Hi, Annie,
My husband and I have decided that although our Christmas giving will reflect the current economy, we are hoping to give our daughters something to grow into. We are considering hope chests, although I would rather call them dream chests, to do away with the idea of storing away for a marriage (that may or may not come). Of course, we would put something inside that is age appropriate…
For our 19 year-old who is attending college, we are thinking of maybe a nice coffee table with pull out drawers that she could use in her sitting area or room now, in an apartment later….
But I think hope chests and such are probably really spendy, beyond our budget. Is IKEA going to offer help, do you think? We’re 250 miles form the nearest, so we need to be pretty sure of a successful trip.
Best,
blackwhitereadallover, a.k.a. Sheila
A: Well, hello, blackwhite/Sheila! What a fantastic question. It’s consistent with a recent post, actually, in which Crate & Barrel’s CEO said that investing in versatile pieces makes sense in a down economy. (I love Ikea, but their products are not heirlooms; they’re stopgap measures. So I’d save yourself the 250 miles.)
I’ll assume that you’ve already looked locally for unfinished wood pieces that you could stain or paint – or you could present them unfinished and let your daughters decide what to do. Always best to start local.
For your 19-year-old daughter, I love the idea of a coffee table with drawers. I think it’s quite brilliant, in fact. I still have a soft spot for Sears, and you may have one nearby…I can’t tell from their website whether the Carson Coffee Table from the Ty Pennington Style collection (top picture, next to your question) is solid wood, but it looked promising. Sears’ Audoban Coffee Table (after your question) is a veneer, but for the price, I think it’s worth considering.
Another approach would be a storage ottoman. Infinitely versatile, it can serve as an extra seat, a side table, and, of course, a footrest. The Stow Leather Storage Ottoman from Crate & Barrel comes in several colors, is inexpensive, and small, which is actually an advantage if she’s schlepping from college to home to new apartment, etc.
If you ultimately decide that a chest IS what you want, I think Pier One‘s Melati Carved Wood Trunk is fun. The quality won’t be super high, but I think the fanciful nature of the carvings makes that ok – it’s kind of rustic.
Another well-priced option is LL Bean‘s Classic Wicker Blanket Chest (in the Antique Black or Green, not White). It’s lightweight, useful, cute…if wicker is your daughter’s style, this would be perfect. (I’ve mentioned this product before, actually…)
The wicker chest also would work for your younger daughter, but a Deacon’s bench was the first thing that popped into my mind for her. You could throw a few pillows on it, changing them as her taste develops. We always had a deacon’s bench in our hallway growing up; it’s such a useful piece of furniture.
Now you better hope your daughters don’t read bossy blog so the surprise isn’t ruined :) Let me know if this helps, Sheila, and thanks again for the great question.
The picture of the unstained coffee table is from Unfinished Furniture Showcase.