Modern stylish chests. Chest in the interior

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For centuries, chests have been used for a variety of purposes. In peasant houses, smart clothes and canvases were kept there, dowries for growing daughters were put there. In rich houses, ladies used them to store love letters and albums with poems and drawings. Today, the chest in the interior is losing its original meaning as a place of storage; recently it is often used as a decorative element.

Various style solutions

Choosing a chest is a responsible matter. You can’t buy it thoughtlessly, such a piece of furniture should resonate with common style rooms and harmonize with other items. So most often you have to buy a couple more things to create a certain ensemble, for example, candlesticks, picture frames. Available for sale various options chests, ranging from artificially aged, ornate options, to laconic models that can perfectly fit into modern minimalism.

You can often find a chest in the interior of an apartment decorated in classical style. Artificially aged varieties filled with many interesting details will look good here. Chests can be made of wood or metal, wicker and even plastic. Sometimes the upper part is upholstered with fabric, then it makes a great place to sit.

but modern chests should not be used in rooms that are decided to be issued in vintage style. No matter how well this furniture is made, it will come into dissonance with truly antiques. But a real old chest in the interior when creating a retro style is simply irreplaceable. If you are lucky enough to find a genuine thing that has been preserved from the past, after the appropriate restoration it will become a real decoration of a vintage interior.

Minimalism is much harder to accept chests. Chests in modern interior, as in the photo, most often they look more like cabinets, often they serve as banquettes. In any case, they are a semantic accent here, introducing diversity into the appearance of space. Today, even exquisite glamorous rooms cannot do without a chest. Only this piece of furniture is used here in a completely transformed form: in silver decoration or with a golden sheen.

Old chests often look harmonious in a loft-style interior. Such a detail perfectly conveys the atmosphere of a factory space converted into housing.

Using chests in various rooms

This piece of furniture can be found in almost all rooms. modern apartment. The chest is placed in living rooms and hallways, in bedrooms, in kitchens and in bathrooms. In the hallways, it most often performs the function of a banquette, while its interior space can be filled with various things or equipped with a shoe storage system. Often given subject furniture becomes a cabinet, on which it is convenient to throw gloves.

In bathrooms, chests are used as a laundry basket. If possible, its upper surface is made even and used as an ironing board, and inside they organize a place to store everything you need. Modern collections of bathroom furniture often include such cabinets, stylized as a chest.

In the space of the kitchen, the chest is completely returned to its original purpose: a place to store napkins, tablecloths, dishes. And its upper surface is successfully used as a seat. People with imagination remake such furniture into a mini-bar.

A chest is an undeservedly forgotten, but very convenient place to store things. And also a colorful home decoration and a great gift for the hero of the day or newlyweds! Make a decorative chest with your own hands, because it's not difficult at all:

Decorative chest with your own hands. Step by step instructions with photo

Gather frame from boards measuring 40X50 cm. To make the sidewalls, you need to step back from the edges of two 10 cm boards and cut the material in a semicircle. Sidewalls are glued to the bottom or fastened with self-tapping screws.

Decorative chest with your own hands. Photo step by step

Sheathe the walls with boards. The first blanks are attached in the upper part under the semicircular cuts. After them, on the sidewalls, departing from the top 20 cm, marks are made with a pencil - they are needed to indicate the future cut of the lid. Then the boards are fastened on both sides to the very bottom.

Sheathe the lid. Narrower blanks are attached to semicircular cuts so that a lid is obtained.

Saw the sides electric jigsaw along the marked lines. After completion of work, it is recommended to cover the wood with stain or varnish.

Attach loops. With their help, the sawn off cover is attached to the base. On the other side, screw a loop on which you can hang a padlock.

old chest with your own hands. Photo

Attach to the sides pens, for example, under bronze. It is necessary that they match the style of the hinges and the lock.

Decorate do-it-yourself chest. For example, fill the bottom with iron corners. Interestingly, leather strips nailed with large-headed nails look interesting on a decorative chest. Finally, the legs are attached to the bottom.

Do-it-yourself wooden chest. Photo instruction

Checkout inner part . To do this, cover the entire space with velvet, choosing a color to your liking.

Decorative wooden chest with your own hands. Option 2

There is another way to make a wooden chest with your own hands. It involves the following steps:

Material preparation. As in the previous case, it is necessary boards. Choose the size depending on the size of the chest you want to receive. With the help of a milling cutter, a quarter is made.

how to make a chest. step by step photos

Assembly boxes. From the resulting blanks, a box is mounted, which occupies about two-thirds of the size of the future chest.

