A Metal Trunk Makeover with Vintage Book Pages
This makeover of a old metal covered trunk with vintage papers is a unique and beautiful upcycling project.
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.
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.
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:
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. If you purchase any of these products through the links, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. You can find our full disclosure here.
- Mod Podge Water based Sealer
- Scissors
- Retractable Utility Knife
- Book Pages from Old Book or you can use this
- Varnish to seal in the pages
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.
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.
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.
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.
The handles were also brushed with the varnish. I really liked that patina on the metalwork.
And here it is with the varnish, it makes the pages look even older.
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.
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.
If you like what you see, share it with your friends, or save it on Pinterest. If you really like what you see subscribe to my blog and get my adventures twice a week in your mailbox.
This is absolutely stunning, Mary! I love trunks and what you’ve done is a piece of art.
Thank you for sharing with the Creative Craft Challenge. Your beautiful work is featured!
http://redoityourselfinspirations.blogspot.com/2015/12/creative-craft-challenge-12.html
I did not see this till now. Thank you Robin!
I love how it lightened up the color. Great job!
It is a pleasure to look at it now. Before it was just one black mass. Now it is lighter and looks so pretty in the room.
I love old trunks like this! They all just seem like they were part of such incredible stories, and adventures! Like this one, traveling all the way from New York to Greece! 😉 I love the way you made it over, too!
Jess, thanks so much they really do carry lots of history with them, and to be able to restore them gives me such a happy feeling.
Mary I love what you’ve done with the old trunk! The old book pages were the perfect way to update the old trunk, and I love how the varnish aged the pages even more.
Your mother’s treasures are Beautiful! My mother gas made lots of dollies and table runners that she keeps in a cedar chest that she’s had before I was even born.
Thanks for sharing a little of your past.
Linda this one is really special. I lost my mom when I was 19 so these few treasures are what I hold onto. And the pages were a reminder of the past.
Mary, that’s quite a transformation! I have several old trunks up in my attic that look similar to yours…all from my family too. I can’t bear to part with them, but I know the time will come. What’s ours is only ours for a while and then it becomes someone else’s. This is a wonderful tribute to your mom. I have the same kind of treasures from my grandmother, which I keep in old suitcases. This is a great way to remember your mom!
Thanks so much Florence. I really wanted to make the trunk special so I could keep all her treasures in it. I also have a whole lot more trunks but those are for other posts. This one is the closest to my heart!
Love the trunk AND the doilies. I am also Greek. My grandmother made many of these doilies, some of which I still use. I seem to have become the keeper in the family of these doilies so I have been asking niece and nephew’s wives if they would like some of them. So sad to say they do not want them, so my sister in law and I came up with the idea of framing them or tacking them to handmade pillows so that they have something from their great grand mother. I’ve made some pillows, and they came out awesome. Even made one for a great great grand daughter in her favorite color!
Helen it is so nice to meet a fellow Greek. I know what you mean about no one wanting the doilies. When I was younger I kept them hidden and had framed one. I have lots of them and I’ll have to come up with an idea one of these days.Here is another idea you might like https://www.theboondocksblog.com/home/jewelry-organizer-for-earrings, It is a matter of the style each person has in their home. Thank you Helen for dropping by.
Wow! Impressive. It’s beautiful.
#wonderfulwednesdaybloghop
Thank you so much Jennifer.
Love how this turned out, Mary! I’ve got one that needs this treatment. I redid the inside, but think the outside could use it too!
Thank you Lora. I think it was easier than it looks once you get started. Good luck on yours.
Wow. This is so creative. I am not much of a DIY gal but I do admire your work.
Thank you so much Elise. I am honored!
I love how this turned out! Using the pages of the book was a great idea, and it looks beautiful! Thank you for sharing at Celebrate It!
Thank you! It is one of my oldest and favorite projects!
I love seeing examples of home decor using books! This is wonderfully inspiring, thank you!
Visiting from the Hearth & Soul Link Party.
Thank you so much Pauline. It was my first project with book pages and if I may say so, it turned out pretty well.
I love what you did with the trunk. And it holds such precious items. Absolutely fantastic!
Thank you Michelle, I am a huge fan of all projects with book pages.
Wow the pages of the that book worked out perfect to make this project awesome!!! Great job, thank you for sharing on Oh my Heartsie Girls Friday Features last week. Hope to see you again soon!
Thank you Karren and thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.
I love your trunk but even more I love seeing your mum’s items, What treasures!
Thank you so much Julie, my mom was so talented. I don’t even have a fingernail of her talent.