Cedar Chests

Each chest is created to your specifications, with an eye for durability and strength. The chests are beautiful, heirloom-quality pieces that are designed to last for generations.

Our cedar chests are entirely custom made to order, with completion times ranging from 4-6 weeks.

The Delightful Gift of a Cedar Chest

Cedar chests were once a traditional gift to give young couples at their wedding, but these days, you don't need a special occasion to give one to a friend or a family member! There is something special about giving or receiving these chests and not only will you be able to give them something useful, you'll also be able to give them a gift that is traditionally associated with good feelings and warmth. Take a moment to consider the delight of a cedar chest.

Whether you are thinking about a wedding, an anniversary, a graduation or even a special Christmas, you'll discover that a cedar chest is a lovely gift. Think about the recipient seeing it placed perfectly in their room or finding it underneath a tree. It makes a terrific going away gift for someone who is leaving home for the first time and it can be a great housewarming present for someone who has just bought their first home.

One great reason to give someone a cedar chest is the aroma. A hope chest is a piece of furniture that is imbued with the aromatic oils that make it smell lovely, and when you want to give them a chest that will enhance their home both through its beauty and through its scent, a cedar chest is perfect.

Take some time and consider what a delightful gift a cedar chest can be; chances are good that you know someone who will love it!

Details on Construction

The skill and dedication of our Amish craftsmen assures a high level of quality.

Our cedar chests are created from solid hardwood including cherry and maple. We use only genuine hardwoods -- there is no pine, plywood filler, pressed wood, "select hardwoods" or veneers used in our chests. Our hardwoods that are locally grown and harvested in the Upper Midwest.

Having access to amazing stands of hardwood, as our Amish craftsman do, is very important when building a quality cedar chest. But building to last involves more than just having the right wood that's been properly prepared - it involves a lot of knowledge, patience, and commitment.

Time honored methods of building fine furniture do take a lot more time to assemble. But a well-constructed cedar chest that will last forever has to have this kind of construction, rather than being simply joined together by tool and machine.

To join our chests together, we use screws and wood glue to join the parts (rather than nails). Nails can work out of a cedar chest over time due to changes in humidity.

We also assemble the panels on our cedar chests with an eye towards durability. The panels are fully recessed into the styles next to them, and are allowed to 'float' or have room to expand over time. This prevents natural changes from temperature and humidity from placing excessive stress on the cedar chest. Our cedar chest designs are well-researched, and intended to create high-quality, long-lasting family heirlooms.

The great care that comes from handcrafting completes the design. When things are made by the hands and eyes of a real person, they can feel and see things a machine cannot. And when those eyes are those of an Amish craftsman who takes the time to build in the way he learned from his father so many years ago, the process of making an heirloom has begun before the cedar chest is even started.

And so it goes, from father to son, the right way to make a piece of furniture or a cherry cedar chest that can stand the test of time. Building to last is not something you can find in machine made furniture, because it requires this gentle yet firm touch. It is something that can only be taught, not written about. The apprenticeships of the Amish craftsmen who build our chests are part of the process of standing up over time, because the process itself has already stood up over time.

That's what makes each handcrafted cedar chest from Erik Organic special, and how you know it is built to last - because it has already stood the most important test of time.

On Sale Through July 27th

Our craftsman is busy retooling his workshop over the summer. Our cedar chests will be available again on August 1st. If you pre-order before July 27th, we can offer a 20% discount on any cedar chest.