Hate the Look of Storage Bins? Try This Chic Vintage Find Instead
Smart storage doesn’t necessarily mean clunky, XL plastic bins or even clever bathroom cabinets turned into closets. While those ideas are practical and reliable, there’s a bit of whimsy in using something unexpected for decluttering purposes. This begs the question: Have you ever considered suitcases as storage vessels?
Vintage Suitcases Might Be the Chicest Small-Space Storage Option
When Brian and Benita Lynch downsized from a three-bedroom home to a 500-square-foot attic apartment, they had to get creative with their storage solutions. And with fewer square feet, it’s fair to assume that the couple didn’t want hulking bins or large furniture pieces dominating the space. Enter: vintage suitcases. (Vintage suitcases have even been used for side tables.)
For Benita, it was all about disguising the fact that they even needed storage in the first place. “I housed our old loose photographs in vintage luggage under the teak buffet,” she explained at the time of the House Tour. “The suitcases look cool, but nobody knows what’s inside.”
That’s what makes Brian and Benita’s idea so smart: The suitcases do the exact same job as a plastic, blank bin and slide easily underneath the buffet, but look way cooler. The suitcases are technically out of the way, but their blue color and style demand attention.
Repurposing common household items for unexpected uses isn’t a novel concept, but I’ve never personally seen someone use a suitcase so decoratively before. Plus, it is a vintage piece, so if the couple ever wants to carry it or display it differently, it could double as a decorative object.
Although I don’t own vintage suitcases (yet!), Benita and Brian’s thinking outside the box reminds me to consider all of the uses one item might have. It’s also a reminder to check out secondhand stores (specifically in the luggage aisle, apparently) for surprising storage solutions. It turns out that what’s great for traveling can also be a fabulous decor object.
To see more of Benita and Brian’s apartment, visit the full House Tour.