Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

It can be overwhelming when the realization hits post-Christmas present opening: Where on earth are we going to put this tree skirt full of new things? For adults, closets and garages seem to do the trick. For the kids however, a toy chest is the easiest clean-up helper that can be dug through and passed on for years, if purchased wisely.

If you treat your toy box like a treasure chest, children of all ages notice that picking up becomes a much more fun way to spice up a room cleaning. Kids like to think of their toy and game safety bin as a special place, where exciting toys, dolls, stuffed animals and tangible games await their heavy usage. For this reason, your child is more likely to keep tabs on their items – knowing that they’ll always be found there if put back – and to understand the prized meaning of maintenance.

Another reason to pick up a wooden toy box is for its material quality. Pine toy chest or oak toy chest come in handy as durable receptacles that help to keep your sanity as a parent. Due to the inevitable messes that come with familial life, it is the key to keep what could be a constant mess at bay with the practical, “out of sight, out of mind” effect that a toy box has. Even better, your child can hone accurate clean-up skills from a young age with a chest that they can easily manage to open and shut. If there is an heirloom toy chest in your family, passing it along to your children after the holidays is a meaningful gift with purpose.

As important to learning the value of treating a good mess in life, it is equally as vital to opt for a chest that will last. A good quality, hand-painted toy chest can endure banging and crashing forever, while serving as a center piece at the end of a bed, within a play room or even in a living room. Along the same line, a durable toy chest surpasses the use of inexpensive shelving systems lining closets or leaning against walls any day. They’re like a wise old tree stump, offering you a storage space and a place to lace up shoes or finish a homework assignment. With a solid wood toy chest, you make a solid investment in your child’s appreciation for cleanliness in mind and bedroom, the overall aesthetic of the room it occupies, and parental sanity for generations to come.

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Tags: hand-painted toy chest, heirloom toy chest, oak toy check, pine toy chest, toy box, toy chest, wood toy box, wood toy chest, wooden toy box

Actually, from now, until the end of next month, all kinds of boxes will be opening.  In fact, I guess that it’s pretty accurate to say that we’re entering the official box-opening season.  Just for starters, there are all of the silverware boxes, cedar chests, and oak chests, from which people will be retrieving their table services and holiday napery.  Beyond those wooden storage boxes, however, millions of people will be digging into gift boxes, before the end of the year.

Naturally, most will be giving, as well as receiving, at least, one of those boxes, which, you can bet, will be as carefully chosen as the presents that they will hold.  On the other hand, in many instances, boxes will be given as gifts; and they will be deeply appreciated and cherished, perhaps, for decades to come.  Some of the timeless favorites include cedar chests, cherry chests, jewelry boxes, jewelry chests, steamer trunks, and armoires.

There’s no denying the significance of boxes; after all, they play very special roles in our lives.  Not only can they be among our most prized possessions, but they are often charged with storing, and protecting, some of our best-loved belongings.  Usually, the things that we entrust to them are irreplaceable keepsakes, such as family photographs, quilts, precious holiday ornaments, special linens, laces, and tablecloths, silverware, and jewelry, which become heirlooms, and, along with the storage boxes, are passed down through the generations.

Indeed, it has been this way for thousands of years, as, throughout the centuries, every known society has placed great importance, and high values, on all sorts of boxes.  These have been made in all sizes, from prayer boxes, which were small enough to be worn as necklaces, to cedar chests and trunks that were large enough to be used for storing household goods.

Boxes have also been constructed from an endless variety of materials, including stone, wood, marble, gold, silver, copper, steel, porcelain, and crystal.  They have been carved, etched, engraved, inscribed, and decorated with beads, jewels, shells, pearls, precious metals, ivory, and symbols of every description.  Some of these special boxes have been – and continue to be – the focal points of holiday, family, religious, and secular traditions.

As far back as ancient Egypt, wooden chests were used for storing jewels, gold, documents, and other important assets.  In Europe, it was common for craftsmen, using whole trees, to carve one-piece chests that were used to safeguard valuables.

