20th century British born Kenyan aviator Beryl Markham once commented, “I have a trunk containing continents.” Well, your old trunks may not boast such a lofty contents, but they certainly have a huge compilation of fond memories. May be, you have kept them in some forgotten corners of your home, in a dusty old attic or basement.
Today we will give you some good reasons to pull them out from where they are hiding, dust them off and give them a fresh coat of paint. We know they are too precious for you to throw them out, so why not recycle and make better use of them? These twelve incredible examples will show you exactly how to go for it.
We love this stylish bedroom with a simple platform bed. But we love it more because of the sprightly presence of a rosy red trunk – a nice way to organise storage, a nicer way to upcycle an old trunk. The antique look only increases its charm and beautifies this space further.
See how the teal green trunk, still retaining some its vintage flavour, adds glamour to this living room. Can you imagine your old, weary and long forgotten box outmoding your latest furniture by several notches? Probably not. But this trunk-turned-coffee table has managed to do just that.
Wondering where to tuck your suitcases? Use them as your side table. The Acapulco chair may look very fetching, but see a little further beyond it to the leather suitcases turned into a fashionable side table. Could there be a better way of storing them than this? We think not!
Another spicy red trunk, this time to glam up the small balcony of a home designed by VL Arquitetura e Interiores. Its decorative presence looks cheerful enough, but it certainly can double up as a storage unit too. How about decorating your terrace the same way?
See how more than one trunk has been used to decorate this otherwise simple hallway. They act as additional storage units and one of them even doubles up as a hallway seat. Their wooden charm brightens up the space almost effortlessly.
Industrial décor is very much in vogue now. Why not take inspiration from this bedroom and recycle your old suitcases? Add a coat of paint is they need it badly. Stack them up by your bed and use them as a nightstand. You can avoid a lot of clutter by effectively making use of your old items.
If you have lots of old boxes in smaller size mount them on the wall and use them as trendy display cases. Decorate them with your collection of vintage items, photographs and flowers. You can also use this nifty trick to spice up the walls of a kid’s room. Only use toys and artworks, preferably created by them, to decorate these shelves.
Have you ever wished that your living room was really ridiculously good-looking? Make the dream come true by transforming your old trunks into stylish coffee and side tables. Use them to store household knick knacks, books and magazines. Decorate them with a couple of pillar candles, a vase full of fresh flowers and one or two works of art. This is certain to increase the beauty of your rooms enormously.
The décor of this bedroom, planned by Viterbo Interior Design, showcases a couple of very interesting features. The vibrant colour looks spectacular, but equally stunning is the lacquered trunk at the foot of the bed. It is also decorated with a sculptural piece, a nice touch for a chic room.
Want to give your under stair space a stylish makeover? Bring out some of your old trunks. Varnish them or use a fresh coat of paint suited to your interior colour scheme. Place beautiful flower vases, table lamps and a handful of other decorative items on top of it. Make it look like a modern dresser handcrafted for this exact purpose. Needless to say, use them as added storage space too.
An added sheen for the living room, a cool recipe for repurposing the trunks. Used in the centre of the room and strategically stacked in on one of the corners, they are decorated with candles, a framed photograph and a table lamp.
How about using your old trunks to brighten up the corners? Refurbish and use them to place a prominently framed photograph or painting, potted plant and a vintage lantern. A corner decorated in this fashion will also add an element of surprise in the interior of your home.
Want to take the vintage vibe a step further? Find out how to give your living room a Gothic makeover!
Is it space-saving tips you're after? Do not forget to check some highly efficient storage solutions for a small bathroom!