Amish Cedar Chest

The Culture of Cedar Chests

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Mar 192011

Cedar chests are a symbol of tradition and a keeper of memories because they are commonly passed on from generation to generation in families. Cedar chests were once given as a gift to women who have come of age to help them in their preparation for a married life. This tradition is most especially enforced when the chest is a product of the woodworking craft of a family member.

The practice of inheriting a chest has turned the cedar chest into a symbol of hope and tradition, a way to keep memories alive. It is through this practice in which the cedar chest has found its other more popular name: the hope chest. These pristine wooden boxes are believed to keep safe not only the mementos, pictures, heirlooms, souvenirs, and hand-me-downs of the past generations but also to keep the overall memories of the old generation alive for the new generation to remember and hold dear.

Wooden chests have roots in ancient Egypt, where Egyptians were known to keep their treasures, jewelleries, gold, and other valuable objects in wooden boxes with very intricate designs. These boxes would be sealed and sent along with the dead in their tombs to bring with them in the afterlife. Many of these boxes were designed with carvings of a story about the family, their history, and their roots. Sometimes, these carvings on the chest would depict symbols of religions, traditions, and other beliefs to paint a picture of the origins of the chest. Engraving these stories onto cedar chests has become a sort of tradition that still stands in these modern times as both religious and secular traditions. The boxes are constructed from various materials. Chests are often dotted with pearls, precious metals, and even precious stones. Different kinds of wood are also used for the chest but cedar has always stood out as the best choice because of its durability and overall beauty.

Cedar wood was and has always been an ideal wood choice. It naturally repels insects due to its hard wood and is also very resistant to decay. Also, cedar wood has a refreshingly distinct aroma that appeals to many. Since cedar is also known to keep humidity out, it is also used to line other wooden furniture and storage boxes to extend its durability and store the items better, keeping them in an almost immaculate condition. No wonder chests made of cedar are symbols of long running traditions and longevity.

Whether you are beginning a family tradition or keeping up with one, cedar is a fine choice for your chest of memories. Tell your story by trusting in a cedar chest to keep your memories untouched and your stories ready to be told.

Why Get Blanket Chests?

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Apr 092010

Blankets are special: they give you warmth on a chilly day, and they give you the comforting scent of your partner on a warm day. Your favorite blankets should be stored away in a special place where they will retain their quality and charm for years and years. For this kind of special purpose you need reliable blanket chests. They can be a great addition to your room aside from serving their main purpose of keeping your blankets.

Blanket chests are usually made of good quality solid wood – the same material that is used for your ordinary chests or beds. They can be simply categorized as a cross between a cabinet and a chest – the blanket chest is structured lower than a standard cabinet but wider than an ordinary chest. Some blanket chests can have drawers for each of your blankets. You can easily place them beside or at the bottom of your bed, or even inside the closet.

Since blanket chests are sturdy and beautiful, they can do double duty as decorative and furniture pieces inside your room. The flat surface of the top of the blanket chest can be transformed into a simple bedroom bench. Simply place pillows or a comforter on top of it. Or you can use it as a low chair for your boudoir. If you have space or you are fond of working inside your room, it can transform into a low table for your writing or craft projects.

A well-made blanket chest can serve its duty of keeping your blankets for years. Over time, blanket chests can transform into family heirlooms – great and sentimental furniture pieces that you can pass on to future generations. You can be assured of a great buy with blanket chests, because elegant and functional furniture will never go out of style.

The Gift of a Cedar Chest

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Jan 282010

Cedar chests were once a traditional gift to give young couples at their wedding, but these days, you don’t need a special occasion to give one to a friend or a family member! There is something special about giving or receiving these chests and not only will you be able to give them something useful, you’ll also be able to give them a gift that is traditionally associated with good feelings and warmth. Take a moment to consider the delight of a cedar chest.

Whether you are thinking about a wedding, an anniversary, a graduation or even a special Christmas, you’ll discover that a cedar chest is a lovely gift. Think about the recipient seeing it placed perfectly in their room or finding it underneath a tree. It makes a terrific going away gift for someone who is leaving home for the first time and it can be a great housewarming present for someone who has just bought their first home.