In early America, when cellars were dank, and closets were non-existent, the colonists used chests made of cedar for storing blankets, linens, clothes, and whatever scarce items of finery that they owned.  Since it was also rare to find a chair, the chests served as benches, too.  Truly, these chests were so essential to the households that, according to the logs of several ships that brought settlers to America, they were, frequently, the only possessions that families brought with them.  In later years, that was also the case with many pioneers who were traveling west.

Of course, there was a period in which the cedar chest was commonly referred to as the “hope chest.”  According to the customs of the time, it would be given to a young woman, as a place to keep linens, blankets, tablecloths, towels, quilts, and other things that would be necessary for starting a household when she got married.  Fortunately, however, that tradition has long since faded.

So today, women, and men, are free to use their cedar chests and steamer trunks for storage, or as attractive home accents, without any crazy expectations.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: cedar chest, cedar chests, cherry chests, home accents, jewelry boxes, jewelry chests, oak chests, silverware boxes, steamer trunks, storage boxes, wooden chests, wooden storage boxes

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Tags: cedar chest, coupons

We’re running an exclusive coupon for the dedicated readers of our blog for 15% off plus Free Shipping on all of our cedar chests, cherry chests, and steamer trunks.  All of our home storage is individually handcrafted by American artisans after the order is placed.  So, use these deal now for fantastic holiday gifts!  We have toy boxes too! Simply enter CHEST03 at the check out!

Tags: cedar chests, cherry chests, steamer trunks, toy boxes

This morning, I performed a common autumn ritual.  Perched on my hands and knees, I dug through the bottom of my closet, past the shoes all mis-matched on the floor, past the belts I removed from garments I wanted to wash, and onto the sweaters.  Pushed into a squished back corner of my closet for the summer, my sweaters and sweatshirts are in dire need of a better storage solution.

Sure, they’ll be transferred to my dresser drawers as the weather calls for them more often.  But, then that back corner will turn into the home of bathing suits, tank tops, sun dresses, and flip flops.  Plus, as I pull the sweaters out from the back corner, I’m dreading the seasonal discovery of a moth hole in the elbow of my grandmother’s cashmere cardigan.

The solution, however, is NOT pulling out sweaters that smell like moth balls.  The solution is a beautiful and functional cedar chest. One of the most timeless home accents, cedar chests, like steamer trunks, and toy boxes, are priceless and practical pieces that become a life safer. While, obviously decorative storage can be used to store, well, anything… cedar chests are perfect for storing textiles.

Cedar is rot and decay resistant, but it also highly resistant to insect attack.  No matter what you store in a cedar chest, you will never have to add foul-smelling moth balls.  The rich cedar will naturally deter moths and keep your fabrics beautiful.

Having a spot to switch out seasonal clothes is a great way to keep your closets and dressers clean and organized.  After all, having to push through swim wear to get to your heaviest wool stocking is not going to make you feel any better about braving the snow.  Nor, is it a good use of your space.  Keep a cedar chest as a constantly rotating storage area for clothes that don’t need to be readily available.  It can also be a good place to store formal handbags or shawls that you don’t use all that often, but don’t need to be hung up in a garment bag either.

But, if you thought my sweater-storage system was bad… just wait for my bed linens.  With no linen closet to speak of, I now have all of my winter blankets and extra sheet sets stored in a cardboard box in the basement.  I learned what a terrible idea this was earlier this month when I realized my wool blankets had the distinct musty smell of “the basement.”  This will not be the case next year! I will be placing a cedar chest at the bottom of the bed to fill it with blankets, sheet sets, and maybe even extra pillows.  When it’s time to change the sheets or even just pull an extra blanket out for a cold evening, your linens will be at your finger tips. Plus, there is no greater feeling than pulling heavy blankets out of your cedar chest on a cool autumn evening and smelling that inviting and comforting cedar aroma.

