-held electric sander for larger pieces, but with picture frames and delicate trims she suggests folding a piece of sandpaper and sanding by hand. Wipe clean to remove dust.

4. Apply water-based primer. Let dry.

5. Then resand areas where paint did not adhere. Wipe clean.

6. Apply two coats of water-based paint. Milrad prefers milk paint, which is sold in a powdered form and mixed with water to the consistency of thick cream - not milk. Milk paint is available at unfinished-furniture stores and Home Depot.

7. When dry, start sanding the edges to expose a little of the old wood or paint as if it had weathered naturally. If you sand off too much, just paint it and start over.

8. Apply paste wax; let dry. Then buff to give it a little sheen while protecting the finish from scratches. Milrad uses Briwax, available at home-improvement stores.

- B.D.

CAPTION(S):

6 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) One woman's TRASH

Decorator Cindi Milrad knows there's no such thing as junk

(2 -- color) Milrad rescued this wicker chair from the trash and designed the curtains from pieces of new chenille bedspreads. The valance is a tablecloth cut on the diagonal and draped over the rod.

(3 -- color) A coat of white paint on used furniture adds to the country charm of Milrad's all-white bedroom.

Relaxing in her living room, Cindi Milrad says flea-market shopping is not only thrifty but therapeutic.

(4 -- color) A. To prepare furniture for painting, Milrad sands off the shine on dark wood so new paint will adhere.

(5 -- color) B. Paint a primer coat, then sand again.

(6 -- color) C. After painting, use sandpaper to create a weathered finish.

Photos by Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer

Box:

Love that weathered look? (see text)