Chests: from antiquity to modern times. Chest in the interior
The chest is a kind of keeper of family life. It stood in almost every Russian house. Well, if there were several of them, the family was considered wealthy.
Also V.I. Dal in his “ Explanatory dictionary living Great Russian language" wrote that "chests and boxes are indigenous Russian utensils."
Although it came to us along with the Tatar-Mongols in the 13th century. Yes, and the word “chest” itself is of Turkic origin.
Types of chests
In the Russian north, two types of chests were common - with a flat hinged lid and a convex one. They also differed in size. There were small chests, close to caskets. They were intended for storing valuable jewelry, household items and money. Small chests included a “headrest” chest, a “teremok” chest, and a dowry chest.
There were also huge chests in the houses - for clothes or food. For strength, the chest was bound with iron strips, sometimes smooth, sometimes with a perforated pattern. Large locks were placed on large chests. Often the walls were covered with conventional painting: with plant or zoomorphic motifs.
These could also be fairy-tale subjects - heroes, herbs, a “wonderful bird”, as well as many other folklore characters and symbols, the meaning and meaning of which was gradually lost.
“Items decorated in this way brought a sense of celebration to a poor home.”
Surprisingly, the chest has not lost its relevance even now. Unlike the spinning wheel, which can only be seen in a museum, the chest is still used in some homes today.
True, if you want to see ancient samples, you will have to go to the museum. The new museum of the Open Collection Foundation - "Peasant Art and Avant-Garde" in Skolkovo - can boast of a large collection of chests, open to anyone.
Anastasia Nekrasova
The chest has a lot of talents, and it can be used for more than just storing things. In what interior is such a piece of furniture appropriate? Where to put it and how to use it? Today we will look into the casket and reveal its secrets.
Things with history are especially popular in interior design today. Someone goes to flea markets looking for interesting furniture and decor, some go through things in the attic, looking for vintage items. There is a high probability of stumbling upon old chest in one of these places.
Previously, caskets were used only for storing things. They put it in family heirlooms, dowry, weapons, icons, books and everything that was considered valuable. The chest is considered the ancestor of wardrobes, chests of drawers, and bedside tables. So, what functions can it perform besides storing things?
1. Decor item
Today there is no shortage of furniture. In any interior there are cabinets, chests of drawers, and shelving. Designers' eyes are drawn to the chest as an interesting decorative item that can give the space a vintage spirit. It will be an appropriate decoration for an interior in a rustic or industrial style, although sometimes the chest is found in Scandinavian apartments.
For decoration, it is advisable to choose models with sophisticated carvings or interesting textures. Chests covered with leather, as well as wooden ones with metal forging and belts, are popular.
2. Coffee table
For some, it’s still not enough to just decorate the interior with a chest. In this case, it is appropriate to use it as an additional functional piece of furniture, for example, as a coffee table. This choice will certainly surprise the guests and emphasize the originality of the owners. It can become the key accent of the room, in which case it should stand out in color or material from the furniture around it.
3. Nightstand
It is very unusual to use a chest as bedside table. In addition to the fact that it is aesthetically attractive, you can store things in the chest itself, and put your favorite books on top of it. The main thing is that the chest is not higher than the bed, otherwise using it in this form will be very inconvenient.
4. Banquette
A large oblong chest can also be useful in the bedroom. It is capable of performing the functions of a banquette. If its lid is flat, then this will allow you to sit on it. It is convenient to fold bed linen, blankets, and pillows inside. Of course, such a piece of furniture would be appropriate in spacious bedrooms. Small room It is advisable not to clutter it with a massive chest.
5. Sofa
If you equip the chest with a soft seat and upholster its lid soft cloth, then it will turn into a comfortable sofa. It will fit into the interior of a kitchen, hallway or living room without any problems. rustic style. In classic spaces, this option is best avoided.
Today, not only chests are popular in the interior. There is a real boom in .
Chest in the interior.
