Interior Decorating Ideas

There are many wonderful and unique pieces of furniture that would look absolutely stunning in any bedroom today. One of those is the serpentine chest of drawers. It is thought that these types of drawers came from the reign of Queen Anne onwards. These curved fronted chests of drawers are elegant pieces of furniture that sweep from one end to the other.

When you look for an antique serpentine chest of drawers you should be trying to find one made from mahogany. The timber used to make these pieces was cut away in curving shapes that were then veneered to hide the exposed end grain. This kind of technique was made possible because the wood used was mahogany which did not split as easily as a more coarsely grained wood.

	Powell Masterpiece 18th Century Hand Inlaid 4-Drawer Serpentine Hall Chest List Price: $793.00 Sale Price: $645.99
	An exquisite Masterpiece 4-Drawer Serpentine Hall Chest. Pure traditional craftsmanship at its finest Real marquetry veneer inlays in Distressed Rich Mahogany with Hand Burnished highlights, Floral motif hand decorations, Marquetry border...

	Powell Masterpiece Breakfront Serpentine End 3-Drawer, 4-Door Hall Chest List Price: $814.00 Sale Price: $602.99
	4 doors with shelves behind, 3 generous drawers, and a break front design, this hall chest is finished in Lightly Distressed Burnished Faux Brown Mahogany with Antique Silver gesso Floral patterns and Black highlights...

	Masterpiece Light Faux Cherry Floral Serpentine 5-Drawer Tall Chest Sale Price: $554.00
	A Beautiful serpentine shaped chest with five generous storage drawers with decorative faux key escutcheons. Framed end panels, carved pilasters and shell decoration with carved scroll feet finished in Light Faux Cherry Frame with Burnished Edges and Floral Hand Painted Parchment Drawer Fronts...

	Masterpiece "Faux Antique Mahogany" Serpentine 2-Drawer Hall Chest on Carved Cabriole Legs List Price: $468.00 Sale Price: $416.69
	Stately Low Boy Chest with Scalloped bottom drawer edge, faux reversed diamond matched bordered end panels, ogee edged top and double ogee capital on floral motif carved cabriole legs. Hand painted with Faux Short Grain Antique Mahogany Borders Surrounding Chevron Matched Light Mahogany Field with Floral Decorations topped off with canted antique brass cast pulls...

Up until the time the serpentine chest of drawers was brought out, chests of drawers were fairly plain boxes designed simply to keep belongings neatly. As functional pieces the more decorative versions were used by the wealthier classes. You can find versions of these types of drawers with some eye-catching carved aprons with equally well made feet.

There are some construction pointers that you can look at to confirm that the chest of drawers you are looking at is authentic. From the way the joints have been constructed and then concealed to the way the drawers have been built with their graduating drawer depths.

More recent copies of the serpentine chest of drawers are also available although these come from the 19th century. Whatever type of chest of drawers you are looking for they can be found in a few areas although they’re not in plentiful supply.

When one comes on the market it is advised that you move quickly, make sure it’s the type of chest of drawers it is claimed that it is. On-line would be one of the best ways that you will get yourself one with plenty of opportunities for new listings to be snapped up. Putting a serpentine chest of drawers in your room would be a wonderful way to dress up an otherwise boring bedroom.

One of the most eclectic and beautiful styles of furniture are the chests from the era of Louis XIV. These elegant pieces with the carved detail work never seem to go out of style or demand. They can be found made from a number of different types of wood such as walnut, mahogany or cherry and all of them make an impact as a stunning piece of furniture.

When Louis XIV appointed his royal advisor for his furniture he wrote "There is nothing that indicates more clearly the magnificence of great princes than their superb palaces and their precious furniture."

For some people’s tastes the style of Louis XIV is simply too lavish with too much work put in to the furniture. Admittedly, the style will not fit in with everybody’s décor however it will be right at home with the more showy pieces.

One of the notable features of the chest of drawers that were made in the Louis XIV era was that they were placed on ornate legs rather than the drawers sitting directly on the ground. This is one of the features that certainly makes the style very distinctive and helps to mark the furniture for what it is.

You see the influence of this style of furniture in some of the furniture that is manufactured today.