Cedar chests are also perfect for storing towels, bags, fabric, baby clothes, curtains, and whatever else you can think of.  Be kinder to your textiles by storing them in a high quality cedar chest that will deter damage and keep your fabrics organized and fresh.  How will you use a cedar chest this winter?

Tags: cedar chests, steamer trunks, toyboxes

I come from a family of teachers.  My mother, brother, both grandmothers… they’re all teachers.  So, as the last day of August greets me with nearly crisp, almost autumn air… I can not help but think about Fall.  Colorful leaves on sidewalks, book bags, new shoes, and the expectancy of the coming year.  Even though the onset of September means no great transition for me anymore, I still revel in the overwhelming feeling of opportunity.

But as I reflected on the season while gazing out the window above my kitchen sink that overlooks my patio dining set and fully-vined pergola, I could not help but sigh.  Soon, the leaves will wither to leave the bare wood.  Soon, this moment to look out my favorite window (my house has only three windows; but even without a lot of competition, this is one is definitely my favorite) won’t end when I walk outside to sip my coffee at my outdoor table.

I think everyone interested in outdoor living and gardening has a special affinity for gazing out of windows. And so, as autumn comes upon us, it is time to consider top-notch window seating.  My favorite? Cedar Chests. Slid up against a window, it becomes an incredibly functional piece.  Perfect for staring out of windows to see the seasons change, you can fill up cedar chests with nearly anything.  No, I won’t list all the possibilities, because I know that you know that you have a lot of stuff that you need to store no matter what it is. You can get cedar chests with drawers and cabinets for organized storage, or utilize a one-lid, one-box organized chaos of possibilities. It all depends on your style.

If you can find it, find a cedar chest with seat rails.  Outfitted with a chest cushion, you can change the color scheme and look of your window-storage-seat by simply changing out the upholstery.  It’s a great alternative to the built in window seats, because you can take it with you when you move, and it has considerably more character. Style? Function? Versatility? Mobility? Yes. All.

Have Fun!

Hazel.

Tags: cedar chests, chest cushion, outdoor table, patio dining set, pergola

Okay.  Halloween is over.  The ghosts have gone back to their graveyards, the vampires have returned to their coffins, the witches have left town on their brooms, and the Great Pumpkin has, once again, left Linus Van Pelt alone and freezing in his oh-so-sincere pumpkin patch, wondering where he went wrong. 

Now comes the scariest part of the year – the holidays.  Yep.  We’re facing two full months of Christmas commercials (I saw my first one before Halloween) and decorations.  In fact, the malls are already fully decked out, and Thanksgiving is still three weeks away!  Worse yet, many houses will be ready for Christmas by the middle of the month.  That’s a shame, too, because fall decorations are gorgeous; so, even though the Halloween stuff has to go, leave the cornstalks, haystacks, and strings of orange lights on your gazebos, fences, trellises, arbors, and pergolas, until after Thanksgiving.

When it comes to getting gifts, however, there are times when it makes sense to shop early.  Usually, these are cases in which you want to get someone something extra-special, which has to be ordered in advance, like, say, one of our stunning cedar chests.  That will definitely make a spectacular gift; but if you want to be sure to have it there for Christmas, now would be a good time to order, as it takes four to six weeks for delivery.  Of course, it will be well worth the wait.   

At CedarStore.com, in our ‘Home Accents’ section, we have the most magnificent selection of cedar, oak, and cherry chests, along with some dazzling steamer trunks, which can be finished in several lustrous shades of stain, and double coated with lacquer.  Available in all styles and price ranges, they will not only be among the most outstanding gifts you could ever give, but they will surely be the most cherished and enduring as well.   

Besides our cedar chests, we also offer breath-taking jewelry boxes, jewelry chests, armoires, toy chests, and silverware boxes, many of which ship in two weeks or less, and all of which will be shipped free.            

