the box.

so, last week while hitting the thrift store circuit i can across this amazing handmade box. it probably stored tools–it’s solid and awesome. i was so freaking excited. guess how much?? $15!! thebox.jpg
but when the husband came home his first words were ‘what’s that?’. not a good sign! the great thing is, he is a good sport and he’s willing to put up with my love for vintage and worn treasures. so, what do you think? is it trash or treasure? should it stay or should it go?

64 comments

  1. We have one of these boxes on our farm that we keep all our fencing supplies in. I don’t know how old it is, but it looks good in your house.
    Dee from Kansas

  2. Love it! With a few books stacked on it it or some “treasures” inside, I’d keep it for sure. I have a thing for “old window” frames with the glass still in it.
    It has grown on my hubby- he always comments on how he thougt I was crazy when I bought a huge window on a girl trip to California and made it fit in my sisters small sporty car so I could bring it to AZ. It looks LOVELY in my kitchen!
    Keep the box, it adds character!

  3. It looks like its been there forever. Perfect fit! I’m curious to see what the rest of your house looks like; your living room looks so wonderful and cozy!

  4. Way cool, it’s a keeper in my opinion. I love worn objects also, always makes you wonder who’s loving hands have used it in the past and for what purpose.

  5. Love it…….I do a lot of antique shopping as well. I bought a hutch and a coffee table a few months ago! The quality of the old is much better than the new in the stores!!!

    Keep IT and Love it!!

    -M

  6. Hey Lisa, OK, I too love old stuff, especially stuff that I find in antiques stores that I had as a kid. Now as for your old chest, I love it but whenever it comes to old wood, I really worry about rot and termites….gross, huh? but I think about stuff like that. So, I guess if it looks clean and doesn’t smell, I would say it’s a keeper.

  7. Ummmm….it’s totally you….I really like it…but I think it may be better to place it somewhere else in the living room. I picture it being a toe stubbing hazard. ouchy!

  8. Like the box, but think it is a little rough to go with your room. I agree with Melissa – I’d probably like it better under a sofa table. It looks too alone.

  9. Definately stay! What a find! I love to find unique boxes like that and put special items in it like cards and pictures or albums that would otherwise be in a cardboard box on a shelf somewhere.

  10. Hey, sister in NE….I live in NE, too! Cool! Um, KEEP IT! KEEP IT! Actually, I’m with the person that said it should go…and come to my house. I brought home a door once, and Bill’s like, “Uh…we live in an apartment…what do you need a door for?” Oh, you’ll see, I always say. Keep the box, girl! It’s awesome! And it looks solid!

  11. I think someone already said ammunition box and I was going to say that my dad had one that he used to store his gun stuff in when he used to hunt (the stuff that doesn’t have to go in a gun safe like cleaning things etc).
    It doesn’t look quite right there, I think because the timber is very worn, do you think it would sand back a little? You could keep that vintage look but tidy it up a little…
    But it’s a gorgeous box, it is definately too good to get rid of

  12. Well, since Steve and I are related… in my house, it would be trash. In your house, it is obviously a very cool treasure!

  13. NO way is that trash. I LOVE it. I too appreciate antique and vintage style. That was a great find and I think your hubby will come to love it too πŸ™‚

  14. Keep it, you can always sand it and stain it to make it look nicer if that’s what Steve wants… and if you guys don’t like to do that yourself, I know someone who would do a great job with it! πŸ™‚
    I’m sure Matty and David will love putting things in there!

  15. LoVE…LoVE…LoVE the box! most definitely just found it’s new adoptive home…and if you ever need foster care or find its twin…i am available!
    did i mention i love it!!!!

    have a great week!
    meredith

  16. Treasure! I think it would be great for storing toys or magazines or blankets for when you want to watch movies as a family on cold winter nights. The only thing I would suggest is to get a slightly larger box in the same style (maybe a distressed wood with a pop of color) to put underneath. It would put it a a more appropriate height for your sofa. I would say it’s a keeper.

  17. Treasure. You could store toys or magazines or blankets for those cold nights when you are watching movies as a family. I would say it’s a keeper. I would suggest getting another slightly larger box to put underneath. It would bring it up to the proper height.

  18. I love the box!! My Granddad made one just like it to house his woodworking tools when he was just a young man. So cool to see another one. I don’t think I would keep it in the living room, but it would be great for little people’s art supplies or tiny toys (think matchbox cars all in one place, finally!)

    Awesome find!!

  19. Kid, that box is a unique piece of art! I say keep it and use it to make up fun pretend games with the boys. Maybe the tooth fairy hides in there, or maybe it was used in the first presidential election as a stage. Of course there is the real possiblity that an imaginary squirel lives in it and that squirel eats all the veggies that the kids do not like… Who knows, it just may spark something in you and you will come up with a “box” necklace. The possibilities are endless….

    “The long lost Sister in NE”

  20. I have a similar box – no handles…sitting next to an overstuffed chair. It’s a place I get to rotate my treasures…photos, flowers..seasonable odds & ends. So enjoy it and store something fun inside! Mine has all of my dad’s letters home during WWII. The best treasure of all.

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