The Hope Chest Console

It was called a bride’s dowry and was a coming of age ritual for many women until the 1950’s. Filling the dowry was a common step on the road to marriage, between dating a man and becoming engaged. It was typically filled with clothing (normally a special dress) along with linens, towels, etc. Although the age of having a dowry is gone the idea itself is still going, in the form of Hope or Cedar chest and is a very stylish and practical piece of furnishing.

The most common place for a hope or cedar chest is the bedroom and it is very convenient for storing things that may be needed in the bedroom. Some items it could store include linens, sheets, extra blankets and pillows. This makes sense when you consider the most popular location for a chest is at the foot of the bed. Of course, you may place it anywhere you like.

If you choose to have one against a wall then ataller chest would be perfect and could be used to display a collection or knick knacks. If you want one for the end of the bed you need to choose something smaller and not as tall. They come in many more styles then they used to making it possible to add this piece of furniture and have it fit in with the rest of the room. Just be sure to follow the theme as much as possible when adding a chest to your home.