One great way to refurbish an old trunk it to paint the outside in a fresh new color. Then, using a pretty fabric, line the inside to brighten it up. Depending on the style of your trunk, you can add shelves, baskets, etc to make it more useful for storage as well.
Not sure if it is a wooden trunk/chest, an old steamer trunk or a Jenny Lind, but this site listed should get you started. You can go to google and type in the type of trunk you have and find restoration help.
I've been fortunate to have more than one trunk, in different styles. First, clean it well. Musty odors are usually trapped in any material lining it. If it's wood, you can seal it with a product like Kilz. My steamer trunk had a lining that reminded me of a thick cardboard type material. It was pretty, but, I could not get rid of the smell. I ended up scraping it all out, scrubbing it down, and air drying all parts of it in the sun. Then, I sealed all the parts, and applied mod podge and vintage looking fabric to the drawers and other parts. I let it air well with the products on it, until I could store things in it. It's held up well. One of my other trunks had bad hinges and I found this site and purchased new ones:
I recommend cleaning your trunk before anything else. You can put any metal parts in a crock pot with water and vinegar and a squirt of dish soap. Put it on low and let it go overnight (don't forget to include the hinges). Scrub with an old toothbrush when it all comes out of the crock pot. The trunk itself could be painted or decoupaged. Line the inside with a pretty fabric.
One great way to refurbish an old trunk it to paint the outside in a fresh new color. Then, using a pretty fabric, line the inside to brighten it up. Depending on the style of your trunk, you can add shelves, baskets, etc to make it more useful for storage as well.
Not sure if it is a wooden trunk/chest, an old steamer trunk or a Jenny Lind, but this site listed should get you started. You can go to google and type in the type of trunk you have and find restoration help.
https://randallbarbera.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA_5_QBRC9ARIsADVww14du-nKNV4I6C1LLkXKFcPTPwgyANYOvcChlCKDCjIeburDePvvDxAaAs_wEALw_wcB
I've been fortunate to have more than one trunk, in different styles. First, clean it well. Musty odors are usually trapped in any material lining it. If it's wood, you can seal it with a product like Kilz. My steamer trunk had a lining that reminded me of a thick cardboard type material. It was pretty, but, I could not get rid of the smell. I ended up scraping it all out, scrubbing it down, and air drying all parts of it in the sun. Then, I sealed all the parts, and applied mod podge and vintage looking fabric to the drawers and other parts. I let it air well with the products on it, until I could store things in it. It's held up well. One of my other trunks had bad hinges and I found this site and purchased new ones:
https://www.brettunsvillage.com/trunks/howto/parts/
I recommend cleaning your trunk before anything else. You can put any metal parts in a crock pot with water and vinegar and a squirt of dish soap. Put it on low and let it go overnight (don't forget to include the hinges). Scrub with an old toothbrush when it all comes out of the crock pot. The trunk itself could be painted or decoupaged. Line the inside with a pretty fabric.
I found this really helpful! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyKLZ_bczVg