Having ample storage space is essential to creating a lovely and functional home. This is especially true for your bedroom, where you keep most of your clothes and personal items. Aside from an expansive wardrobe cabinet and additional under the bed storage, a chest of drawers is an excellent solution for your bedroom organisation needs. This compact home furniture offers a versatile solution with a number of configurations and styles.
If you're in the market for a new chest of drawers for your home, follow this quick buying guide to help you choose what's best for your space.
What is a Chest of Drawers?
A chest of drawers typically stores folded clothes and small bedroom or household items in one compact piece of furniture. Depending on your storage needs, you can choose a tall and narrow chest of drawers or a smaller unit.
Many chests of drawers, or what others refer to as a dresser or a bureau, are used as a storage alternative to a bedside table or a toy box in children's rooms.
Note: The main difference between a chest of drawers and a dresser is their width. A chest of drawers is a short and wide piece of storage furniture, while a chest of drawers is narrow and tall.
Chest of Drawers Buying Guide
How Will You Use Your Chest of Drawers?
Before you go to the nearest local furniture outlet or browse online to buy a chest of drawers, assess your storage needs first. Think about the clothes and items you want to keep inside your storage furniture and how you plan to sort them. You can make a list of things you need to store to minimise the possibility of missing some things. If you need more space for large folded items like linens, towels, and jeans, opt for a wide dresser or a tall chest of drawers. You can also look for units with additional small compartments on top of three more spacious pull-out drawers to store small essentials, also called 2 over 3 units. If looking for a larger version, opt for a 4-over-3 unit with four smaller drawers on top of three longer pull-out compartments. For more expansive storage, choose a 3+3 dresser with deep and spacious drawers.
A great thing about a chest of drawers is that it isn't just limited to storing; it also works as a distinctive style element that can boost the appeal of your area. You should also think about how you'll use your chest of drawers to enhance the beauty of your room.
What Size Should You Buy?
Chests of drawers or dressers come in various sizes and drawer configurations. The tall boy is ideal for small spaces with its tall and narrow structure. Because of its tall structure, it comes with extra pull-out drawers where you can organise socks and other small bedroom items. A gentleman's chest, like a small wardrobe, has an elevated open-door hanger section ideal for suits and delicate clothing. If you have ample square footage, opt for a wider dresser. This will not only give you enough space to store things, but it will also provide a spacious surface area for decorations.
Aside from determining its storage capacity, knowing the size of the chest of drawers you plan to buy will help you avoid creating a cramped space. Although you want to improve your storage space, having the wrong size will just give you more space constraints. While providing storage space, your furniture should allow enough traffic flow to allow you to move freely in your bedroom without colliding with other bedroom furniture units. To make sure you get the size right, measure your available bedroom space, the area where you intend to position your chest of drawers, your passageways, and the space taken by other furniture pieces in your room. It's also important to consider the scale of your bedroom furniture to achieve a balanced space.
Note: When taking the measurements for a chest of drawers, make sure to allow extra space for the drawers to open without restrictions. This will greatly help you achieve a functional space.
What Chest of Drawer Materials Should You Choose?
Most chest of drawer varieties are made of wood, but these wood materials still differ in looks and quality. The wood type will help determine the feel and theme of your space. It will also determine how robust and reliable your storage will be.
Wood can range from traditional to modern to contemporary styles based on its tone. If you're going for a minimalist bedroom, light wood colours can give your space a light and airy feel. Darker wood tones create a dramatic and elegant look.
Chests of drawers made of hardwoods such as mahogany are more durable and dependable, but they are more expensive.If you are looking for more affordable varieties, you may check into MDF or laminate varieties.
Many wooden chests of drawers feature metal legs or drawer handles. Others work as a mini-vanity with a mirror.
How Much are You Willing to Pay for Your Chest of Drawers?
There is a wide assortment of chests of drawers on the market with lots of storage configurations, colours, and designs, making it hard to choose one. We truly understand how stressful it can be to find something that works for your space. So one thing we can recommend is that you shortlist based on your budget.
Determining your budget will greatly help you narrow your choices when shopping for a chest of drawers. Considering the things above, you can gauge your budget based on your preferences. Do you want a more spacious chest of drawers made from solid wood? Then you may need to increase your budget. Look for online options to get a big picture of materials and price ranges without the need to hop directly from one furniture store to another for an ocular. Once you determine your budget, you can start searching for the best features to fit within it.
Splurging on furniture pieces for your new home? Read our comprehensive furniture buying guide.