Modern chests of drawers are comfortable furniture, used primarily for storing linen, clothes, towels and kitchen textiles. If we look at the history of its creation, it turns out that the first copies were used exclusively for placing dishes. Most European housewives today, instead of large-sized sets, choose a spacious chest of drawers for the kitchen, because this is a practical and at the same time stylish solution that allows you to make the room more comfortable. Such furniture will become a convenient place for storing dishes, bulk products and all kinds of useful utensils. And in order for the chosen product to fit organically into the interior of the kitchen, it is important to understand the types of chests of drawers, their features and options for internal filling.
Features and purpose
The chest of drawers is a high cabinet with spacious drawers. Unlike standard elements of a kitchen set, it has several advantages:
- Practicality and spaciousness - you can place a large number of things inside, thereby ensuring order in the room.
- Functionality and convenience - drawers, shelves, organizers, special compartments, for example, for spices or bottles of wine, make it possible to organize, neatly store all the necessary items at hand.
- Variety of choice - a wide range of models allows you to choose a solution that suits all parameters (size, color, texture, design) to the kitchen interior.
- Decorative function - the product decorates the room and gives it solidity.
The design features make the chest of drawers furniture suitable only for large kitchens . In a small room it will look bulky, alien and inappropriate - this is the main drawback of the product.
At the same time, a chest of drawers for a large kitchen is a useful find. The product is multifunctional:
- Most often it is purchased for dishes. Typically, such furniture has spacious compartments and transparent doors. There are drawers with dividers and trays.
- Can be used for food storage. If we are talking about vegetables, the furniture will have large, spacious drawers. There may be separate compartments for spices and bottles. A buffet for storing confectionery, cereals, and sweets is one of the types of kitchen chest of drawers.
- There are models that house household appliances. They have wide open compartments for installing a microwave or multicooker, and there are spacious drawers for accessories.
Standard sizes of chests of drawers: width - up to 1 m, height - up to 80 cm. More compact models are usually included in the kitchen set, their width is 40–60 cm. Large two-meter chests of drawers are rarely produced, since they can only be placed in a very spacious kitchen. As for the installation method, wall and corner options are common. They are appropriate in small spaces; such chests of drawers are spacious and take up little space. To save space, you can use wall-mounted models.
In a large kitchen, island chests of drawers are often chosen, which can be used as a room divider into functional zones. The products have a wide working surface and it is possible to integrate equipment.
Kinds
Depending on their purpose, chests of drawers come in different types. They differ in manufacturing material, configuration, shape and size:
- A standard chest of drawers for storing dishes is usually made of moisture-resistant materials, equipped with trays, grids, special devices for supporting plates, cups, and drawers for cutlery. Such furniture is optimal if the family is large and the dishes do not fit in a standard kitchen set. Usually the top surface is used as a desktop or a place where household appliances are placed.
- An interesting variety is the display chest. Previously, sideboards were used in this capacity. Now this furniture has changed, it has become more modern. Usually all its compartments are open and equipped with glass doors, so the model is used for storing attractive dishes, vases with sweets or fruits, and beautiful figurines. This variety is taller than the usual model and can be narrow or wide. Often serves as a decoration for a large kitchen.
- The chest of drawers is used as an additional work surface. Can be installed in the middle of the room, dividing the room into zones. Crockery, utensils, cereals, and spices are stored inside.
- A chest of drawers for vegetables is needed by families who prefer to buy a lot of food at once or store harvests from their dacha at home. Furniture purchased for this purpose must be made of safe material that does not absorb odors. It usually comes with large drawers.
When choosing a chest of drawers for the kitchen, you must first of all take into account its dimensions: if the dimensions of the furniture do not correspond to them, the room will be cramped and uncomfortable.
For storing dishes
Showcase
With table top
Chest of drawers
Materials
A kitchen chest of drawers is multifunctional furniture. To make its use practical, you need to choose the right product based on the material of manufacture:
- Wood is the most environmentally friendly and durable material. It is suitable for storing vegetables as it provides them with ventilation. The most commonly used wood is maple, beech, cherry, and pine. Wood does not deform, is wear-resistant, but can absorb foreign odors and moisture, so it requires special impregnation. A wooden chest of drawers is beautiful, but it does not suit all kitchen design styles.
