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Why is it called an armoire?

1 Answer
Why is it called an armoire?
Why it is called an armoire likely relates to the original purpose of the furniture. When armoires first emerged during the Middle Ages, people often stored armor and weapons in them. In Latin, the name for an armor storage chest is "armonium," so the term armoire may have come from that. Although people now use armoires to store clothing, home theater systems and other items rather than suits of armor, the name persists. On 1stDibs, explore a diverse assortment of armoires.
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 23, 2024
Shop for Wardrobes and Armoires on 1stDibs
Armoire Solid Natural Oak, France, 1940s
Located in Kaštel Sućurac, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Standing with monastic presence, this tall armoire in natural oak bears a façade of geometric rigor and quiet monumentality. Six raised diamond-point panels animate the surface with ...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Wardrobes and Armoires

Materials

Oak

Italian Art Deco Parchment Wardrobe
Located in London, GB
A large five door Art Deco parchment and maplewood wardrobe. Circa 1940's, Italy. The wardrobe features numerous internal fittings including drawers, shelves and brass hanging ra...
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Art Deco Wardrobes and Armoires

Materials

Maple, Parchment Paper

Cabinet in Carved Oak, Spain, 1940
Located in Kaštel Sućurac, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
A façade of rhythmic florals emerges from a field of quiet geometry—each rosette delicately recessed in its own square niche, like votive offerings set into a chapel wall. This cabin...
Category

Vintage 1940s Spanish Spanish Colonial Wardrobes and Armoires

Materials

Oak

Tall Cabinet in Carved Oak, France, 20th Century
Located in Kaštel Sućurac, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Monolithic in stance yet intricate in surface, this tall French cabinet reveals a façade of concentric rosettes and squared panels, arranged with the solemn rhythm of a liturgical ob...
Category

20th Century French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires

Materials

Oak

19th Century French Faux Bamboo Armoire or Wardrobe
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century French faux bamboo armoire, or wardrobe, made of pitch pine with solid cherry faux bamboo details. Beveled mirror door opens to an interior with two adjustable shelves...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Country Wardrobes and Armoires

Materials

Mirror, Pine, Cherry

Petite Armoire with Diamond-Relief Panels in Oak, France
Located in Kaštel Sućurac, Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Slender and architectural, this petite armoire stands with the poise of a column—narrow in stance, yet rich in detail. Its twin doors are carved in sharp diamond-point relief, each facet catching shadow like folded linen or cut stone. The central drawer is chamfered into a prismatic silhouette, echoing the geometries above and below with quiet symmetry. All is held within a frame of softened oak, timeworn to a parchment hue. Attributed to a provincial workshop in the tradition of Art Populaire, the piece reflects a postwar reverence for material integrity and craft discipline. The geometric motifs—reminiscent of Gothic tracery or early Renaissance coffered...
Category

Vintage 1940s French French Provincial Wardrobes and Armoires

Materials

Oak

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