Chests of drawers, cabinets and cabinets are relatively new furniture designed to store various household items, but earlier chests were used for these purposes. All the most valuable things in the house were stored in them and locked. For some period of time, chests completely disappeared from use, and now they have made a triumphant return; it has become really fashionable to use chests for storing things. Moreover, they are installed not only in bedrooms, but also in living rooms, corridors, kitchens and children's rooms. That is, in fact, there is a place for a chest in absolutely any home.
Literally all types of chests are in fashion - wooden, metal, combined, plastic.
Benefits of the chest.
- Due to its spaciousness, you can store a lot of different things in it. So, let’s say in the living room you can put newspapers and magazines in it, in the bedroom you can store bed linen, in the children’s room you can hide toys, in the hallway you can store outdoor shoes or items intended for cleaning (broom, dustpan, mop, detergents etc.).
- In addition, this thing looks very colorful, and even stylish, despite its centuries-old period of life. Such an item in the interior will clearly serve as the main highlight, and the eyes of those entering will be directed exclusively at it.
- A chest can serve not only as storage for things, but will also act as coffee table in the living room or a chaise longue in the hallway, on which you can sit and put on your shoes comfortably.
What are they made from?
In fact, these days there is no strictly defined material for making a chest; previously, the emphasis was on metal and wood, but now it can also be rattan, willow, bamboo and even plastic. Here the choice is up to the consumer, from what material he wants to purchase this product, this is what he chooses!
Varieties of interior chests.
- Vintage - this product should appear aged in appearance, as if the chest has seen a lot of things and its age has been very long. Chips, abrasions, cracks - all this is welcome. And also carved or forged elements- this way it will seem more graceful and romantic.
- Ethnic - these models are traditionally bound with metal plates, very massive and heavy, and the inside is upholstered with expensive velvet fabric.
- Modern - such a product can be made of plastic, decorated with chrome inserts or pasted over mirror film.
- Rustic - this model is made of wood, outwardly it seems rough and angular, but its charm is not lost from this fact.
Where to get the chest.
Ideal option, of course, it is considered a centuries-old chest, passed down in the family as an inheritance, or just something that was collecting dust in the grandmother’s attic, seemingly unnecessary. So its time has come, quickly get it out of the attic, critically examine it and undergo restoration. You may have to change something, or simply clean it from dust or traces of rust, lubricate the hinges and lock, and paint or varnish it.
In addition, antique chests are sold in antique stores, where they are usually already restored and completely ready for further use.
But you can also find a chest in ordinary furniture stores, although it will be as modern as possible, but this will not lose its charm and functionality.
In addition, you can order its production from an experienced carpenter; he will definitely be able to make exactly what you need.
What interior styles will the chest fit into?
Let it be elegant with rounded corners, on forged legs, made of wood and painted in White color.
Classical. This model should look expensive; its decor may include massive metal overlays, and the wooden body is coated with glossy varnish.
Country. In this style, the chest can be as simple as possible - wooden and angular.
A pretentious chest covered with a mirror film or trimmed with chrome will fit into this style. metal sheets.
Ethnic. Wood carving or hand painting on the surface of the product is welcome; the pattern is selected according to the chosen ethnic direction.
Additional selection of photos:
Today the Decorol website demonstrated how the chest looks in the interior, and it’s worth noting that it looks excellent, really fresh and fashionable. But this thing appeared many centuries ago, it’s good that once forgotten things are coming back into our lives, especially such cute and practical ones! See you again on the pages of our website!
When building an associative series, we are accustomed to comparing the chest with greedy pirates or loving ladies of the same era - the former hid looted gold in them, and the latter carefully kept letters from their lover. Starting its history in ancient times, and having survived many eras, ups and downs of morals, this piece of furniture has returned to our homes again, and with a slightly different function. Now this is not only a capacious storage of all kinds of things, but also fashionable decor rooms. Let's see how you can use an old chest in the interior of a modern home?
Being a type of cabinet furniture, it has absorbed the advantages of this type of apartment furnishing. Often the chest is large and roomy, and even large items can fit in it if desired. The hinged lid will keep the contents of the chest in order, and the presence of a lock will hide things from prying eyes.
