The chest is considered the ancestor of a number of modern items of furniture: chiffoniers, cabinets, chests of drawers, bedside tables and even caskets. Previously, in the absence of another storage system, all the most valuable things were stored there. In the chests were placed expensive fabrics, best dresses, a wedding dress for a girl, jewels. At a thorough move they were used instead of practical suitcases, which appeared much later. Nowadays, many mistakenly attribute the chest exclusively to vintage elements, which are suitable only for authentic interiors, imitating the decoration of the premises of a certain era. In fact, with proper design, this detail can become an ornament of many stylistic trends. To decorate the "grandmother's" chest and give him a chance to a new life you can do it yourself with the help of improvised materials and a fraction of the imagination. Let's talk in the article about what you can combine this colorful element and how to update it yourself.
Chests are historically associated with wedding preparations, but now instead of storing the dowry in them, hide the money given to the young guests. Such models are decorated with azhur, rhinestones, satin ribbons and beads. The most unpretentious versions are made of ordinary cardboard and, as a rule, have an opening for envelopes in the cover, like a slot in a mail box.
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 completely made from it. The most reliable is the combination of wood and iron. Modern models carry out even from plastic, but it does not differ in durability, although it has ease. Another minus detail of PVC can become an unpleasant smell of plastic. Beautiful, neat trunks perform from twigs in the technique of weaving. They also have a light weight, but are used exclusively for storage. As a chair or table, such a chest can not be used.
Using the chest in different rooms
Chests are universal. They seamlessly flow into the interior of any room, since an extra storage system is always useful. In large models, they put things, fabrics, linens, blankets, shoes, pillows and towels. Smaller pawns can store money, decorations and be used as an organizer for the workshop. For example, they perfectly fit brushes, paints, palettes, pencils, if the chest will decorate the artist's work room. There are only two options for placing an element:
- Central;
- Near the wall.
If the chest is placed in the middle of the room, then its surface is usually used as a countertop. The choice of color palette and drawing entirely depends on the stylistic features of the design. For austere interiors, a monochrome surface, painted in neutral, natural shades: brown, white, gray, black, is suitable. If you need a decor with an accent, the chests are performed in purple, red, blue, green, yellow.
In the hall
In the hall сундук выполняет сразу две функции:
- Storage of shoes, umbrellas, walking sticks.
- Place for re-training (bench replacement).
To sit on the top cover was softer, it is decorated with upholstery and decorated with pads.
In the living room
In the living room сундуки используются вместо кофейного столика. Если его оснастить колесиками, то мобильную мебель можно будет при необходимости перевозить в другую комнату. Как правило, такой колоритный элемент размещается в центре зоны отдыха внутри «круга», образуемого диваном и креслами. Если площадь комнаты позволяет, то ларец можно установить под окном в качестве отдельной зоны для чтения или чаепития, с видом на уличный пейзаж. В нем хранят книги и журналы, которые убираются внутрь во время прихода гостей, чтобы на крышке можно было расставить кофейник и чашки.
In the bedroom
The chest in the bedroom can be used instead of a bedside table or serve as a bed. Inside, as a rule, they store bed linen, pajamas or spare blankets / pillows. Great looks old chest, located at the back of the bed at the feet. You can sit down on it or use it as a table. If there is not enough room in the bedroom and there is nowhere to place the closet, then the chest will be a real salvation of the cramped rooms, thanks to its multifunctionality. Recently, on the shelves of stores appeared kits-matryoshka. In them, three or four chests, one smaller than the other, fold into each other. The tiniest will replace the jewelry box, and in those that are larger, you can store documents, cosmetics or money (instead of safe).
See also: Design of a corner cabinet +75 photo 
In the kitchen
Previously, the chests in the kitchen did not set. They were located in the most secluded corners of the houses. Now this piece of furniture will become a stylish solution in the design of the kitchen and an additional storage space. It can be adapted as a mini-cellar, in which jars with pickles or bottles of alcohol will be folded. Traditionally, cumbersome chests are placed near the windowsill under the window. They also fulfill the role of the bench. When there are not enough places in the kitchen, such furniture can be pushed under the table, if it is placed near the wall (so as not to interfere with the dinner).
