At present, chests can be seen not only in the village of my grandmother, in which neatly folded bedding and kitchen towels are stored. They are back in fashion! Due to the variety of colors, shapes and designs, they are becoming popular among residents of urban apartments.

As you know, the chest is a wooden rectangular box with a hinged lid and metal corners. They come in different sizes and you can store in them not only bedding, but also small decorations.

Chest: its history and functions

The chest takes its roots from ancient times and can be found in different cultures, including in Russian and Eastern European villages. The first chests began to be made in Ancient Egypt and Greece. In the Middle Ages, they were made in Europe and in China and were the most common piece of furniture. They are a kind of ancestors of modern cabinets.

In Eastern Europe, the chest was considered an important piece of furniture and was inherited from generation to generation or as part of a family heirloom during a bride’s wedding. Chests made of expensive wood and richly decorated with animal and plant ornaments were luxury items in wealthy families. In the poorer families, one could find chests made of cheaper wood species, the so-called caskets, in which, together with clothes, food stocks were stored, including flour and grain.

Previously, the chest served as a cabinet, chair, table and even a bed! Today, in most cases it is used as a place to store things or a seat.

Where is the best place to put a chest

Entrance and bedroom are ideal for placing a chest. But wouldn’t it be superfluous in the hallway, where there is already a little space? Not at all, quite the contrary!

In the hallway, a beautifully painted chest looks not only stylish, but also performs two useful functions: firstly, in the summer you can store winter things in it, and in the summer – summer things such as hats, scarves, down jackets, shoes and other things.