The chest is considered the ancestor of a number of modern furniture items: wardrobes, cabinets, chest of drawers, bedside tables and even caskets. Previously, in the absence of a different storage system, all the most valuable things were stored in it. The chests were placed expensive fabrics, the best dress, given to the wedding of the girl, jewelry. With a thorough move they were used instead of practical suitcases, which appeared much later. Nowadays, many people mistakenly attribute the chest exclusively to vintage elements, which are only suitable for authentic interiors that mimic the decoration of the premises of a particular era. In fact, with proper design, this detail can be an ornament to many stylistic trends. To carry out the decor of the "grandmother's" chest and give him a chance for a new life, you can do it yourself with the help of scrap materials and a little imagination. Let's talk in the article about what you can combine this colorful element and how to update it yourself.
Chest in different styles
There is no generally accepted classification of chests. They can be divided into:
- Old;
- Modern.
There is a definition of "chest" or "chest". This is still the same chest, but made more roughly not for beauty, but for the sake of functionality. Previously, they were used to store food, mainly flour and cereals. The box is a light, refined variation of the chest, the bottom of which is made of wood, and the side walls are of bast. On ships, lockers are used - the sea counterpart of the casket, in which the working inventory is stored. Chests differ in size, materials of manufacture, decor and shape of the lid (flat or convex). They can be a bulky replacement of the cabinet, as well as tiny parts for storing small things like rings and earrings. Vintage chests are the very vintage models that emphasize the interiors decorated in ethnic (eastern, Russian), rustic or even classical style. There are original models of frosted glass or plastic. Such options are suitable for high-tech, minimalism and luxury loft. The main thing is that the smooth surface of the furniture does not have patterns and be painted in one of the neutral colors. Rough white wooden caskets with slightly cracked paint are ideal for easy Provence. To emphasize the detail of the decor, it is decorated with a floral pattern using decoupage technique. For free country at the cottage, ideal "grandmothers" chests, which often litter themselves with attics. They have an unpretentious appearance, a rough surface, but with the help of emery paper you can get to a light shade of wood with an original pattern, which is fastened with varnish for fastening. As well, the caskets are not bad combined with the exotic of the colonial style, because the settlers transported the belongings in the chests, which later became the first furnishing details in new homes in the mastered areas.
Chests are historically associated with wedding preparations, but now instead of keeping the dowry they contain, they donate money donated by young guests. Such models are decorated with lace, rhinestones, satin ribbons and beads. The most unpretentious options are made of ordinary cardboard and, as a rule, have a cover for the envelopes in the lid, like a slot in the mailbox.
Materials used in the manufacture of chests
Classic chests are made of wood. A little later, the element was first decorated with metal, and then fully made from it. The most reliable is the combination of wood and iron. Modern models are even made of plastic, but it is not very durable, although it has lightness. Another disadvantage of PVC parts can be the unpleasant smell of plastic. Beautiful, neat little trunks are made of twigs using the weaving technique. They are also lightweight, but used exclusively for storage. As a chair or table such a chest can not be applied.
Using the chest in different rooms
Chests are universal. They organically flow into the interior of any room, as an extra storage system is useful everywhere. Large models put things, fabrics, linen, blankets, shoes, pillows and towels. Small boxes can store money, jewelry and be used as an organizer for the workshop. For example, in them brushes, paints, palettes, pencils will perfectly fit, if the little chest decorates the working room of the artist. Element placement options are only two:
- Central;
- Near the wall.
If the chest is placed in the middle of the room, then its surface is usually used as a table top. The choice of color palette and pattern depends entirely on the stylistic features of the design. For strict interiors suitable monochrome surface, painted in neutral, natural shades: brown, white, gray, black. If you need a decor with an accent, the chests are made in purple, red, blue, green, yellow colors.
In the hall
In the hallway the chest performs two functions at once:
- Storage of shoes, umbrellas, canes.
- A place for pereobuvaniya (replacement benches).
To sit on the top cover it was softer, it is decorated with upholstery and decorated with pads.
In the living room
In the living room chests are used instead of a coffee table. If it is equipped with wheels, mobile furniture can be transported to another room if necessary. As a rule, such a colorful element is placed in the center of the recreation area inside the “circle” formed by the sofa and armchairs. If the area of the room allows, then the casket can be installed under the window as a separate area for reading or tea drinking, overlooking the street landscape. It stores books and magazines that are tucked inside during the arrival of guests, so that you can place a coffee pot and cups on the lid.
In the bedroom
A chest in the bedroom can be used instead of a bedside table or as a bed. Bed linen, pajamas or spare blankets / pillows are usually stored inside. Looks great old chest, located at the head of the bed at the feet. You can sit on it or use it as a table. If there is not enough space in the bedroom and there is no place for a wardrobe, then the chest will become a real rescue of cramped rooms, due to its multifunctionality. Recently, matryoshka sets have appeared on store shelves. In them, three or four chests, one smaller than the other, fold into one another. The tiniest one will replace the jewelry storage box, and in those that are bigger you can store documents, cosmetics or money (instead of a safe).
