I’ve painted on various unusual things (from selling fans to backpacks), but this time something even more crazier came to mind! Painting an old rusty trunk! This trunk was first purchased over 16 years ago and had been sitting in the store room for a decade! For nostalgic reasons, it wasn’t thrown out anytime soon.
Now as it was special, I thought why not reuse it? But for that, the trunk badly needed a makeover. So I grabbed my coloring set and started the project!
Prepping the Trunk
As I didn’t paint on metal or steel before, so I researched how to clean it and which color would work best. And I have to say, the most tiresome work was cleaning the trunk!
I have to use sandpapers sheet to wipe out the dust. As it contains several layers of dirt over the years, it was so hard to clean. After sanding, I have to wipe it down several times with a damp cloth.
Choosing the Color
I wanted to decorate the trunk into my drawing room. To me blue is the comfort color and I feel confident using floral designs. So I combined these two ideas and went for a lively palette. To give the trunk a slightly vintage charm, I painted block rectangle designs with different shades of blue.
Painting the base
My primary color was acrylic plastic emulsion paint. Because this color is the best for metal use. However, I still have to apply three coats of white paint, allowing each to dry completely before the next. Even only this simple white base gave the plain trunk a fresh, clean look!
Coloring the background
First I try to make an abstract theme with blue. So I put different shades of blues which created an aesthetic vibe. This step was also a time consuming part. For each block, I had to perfectly measure and straight the lines with scales. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but to my surprise, the result was more vivid than I expected!
Adding the florals
The most exciting part was bringing my floral vision to life! First I sketched the floral patterns lightly with a pencil and used acrylic paints to fill the design. I didn’t want to cover the whole area with leaves and branches, as it will hide the background. To give a realistic look, I also put different shades of greens to ensure the source of light and shadow. When the branches are done, I put some white flowers with pinkish shades and these cute little ones just changed the whole scenario! The white flowers were giving an elegant vibe!
Sealing the Masterpiece
Once the paint dried, I applied transparent white spray paint. This will seal the color permanently and give the trunk a glossy finish!
The Result
The once-drab trunk now sits proudly in my living room, catching the first sights of the guests! I feel proud how it is shining with the radiating color and charm. Plus it serves as a functional storage piece! I am putting my old newspapers inside it!
This trunk transformation was fully rewarding! Whoever comes to my home, always appreciates it’s unique style and color. If you also have an old piece like this one in your home, try to upcycle it! You may be surprised how much joy and satisfaction your old piece can bring!