Chest in a modern apartment: placement options in different rooms
Like any element of the interior, the chest is chosen solely to suit the style of the room, and sometimes it is precisely this that sets it. Manufacturers picked up the idea of a passion for antiques and began producing chests various types, sizes and shapes, the most popular specimens among them are artificially aged ones. But modern models, unlike their ancient predecessors, have more elegant, graceful and smaller forms, so now they do not stand somewhere in the back of the room, but occupy a central place in the interior. let's see where and how to place chests.
Most often, an old chest is placed in the interior of the living room. Here it is used as and even additional seating. Moreover, it is not necessary to push it against the wall or hide it from prying eyes in the corner; it is a full-fledged element of the interior, which has all the prerequisites to become the main one, which means its place is in the very center of the room, surrounded by armchairs and a sofa.
If earlier it was possible to put it on the chest, but the lid was not used for its intended purpose and was not opened, then modern technology, having increased in size, gradually moved to the wall, thus freeing the lid of a large casket. Now on the chest standing under the TV you can place not only magazines, but also CDs, or even make this element of the interior purely decorative role, placing all kinds of figurines, vases and framed photographs on it.
Chest in the bedroom and in the nursery
The chest can also be used in the bedroom interior - here it can be used both as a temporary storage place for a robe and home clothes, and as a seat in front of the ladies' table. At the same time, you will certainly not leave the insides of such spacious furniture empty; unused bedding, blankets, and even pillows will be comfortably located here.
A children's room can also become a haven for an old chest, especially if it is decorated with pirate paraphernalia. Modern "" stores here not only gold coins and jewelry, but also talking dolls, controlled cars and construction sets. But even if the children remain completely indifferent to this piece of furniture, their mothers will still find a use for such a large “box” - clothes, old toys, books - everything here will remain intact and safe even after a long period of storage.
If your hallway is a full-fledged spacious hall, then this is the place for a chest! Seasonal or unused shoes stored in it, e.g. rubber boots, umbrellas and bags will not gather dust on open shelves, and will remain clean even after three months of storage. In addition, a low chest with a flat lid can be successfully used as a seat instead. By the way, if you look hard enough, you can find a model with soft lining - you must agree, it will be more pleasant to sit on such a chest.
New look for a shabby chest
A chest bought at a flea market or brought from grandma's bins is unlikely to be used to decorate a room, so a reasonable question arises: how to update an old chest? By the way, the decor of a large “box” created by yourself even has obvious advantages, because its design will take into account the style orientation of the interior and its other features.
The easiest way to give the new kind old chest is to open it with varnish. To do this you need to remove old paint, sand and coat with clear or colored varnish or paint desired color. In order not to lose the spirit of antiquity, at the final stage of work use a self-cracking varnish (craquelure), which, after application, will immediately cover the surface with cracks.
How to update an old chest
If there is an artist in you, then you will not fail to take advantage of this by painting the outer walls and lid with intricate patterns. But if you don’t have artistic talent, then simply apply designs to the surface of the chest using stencils. At the same time, take note that it is better to use acrylic paints, they do not spread and lie beautifully.
How to decorate an old chest
Decoupage can be an interesting option for decorating an old chest. At the same time, you are free to choose the image you like in order to subsequently transfer it to the surface of the chest. And in order for the main piece of furniture to take on an antique look, at the last stage of the work it is coated with either varnish or paste, which forms cracks after drying. Here it should be noted that the size and depth of the cracks are directly dependent on the layer of varnish - the more you apply, the deeper the cracks will turn out.
These simple methods can be used if the chest as a whole looks good, you just need to update it when it’s already quite worn out appearance. If it is seriously dilapidated, then restoration of the old chest will be required. To do this, you need to disassemble it down to the last screw, remove all fittings, hinges, locks and, if necessary, they can later be replaced with new ones. Most likely, the inner lining will also have to be removed and a new cover will be sewn in its place, and the outer walls will have to be decorated in any way described above. Only after all this work will the chest take a central place in your room.
