Craftiness, DIY, Finding things, Our recycled home, Thrifty

It’s a vintage suitcase, er, stuck on the wall, y’know?

26 March, 2012

Like most people in the world, I am in love with vintage suitcases. I bought my first one ten years ago and have been stacking them up ever since. I have a pile in New Zealand, in my in-laws attic, and I have, um, a few here.  I tend to see a room as incomplete without one, don’t you?  (Partly because they looks lush, innit. And partly because every room has lots of odds and ends that need storing.)

Sellers have totally started milking this though, at the vintage shop by my work they sell them for £25. Are you crrrrrazy? So when I found a cute little yellow number in our loft stashed up there by the previous owners,  amongst other wonderful treasure like boxes of casette tapes, a car wheel and sacks of nasty Christmas decorations, I was rather thrilled.

You probably know, we are slowly putting together a home here in Camberwell  using other people’s leftovers;  we have kitchen bench tops from skips, cupboards from the side of the road, furniture from charity shops and trinkets from jumble sales.  We are inspired by other recycled homes; we like to see our house as a creative challenge to consumerism. And also we are cheapskates.

So we were never going to go to Ikea when our desire for shelves arose. The other week we bunged a book on the wall as a shelf and were quite delighted with that. Inspired, we screwed the little yellow suitcase up next to it. And I think I love this even more.

Here is the vintage duck I found at last week’s car boot for £1.50. Also in the suitcase is my old art model, from whence I was a child, and a frame I found in a charity shop skip (as in, you know, their discards, not the one where people donate stuff. Yes, I am sure!! Bahaha.) This is some hardcore magpieing, right here!

It can take some weight as we used heavy duty screws. But we only wanted it for aesthetic purposes so as long as it can hold a frame and some scrumpcious ornamentals, I am happy!

suitcase shelf

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  • Mel 26 March, 2012 at 8:47 am

    Argh!!! LOVE THIS TIMES A ZILLION!

    • lulastic 26 March, 2012 at 9:57 am

      He he, good, I like your style so this pleases me!

  • Liz Burton 26 March, 2012 at 10:05 am

    Oh you’re good! You’re very good!

    I adore suitcases. I have a few but unfortunately this lady lives in my town http://www.uoldbag.com/ and she generally snaffles the best ones first :0(

    • lulastic 26 March, 2012 at 7:44 pm

      No. Way. I would be pretty gutted having her for a neighbour.
      You’ll have to head out of town especially for some suitcase tourism. 🙂

  • Karen Jones (@allaboutheboys) 26 March, 2012 at 3:37 pm

    Wonderful. Love the shelf idea and the book on the wall

    I too have lots and lots of “vintage” cases, wicker baskets etc. I have them piled up in several rooms too. Mine have my stock in them though : ) xx

    http://thewhiteapproach.blogspot.co.uk/

    • lulastic 28 March, 2012 at 9:37 pm

      Thank you. Ooh yeah, I should call my stuff “stock”, makes it seem a bit less hoardery heeehee

  • Jane 26 March, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    What a fantastic idea! Sadly i don’t myself own any vintage suitcases as ive never been lucky enough to come across any but can see the attraction and they are so fab for storage.

  • lulastic 26 March, 2012 at 7:49 pm

    Ah thank you Jane. My life seems to be a quest for lovely old storage options!

    (A tiny voice in my head “Um, why don’t you get rid of some stuff so you don’t have to store it?” A bigger voice “Yeah. I totally should do that. I might do that later. After going charity shopping again.”)

  • Alexandra Bridger (@medicatedfollow) 26 March, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    Wow, what a brilliant idea, and I love that you have a place for your duck now!

    • lulastic 28 March, 2012 at 9:36 pm

      Thank you, check him out, all happy up there!

  • Mrs Goriami 27 March, 2012 at 7:52 am

    Oh now that’s a fab idea! Love it!! And it goes really well with the duck! x

    • lulastic 27 March, 2012 at 11:56 am

      Thanking you, thanking you. I think the duck loves his new home. Every morning Ramona wakes up and triumphantly points and yells DUCK!

  • Lakota [Faith Hope and Charity Shopping] 27 March, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    Love it! Hmm Ms Londoner, how come you own so many then? Cos even in crappy Croydon they price them high. Glad to hear you used screws instead of no-more-nails 😉

    • lulastic 27 March, 2012 at 9:58 pm

      Well I haven’t bought one for months- seems to me they have all just shot up?

      Hmmm Croydon eh? You need to head east to West Wickham (know it?) got my fave suitcase there for a fiver.

      This would have been an IDEAL no-more-nails scenario! But husband got involved and now I have pesky screw heads looking at me from in there – he’s more with you on the NMN usage *sneaks about with tube*

  • The Mad House 28 March, 2012 at 2:26 pm

    What a cool idea, I am on the lookout for an old suitcase to use as storage.

    • lulastic 28 March, 2012 at 9:35 pm

      Thanks 🙂
      Car boots are generally cheapest spot to pick one up, I’d say?

  • Jennifer 30 March, 2012 at 7:51 pm

    It looks wonderful, and the duck suits it perfectly. I love seeing the way that you are decorating your home!

    • lulastic 30 March, 2012 at 10:33 pm

      Ah tanks there 🙂

  • Steve 8 April, 2012 at 11:35 pm

    I wish I could find lots of them in my loft!! A thrifty person should be able to tell me where to find merchants who supply vintage/antique suitcases :). Ive just built a website promoting them and all I can find is replica suppliers!! And advise would be very welcome. Steve

    • lulastic 10 April, 2012 at 12:34 pm

      Get ye to car boot sales on the double!

      • Steve 10 April, 2012 at 1:31 pm

        Will do mam lol 🙂

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