Preparation of material for bottom. To do this, the quarters on the boards are processed on a router.

Bottom installation. It is assembled from blanks using self-tapping screws.

Manufacturing lids. Two side semicircular walls are cut out, then the lid is sheathed with boards over the entire surface.

Product coating wood stain or varnish. This is necessary for decoration, as well as for the preservation of wood.

Fastening fittings. The chest needs three hinges, legs and handles. They can be purchased at any store, but to make the loops look more interesting, it is recommended to file them with a jigsaw. Two hinges are fastened on one side of the cover, and one, for the lock, on the other. Legs are screwed to the bottom, and handles are screwed to the sides.

old chest with your own hands. Photo master class

Finishing. Copper or steel ribbons that are attached to the edges of the product look stylish. However, you can use any decor.

Do-it-yourself pirate chest for a children's room

If the child's room is designed in a marine theme, it is suitable for her pirate chest. It looks great in a similar room and is very convenient for storing toys or children's things.

To make such a chest, you must first prepare the materials and tools:

• furniture board;
• glue;
• putty for working with wood;
• acrylic paint caramel, brown, white and black;
• gold powder;
• some flour and milk;
• decorative beeswax;
• potal for imitation of gold leaf and glue for it;
• leather belts;
• jigsaw;
• spatula to create a cut texture;
• stencils with relevant images;
• rope;
• drill with a nozzle "pen";
• furniture rollers;
• door hinges.

When everything you need to make a pirate chest is ready, you can get to work. The steps are:

Creation blanks. They are cut out of a furniture board according to a pattern. Since they have to be connected with a lock, you should immediately cut out the spikes.

Assembly designs. The parts are connected and coated with glue for strength.

Do-it-yourself pirate chest for a children's room. Photo instruction

Painting. Before applying the coloring composition, the chest should be covered with a layer of plaster from the inside and outside. Only after it has dried can caramel-colored paint be applied.

Creation textures. To make the chest look stylish and interesting, we advise you to decorate the freshly painted surface with a mixture of milk, flour and brown paint. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed so that a composition is obtained that resembles sour cream in consistency. It is applied in large strokes to the outer surface of the product. While the paint has not dried, it is carried out with a spatula - the result is a clear pattern of wood.

decoration. The pirate chest is actually ready, it remains to decorate it. To do this, a stencil is superimposed on the lid. The picture can be anything: a ship, an anchor, and the like. White paint is applied on top, the stencil is removed - and the drawing is on the surface. The entire outer surface is waxed with gold powder and sanded with a soft cloth, after which a thin translucent layer of black paint is applied. From the inside, the chest is covered with potal with the help of glue for gold leaf.

Installation accessories. All parts are assembled: the lid is attached to the base door hinges, furniture rollers are installed on the bottom. It is better to make a handle from a rope by passing it through two holes in the lid. The ends of the rope are tied maritime knots. Finally, leather straps are attached to the sides of the pattern on the lid, which wrap around the entire product.

It turns out a stylish do-it-yourself pirate chest for a children's room.

Do-it-yourself chest with a flat lid

The instructions above show how to make a chest with a semi-circular lid. But it can also be flat. Such a product is even easier to make. The instruction is:

First of all, it is necessary to prepare tools and materials by determining the size of the chest and sawing the boards.

Collect sidewalls: connect several boards by attaching thin bars along the edges.

Glue parts of the chest, using a furniture shield as the bottom. On the sides, the product is sheathed with boards. Do not forget to cut the grooves so that the workpieces are installed end-to-end.

Collect cover: take measurements, cut out boards of suitable length, connect them by gluing thin bars on the sides. Then drill two holes in the top on both sides. Do the same on the lid. A rope is inserted into each hole on the chest, pulled through a hole in the lid and tied at both ends with a sea knot.

Do pens: drill two holes in the sidewall at a small distance from each other, insert a rope, tie knots. Repeat on the other side.

Cover by wood stain or varnish.

Do-it-yourself chest-shop. Photo

Do-it-yourself chest with a flat lid is ready!

