I happened across this steamer trunk and was pretty excited about it: it was very old, but in decent enough shape that it could be revived. I thought it looked rather dismal in it's former state, so I gave it a brighter outside appearance by painting the old fabric in a cream colour and rubbing the wood to a sheen with tung oil. This immediately made the trunk look cleaner and brighter.
The inside of the trunk had the original brown paper lining that most trunks of this vintage boast of; but someone in the past had lined it with a cheap cupboard liner and both papers were peeling beyond repair (not to mention, very unattractive!). After extensive peeling, hammering out snaggly nails, scraping and disinfecting (although there was no water or bug damage - bonus!), the inside was ready for a coat of rich-coloured stain that really showed off the beauty and character of the old wood. Then the entire trunk was sealed to prevent further damage and to allow for clothing or linens to be stored on the inside without damage either. It was a labour of love, but worth the effort!
Here are two pictures before restoration:
Not bad, but not great, either: dark, dirty, and damaged.
The inside: in need of a refresher! You can't tell from the photo, but all the beautiful old wood is covered with a brown kraft paper that smelled quite vinegary.
* * *
Here is the final result!
Background: our chicken coop!
On the inside: a rich stain that accentuates the gorgeous old wood.
Bonus chicken picture! :)
The top...
What an improvement!
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