Tansu Step Chest

Johnnie and I didn't have very much furniture before we came here.  All that we have in storage back in the States is a couch, love seat, coffee table, and a full size bed.  To Korea, all we brought with us is a queen bed, two old dressers, and a console table.  We compare it to living like college students :)

While we've been in Korea, we finally purchased some amazing furniture pieces that make us feel like grown-ups.  For example, we bought a dining room table and chairs.  Not a cheap one just to use, but a really nice one that we plan on having for the rest of our lives.  Thanks to our informative friends here, we found some great off-the-beaten-path furniture and antique stores and bought some beautiful wooden furniture that makes our house look more like a home.

One of my favorite pieces that we bought is the "stair step cabinet".  It's officially called a Japanese Tansu Step Chest.  These are a very common sight in the furniture and antique stores around here.

The cabinet has many doors, drawers, and sliding panels.  Some of them have discrete and clever locking mechanisms.

The cabinet is actually made up of three pieces.  The front and the back of the cabinet are identical.  The drawers can be pushed or pulled through either side.  This allows for the cabinet to "step down" in either direction, work as a room divider, or be displayed in different arrangements.

Alternative arrangement #1

Alternative arrangement #2

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“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”
~William A Ward