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Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Chests
Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Chests

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Chests

Located in Dallas, TX

Gustavian Style chest with decorative geometric carved design on top drawer, dentil molding, canted

Category

Antique 1860s Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Paint

Pair of Gustavian chests
Pair of Gustavian chests

Pair of Gustavian chests

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

Pair of gray painted chest of drawers. Late Gustavian period. Sweden 1850's.

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Gustavian Chests
Pair of Gustavian Chests

Pair of Gustavian Chests

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

A small pair of Swedish Gustavian chest of drawers with original brass hardware. Keys incl.

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Pair of Swedish Late Gustavian Period Chests
Pair of Swedish Late Gustavian Period Chests

Pair of Swedish Late Gustavian Period Chests

Located in Wichita, KS

A charming pair of Swedish chests from the late Gustavian period featuring beaded detail around the

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

20th Century Pair of Gustavian Style Chests
20th Century Pair of Gustavian Style Chests

20th Century Pair of Gustavian Style Chests

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A beautiful pair of neoclassical Gustavian style painted chests in Sienna red, hand-painted tops

Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Pair of Painted Gustavian Chest of Drawers
Pair of Painted Gustavian Chest of Drawers

Pair of Painted Gustavian Chest of Drawers

Located in South Salem, NY

Pair of white painted Gustavian chest of drawers with metal hardware and historic paint that

Category

Antique 1880s Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Painted Gustavian Chest of Drawers
Pair of Painted Gustavian Chest of Drawers

Pair of Painted Gustavian Chest of Drawers

Located in South Salem, NY

Pair of pale blue painted Swedish Gustavian style chest of drawers with faux marble top and

Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests
Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests

Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests

Located in Charleston, SC

Pair of 19th century Swedish Gustavian Style two-drawer chests with reeding on the apron and the

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers
Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Located in South Salem, NY

A late 19th century pair of painted Swedish Gustavian style commodes. Each commode has three

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests
Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests

Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests

Located in Charleston, SC

Pair of 19th century Swedish Gustavian Style three-drawer chests with canted corner posts applied

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests
Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests

Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Chests

Located in Charleston, SC

Pair of 19th century Swedish Gustavian style two-drawer chests with painted reeding on the drawer

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Gustavian Break-Front Chests, 19th Century
Pair of Gustavian Break-Front Chests, 19th Century

Pair of Gustavian Break-Front Chests, 19th Century

Located in Aalsgaarde, DK

Pair of Gustavian break-front chests, 19th century.

Category

Antique 19th Century Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Swedish Gustavian Antique Pair of Chests, 19th Century
Swedish Gustavian Antique Pair of Chests, 19th Century

Swedish Gustavian Antique Pair of Chests, 19th Century

Located in Wichita, KS

A beautiful pair of Swedish painted chests in the Gustavian style with canted and fluted corner

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Pair of 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Chests
Pair of 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Chests

Pair of 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Chests

Located in Gloucestershire, GB

Pair of 20th Century Swedish Gustavian style chests. Repainted, with nice detailing and reeded

Category

20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Paint

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Located in Kastrup, DK

Pair of Swedish Gustavian style chest of drawers. Each of this pair of Gustavian style painted

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Painted Blue Gustavian Style Swedish Chests
Pair of Painted Blue Gustavian Style Swedish Chests

Pair of Painted Blue Gustavian Style Swedish Chests

Located in Atlanta, GA

Bring timeless Scandinavian charm into your home with this exquisite pair of Swedish chest of

Category

20th Century European Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Swedish Gustavian Serpentine Painted Chests of Drawers, Pair
Swedish Gustavian Serpentine Painted Chests of Drawers, Pair

Swedish Gustavian Serpentine Painted Chests of Drawers, Pair

By Baker Furniture Company

Located in Elkhart, IN

A gorgeous pair of Gustavian or French Country style serpentine front dressers or chests of drawers

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Gustavian Commodes and Chests of ...