- Chipboard or MDF - in appearance they resemble wood, but they are less durable and more affordable. It is advisable to use laminated chipboards, as they will be more resistant to moisture and external influences. The colors of such materials are varied, often repeating the pattern of wood, so choosing a chest of drawers that matches the design of the room will be easy. The main thing is that it does not emit toxic substances, which is typical of low-grade chipboard.
- Plastic - chests of drawers made from this material are easy to maintain, practical, and durable. Models are available in different textures and colors. You need to choose furniture made of dense food-grade plastic, which does not release toxins and does not deform when exposed to high temperatures.
- Metal - furniture is practical and durable, but it is not very suitable for the kitchen. It is combined with only a few styles, so metal is usually used for fittings: handles, decorative elements, trays, grilles.
- Glass - used for the production of doors, sometimes shelves are made from it. Typically used in display cabinets for dishes. All-glass models are impractical and non-functional.
- Natural or artificial stone is the raw material used to make countertops. The material is durable, heat-resistant, but afraid of mechanical damage.
To protect wood or chipboard products, lamination, varnishing, and painting are used.
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MDF
laminated chipboard
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Stylish chest of drawers in the interior
A mahogany chest of drawers creates an atmosphere in the room filled with comfort and homely warmth. Previously, such furniture was considered elite because it was used by aristocrats and rich people. Luxurious products decorated palace halls and royal houses. The British decorated furniture with inlay, and Russian craftsmen used wood carving.
Chests of mahogany color are designed for pathetic and majestic interiors. For example, it can be English style, Empire style and Baroque. In the process of decorating premises, designers use furniture products with intricate patterns and smooth curves. To create a harmonious atmosphere, paintings made in warm colors are hung on the wall, a carpet with a monochromatic pattern is laid on the floor, and bronze figurines are used as decorations.
Mahogany combines with dark orange tones and the color of green tea. You can dilute the composition with pink shades. When arranging the interior, take these nuances into account. Then you will create a cozy interior filled with the spirit of noble aristocracy!
Furniture made from solid mahogany looks luxurious and elegant . Natural material has an amazing property because it flickers in the light, reminiscent of the play of flame. Therefore, a unique atmosphere reigns in the room.
A chest of drawers made of solid mahogany is used when decorating interiors in different styles:
- Baroque - products create the impression of dynamism and expression;
- Classic - in a room decorated in this style, a dark walnut chest of drawers looks organic. It successfully combines majestic luxury and elegant chic;
- Colonial style - solid furniture pieces decorated with embossed brass fit perfectly into the interior;
- Antique style - its key features are pomp and splendor. Craftsmen decorate chests of drawers with bronze inserts and ornaments;
- Empire – furniture decorated in this style is distinguished by its sophistication. It is decorated with figured metal plates in the form of laurel wreaths, gladiator helmets and swords.
Internal filling
Chests of drawers resemble a regular wardrobe or cabinet, but are more varied in design. The facades of such furniture themselves can be open, closed or combined. The first ones are convenient and are used in most models of chests of drawers. Closed designs come with drawers or separate compartments.
The purpose of mini-dressers, the nuances of choosing and placing various models
Facades can be opaque or glass. To place dishes, a convenient option would be a door that folds forward with compartments for placing plates. To make the use of such furniture comfortable, each door should be 30–35 cm wide. Sometimes the doors are made sliding like a sliding wardrobe. Typically this compartment is located at the bottom. A similar system is used to save space in the room.
Advantages and disadvantages of narrow chests of drawers, features of furniture placement
The convenience of kitchen chests of drawers is also that they can have different internal contents:
- At the top there are several small drawers for cutlery (sometimes there is only one). They may include pallets and division into compartments.
- Tall drawers with bars are designed for storing pots or pans. Their design provides good ventilation.
- Compartments for tableware may vary. Closable compartments with special dryers are more often used for everyday utensils. Festive services are placed on open shelves or under glass.
- Additionally, the chest of drawers may have a holder for lids, grilles or special shelves for bottles. It is convenient if there are narrow compartments for spices.