In the kitchen
Previously, the chests in the kitchen are not set. They were located in the most secluded corners of the houses. Now this piece of furniture will be a stylish solution in kitchen design and an additional storage place. It can be adapted as a mini-cellar, in which jars of pickles will be stacked or bottles of alcohol. Traditionally bulky chests are placed near the window sill under the window. They also perform the role of a bench. When there is very little space in the kitchen, such furniture can be pushed under the table if it is placed against the wall (so as not to create an obstacle for diners).
In the children's room
Chest in the nursery will help create a real fairy tale. For the room girls choose delicate shades: white, pink, lilac. Additionally, the surface is decorated with a floral pattern. Inside you can put toys or books, things. The original solution will be a doll house in the chest. It is divided into miniature rooms and decorated with toy furniture. In the boy's room, the chest will be a continuation of the maritime style. A wooden casket with metal inserts can turn into a treasure trove of pirates, a magical treasure hidden in the “island” of your apartment.
In the bathroom
With cramped bathrooms, chests are combined “with a creak”, since there is not enough space for furniture in such rooms at all. They are located, as a rule, in a free corner, complementing hinged storage systems. The top cover can be used instead of a chair or shelves for shampoos, soap, and inside to place stacks of towels, bathrobes, household chemicals. If there is little space, but you really want to get a casket in the interior, then use narrow, tall models. At the same time, it is worth paying special attention to the second parameter, since a person should be free to reach the bottom.
In the design of the bathroom is better to use plastic or metal chests. Traditional wood is abandoned due to its impracticality in an atmosphere of high humidity.
Do-it-yourself chest decor
The decoration of the chest can be done using a number of popular techniques. Most often, as an experimental sample, old caskets are used, which for a long time were gathering dust, being forgotten, from which they acquired a rather inconspicuous appearance. There are several ways to fix the situation:
- Decoupage The technique involves the transfer or implantation of images from napkins and prints on the surface of the chest with its subsequent fixation.
- The painting. The casket can be decorated with its own various thematic patterns. Original painting looks on ethnic chests. If the designer doesn’t have skills in brushing, then stencils will come to the rescue, the outlines of which are outlined “on the rough” and then filled with paints.
- Artificial aging with brushes. Only suitable for wooden chests. Their surface is treated with a special rigid brush with a metal bristle. She scraped soft wood fibers, resulting in the original texture. To emphasize the relief, it is varnished.
- Painting. The easiest way to decorate. The chest is simply covered with paint of the same color or a combination of several shades on different parts of the furniture.
- Decorating with fabric or leather. Materials can be combined. And you can cover with textiles as one cover, and the entire surface of the chest.
- Decoration fittings, beads, eggshell, pieces of ceramic tiles.
- Decorating with stripes of brass, leather straps with rivets, padlocks and letters that make up the inscription.
- Decoration forged elements (rings, chains to limit the opening of the cover, hinges, handles, corners) and thread.
This is not an exhaustive list of options for the transformation of chests. Enough to connect their imagination and skill. Ways can be safely combined with each other, if the interior style is justified. Consider a master class on aging the chest by the method of firing and brushing with subsequent decoupage.
Master class on the decor of the chest
A layer of varnish, paint or other type of coating is removed from the wood. The cleaned surface is subjected to firing a light degree, so that it is slightly "smoked". Then a brush with a metal pile begins to clean the wood from the soft surface fibers. You need to move along them to get a neat, natural relief. To make the texture coarser, the brush is pressed with great effort. Individual areas can be processed more strongly if they need to be emphasized. Accents are usually marked on the edges of the area where the picture will be located. This place must be chosen in advance and the smoothness of the surface should be left untouched, as the relief will affect the quality of the implantation of the image. After the brushing process is completed, the surface is prepared for decoupage. It is painted, and after drying, the paint is coated with two layers of water-based varnish. In the process, the dried composition is slightly sanded to make the surface extra smooth. A layer of acrylic lacquer is applied on the printout with a mirror image. After it dries, repeat the procedure and cover the decorated surface of the trunk with the same composition. Then immediately applied to it cut out of the sheet image face down. It is covered with cellophane and carefully expel excess paint and air bubbles with a spatula or other tool with a smooth, solid working surface. Now you need to wait 4-5 hours to complete drying of the composition. After that, the imprinted printout is moistened with a damp sponge and a sheet of paper is rolled up with your fingers, periodically helping yourself with the sandpaper. The drawing will gradually "bare." When the paper residues are completely removed, the image is once again coated with varnish to fix. Creating such a decoration will require skill. From the first time to remove the paper gently turns out not at all. There are more simple ways to transfer images, but the implantation is considered the most beautiful.
Conclusion
The East is considered the homeland of a chest. It was used everywhere in any premises and kept a variety of things: from weapons to kitchen utensils. East trunks were used instead of ottomans for reclining in moments of rest. They must have been decorated with pillows and bedspreads. In Italy, the caskets were lavishly decorated with elegant forging. Only rich people could afford big chests, while the poor were content with simple wooden elements of modest size. Not a single Russian hut did without a chest. It was he who became the prototype of the first suitcases.
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