I absolutely adore vintage suitcases – the look of them and the history behind them. I especially love when you find a new suitcase and see the tags and names of the owner inside them, wondering who the bags owners were and which countries they had visited!
There are many ways to use your suitcases in your decor:
1. They are great for creating a succulent garden. Succulents or cacti do not need to be in dirt, so fill it up with rocks or bark instead. You can leave them in pots or plant them directly into the suitcase. This is a really quick and easy project!
2. Vintage hat boxes can be stacked on each other to be a great bedside stand. They also add plenty of storage for books, night creams or pyjamas. You will find them really handy! They are even great for storing all your hats. Place your bedside lamp on top or your alarm.
3. Vintage suitcases are perfect for extra storage. They look great on top of your wardrobe, like I have shown below. Try to get suitcases in similar shades or styles to add a sense of unity! I store my vintage overcoats in here as they take a lot of room in my wardrobe.
4. A vintage suitcase can be made into a bedside table. Get your hands on a vintage side table or the legs from one. I love the look of vintage designer Eames table legs. You can purchase the legs in second hand stores or online. Then to make the suitcase sturdy, screw the legs to a piece of wood, cut to the exact size of the suitcase, and screw the suitcase to the wood. Glue some vintage paper to the inside of the suitcase. Leave the lid of the suitcase up and put in your bedside lamp, or any other cute vintage items you would like to display. You could also use it as a side table in your lounge room and keep the lid closed, for extra storage.
5. Get your hands on a full set of vintage suitcases for a great statement piece in your room. My daughter got me the below full set for Christmas. I absolutely adore them!! Stacked on top of each other, they look fantastic and you will be surprised by the amount of storage that is available! Try to purchase suitcases in their original set collection, but if not, try to collect suitcases in similar style, shape and colour.
6. Another option is to screw the suitcases to a wall to make shelves. I found this by searching online on Pinterest and thought it was a great idea! This is a creative and unique way to show off both your vintage suitcase collection and vintage artefacts you display on top. I have not tried out this DIY project, but I found a handy step-by-step intractable on how to complete this. Check it out here.
7.Vintage suitcases are also excellent to use for the original intention – luggage bags when going on vacation. Vintage suitcases are always large and spacious for your items and made with quality so are always hard-wearing and durable. Their durability will make them last forever! The vintage authenticity will add a retro look to your own outfit and will look totally unique and different!
8. Other ideas are to screw in small legs and add a cushion and decorate for a cute dog or cat bed. The lid of the suitcase can be used to store your pet’s toys! You can open a larger suitcase and add in some shelves buy cutting wood to size and screwing them in place to make shelves. A great idea for stacking books or CDs. My final idea is to put legs on the bottom of the suitcase, remove the top, add foam filling and cover it with material, for a funky footstool.
Enjoy looking for the perfect vintage suitcases to suit your personality and finding many more creative uses for them. Let me know if you have any other ideas!
Back soon……
Ridiculously Retro xx
Shelf source: https://au.pinterest.com/pin/384143043203995885/
Foot stool source: http://redesignreport.com/upcycle-this-18-ways-to-reuse-vintage-suitcases/upcycled-vintage-suitcase-ottoman/
Dog bed source: http://www.bhg.com/decorating/do-it-yourself/
Ridiculously Retro 