Materials

Brass

Pair, Blue Painted Swedish Gustavian Chest of Drawers
Pair, Blue Painted Swedish Gustavian Chest of Drawers

Pair, Blue Painted Swedish Gustavian Chest of Drawers

Located in Round Top, TX

A pair of elegant Gustavian pine chests of three drawers painted in soft  blue with pair of

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

19th Century Pair of Gustavian Chest of Drawers
19th Century Pair of Gustavian Chest of Drawers

19th Century Pair of Gustavian Chest of Drawers

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A pair of 19th century classical style Gustavian commodes with two drawers in a light grey and grey

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Pair of Gustavian chests, 19th Century
Pair of Gustavian chests, 19th Century

Pair of Gustavian chests, 19th Century

Located in Aalsgaarde, DK

Very fine pair of Gustavian chests, richly carved, 19th century.

Category

Antique 19th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Swedish Pair Gustavian Style Painted Wood Chests, Mid 20th
Swedish Pair Gustavian Style Painted Wood Chests, Mid 20th

Swedish Pair Gustavian Style Painted Wood Chests, Mid 20th

Located in Atlanta, GA

A Swedish pair of Gustavian style three drawer painted wood chests from the mid 20th century. This

Category

Mid-20th Century Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

An Elegant Pair of Swedish Gustavian Elm & Cherrywood Chests
An Elegant Pair of Swedish Gustavian Elm & Cherrywood Chests

An Elegant Pair of Swedish Gustavian Elm & Cherrywood Chests

Located in San Francisco, CA

An elegant pair of Swedish Gustavian elm and cherrywood parquetry chests; each well-figured top

Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests o...

Pair of Gustavian Style Campain Chests.
Pair of Gustavian Style Campain Chests.

Pair of Gustavian Style Campain Chests.

Located in Stamford, CT

A wonderful pair of gustavian style three drawer chests each with hiden campain pulls. Both done in

Category

Vintage 1950s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Painted Chest of Drawers
Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Painted Chest of Drawers

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Painted Chest of Drawers

Located in Kastrup, DK

A pair of Swedish Gustavian style blue painted breakfront chest of three drawers, dating from the

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Blue Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Pair of Blue Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Pair of Blue Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Located in Kastrup, DK

Pair of Swedish Gustavian style chest of drawers. Blue painted with faux painted porphyry tops

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Black-Painted Chests of Drawers Gustavian style, Sweden
Pair of Black-Painted Chests of Drawers Gustavian style, Sweden

Pair of Black-Painted Chests of Drawers Gustavian style, Sweden

Located in Kastrup, DK

Pair of elegant chests of drawers in Gustavian style, crafted in black-painted pine with a

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Gray Gustavian Faux Marble Chest of Drawers
Pair of Gray Gustavian Faux Marble Chest of Drawers

Pair of Gray Gustavian Faux Marble Chest of Drawers

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

A pair of light gray painted 3 drawer chests with original brass hardware and faux marble table top

Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of 19th Century Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Pair of 19th Century Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Pair of 19th Century Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Located in Charleston, SC

A pair of 19th century Swedish chest of drawers in Gustavian style with block fronts, shaped

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine, Paint

Pair of Blue Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Pair of Blue Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Pair of Blue Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Located in Kastrup, DK

Pair of Swedish blue painted Gustavian style chest of drawers. Each commode features a faux

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Gray Gustavian Faux Marble Chest of Drawers
Pair of Gray Gustavian Faux Marble Chest of Drawers

Pair of Gray Gustavian Faux Marble Chest of Drawers

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

A pair of light gray painted 3 drawer chests with original brass hardware and faux marble table top

Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Late 19th Century Pair of Gustavian Chests from Sweden
Late 19th Century Pair of Gustavian Chests from Sweden

Late 19th Century Pair of Gustavian Chests from Sweden

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

A pair of small handcrafted Swedish chests of drawers made of pinewood with a grey-white painted

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers, 1860-1870
Pair of Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers, 1860-1870

Pair of Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers, 1860-1870

Located in Kastrup, DK

A pair of decorative Swedish Gustavian Style chest of drawers painted in dusty rose. Wooden blue

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Antique Swedish Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Pair of Antique Swedish Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Pair of Antique Swedish Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Located in Kastrup, DK