One great reason to give someone a cedar chest is the aroma. A cedar chest is a piece of furniture that is imbued with the aromatic oils that make it smell lovely, and when you want to give them a chest that will enhance their home both through its beauty and through its scent, a cedar chest is perfect. Moreover, cedar chests come in a lovely reddish sheen, granting them a gentle glow that is different from the effect of pine or maple. If you have any doubts as to the loveliness of a cedar chest, make sure that you find one to check out, whether you find one that is brand new or one that is considered an antique!

Another great reason to get someone a cedar chest is because cedar is considered to be a protective wood. Anything that you pack away in a cedar chest is going to have a better chance of lasting than something that you simply hang up. In our age of compact closets, you may be used to the fact that clothes have to get stretched out or worn at the shoulders; with a chest, you can simply fold it up. On top of that, you will also find that the aromatic oils that are a natural part of the cedar chest will keep pests away from the clothes.

One thing that might concern you is whether a hope chest that you buy for a loved one is going to need extra care. The truth is that all you need to do is to occasionally dust the chest with a soft cloth. Occasional applications of paste wax can prevent cracking and if you keep the chest in a steady temperature, you’ll discover that a cedar chest can become a real antique!

Take some time and consider what a delightful gift a cedar chest can be; chances are good that you know someone who will love it!

Tips for Choosing Bedroom Furniture

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Jan 282010

Most people take bedroom furniture for granted. For them, the only important thing would be the bed and that’s basically it. It’s not that simple, though, in reality. This is because there are lots of things involved in purchasing furniture in the bedroom. It’s simply a bed or a cabinet and you’re done. There is of course the importance of a theme, an overall aesthetic value, ergonomics, and the list goes on. Here are certain things you must keep in mind when preparing to furnish your bedroom:

Have a theme in mind – When buying bedroom furniture, think of what theme you would like to have in your room. Would you desire a more traditional look (with the use of furniture made of hardwood) or would you like a more modern look (one with eco-friendly furniture). Additionally, you can even mix and match to incorporate the themes you have in mind.

Think of what you need – Of course, you need a bed. What about a cabinet? A cedar storage chest? A computer desk? Some drawers or even a dresser? You should all have these in mind so that when you purchase, you won’t miss out on anything else. This will also come in handy when it’s time to give the dimensions that you require to fit your room.

Cost – Money of course, does not grow on trees. It is important that you prioritize what type of bedroom furniture you’d spend the most on. Most people spend more on their beds and on their bedroom dressers. These are the essentials for them. Find out the essentials for you and spend more money on them.

These are some things that you must keep in mind when furnishing your bed room. Remember that these will last for a long time and making the correct choices early would definitely be advantageous.

A Short History of Hope Chests

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Jan 132010

Hope chests are often thought to have originated in different countries around Europe, where they were a customary step between courtship and marriage: there is the French trousseau, the Italian cassone, the Dutch kast and the German schrank. The practice of keeping hope chests as marriage preparations carried on to European settlers in America, therefore bringing this tradition across the ocean to what would become the US shores.

Hope chests, traditionally, are chests where a young woman would store lots of clothes and linens in, as a sort of preparation for married life. Giving a young lady a gift of one was an important coming of age ritual for some countries.

These chests were also sometimes called cedar chests due to the fact that they were usually lined with cedar along the inside, a measure that was undertaken in order to repel moths which often ate at the items made of cloth kept inside. This was of utmost importance, as almost all of the items inside these chests were made of cloth: dresses, towels, bed sheets, quilts and all manner of cloths that were to be used around the house were stored there.

Though not required, most cedar chests had intricate designs on them, possibly to emphasize their importance as part of courtship traditions of the time. Different decorations for these pieces of furniture included: carvings into the wood, painted designs, and even the now lost art of sulfur inlay along the surface of the chest.

Nowadays, cedar chests are used to store all sorts of things, not just cloth. The durability and convenience of these chests is something that almost anybody, whether that person is a woman about to get married or not. Also, if made from good quality wood, these chests can literally be passed from generation to generation.

How a Hope Chest Can Play a Vital Role in your Child’s Bedroom

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Jan 082010

Most children nowadays take for granted the storage space that they have. They are used to having plastic cabinets or containers to put their unused toys in once they are done with it. It is unfortunate that they did not get to experience having a hope chest created from solid hardwood in their room. Also called a cedar chest, this type of furniture is usually kept in a little girl’s room and it contains special dowry items like dresses, linens and the like.

