Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
19th Century French Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood
19th Century Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Hardwood
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s English Edwardian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Walnut
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1870s French Victorian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Beech
1790s French Baroque Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Brass
19th Century French French Provincial Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Pine
19th Century English Victorian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Pine
1890s French Victorian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood
1750s German Baroque Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood
Late 18th Century German Louis XVI Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Pine
19th Century European Louis Philippe Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Softwood
Late 19th Century English Victorian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century French Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Oak
1880s French Country Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Hardwood
18th Century and Earlier French Country Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Early 20th Century French Folk Art Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Oak, Paint
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Chippendale Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Mahogany, Paint
1790s French Baroque Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Marble, Bronze
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21st Century and Contemporary British Georgian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Marble
Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
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2010s Italian Other Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood
Mid-18th Century Swedish Rococo Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Louis XVI Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Wood, Beech
2010s British Scandinavian Modern Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Velvet, Mohair, Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XVI Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Brass
20th Century Swedish Gustavian Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Pine
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Other
1920s French Louis XVI Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Alpaca, Wood
18th Century and Earlier French Country Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
1940s American Louis XVI Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Copper
Early 19th Century French Louis XV Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Shabby Chic Chest Of Drawers Antique Furniture
Brass
Finding the Right Commodes-chests-of-drawers for You
Shopping for a commode or a chest of drawers?
Commode is the French term for a low chest of drawers, but it is also sometimes used to denote any case piece with a particularly intricate design. The commode dates to circa 1700 France, where it was used as an alternative to a taller cabinet piece so as to not obscure paneled, mirrored or tapestried walls. Coffers, or chests, which were large wooden boxes with hinged lids and sometimes stood on ball feet, preceded chests of drawers, a fashionable cabinet furnishing that garnered acclaim for its obvious storage potential and versatility. The term commode was also used to refer to a piece of bedroom furniture — a washstand or nightstand that contained a chamber pot.
As time passed, French and British furniture makers led the way in the production of chests of drawers, and features like the integration of bronze and ornamental pulls became commonplace. Antique French commodes in the Louis XV style were sometimes crafted in mahogany or walnut, while an Italian marble top added a sophisticated decorative flourish. This specific type of case piece grew in popularity in the years that followed.
So, what makes a chest of drawers different from a common dresser? Dressers are short, and chests of drawers are overall taller pieces of furniture that typically do not have room on the top for a mirror as most dressers do. Tallboys and highboys are variations of the dresser form. Some chests of drawers have one column of four to six long drawers or three long drawers in their bottom section that are topped by a cluster of small side-by-side drawers on the top. To further complicate things, we sometimes refer to particularly short chests of drawers as nightstands.
Even though chests of drawers are commonly thought of as bedroom furniture to store clothing, these are adaptable pieces. A chest of drawers can house important documents — think of your walnut Art Deco commode as an upgrade to your filing cabinet. Nestle your chest near your home’s front door to store coats and other outerwear, while the top can be a place to drop your handbag. Add some flair to your kitchen, where this lovable case piece can hold pots, pans and even cookbooks.
When shopping for the right chest of drawers for your home, there are a few key things to consider: What will you be storing in it? How big a chest will you need?
Speaking of size, don’t dream too big. If your space is on the smaller side, a more streamlined vintage mid-century modern chest of drawers, perhaps one designed by Paul McCobb or T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, may best suit your needs.
At 1stDibs, we make it easy to add style and storage to your home. Browse our collection of antique and vintage commodes and chests of drawers today.
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