Wood Inlay Chests
Antique Late 19th Century British Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Dra...
Bone, Wood, Mahogany, Paint
Antique 19th Century French Side Tables
Marble, Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Night Stands
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Cabinets
Stone, Metal
Vintage 1970s Chinoiserie Night Stands
Brass, Enamel
Antique Late 19th Century Indian British Colonial Decorative Boxes
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Mid-Century Modern Dressers
Bone, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Beds and Bed Frames
Hardwood
Antique Late 19th Century Portuguese Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century Portuguese Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
Early 20th Century Portuguese Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century Spanish Baroque Beds and Bed Frames
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bone, Resin, Wood
20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Blanket Chests
Late 20th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
20th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bone, Wood
Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century Indonesian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Shell
Early 20th Century English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1960s Indian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Bone
21st Century and Contemporary Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Horn, Wood, Lacquer
Vintage 1930s Syrian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 1810s French Charles X Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Early 20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Antique Early 19th Century English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bone, Wood
Antique 18th Century Blanket Chests
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 20th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
20th Century Syrian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
20th Century Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
20th Century Syrian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood, Bone
Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 1820s French Charles X Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birdseye Maple
Vintage 1950s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass, Ormolu
Antique Early 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
20th Century Indian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bone, Wood
Antique 19th Century American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mirror, Wood
Antique 18th Century Dutch Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Vintage 1930s Argentine Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Antique 1790s Italian Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 1790s Italian Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Boxwood
Antique 18th Century and Earlier English Queen Anne Commodes and Chests ...
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
20th Century Syrian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Early 20th Century European Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
20th Century Syrian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 19th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
1990s Italian French Provincial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 1810s English Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Satinwood
Antique 19th Century European Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Vintage 1920s French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
Antique 16th Century Italian Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
Antique Mid-18th Century Italian Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 1760s French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Palisander
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Wood Inlay Chests For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Wood Inlay Chests?
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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