It can be difficult to put two stubborn people together and make a marriage work (strong willed would sound so much nicer than stubborn but let’s be real). Especially when you both thought the one you were marrying was nothing but wonderful and accommodating and perfect in every way. Okay, maybe you never thought he was perfect, but “purtin’ near,” as my dad would always say.
Everything is great in the beginning, until the day comes when you realize your spouse has some flaws, and you try to fix those flaws with all your might, but fail. Why? Because,
He. Is. So. Dang. Stubborn. Click To Tweet
Now Mr. OTN and I have some pretty big flaws that we’ve overcome (thank the Lord), but we are still a huge work in progress as we are being made perfect – or – “being transformed from glory-to-glory” 😉
One of Mr. OTN’s flaws, or maybe it’s more of a quirk, is his strange affinity for ugly old trunks.
We can go into any antique store, even those filled with exquisite treasures, and his eye will be drawn to the ugly trunk in the corner. What is that?
Gleaming crystal decanters, shining silver trays, elegant chandeliers dripping with bling, and he goes for the old trunk.
This is the latest trunk he fell for, and I’ll admit it was in pretty decent shape compared to some he’s collected in the past. Such good shape, in fact, that I agreed that we could buy it for our den.
It would be great. After a little makeover of course.
I had in mind the idea of painting it all one color (leather, wood, and metal), a nice creamy ivory. I had the perfect inspiration piece I’d pinned to Pinterest. But, as with most furniture pieces I paint, it told me what color it should be.
I started with a layer of a random gray paint, a sample I had in my garage, over which I did a color wash of white. At that point I couldn’t quite bring myself to paint over the rich colored wood or the metal hardware, because the trunk simply wouldn’t let me. Sheesh, was I getting as caught up in this old trunk as the hubs?
I stopped midway through the makeover when we decided to put our home on the market and I needed to start working on staging to sell. So the trunk, I knew by now that “it” was a “she,” sat on the screened porch for the next couple of months. Every time I passed her by I would consider what color I would use to finish her up, and she would whisper to me, “Let me be.”
That’s when I really began looking at her and saw that the two colors I’d used on her had a slight blue tinge, and the wooden strips a nice warm hue, and the black metal? Well, it was kind of rusty but I could see how it could be freshened up.
Mr. OTN won, the trunk won, and in the end I won, because after adding a little more stain to the wood and painting over the metal hardware with black Rustoleum, I brought her inside. And the look of her made me happy.
Now, since I told you about Mr. OTN’s flaw, it’s only fair that I share with you a flaw of my own. That flaw would be – questioning his wisdom (from time to time) and having a hard time admitting that he was right in the first place. Stubborn indeed.
Yes, sometimes the hubby really is right! Click To Tweet
The moral of this story is: Choose to take a second look at your (flawed) loved ones ideas and you’ll be the winner every time!
Have a blessed Tuesday my friends,
I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
SundaysAtHome, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays
Monday:
IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends, InspireMeMonday, GodSizedDreams
Tuesday:
TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse, TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday, WriterWednesday
Thursday:
ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, Thought Provoking Thursday, SincerelyPaulas, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday
Friday:
FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet
Precious! Thanks for sharing! 🙂 Love this. 🙂
Thank you sweet friend <3
Old trunks have a air of mystery and I always wonder what they’ve contained. I was blessed with my grandparents trunk that carried their worldly goods from Italy to the US almost 100 yrs ago. Your refinishing job is perfect and it makes a great coffee table. Good choice I’d say.
What a treasure you have in that old trunk PJ. So many people carried all their worldly goods in a trunk to come to our country. I can’t imagine! We packed a huge moving van to travel from one side of the country to another. We have such abundance and seem to always think we need more. Ugh! I like that your grandparents are from Italy as I have a special fondness for Italians. I grew up in a very Italian neighborhood in Seattle, and my son-in-law teaches Italian at University. Wonderful and loving people! Hugs 🙂
Love it! I was just talking about having an attitude of gratitude about my hubby last night. We just don’t have to look or listen to hard to find a great man in there. Love your trunk by the way!
We really don’t have to look too hard do we? SO blessed!!!
I, too, love old trunks. I have to admit, I liked the before better! I just mix that look right in with my more glam pieces and it all seems to work, but I do like natural wood and somewhat darker, muddier colors than are in right now.
That makes perfect sense if you prefer the darker colors Teddee. I recently read an article that said the dark colors are making their way back in again as many people are getting tired of the all white palette. I think I’ve stayed in the middle somewhere. I’ve never been an all white person (except the kitchen) and I’ve never been one for super dark colors. Maybe I’m just trying to play it safe!
It looks wonderful. I have my fathers old trunk, or foot locker as he called it from WWII and i do wonder at times what it has been thru.Thanks for this cute post.
If only these old trunks could talk. We have one with stickers on it that are peeling off and unreadable. I don’t have the heart to remove them and paint over it because of the character they add. Thank you for the compliment Marlene.
My husband says marriage is God’s “school for character!” We each have spent a lot of time in the corner over the years.
THAT’s funny and oh, SO true!
Loved the “being transformed from glory to glory”! And really, that’s what you do with your pieces that you tweak….don’t you think? You and Mr OTN have that nice patina that comes from being lovingly worn, like so many of your transformed pieces! Those old trunks always have a story to tell, if we but listen.
It’s so funny, but as I read your comment I was reminded of my post and how I almost inserted that I wondered if old trunks remind Mr. OTN of me! There could be a lot of correlations there doncha’ think? Love you girlfriend.
I love the trunk and the lesson.
Thanks much Debbie!
This is a real beauty and you did a great job transforming it. Your mister could see the potential in this one a mile away. I’m like that too. I never met a trunk that I could resist! Haha!!
Haha! Trunks are pretty cool, and they are great for storing away treasures in the attic.
Well sweet thing, I am a bit like Mr. OTN. I too would go for the old trunk in the corner. 🙂 Love what you did with it! I too, have a hard time admitting hubby is right sometimes as well. lol!
hugs,
Jann
Glad to hear you are a strong woman too Jann. Although I already knew that about you. Hugs.
Love it! Glad you listened to your hubby and to that beautiful trunk when it told you to let it be. 🙂
You may be stubborn, but at least you’re a good listener, right?
Love you, sweetie!
I don’t know if I’m a GOOD listener, but I hear. LOL! Love you back 🙂
Your trunk is beautiful!
Thanks SO much Virginia!