Suitcase Makeover for a Booth Display


I found this sturdy suitcase in my favorite shopping spot: next to a trashcan.

The lock was broken and I had to pry the clasps off to open it. A lovely rust orange greeted me.



My first makeover involved ripping out the orange fabric and Mod Podging maps into the inside. For durability, a couple more coats of Mod Podge were painted over the maps. The outside was given a couple coats of DIY chalk paint in grey. I thought it was done but I just couldn't gel with the look. For almost two years this sat in my basement looking just like this. 

The grey wasn't bad...but it wasn't great. I went through a season where I used what I had on hand and the finished product was the finished product. Lately, though, I've become more selective and decided that I need to LOVE what I make. Time to take my skills and apply them to creating pieces that spark passion. In this case, passionate pieces are more often than not turquoise, teal, or covered in relcaimed wood. 


the final color


Recently I fell in love with the color produced by staining over paint. The color produced is so lovely that I've used it on a mini dresser makeover, frames, a buffet (yet to be posted), a garden planter makeover (yet to be posted), and now this suitcase. 





 The lighting doesn't do it justice.

The Kingfisher blue paint was lightly applied over the grey paint. Then the Espresso stain was added. The two paint colors under the stain add a nice dimension to the color.


Curious about the photo's background? Check out this post on my re-upholstered chair. 



  
storage & display
As a booth display... 

  I like it too much to sell it. 

This suitcase is fantastic for use as a craft fair display piece. Maybe I'll add a length of twine to stretch across the top lid to hang the ornaments on.

   In the offseason, this will double nicely as storage. 


Like the ornaments? Available in the Etsy shop.

Now to finish off the hardware. 

Originally, when I was painting this grey, I'd painstakingly covered the clasps and locks in painters tape. The second time around, I didn't. 

Most of the brass is lightly painted/stained over. My sister thinks I should let the brass shine through. I'm not a fan of brass. (Anyone else floored that brass is making a comeback? Noooooo! I worked hard to remove all the brass from my 1985 home.) I am thinking of purchasing a patina paint or using a copper paint to spiff up the hardware. 


Of course...that will be another year or two! hahaha I know copper is big now but I do love me some patina. Guess I'll let the idea marinate for a while before deciding. I only do craft fairs in the fall/winter so there is time to decide. 

What do you think is a good color for the hardware? 

Brass? Copper? An aged patina look? 


 Pin Friendly Picture 




Comments

  1. Great for display Audra, photo base for stock and will be handy for storage when needed. Love the color your creating by mixing paint and Expresso stain.
    Joy

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    1. Yes, you're right, it would make a cute background piece for stock pics! I only used it here since the stars will be stored in this suitcase and never thought about using it for anything else. Thanks for the idea, Joy!

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  2. I am always amazed at your vision and creativity. This project is no exception. The maps are genius.

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    1. Awwww, thanks Kim! Its fun to use maps but I have to reign myself in with them before I cover an interior wall in maps. haha The ideas are out there...I've stalked them on Pinterest. Who knows, maybe it'll end up in a future blog post.

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  3. I need to find one of these to display my handmade greeting cards at shows!

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  4. I love how you repurposed and updated the old suitcase! Suitcases are so much fun to decorate with too! Enjoy! Pinned too :)

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    1. Thank you for pinning! There are soooooooo many fun ideas out there. I hope I find another suitcase this summer (garage sales) so I can try out some more ideas.

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  5. This is so cute! I have a few that I need to paint and add maps to.

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    1. Its a fun project for sure. The only difficulty I had was figuring out how to paint it, had to flip it over a few times.

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  6. Hi there, I'm visiting from the MAKE IT NEW FB group! Love your suitcase makeover! Blessings, Cecilia @ My Thrift Store Addiction

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    1. Thanks for visiting! I enjoy your blog posts, so creative!

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  7. Its great how your suitcase turned out. I love old suitcases. Maria

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    1. There is something charming about old suitcases, although I'd never actually use one, I'll take the one's with wheels on them.

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  8. Gorgeous! When I decide to get crafty, I'm coming back here for inspiration. And I vote for the brass. I think brass can be overdone in a room, when every single bit of metal, is brass. But I have a mix of metals in my home and think the little touches of brass look great.

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    1. My sister was voting for brass, too. Guess I better get busy scraping the paint off the hardware. I think it was originally brass so after cleaning I won't have to paint anything. :) Thanks for your input.

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  9. I have been enjoying reading through all of your projects this morning. Such inspiration! This is one of my favorites thus far. I have a thing for old suitcases, and being able to turn them into something as lovely as this is in my future. Great job!

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    1. Awwww! Thanks for your kind words! You're a sweetheart!

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