So, you can either throw yourself into the fray to get an ordinary present, or sit leisurely at your computer and choose an extraordinary gift that’s bound to become a treasured heirloom.  Hmm – it sounds like the case for a cedar chest is open and shut.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: cedar chest, cedar chests, cherry chest, hope chest, oak chest

When it comes to furnishing our homes, naturally, we all have different tastes (of course, that applies to everything, but, with limited space for such a discussion, we must draw the line somewhere).  Even so, there are certain common denominators that figure prominently into most motifs; and wood is right up there at the top of that list.  It’s universally prized for its strength and beauty – as it always has been – and it comes in so many varieties that it accommodates all personal preferences.

Obviously, here at CedarStore.com, we love wood; and we offer our wood outdoor furniture in so many styles, that there’s something (actually, many things) to suit virtually everyone.  Our expertise, however, is not restricted to porch swings, picnic tables, and patio chairs.  No-o!  While that’s certainly what we’re best known for, it wouldn’t make sense for us, under the circumstances, to confine ourselves to one area.

You see, because we have such extraordinary woodworkers – nay, artisans – on our design team, it would be a shame to hide their talents under a bushel basket; or an outdoor planter, as the case may be.  Instead, we have always thought it best to allow their incredible talents to shine in all directions.  That, as it turns out, is a great philosophy; and if you want to know just how great, go to our ‘Home Accents’ division, where you’ll see some dazzling illustrations of their handiwork on indoor wood furniture. 

Besides being among the most spectacular pieces that you’ll ever find anywhere, some of the items in this section can be essential to your décor.  For example, you can often give a room a very rich aspect by using one outstanding piece of furniture that has looks that will take your breath away, and a price tag that won’t.  With its undeniable beauty, as well as its sheer practicality, a cedar chest fills these requirements, and more.

A cedar chest will give any room in your home the look of luxury; and we have an incomparable selection of them, along with magnificent oak and cherry chests, with radiant, lacquered finishes, in a variety of wood tones, crafted in traditional and contemporary designs.     

So, it really is possible to do more than one thing – and do it well – as long as you have a staff as talented as ours.  And they’re going to be around, creating stunning wood furniture, for years to come – uh, knock on wood!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: cedar chest, Indoor Wood Furniture, Outdoor Furniture

It seems as though Christmas comes earlier every year.  It’s not just because retail stores start pushing it in August, either; after all, everyone knows that they have always been one solstice or equinox ahead of the earth’s rotation.

I think it’s because the rest of the world is starting to go along with the idea.  Just look at their outdoor décor; not only do some people not even wait until after Thanksgiving to deck their homes out for Christmas anymore, but even Halloween gets at least a month’s head-start.  I’ve been seeing scarecrows in porch chairs, pumpkin-headed creatures on loveseats, ghosts hanging from arbors, and spider webs on trellises, practically since the school year began (and, no, I’m not hallucinating)!

Decorating issues aside, there are those who have always gotten a jump on the rest of us when it comes to holiday shopping.  This is an entirely different matter, as these people are not fanatics; they’re just very annoying to certain individuals who traditionally don’t start until, say, Christmas Eve (I only know this because I have a “friend” who does it).        

Furthermore, it can be a good idea, especially if you’re ordering something that has to be shipped, and may take awhile to arrive.  In fact, it can be a really smart move, because, in this hectic, hurried world, where more people every year simply pass out gift cards (which, in many cases, they pick up at grocery and drug stores), getting someone an actual present – and one that has to be shipped, no less – is a great way to show that you cared enough to shop for something specifically for that person.

If this sounds like a good thing, in theory, but you really don’t have a lot of time to shop, you’ll be glad to know that you can get some spectacular gifts right here at CedarStore.com.  I’m not talking about knick-knacks, either; I mean gorgeous cedar chests, oak chests, cherry chests, steamer trunks, jewelry boxes, silverware boxes, and armoires, available with many different staining options.

No matter which one you choose, you’ll be giving a gift that can be opened again and again, for years to come.  That definitely beats a piece of plastic!

Yours Outdoors (or, in this case, indoors!)

Kathy

Tags: cedar chest, cedar chests, chest, chests, hope chest, hope chests