Summers work gives value to valueless antiques.
While most collectors like to look for items that were created more than 100 years ago, Summers looks for things that were created 60 to 70 years ago, at a time when people didn't have a lot of money for fine furniture. The wood used in these pieces wasn't necessarily meant to be shown, but for Summers, it serves as a canvas to create works of art such as this. Many people bring Summers a piece that has been in the family and is treasured but is in deteriorated shape. Sometimes they suggest a design, but most often they are repeat customers, who trust her judgement to paint an appropriate and exquisite design. When Summers figured out that the cheaper-pieced items that she spruced up were selling faster than bona fide antiques, she knew she had found her calling.