Photo Essay: Upcycling an Old Iron Storage Trunk to a Quirky Living Room Accessory

By Rashmi Gopal Rao

Storage trunks of the yesteryears have always caught my fascination.  Normally tucked under the bed or stashed away on the attic, these black/ olive green heavy duty iron storage boxes have a unique charm.   Also the fact, that it holds something that is precious inside, always evoked a sense of excitement in me.

Nowadays, of course, these trunks are rarely used and have given way to the more ‘modern/sleek’ storage options.   Recently, when I chanced upon a trunk being given away by a family, I opted to buy it and decided to upcyle it into something unique and with a ‘bohemian’ appeal. 

Here are some ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures:

BEFORE:

WORK IN PROGRESS:

The magic of brush, paints and art material The box painted yellow with the handle, hinges, locks and latch painted orange

AFTER:

Trunk Top One side of the trunk Another side of the trunk Back of the trunk Front part of the trunk

The trunk has been the cynosure of all eyes and has attracted more attention than I could ever imagine by everyone who visits my house!

Given my love for the old and vintage, I decided to leave this tiny, worn out yet adorable label intact:)

Note: While the entire concept including the color scheme, images, patterns and design is mine, the very talented Ravi from Benakams Academy of Art and Design with whom I have worked earlier, helped execute the whole design.

To read about my other upcycling/make over projects, click here and here.