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A Metal Trunk Makeover with Vintage Book Pages

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This old metal trunk makeover, using vintage papers and decoupage, transformed a neglected, unused pieced into a beautiful side table for the living room!

DIY Metal-Covered Trunk Makeover

This trunk is a much traveled trunk.  It was born in New York many many years ago. And as time went on it moved to Greece.  

It has held many pretty things. Things such as curtains and a multitude of fabrics,  pillow cases and the like.  

But it is mostly remembered for having held a thing once known as a dowry.  Now if that concept is not vintage, well I don’t know what is.  It held lace doilies and needlepoint works and other handmade objects that were made by my mother a life time ago.  

Old Trunk before, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com

The metal covered trunk was old and not in fashion any more. And in great need of some sort of repair, or at least camouflage.

Old Trunk before, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com

So I embarked on this DIY old trunk makeover with a few supplies and a lot of imagination.

What I Used for This Metal Trunk Makeover:

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  For the longest time I did not know what to do with this old thing, till one day I chanced upon an equally old book, with old yellowed pages.

Ivanhoe SIr Walter Scott The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com          

Now this could not be a coincidence, that a book of chivalry should cover a trunk full of things from days gone by when chivalry was still prevailent. 

Old Trunk covered in book pages The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com

The How to:

Using Mod Podge decoupage medium, I placed the yellowed paper on all the surfaces of the trunk that did not have metal. I used a utility knife to cut around the metalwork.

Detail of old trunk covered in book pages, detail, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
Old trunk covered in book pages side, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com

    But that was not enough.  I wanted it to look still older, and so I painted it with a walnut tinted varnish. This was in Greece so I guess the closest you can get is this product.  The best solution would be to find yellowed pages

Detail of Old Trunk Covered in Book pages The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com

      The handles were also brushed  with the varnish.  I really liked that patina on the metalwork.

Detail of Old Trunk Covered in Book pages leather handle, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
Detail of old trunk covered in Book pages hardware The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com

      And here it is with the varnish, it makes the pages look even older. 

The chivalrous trunk, decoupage The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
The chivalrous trunk, decoupage top, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
The Chivalrous Trunk, decoupage side, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
The Chivalrous Trunk, decoupage The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com

        And now I’d like to show you just what I keep in that old chivalrous trunk of mine. These are my mother’s treasures, which she left to me 35  years ago when I lost her.

The Chivalrous Trunk, details doilies, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
The chivalrous Trunk, old bottles, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
The chivalrous trunk, details candle and doilies, The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
 The chivalrous trunk, details The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
The chivalrous trunk, doily The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
The chivalrous trunk, details The chivalrous Trunk www.theboondocksblog.com
The chivalrous trunk, decoupage with doilies www.theboondocksblog.com

  This is my way of honoring my mother, who was an exceptional lady.  Only a chivalrous trunk can hold the treasures of a lady.   My thanks to all of you for bearing with me  today and taking a walk with me to my past.

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Monday 2nd of November 2015

Oh Mary how beautiful, because of what you did with it and because of your memories about your beloved mom. And the doilies are so special and this way you can show them and see them every day! I have treasures from my mom and I love remembering her that way. Covering the trunk with those book pages is a fabulous idea! I would love a trunk, even thought right now I don't have room for it.

Mary

Tuesday 3rd of November 2015

Katrin, for years I had used it as a coffee table in the living room. I didn't have a coffee table and that was the right size. So the y are very versitile. Thanks for your very touching comment.

kathleen

Monday 2nd of November 2015

Such a lovely story! I've always loved trunks like these. You did a wonderful job and its such a nice tribute to your mother xokathleen

Mary

Tuesday 3rd of November 2015

Thank you so much Kathleen. I had that trunk sitting in the living room half finished and it was glaring at me. Sometimes it's hard to finish a project for no known reason. But I'm glad I finally got it done.

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