Vintage Steamer Trunk Coffee Table

(This item is no longer available – contact me if interested in this style for a piece)

This vintage steamer trunk was passed down through 4 generations. Stickers on it related to its travel were dated 1952. Everything on it is original except the wedge/hinge that holds the lid open; it was thin and bent and would not hold the lid open, so we replaced it with a standard piece. I also added some wooden blocks inside the box in order to attach the legs to the bottom.

Vintage Steamer Trunk Interior Repairs

The interior paper was removed with a mixture of dish soap, vinegar, and warm water. I then applied 2 coats of Minwax Clear Satin polyurethane, using steel wool between coats for a smooth finish.

Vintage Steamer Trunk Exterior Repairs

Coated edges and hardware with Rust-oleum Rose Copper spray paint. Then applied 2 coats of Rust-oleum Charcoal Chalked paint to the rest. For the final seal, I applied 2 coats of Minwax Clear Matte water-based polycrylic to prevent scratches.

Finally, I added 4 triangle wedge-like feet off of an antique couch to the bottom of the trunk to give it a little height.

The trunk sits at about 16″ high with the legs attached and the top closed. It is 30 3/4″ wide and 16 1/2″ deep.

It would work perfectly as a coffee table in a large or small area. It has also been used as a storage chest/toy box and the inside is huge! Great for the foot of the bed storing blankets/sheets as well. The slate gray coloring goes great with anything!

Please feel free to contact me to create something in this style for you!

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