Gone are the days where wooden blanket boxes sat at the foot of your bed, and stored, well, blankets. Trunks of all shapes and sizes are now being snapped up at antique stores and being dug out of family basements to be used as humble coffee tables. Not only do they add character to a room, they are incredibly useful. Storage just got a whole lot more hip!
Now for those who live in a rustic home with wooden floorboards and high ceilings, you have no excuse for not already doing this. But the good news is, even those in modern homes with slick lines can adopt an antique trunk. It will add a touch of old world charm to a modern space and become a great feature piece in your home.
My friend Elisa lives in a brand new apartment in NYC, complete with granite bench-tops and black leather stools. But her handy brother refurbished a gorgeous old wooden trunk and she now uses it as a fabulous coffee table. You can see by the picture (above) that this rustic piece really warms up her apartment.
The trunk on the right was purchased for $150 by our friends Scott and Kelly. It has an arched lid so not ideal for balancing a cup of tea, however they have placed their trunk in the entrance-way to their apartment as a decorative piece. (This one also comes with original lift out trays which provide a great storage solution).
If wood is not in keeping with your theme and you want something a little more industrial, keep an eye out for steel trunks. A steel trunk gives the room a more industrial look. I found this little beauty at The Antiques Garage in NYC for $150 and had to be dragged away from it kicking and screaming.
If you stumble on a smaller, square-shaped trunk you might want to snap that up as they make for a great side-table. Just place a lamp on top and place next to your lounge suite or bed. Below are a couple of trunks currently for sale in U.S and Australian stores.
- Buy this gorgeous British Trunk from Domayne in Australia
- Buy this Mayfair Coffee Steamer Trunk from Restoration Hardware in NYC
Penny xo