In the children's room
Chest in the nursery will help create a true fairy tale. For the room, girls choose gentle shades: white, pink, lilac. In addition, the surface is decorated with a floral pattern. Inside you can put toys or books, things. The original decision will be a doll house in a chest. It is divided into miniature rooms and decorated with toy furniture. In the boy's room, the chest will become a continuation of the maritime style. A wooden chest with metal inserts can turn into a treasure trove of pirates, a magic treasure that is hidden on the "island" of your apartment.
In the bathroom
With tight bathrooms, chests are combined "with a creak," as there is little room for furniture in such rooms. They are located, as a rule, in a free corner, supplemented by storage systems of hinged type. The top cover can be used instead of a chair or shelf for shampoos, soaps, and inside you place a stack of towels, bathrobes, household chemicals. If there is not enough space, but you want to get a casket in the interior, then use narrow, high models. In this case, the second parameter is worth paying special attention, since a person must freely reach the bottom.
In the design of the bathroom it is better to use plastic or metal chests. From a traditional tree refuse because of its impracticality in an atmosphere of high humidity.
Decor chest with their own hands
Decoration of the chest can be carried out using a number of popular techniques. Most often as an experimental sample used old caskets, which for a long time were gathering dust, being forgotten, and from which they acquired a very plain look. You can correct the situation in several ways:
- Decoupage. The technique implies the transfer or implantation of images from napkins and printouts on the surface of the chest with its subsequent fastening.
- Painting. The casket can be painted with your own hand by various thematic patterns. Original painting looks on ethnic chests. If the brush does not have the skills of the designer, then the stencils will come to their aid, the contours of which are outlined "in black", and then filled with colors.
- Artificial aging with the help of brashing. Suitable only for wooden chests. Their surface is treated with a special hard brush with a metal pile. It is scraped out with soft wood fibers, resulting in an 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.
- Decoration 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.
- Decoration with strips of brass, leather belts with rivets, padlock and letters, composed in an inscription.
- Decoration forged elements (rings, chains to limit the opening of the lid, hinges, handles, corners) and carving.
This is far from an exhaustive list of options for transforming chests. It is enough to connect your imagination and skill. Ways can be safely combined with each other, if the style of the interior is justified. Consider a master class on aging the chest by firing and brashing with subsequent decoupage.
Master class on the decor of the chest
From the wood remove a layer of varnish, paint or other type of coating. The cleaned surface is subjected to mild firing, so that it is slightly "smoked". Then, with a brush with a metal pile, they begin to clean the wood of soft surface fibers. You need to move along them to get a neat, natural relief. To make the texture coarser, press the brush with great effort. Individual areas can be processed more strongly if they need to be emphasized. Accents are usually scheduled at the edges of the site where the picture will be located. This place should be chosen in advance and the smoothness of the surface should be left untouched, as the relief will affect the quality of the image implantation. After the brashing process is completed, the surface is prepared for decoupage. It is dyed, and after drying the paint is covered with two layers of water-based varnish. In the process, the dried out composition is lightly sanded to give the surface an additional smoothness. On a printout with a picture in a mirror reflection, apply a layer of acrylic lacquer. After it has dried, the procedure is repeated and the same composition covers the decorated surface of the trunk. Then immediately apply to it cut from the sheet the image face down. It is covered with cellophane and carefully expelled excess varnish and air bubbles with a spatula or other tool with an even, hard working surface. Now you need to wait 4-5 hours before the composition dries completely. After that, the implanted printout is moistened with a damp sponge and the paper rolls off your fingers, periodically helping yourself with the skin. The drawing will gradually be "bared". When the paper residues are completely removed, the image is once again coated with a varnish to secure it. Creating such a decoration will require skill. From the first time, it is not always possible to remove the paper carefully. There are also more simple ways of image transfer, but implantation is considered the most beautiful.
Conclusion
The motherland of the chest is the East. It was used everywhere in any premises and stored a variety of things: from weapons to utensils. Eastern trunks were used instead of ottomans for reclining in moments of rest. They were necessarily decorated with pillows and a coverlet. In Italy, the caskets were generously decorated with elegant forging. Big coffers could afford only well-to-do people, the poor were content with simple wooden elements of modest size. No Russian hut could do without a chest. It was he who became the prototype of the first suitcases.
