We found this steamer trunk at an antique store for $40. It's in really good shape, except the leather straps are a bit old and brittle. It's perfect for storing Zari's toys. The living room is also her playroom, and it was getting really messy with all of her toys scattered around and nowhere to put them. We thought about using it as a coffee table, but it was a little bit too high. So now it's against the far wall in our living room.
I like finding new uses for old items that are inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing. Yes, it would have been cheaper to buy a plastic Rubbermaid bin--but I wanted something durable, nice to look at, recyclable (you could burn or compost almost every part of this except the metal hardware and leather straps) and, most importantly, something that didn't add to the amount of stuff in the world. This trunk has been around for 80-100 years and will likely see at least that many more years of use if it is taken care of.
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I like finding new uses for old items that are inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing. Yes, it would have been cheaper to buy a plastic Rubbermaid bin--but I wanted something durable, nice to look at, recyclable (you could burn or compost almost every part of this except the metal hardware and leather straps) and, most importantly, something that didn't add to the amount of stuff in the world. This trunk has been around for 80-100 years and will likely see at least that many more years of use if it is taken care of.
