The DIY Vintage Suitcase Table: Upcycle a Suitcase into a Unique Side Table project shows you how to transform a neglected thrift-store canvas suitcase into a stylish travel-themed side table with hidden storage and a world-map decoupage lid.

I stumbled upon this forgotten find in the garage of my daughter’s new home and immediately saw the potential for a one-of-a-kind upcycled furniture piece. Armed with scrap plywood for reinforcement, repurposed furniture legs and a dash of chalk paint plus dark wax, you’ll learn to build a sturdy, budget-friendly table that adds character and functionality to any room. Ready to breathe new life into an old suitcase and craft a standout décor accent? Let’s get started!

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DIY Vintage Suitcase Table: Upcycle a Suitcase into a Unique Side Table

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Materials Needed

• Vintage canvas suitcase
• World map poster or decoupage sheet
• Decoupage glue (Mod Podge) or similar
• Foam paint roller
• Clear water-based polyurethane
• Scrap plywood or timber block for base reinforcement
• Four furniture legs (repurposed from old furniture)
• Chalk paint (or your chosen paint)
• Dark wax or antiquing wax
• World map fabric or cotton lining fabric
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Craft knife
• Syringe or fine-tip applicator for glue
• Sandpaper or orbital sander
• Drill and wood screws (long enough to pass through both layers)
• World map fabric

Find and Prepare Your Vintage Suitcase

Begin with a sturdy, vintage canvas suitcase sourced from a thrift store or Facebook Marketplace. Clean it gently using a soft cloth, warm water and detergent. Wring out excess moisture to prevent water damage, then allow the suitcase to air dry completely before continuing.

Decoupage the World Map

Measure your world map poster to fit the suitcase lid. If the paper has creases, iron the back on a low-heat, no-steam setting.

Apply a thin, even layer of decoupage glue to a small section of the lid and smooth the map down. Work in sections to prevent the paper from getting soggy and tearing. Trim any overhang around locks and handles with a craft knife.

Because the poster was slightly undersized, I patched the back with offcuts, carefully aligning the pieces for a smooth finish.

To clean up the edges around the locks, you can use a craft knife to cut away the excess paper.

Address Bubbles and Seal the Surface

If small air bubbles appear once the map dries, inject a drop of glue into each with a syringe and press the map back down.

Seal the entire surface by applying two thin coats of clear, water-based polyurethane. Roll on the first coat very lightly with a foam roller, let it dry, then follow with a second coat for lasting protection. You can paint the locks and handle if you choose. I wanted mine to look old to match the suitcase.

Build a Stable Stand

After several attempts to attach the legs, the table still wobbled. To stabilise it, I glued two solid timber blocks to the underside at each leg mounting point.

When I then screwed the base into these blocks, the legs could be anchored deeper, locking the table firmly in place.

Line the Interior with Fabric

A few years back, I made a chaise lounge using world map fabric and had some leftover. It wasn’t a perfect match—my fabric was a lighter world map print—but since it would line the inside of the suitcase, that didn’t matter.

I attached all the fabric with a hot glue gun: start at the top, add glue along the seam, fold the fabric under and smooth it onto the glue. This keeps the seams tidy (you can iron them first if you like). Then work your way around, glueing the fabric to the sides of the suitcase.

You can now add the base to the bottom of the suitcase using the hot glue gun. When the legs are attached, they will hold both pieces of wood together.

Cut the final fabric piece to cover the bottom and adjoining sides for a seamless finish. Start at the front seam—apply hot glue and press the fabric into place—then run glue along the bottom edge and work the fabric across the base and up the opposite side, smoothing as you go to ensure a neat fit.

Paint, Age and Attach the Legs

Remove old paint from repurposed legs with an orbital sander.

Apply chalk paint and let it dry.

Brush on dark wax to give the legs an aged look that complements the suitcase.

To fit the legs, drill a pilot hole from the underside into the timber block inside the suitcase, being careful not to pierce the lining fabric. Then, screw each leg in place with screws long enough to bite into both the block and the suitcase shell; this also stops the block shifting if the glue ever gives way.

You can spot the colour difference between legs with and without dark wax in this photo—just pretend my workshop is tidy!

Final Reveal

Place your completed suitcase table in the living room as a side table, coffee table or bar stand. The lined interior provides storage for books, magazines or barware, while the decoupaged world map surface sparks conversation.

More repurpose project ideas

I repurpose this old piano into a bar/ drink cabinet with built-in lighting and wine racks.

This beauty bar/ makeup table was created from a vintage writing desk. You can find all my furniture repurposed projects here.

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