However, it is not merely for that purpose anymore. A hope chest can also be used by little boys too if one is in their bedroom. Special and collectible items can also be stored inside here like baseball cards and old athletic equipment. Other important things can also be stored in order that the child will not forget. This is important because once the child grows up, he or she can always open this chest and reminisce about times he may have already forgotten. This is helpful in ensuring that the child will not forget how he/she was when he/she was young. These items in the cedar chest will ensure that most great memories will not be forgotten and will be forever stored.

This of course brings us to the additional advantages of a hope chest. A chest like this is durable, beautiful, and sturdy. It can even double as a bench if placed in front of a child’s bed. A cedar chest may also be very plain or be filled with designs. To be more personalized, a child can write on it with paint as he/she grows older to serve as a reminder. It would be excellent if one day, once the child-owner grows up, he/she will bring this with him with his new family and pass it on. It’s a memory that’s difficult to erase.

Get Some Zzzz’s With Eco-friendly Bedroom Furniture

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Dec 082009

It can be very relaxing to just plop down on your bed and enjoy a well-rested and much-needed good night’s sleep after a hard day’s work. To make sure that you get the rest you need and deserve, you need to have the right bedroom furniture that not only gives you total comfort but will also fit your style and good taste.

The bedroom is one of the rooms that most homeowners put a lot of time and effort into styling, and with good reason too. Because the bedroom is usually where you get relaxed, whether changing into your comfy old clothes or snuggling inside your warm comforter, you want to make sure that every single detail of the room exudes just that: comfort. There are a lot of furniture to choose from, from bed frames, dressers, nightstands, and even the mattresses. You can even mix and match the color and the style according to what you want. But whatever furniture you choose, the most important thing to look at is the material your bedroom furniture are made of. To get the best for you and your family, earth-friendly furniture should be your top choices.

Earth-friendly furniture means the materials come from Mother Nature herself. While there are a lot of furniture made from composite wood – man-made wood made out of fibers of wood and other composite materials – producing these can leave much carbon footprints and can be harmful to the environment, not to mention harmful to people because they can emit harmful gases and toxins. Choosing furniture made out of real wood is the best choice, not only for the environment, but also for the style it brings into your bedroom

Among many bedroom furniture, the mattress is usually overlooked, but is almost always one of the most important thing you need for a good night’s sleep. Make sure you look around for organic mattresses that are made of natural material. Also, make sure that the materials are pesticide-free to keep you safe from toxins. Once you’ve set your bedroom up with environment-friendly and stylish furniture, you’re easily on your way to Dreamland.

Midwestern cedar chests

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Jun 172009

A number of cedar chests are created in Southern Minnesota, which is the land of the Little House in the Big Woods, and a place where many hardwoods have grown for generations.

Cherry, walnut, hickory and oak sources are something of a source of pride to the Amish community, since they know they are some of the highest quality stands of these great hardwoods. The majority of their lumber is harvested by farmers who maintain wooded areas on their land as a windbreak to preserve soil quality.

Time honored methods of building fine furniture do take a lot more time to assemble. But a well-constructed cedar chest that will last forever has to have this kind of construction, rather than being simply joined together by tool and machine.

To join cedar chests together, screws and wood glue are used to join the parts (rather than nails). Nails can work out of a cedar chest over time due to changes in humidity.

The panels on cedar chests are crafted with an eye towards durability. The panels are fully recessed into the styles next to them, and are allowed to ‘float’ or have room to expand over time. This prevents natural changes from temperature and humidity from placing excessive stress on the cedar chest.

The great care that comes from handcrafting completes the design. When things are made by the hands and eyes of a real person, they can feel and see things a machine cannot. And when those eyes are those of an Amish craftsman who takes the time to build in the way he learned from his father so many years ago, the process of making an heirloom has begun before the cedar chest is even started.

And so it goes, from father to son, the right way to make a piece of furniture or a cedar chest that can stand the test of time. Building to last is not something you can find in machine made furniture, because it requires this gentle yet firm touch. It is something that can only be taught, not written about. The apprenticeships of the Amish craftsmen who build cedar chests are part of the process of standing up over time, because the process itself has already stood up over time.