I do so love a good steamer trunk. My mother had a few in our home growing up. One, placed near the front door, primarily stored precious, essential items like old photos and important documents. We’d rush to save that trunk in case of a fire or other serious threat to our home! The others housed photo albums and quilts.
Along with their obvious storage potential, steamer trunks are great decor pieces. Their decorative yet purposeful metal embellishments, including chunky locks and clasps, hinges, and nailheads, add visual interest, particularly when set against the wooden braces and pressed metal or cloth coverings.
This small trunk was purchased from an independent seller on an online marketplace for $50. It stores seasonal porch decor items along a side wall in the foyer. Pillow covers, front door wreaths, and accent rugs are neatly stored away until ready to be swapped out for the season change.
Because I only have to access what’s inside 4 times each year, the trunk serves double duty as an accent table and as an anchor for this lovely vignette.
Many of us have awkward empty spaces in our homes where traditional furniture just doesn’t work. A gorgeous antique trunk is a solution.
This trunk, purchased at the local charity shop for a mere $30, worked perfectly for this awkward space in our sitting room.
Its flat top accommodates several plants. The soft, curving leaves contrast nicely with the trunk’s boxy, straight lines and hardness. The trunk’s placement in this awkward corner helps define the traffic flow through the room, and what was once an awkward space is now a dynamic focal point!
Open floor plans can present challenges in defining spaces. The placement of this gorgeous steamer helps visually separate our dining and living spaces.
Many of my trunks are used as accent tables, but this camelback is not. The dome top makes the trunk unsuitable for use as a table. However, this gorgeous trunk is a stand-alone piece. Anything added to it would only distract from its beauty. Purchased for $60 at the local charity shop, this piece is truly a reclaimed LOVE.
And, yes, its storage capacity is incredible!
The simplicity of this steamer trunk makes it suitable for a secondary bedroom’s bedside table. Its spacious top accommodates all the myriad of stuff one needs at arm’s reach at night. Adding an old library card catalog on top provides drawer storage for unsightly clutter to remain out of sight. I picked up this trunk at a charity shop for about $20.
Our home’s primary bedroom presented a challenge. The room is unusually wide. After centering the bed on the back wall under the small window, we flanked it with typical bedside tables. There was still significant space on both sides, so the tables looked minuscule and awkward. Clearly, we needed side tables with a bit more oomph!
Enter steamer trunks!
Because of their substantial size, these steamer trunks work well - they have more presence than their typical bedside table counterparts. And they’re interesting
You may have noticed that I have chosen to keep all my steamer trunks in their natural states—unpainted. However, I did decide to paint one of my earlier trunks. The trunk was not in the best shape, and its original dark color was just too intense for our former home’s decor. I painted it with antique white chalk paint, giving it a distressed look. It looked fabulous and worked well as the sitting room’s center coffee table.
Steamer trunks, with their practical storage, rich histories, and alluring aesthetics, can add visual interest and functionality to your home.
All photos by Paulette Rodriguez, except the white trunk
White Trunk photo taken by staff realtor photographer
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