Blanket Box
The blanket box is a chest that is primarily used to store blankets and other items. The blanket box goes by different terms depending on which part of the world you live in. But its essentially a storage box made from wood. The Wooden Blanket box is a term that is generally used in the UK as well as some parts of Europe.
In North America however, they are known as a blanket chest. These boxes or chests didn't really catch on in Asia, so there isn't a particular term for them. Their origins are not entirely known, but they were probably derived from the common chest and the chest is a very old and well known piece of furniture that was traditionally used to store weapons, clothes and prized items. Just like the blanket box these days, the "blanket chests" may or may not have had compartments or drawers. They also had a dual purpose as shorter chests were sometimes used as benches while taller ones were used as side tables.
This way furniture could serve dual functions and you did not have to have too many single-use furniture items. Either way, their use has clearly been brought forward to modern times and as far as historians know, blanket boxes really came into their own throughout the 17th century. It is not known if they were called blanket boxes or if they were simply called chests. This is because traditional chests are used very similarly to blanket boxes today and it is not clear on who actually coined the term "Blanket Box". Traditional colonial chests were created out of pine wood most of the time.
Today however, blanket box oak has emerged as the wood of choice as they have beautiful wood grain designs and are durable. They will last a lifetime as long as it is oiled and waxed regularly. However, furniture made of oak cost more than those made with pine or other softwoods. For this reason, many may opt for the pine blanket box instead. Other types of wood that are also used to build the blanket box include mahogany, walnut and cherry wood. You can also buy them flat-packed and ready to be assembled when you bring them home. They are usually easy to assemble and come with instructions and some may even include a simple tool to help with the assembly. These types of boxes are usually made of softwoods like pine. They also come in different colors depending on the wood it is made out of and you can match them to your existing bedroom furniture.
You can even paint over the boxes made with pine or give them a good wood stain or varnish. They make an interesting and unique addition to your furniture unlike plastic boxes. There is something very warm about having wooden furniture and they look good nestled in a corner or serving a dual purpose as a table or bench. Many boxes are used as benches and low tables much like some ottomans that are hollow and used for storage. For some people, they serve as memory boxes and not just as storage units. A blanket box also makes a good heirloom object to be passed onto other family members and you can also keep your favorite memorabilia in them for you to enjoy anytime. We even have different versions today such as the Ottoman blanket box.
