Great Decorating Ideas for Vintage Tool Boxes

If you shop regularly, it’s amazing what you can find at thrift stores including old tool boxes. So Amy and I thought it would be fun to share some great decorating ideas for Vintage Tool Boxes using nothing but thrift store finds allowing you to decorate for less.

Choose your Tool Box

This was one of my first tool box finds. It’s very long and shallow so I need plenty smaller items to fill the tool box.

After finding this tool box, I added a white wash over the surface so that it wouldn’t blend into the island top. I also added some stenciled numbers to the sides.

What Thrift Store Finds Work Well in Tool Boxes?

Next, begin by pulling out some of your smaller finds and allowing you to see what will work well together. Here you want to think about a variety of heights, materials and textures to make the tool box look interesting.

Each of the items below were purchased at thrift stores and cost less than $30.00 and this includes the tool box that was purchased a few years ago.

Why do I choose these items?

I thought I’d share some of the items I used to style the vintage tool box and in addition, share why I look for these items when thrift store browsing. You can see more thrift store shopping tips here on a previous post.

Two things I can’t resist are wooden items and vintage dishes. Here are some recent finds that made it home with me.

Wooden bowls and cutting board with great patinas are hard to pass up. In addition, unique dishes always capture my attention.

Did you know you can always paint a different message on wooden signs? However, I liked the YUM. and decided to keep it as it is. Terra cotta pots and old brass candlesticks are usually very inexpensive in thrift stores and I always snatch up the deals.

A few other things I can’t leave behind is vintage kitchen utensils, silverware and ironstone.

Also, old canning jars look great filled with nuts, candy or just empty. They work well on shelves in addition to helping fill a vintage tool box. The adorable fruits made from gourds are a recent steal in my opinion. The color and texture are a perfect addition to the tool box.

Begin with larger pieces

As we begin to fill the tool box, I like to start with the larger pieces and work from there. Here the wooden pieces are layered with the ironstone plates on one end and the vintage canning jars are on the opposite corner.

Next fill in the backside of the tool box, using the mini basket with piece of fall wheat stem and the ironstone pitcher is filled with the silverware spoons. In addition, the brass candlestick helps to complete this side of the box.

Then on the front side, the terra cotta pot is filled with dried okra pods, and the YUM sign and the small gourd apple completes the tool box.

To add some additional height, I added some dried flowers to another vintage canning jar.

In addition to the over sized tray, the larger gourd and the copper container filled with utensils, didn’t make the cut either, but they look lovely beside of it.