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Traditional chests of drawers are mounted on legs. In addition to the classic options, height-adjustable screws are used, which is convenient for uneven floors. Such structures are often hidden under the base.
Placing a black chest of drawers in different rooms
A black chest of drawers looks good in a bedroom or living room. But the product should not be a “stain” and constantly attract attention. It is recommended to dilute the decor with furniture of similar colors or select the appropriate finish.
- For children's.
A model with snow-white inserts is preferable.
- For bathroom.
A black chest of drawers with a glossy surface will look stylish. A suitable choice is furniture made of wood with PVC film. The classic combination looks good - a dark chest of drawers with white trim. Marble tiles will add sophistication.
- For the living room.
A good background for a black chest of drawers is bright original wall decoration. You can play with contrast. Black is complemented with furnishings in another color: lemon, sand, raspberry, soft blue.
- For the bedroom.
A black chest of drawers will look good against the background of a light finish. To prevent the space from looking boring, use bright decor. Place furniture opposite the bed.
"Danger"
- dark furniture combined with plain walls. You need suitable decor, otherwise associations with office space will arise. Pillows on sofas and armchairs, textiles, panels, carpets - bright colors. If you still use colorful wallpaper with an original pattern, there will be no hint of an office left.
Styles and colors
To make the kitchen look beautiful, all furniture should be made in the same style. Thanks to the variety of design options, you can easily choose a dresser model that ideally matches your existing interior. Popular solutions:
- Classic style that is always in fashion. A chest of drawers that is in harmony with this direction should be large and made of natural wood. This model looks solid, so it is most suitable for spacious rooms. Natural “wood” tones are used as standard, but sometimes the product is painted white or black and complemented with bronze handles, trims, and carvings.
- High-tech is a modern style; here preference is given to simple and functional models. They are usually made of plastic or metal. Glass inserts and doors are appropriate. A chest of drawers can be a bright accent in the kitchen or not stand out at all from the overall color scheme.
- Minimalism is chosen by people who prefer an active lifestyle. Furniture should be simple, strict geometric shapes, without decoration. This type of chest of drawers is usually made from natural materials.
- Provence style is rarely used in modern high-tech kitchens. For its cutting, light colors and hand painting are preferred. Dressers are usually white, pink, lilac.
- Country - rustic style, furniture should be appropriate - made of natural wood, preferably untreated. The shades of the chest of drawers are light, the decor is absent or minimal.
- Bright colors are used in Art Nouveau furniture. It can be asymmetrical, bulky, unusual, sometimes even extravagant in shape.
Properly selected products that harmonize with the interior will decorate the room and help make cooking and other kitchen chores more comfortable and the atmosphere cozy. It’s not for nothing that kitchen chests of drawers are comfortable and functional furniture.
Classic
High tech
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Provence
Country
Modern
Main functions of the chest of drawers
More than a decade ago, a chest of drawers was an element of luxury that self-sufficient people could afford. The model was presented in a classic direction, but modern technologies do not stand still.
In furniture stores you can find a huge variety of models. Here you can see chests of drawers made from various materials and stylistic directions. Modern models consist of several parts, such as:
- legs;
- drawers;
- tabletop.
Quite often in the furniture department you can find non-standard models of chests of drawers. They can vary significantly in width and capacity. Thanks to these parameters, the models fit perfectly into any room design.
Read here: Furniture in a modern style: TOP 100 photos of new models
The main advantage of such furniture is its versatility. Here you can store both things and dishes. Drawers allow you to put various items in their places.
For lovers of a classic mood, a huge selection of models with hinged doors is offered. Most often, such chests of drawers fit perfectly into the interior of a kitchen or bathroom.
To add an element of antiquity to the design, you can use a chest of drawers with an artificially aged surface, while the model is in no way inferior to the furniture of that time. It will also feature vintage fittings and decorative elements in the form of carvings.
The design of the chest of drawers can be made according to your wishes. A pattern in the same theme as the entire space in the design can be applied to its surface.
Light models are considered the most popular. A white chest of drawers in the interior can add a piece of freshness to the finished interior composition.
