DECORATING WITH ANTIQUE WOODEN BOXES by Guest Blogger Donald Kaplan



It's vintage wood box nite at American Collectables at Dekalb Market. Why? Stop by to find out.


The versatility of vintage wooden boxes has made them one of this season’s most popular collectables.  Because they come in so many different sizes, shapes, colors and textures, and you can use them in any room of the the house for either practical uses or as decorative art.  And while prices for these collectables have begun to rise, you can still find good bargains for an attractive, hand-crafted vintage wooden box that adds new visual dimensions to any room in the house.

Use vintage wood boxes to:

• Store throw pillows in the living room, or simply as a piece of art on a table or on the fireplace mantle.



• Compliment your bedroom bureau as a new home for your jewelry or special trinkets





Looks like a card catalogue
but made by a jeweler in 1960s
to organize his findings.

• Brighten up the kitchen counter when filled with utensils, dishes, or packaged foods

• Make an intriguing dining room centerpiece filled with fresh flowers in the Spring and Summer, or with dried floral arrangements around the Autumn and Winter holidays, and use a long, low primitive hand-crafted wood box as a place for salt and peppers, condiments and napkins



• Store your yarn in a box made of antique wood, and marvel at how the contrast between the yarns’ bright colors and the deep, rich, wood tones compliments any room


• Eliminate clutter in the home office or study and keep important papers safe in wood boxes, or use them as small bookshelves.

Another of the pleasures of using vintage wood boxes is how attractive they are when used as just as you found them, or, if you are looking for a project they can easily be brightened up with just a little sandpaper, some stain or a neutral-colored water-based paint, and a tint or acrylic paint to add a little color.


Whether you displaying wooden treasure boxes, artfully building a stack of antique wood boxes to make a piece of sculpture in the home, or using wood boxes for storing your possessions right out in the open, you’ll instantly see how decorative vintage wooden boxes add character to any part of your house, and serve as a practical solution  for all your storage needs.


Donald Kaplan is owner/curator of American Collectables, a shop specializing in vintage Americana at the Dekalb Market at 138 Willoughby St in Downtown Brooklyn.  He can be found at Shops #1 and #2 at Dekalb Market