DIY decorative chest from the box

If you don’t want to work with wood, you can make a cardboard chest with your own hands. Suitable, for example, packaging from household appliances. Manufacturing steps:

Make from the top cover. To do this, you need to draw lines with force over the entire surface so that the cardboard bends. Then cut out two semicircles and paste over them with wallpaper, leaving teeth around the circumference. Blanks are attached to the lid on both sides.

do-it-yourself cardboard chest Photo

Insert the inner box into the outer box, having previously attached pens. Both parts are firmly glued to each other (for convenience during work, they can be fastened with clothespins) and covered with wallpaper.

Create decor. It can be made from leatherette by cutting curly belts, or baked clay. Cuts of napkins and thick twisted threads are also useful. The elements are glued to the chest, patterns are formed from threads and cuts.

cardboard money chest. Photo

Attach legs. They are cut out of wood or plastic and glued to the bottom of the chest.

paint do-it-yourself cardboard chest The surface is black acrylic paint, then a thin layer of gold is applied with a sponge.

DIY paper chest

Another economical option for a chest made of paper and cardboard, which is useful for storing a variety of small things and will serve as an interior decoration. Making it is very simple:

Prepare materials and tools. Useful cardboard box, consumer paper two shades, from which tubes of the same size are rolled up, glue, tailor's pins, side cutters, decor elements.

Take a cardboard box of the size you need, make markup future chest and cut out. On both sides there should be semicircular sides.

Glue the outside paper, bending inward about 6 cm.

tubules flatten and attach along the long side with pins.

do-it-yourself paper chest. Photo

Fasten strips of a different shade on one side of the chest with pins and intertwine with existing tubes so that you get an imitation of a basket. Weave to the very top, then fold the remaining ends and glue from the inside of the layout. Braid the sides in the same way, remembering to glue the strips to the bottom.

To make a lid, you need a regular bottle, whose width is equal to the width of the chest. Take a piece of cardboard of the appropriate size, wet it, attach it to the bottle with tape, and after drying, spread with PVA and glue with newspaper. Paste the finished cover with the same paper as the entire product.

Attach the strips along the edge.

Try on the lid issue by weaving it or in another way, for example, by simply gluing strips of paper evenly.

Decorate the chest however you like.

DIY chests

It is not necessary to dwell on the described design options - a do-it-yourself chest can be anything! Here are some examples:

Do-it-yourself wooden chest, made in the manner log house from rounded bars, decorated with metal handles, hinges and lock. The surface is covered with stain.

Carved chest with massive metal handles and a ring for the castle. An ornament is carved on the sides, on the lid - weaving from thin boards, the bottom slightly protrudes beyond the walls of the product.

Stylish black chest, trimmed with leatherette and decorated with leatherette straps. Bronze hinges, a lock and handles are perfect for it, as well as nails with large hats are more decorative.

Laconic woodwork suitable as storage space. An ordinary hinge and metal handles are used, the lid is flat with rounded edges, the chest is painted in a discreet color.

Rectangular product resembling flirtatious box. A do-it-yourself decorative chest is pasted over with plain leatherette or paper, decorated with vintage locks and a patterned metal flower.

Bright chest with a flat lid for a children's room, decorated with images of cartoon characters. The handles are cut out on the sidewalls, a notch is also made under the lid on one side for easy opening.

From the very word "chest" breathes something mysterious and at the same time hopelessly old-fashioned. Gone are the days of impudent pirates who sang songs over the chest of a dead man, and over gold they languish not near the chests, but looking at bank statements. But, nevertheless, it will be a big mistake to assume that the time of chests has irrevocably passed.

In fact, this interesting and functional accessory is hardly worth forgetting. They have long adopted the chest and are actively using it in interior design. It is enough just to find out what they are and how they can be used in our time to understand that the chest, perhaps, should be placed at home.

Chests are of the following types:

traditional- these are actually the chests that everyone imagines in the first place. Rectangular shape, with or without legs, with wood inlay, decorated with metal plates that not only decorate the chest, but also protect its corners from chipping;

vintage chests designed to emphasize all the charm of antiquity in the interior. Novelty does not adorn them at all. On the contrary - darkened from time to time, scratched and shabby (they are often covered even craquelure varnish for greater effect), chests are associated with the dashing and romantic times of brave filibusters and the mysterious atmosphere of medieval castles.

rough rustic chests made of wood and stained. These wooden crafts massive, not too refined, but the interior in country style is imperfect without them;

ethnic chest you can choose for every taste: simple metal-bound chests will remind you of the ancient Viking era, intricately painted chests with rich metal lining will evoke Andalusian palaces, and chests luxuriously decorated with fabrics and tassels will set off the style of the hospitable and pampered East;

modern chests most often completely shackled metal sheets and have only a slight stylization of the chests of the past.

