Suitable things to do with a Suitcase

You may have noticed that vintage suitcases, especially the 'well loved' ones with travel stamps enclosed within their hinges, are fast becoming the most sought after vintage household item. Evoking nostalgic visions of 50's air hostesses and the orient express, they are a fantastic and attractive storage case for those summery clothes that are taking up space in your wardrobe or even your shoes and hats. We recently had a gentleman buy one to store a wedding dress in! Although storage and obviously travel are common uses for a suitcase, I have uncovered a few novel ideas for other uses...

Why have a boring bedside table? For a truly original design idea, why not pop a few suitcases on top of each other, pop a lamp on top and your current read and voila!! An extremely simple yet effective piece of D.I.Y furniture! Visit designtripper for travel locations and stylish interiors!

A personal favourite of mine, a vintage style pet bed, not just for dogs! Treat your cat as well! This would again be incredibly simple to fashion, all you would need is the right sized cushion and a cute animal. It makes a nice change from the ratty pet beds that are available, a stylish home deserves a stylish pet.

Slightly more D.I.Ying to be done here, but it's not too complicated and would look great in a kids bedroom or as a piece of garden furniture! Just close the lid when it starts to rain! Buy yourself a vintage suitcase and then follow these instructions See Kate Sew

For a range of suitcases in all different colours and sizes, come visit us at the Vintage Reclaimed boutique, I'll leave you with a few more travel inspired titbits to amaze and astound you!

Charms a Plenty

The Vintage Reclaimed boutique has a stunning collection of silver charms in store at the moment. Ranging from £5 to £20, they are perfect for stocking fillers and/or a really personal and thoughtful gift.

Back in the Neolithic era, charms, in the form of lucky stones and trinkets were worn by hunters in the hope of warding off evil spirits and bad luck. Coining the term 'lucky charm.' Later on in history, the Egyptians used extremely decorative bejewelled charms in their preparation for the after life. The charms would act as I.D tags, in the hope that the gods would identify who they were, and guide the wearer to their rightful status within the afterlife. Historians claim to have found the first recognizable charms and charm bracelets within Egyptian tombs.

I love the idea of charms as ID tags within the contemporary world, with large chains and retail outlets constantly spurning out their own coveted identities, it is easy to get lost within the masses. These vintage charms can be so appropriate to one individual, and really mean something. Many of the charms are so intricate, that they open to reveal hidden treasures, such as a genie within a lamp or a boot, revealing the age old nursery rhyme 'the old woman who lived in a shoe.' Interestingly enough, brands such as links and Pandora have caught onto the personalisation quality of charm bracelets. Yet the uniqueness and delicacy of the antique charms cannot be matched and not only look great collected on a bracelet, but are also perfect on a simple silver chain. Your very own one of a kind identity tag! Come visit us at 27 Goosegate, Hockley, Nottingham and have a good look and play with all the vintage trinkets!