A hope chest is a wooden box that is used by young girls to store a collection of items in preparation for future marriage life. It is also known cedar chest, glory box, or trousseau chest. In the United Kingdom, hope chests are referred to as bottom drawers. In the past few decades, the tradition of owning a hope chest had been watered down. It was primarily affected by the numerous changes that have happened in the society resulting to modernization of ways in which people store treasures and changes in how marriage arrangements are conducted. However, these special boxes are slowly making a comeback and girls that love them deserve the best. Accordingly, we have conducted a thorough research and identified the 8 best hope chests that you can find in the market today. Check out the table below for the summarized overview and the section below it for the detailed analysis.
Powell Furniture 15A7025 Chadwick Cedar Chest
This cedar hope chest wins the number one spot because it is one of a kind. Everything about it from the appearance, to the quality and functionality is excellent. The chest is available in brown color. The color is exactly as it appears in the photo. Clearly, it can be used in home décor for decorative purposes. The rich cherry finish creates a classy and luxurious appearance. The top opens wide and it is fitted with child safe hinges. The bottom interior is lined with cedar and the chest is fitted with breathing holes.
Strengths
- Good looking and sturdy
- Reasonable price for the quality of the product
- Ample storage space
- Fitted with breathing holes and child safe hinges
- Easy to assemble
Weaknesses
- The cedar lining is provided in the bottom part only
American Furniture Classics Hope Chest
This is another simple but elegant hope chest that can be acquired for different uses at home. Firstly, it has great storage capacity where both men and women can store their treasures safely. The interior is well constructed and it features wood veneers where guns can be concealed. It also features a small wooden tray for holding guns and small accessories. The exterior is constructed with good looking hard wood that makes the chest an excellent choice for home décor. The lid is fitted with dual safety stays that hold it firm when open to prevent pinching. Overall, this is a great hope chest especially for gun owners.
Strengths
- Easy to assemble
- Excellent for storing guns
- Good looking
Weaknesses
- Compromised quality. There are numerous complaints indicating that some parts of the product fell apart sooner than expected.
Sauder Shoal Creek Storage Chest
This storage chest is the best thing that you can buy for yourself or your kids. Its size and features make it useful in so many ways. To be precise, it is constructed with sturdy wood that has oiled oak finish and its dimensions are 34.9 x 15.1 x 18.9 inches. The interior features a large drawer on the upper part and two shelves in the lower section. The lid is fitted safely and the hinges are strong enough to prevent slamming. Since the chest is quite attractive, it can be used to compliment living-room or bedroom décor. Alternatively, it can be used to store a wide range of items in both the lower and upper sections.
Strengths
- The storage chest looks good
- Available in two colors
- Large storage space
- Sturdy
- Easy to assemble
Weaknesses
- Relatively expensive
- Not as big as it appears
Coaster Home Furnishings Cedar Lined Hope Chest
This is not only the most beautiful cedar chest in our list but also one of the best in terms of quality. It is made of heavy wood that enhances its strength. The exterior features incredible decorative patterns that blend well with the overall design of the chest. Although the manufacturer information states that it has a deep tobacco finish, its appearance is more of coffee-like. Slightly brighter than depicted in the picture. Nevertheless, it is looks great. The interior is lined with cedar and it is spacious enough. The dimensions are 40 x 21 x 21.75 inches. The door flips open and the hinges are safe.
Strengths
- Very attractive design
- Sturdy and high quality
- Fully lined with cedar
- Spacious
- Very easy to assemble
Weaknesses
- The color is not as dark and shiny as it appears in the picture
- The flowery patterns do not go all round
- Relatively expensive
EC Technology Rectangular Ottoman Bench Hope Chest
This hope chest features a significantly different design from the ones that we provided in this list. Its design is quite unique and elegant at the same time. The exterior is covered with classy faux leather that features a tufted style at the top. This hope chest is multipurpose particularly because of its decorative design. It can be placed strategically in the bedroom, sitting room or anywhere else in the house. The soft padded top makes it a great choice for a relaxing seat. It is comfortable to sit on when relaxing or reading. The interior is spacious and can be used to store items such as blankets, books and kids accessories. The chest is fitted with child safe hinges to prevent accidents.
Strengths
- Unique and attractive design
- Multipurpose
- Waterproof leather
- Good storage capacity
Weaknesses
- Relatively low design
SONGMICS Folding Storage Ottoman Bench
SONGMICs storage box is designed with high quality faux leather that is waterproof and easy to clean. The leather is underlined with superior sponge that enhances comfort without getting damaged easily. The exterior features a beautiful pattern that provides a decorative site when the chest is used in home décor. Overall, the storage box is strong and capable of supporting a lot of weight. The interior provides ample storage space that can accommodate items such as blankets, toys and shoes.
Strengths
- Good looking storage box
- Available in a variety of colors
- Spacious interior
- Very affordable
- Easy to assemble
Weaknesses
- The overall quality of the product is not great
Simpli Home Avalon Rectangular Ottoman Bench
This is another Ottoman bench that you might want to try. Its exterior is also lined with superior faux leather that is available in a variety of colors. The leather is characterized by a beautiful stitching pattern that enhances the appearance of the bench. The bench is 48 inches wide and the interior is very spacious. The lid opens wide without slamming because the bench is fitted with child safe hinges. The bench is hand constructed to ensure that all aspects of construction are articulated well.
Strengths
- Attractive bench
- Great quality
- Spacious interior
Weaknesses
- The screws get damaged easily
Large Cherry Wooden Toy Box and Blanket Chest
This is a great handcrafted cedar chest that can be used to store a lot of items. In fact, it can make an excellent blanket chest because of its size. The base is lined with cedar and the lid is very easy to control. The hope chest is fitted with powerful safety supports that can hold the lid in any position.
Strengths
- Very easy to assemble
- Ample storage space
- Good looking
Weaknesses
- Poor assembling instructions
The History of the Hope Chest
Traditionally, young girls owned a wooden box (hope chest) that they would use to store treasures before marriage. These treasures would be accumulated from as early as childhood and she was expected to use them at her home after marriage. The name hope chest is based on the idea that the items stored in the wooden box give hope for marriage and future life. Sometimes parents designed these boxes for their children and in other cases they were inherited from grandparents.
Some of the items that were stored in a dowry chest include; blankets, utensils, bedsheets, linens and clothing. Normally, the chests were lined with cedar because of its sweet natural scent. Cedar was also considered because of its ability to protect clothes from moths and fungi. Although at some point the tradition of hope chests seemed to disappear, these boxes are slowly regaining their fame.
Today, hope chests are used by both men and women. Parents buy them for their young children so that they can store items such as toys and books. Adults use them to store sensitive things such as guns. Items such as memory quilts, blankets, towels, beddings, vintage jewelry, treasured gifts, tool boxes, letters, photos and beddings can also be stored in a hope chest.
There are different kinds of hope chest plans that can be executed at home conveniently. However, the best idea is to identify a high quality hope chest and buy it.