Why do you need a chest in the interior?

The chest is perfect for almost any style in the interior: hi-tech, urban style, renaissance style, popular style, colonial style and art deco style. Of course, the chest must fully match the style of the room and be decorated as necessary. So, the chest can be styled with metal lining, varnishing, mosaic and tile lining, fabric upholstery and decoupage.

The chest can be useful in the following cases:

The main and inalienable advantage of the chest is that you can store anything in it, with the exception, perhaps, of perishable products;

The chest is perfect in the nursery as a box for storing toys, clothes and various childish secrets. A chest in for boys or in a gentle romantic style for girls will be an excellent replacement for an ordinary closet;

The chest in the living room will surely become the envy of the guests and the pride of the owners. Especially if it is actually purchased at an antique store or flea market. The chest can act as a pouffe or a sofa, it will be convenient to put your feet on it, comfortably placed in front of the TV. Also, the chest will be an excellent option for a tea table, inside which you can hide not only a tea set, but also a bottle of rum for close friends. In this case, the chest as a table will give an unforgettable flavor to a friendly meeting. The main thing is that after drinking rum no one is forced to walk on the yards.

PHOTOS OF THE USE OF CHESTS IN THE INTERIOR:

The chest has a lot of talents, and you can use it 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 today are especially popular in interior design. Someone goes to flea markets in search of interesting furniture and decor, some are sorting through things in the attic, looking for vintage items. There is a high chance of stumbling upon an old chest in one of these places.

Previously, caskets were used only for storing things. Family relics, dowry, weapons, icons, books and everything that was considered valuable were put into it. The chest is considered the ancestor of cabinets, chests of drawers, bedside tables. So, what functions can it perform besides storing things?

1. Decor item

Today there is no lack of furniture. In any interior there are cabinets, chests of drawers, shelving. The eyes of designers are turned to the chest as an interesting piece of decor 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 decor, it is advisable to choose models with sophisticated carvings or interesting textures. Chests covered with leather are popular, as well as wooden chests with metal forging and straps.

2. Coffee table

For some, it’s still not enough just to 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 coffee table. Such a choice will surely surprise guests and emphasize the originality of the hosts. It can become a key accent of the room, in which case it should stand out in color or material from the surrounding furniture.

3. Bedside table

It is very unusual to use a chest as a bedside table. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, you can store things in the chest itself, and put your favorite books on top of it. The main thing is that the chest should not be higher than the bed, otherwise its use in this form will be very inconvenient.

4. Bench

A large oblong chest can also come in handy in the bedroom. It is able to perform the functions of a banquette. If its lid is flat, then it will allow you to sit on it. Inside it is convenient to fold bed linen, bedspreads, pillows. Of course, such a piece of furniture would be appropriate in spacious bedrooms. small room it is advisable not to clutter up with a massive chest.

5. Sofa

If you equip the chest with a soft seat, and upholster its lid with a soft cloth, then it will turn into a comfortable sofa. It will easily fit into the interior of the kitchen, hallway or living room in a rustic style. In classical spaces, this option is best avoided.

Today, not only chests are popular in the interior. There is a real boom on.

The chest is a kind of keeper of family life. He stood in almost every Russian house. Well, if there were several of them, the family was considered prosperous.

Even V.I.Dal in his "Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language" wrote that "chests and boxes are indigenous Russian utensils."

Although she came to us together with the Tatar-Mongols in the XIII century. Yes, and the very word "chest" 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. The small ones also included a “headrest” chest, and a “teremok”, and a chest for a dowry.

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. Big locks were hung on big chests. Often the walls were covered with conditional painting: with plant or zoomorphic motifs.

It could also be fairy tales - heroes, herbs, "wonderful bird", as well as many other folklore characters and symbols, the meaning and meaning of which was gradually lost.

“Articles decorated in this way brought a sense of celebration to a poor dwelling.”

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 old samples, you have to go to the museum. A large collection of chests, open to anyone, can boast of the new museum of the Open Collection Foundation - Peasant Art and Avant-Garde in Skolkovo.

Anastasia Nekrasova