DIY Antique Steamer Trunk

Through our addictive watching of HGTV, we saw steamer trunks being used as coffee tables and were inspired to make it work for us!

My husband took his search to the handy-dandy, always helpful Craigslist where we found this beauty:

Front View

Back View

The Innards

Apparently, this steamer trunk came over from England full of potatoes over 100 years ago.   So says the guy we bought it off of, who bought it from a guy in Calgary eight years ago.

We bought this trunk for $100.  When we look at other antique steamer trunks for sale, they are significantly more expensive.  It's nutters.

As you can see from the photo's, its in a bit of rough shape, you might also say that it looks over a hundred years old.

While we wanted an antique looking trunk, we didn't want a dumpy looking, beat-up and ratty trunk sitting in the middle of our living room.

So, my husband sanded and stained the wood trim, primed and re-painted the metal, and repaired or removed the canvas and repainted.  He also ripped out the paper from the inside, sanded and stained it.

Had to throw this one in... because my puppy is so cute!

I absolutely LOVE how it turned out.  It far exceeded my expectations!  

As this project was getting closer and closer to the end, my husband became less and less sure that he wanted it to be our coffee table, and more and more that it should be somewhere else in our living room.

At this point, I'm not sure where it will go, but I'm super pleased with how it turned out. 

I clearly had nothing to do with this DIY, but have to give thanks to my super fantastically talented husband.  I heart you.

I will be linking this post with I Heart Organizing's linky party for Project: Projects and Show and Share Day at Just a Girl. Head on over to see some awesome projects!

Hutchy-Hutch

Bad post title, I know.  But I couldn't think of anything else!

Anyhoo..

Once we completed our new dining room set, a wine rack/glass holder thingy that we have looked out of place, and I didn't like it anymore.

It looked heavy and awkward, and I wanted a change.

My husband scoured Craigslist and found this:

Apologies for the poor picture quality, my husband took it on his iPhone.  

Now, the picture we saw on Craigslist looked like it was in much better shape than it actually was, it also looked like it was real wood, but it isn't.  Serves me right not asking enough questions before buying it!

Oh well, we both feel we over-paid ($60) but we are both happy with the way it turned out.

My husband did his thing: sanded, minor repairs,  primed, painted and put on new hardware.  He's so talented.

Voila!

Unfortunately, the doors didn't go back on the way they were supposed to, but you don't really notice it too bad.  The photo makes it look worse than it is.

Not too sure what I'm going to put in it yet, most likely my China, but for now its just random stuff.

I like the way it looks in the corner there.  It's a lot lighter looking, and is more practical storage-wise.

Yay for having a husband that can refinish stuff!!

I take absolutely no credit for this project, aside for saying that I wanted it painted white.  

My husband is amazing, and talented, and amazing.