Suitcase Coffee Table
This might be too easy to even post but the idea could inspire and that is always fun to pass along.
First I’d like to give a big thanks to my girl Danica for finding this beauty at a yardsale and giving it to me because she knows my obsession with rust, old, and trunks 😉
Sure it is beaten, a little water damaged, and musty smelling but after closer inspection it was a storage trunk on a Naval battleship and that means I have my own little piece of US History.
I didn’t do much to this besides putting a cup of vinegar in it for a week to remove odors.
Removed all the flaking that I could, the handle is very brittle.
Added four Straight Top Plates and then four legs from lowes that were painted with Buffalo Brown. I went with these for the height and the shape. This case needed bulky straight lines, no girly shapely legs for a manly military piece of history! 🙂 Well, that was easy 🙂
What an inspiration! I have two identical trunks (one was my grandmothers) and I wanted to stack them on top of each other in a corner of my living room. I was going to store some (I have TWO rooms full, I am so obsessed) of my fabric in them–when you have as much as I do, you have to be creative. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get to the bottom one, but after seeing yours, I can put wheels, legs and store my fabric into an easily accessible trunk and now I just need to decide how to paint them.
I love your site and the fact that you are from TENNESSEE gives me pride. I will be ordering!
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I’m so glad. It was one that I almost didn’t post because it was so easy but I’m glad I did. I love it…just the right height for a table and anytime you can store treasures it is win win! 🙂
Thanks so much Shannon
I’ve got a water stained steamer trunk- used to have all these great stamps on it- (but I do animal rescue and they were chewed off) My question is this- did you remove the hardware from the trunk or just paint it- I SO don’t want to mess with the hardware- but you’ve inspired me and I will if I have to. Love the vinegar idea!!
Linda, I didn’t paint anything but the legs on this one. Tape over the hardware if you want to save it…I love the aged hardware so if you can save it..go for it. I’m not sure if you can remove it..just depends on how it is attached. Share when you finish..email me if you have any questions.
Shannon