A pair of antique Swedish Gustavian style light-grey painted chest of three drawers, dating from

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair, 19th Century Blue Gustavian Pine Chest of Drawers
Pair, 19th Century Blue Gustavian Pine Chest of Drawers

Pair, 19th Century Blue Gustavian Pine Chest of Drawers

Located in Round Top, TX

A pair of elegant Gustavian pine chest of drawers with brass pulls on each drawer. Three drawers

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Danish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair, 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Black Chest of Drawers
Pair, 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Black Chest of Drawers

Pair, 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Black Chest of Drawers

Located in Round Top, TX

A pair of elegant Gustavian pine chest of drawers with brass pulls on each drawer. Three drawers

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of late 19th Century Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers
Pair of late 19th Century Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Pair of late 19th Century Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Located in Jesteburg, DE

A very elegant pair of Swedish late 19th century Gustavian chests of drawers. Beautiful faux

Category

Antique 1880s Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Pair of Painted Bedside Chests
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Pair of Painted Bedside Chests

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Pair of Painted Bedside Chests

Located in Wichita, KS

A beautiful pair of Swedish bedside chests in the Gustavian style. Three drawers, brass hardware

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Paint

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers, Early 20th C.
Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers, Early 20th C.

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers, Early 20th C.

Located in South Salem, NY

This pair of Gustavian style cream painted chests of drawers exudes timeless charm and

Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair of Swedish Black Gustavian Style Breakfront Chests of Drawers
Pair of Swedish Black Gustavian Style Breakfront Chests of Drawers

Pair of Swedish Black Gustavian Style Breakfront Chests of Drawers

Located in Kastrup, DK

Pair of black gustavian style breakfront chests of drawers. Three drawers, fluted canted corners

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Style Painted Breakfront Chests
Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Style Painted Breakfront Chests

Pair of Swedish 19th Century Gustavian Style Painted Breakfront Chests

Located in Kastrup, DK

A pair of Swedish Gustavian style painted wood breakfront chest of drawers from the 19th century

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Blue Painted Chest of Drawers
Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Blue Painted Chest of Drawers

Pair of Swedish Gustavian Style Blue Painted Chest of Drawers

Located in Kastrup, DK

A pair of Swedish Gustavian style painted pine wood chest of drawers from the 19th century. Each

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers
Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Located in South Salem, NY

A pair of Gustavian style chests of drawers. A deep gray paint complements the decorative faux

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers
Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Located in South Salem, NY

Circa 20th century pair of Gustavian style chest of drawers in a Swedish antique white color. The

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood, Pine

Pair of 19th C. Gustavian Side Chests Of Drawers, Sweden
Pair of 19th C. Gustavian Side Chests Of Drawers, Sweden

Pair of 19th C. Gustavian Side Chests Of Drawers, Sweden

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

Charming pair of Late-Gustivan bed tables with four drawers and brass hardware.

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Antique Pair of Swedish Gustavian Painted Chest of Drawers Nightstands
Antique Pair of Swedish Gustavian Painted Chest of Drawers Nightstands

Antique Pair of Swedish Gustavian Painted Chest of Drawers Nightstands

Located in Round Top, TX

Finding a matched pair of nightstands can be challenging, which makes this pair of Gustavian style

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

An Assembled Pair of Swedish Gustavian Chests

An Assembled Pair of Swedish Gustavian Chests

Located in New York, NY

An assembled pair Swedish Gustavian chests of drawers made during the first part of 19th Century

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Pair, Gustavian Painted Chest of Drawers, Sweden circa 1860-80
Pair, Gustavian Painted Chest of Drawers, Sweden circa 1860-80

Pair, Gustavian Painted Chest of Drawers, Sweden circa 1860-80

Located in Round Top, TX

A pair of decorative Gustavian pine chest of drawers with canted fluted side posts with upper

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Swedish Black Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers
Pair of Swedish Black Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Pair of Swedish Black Painted Gustavian Style Chest of Drawers

Located in Kastrup, DK

A pair of decorative Gustavian style chests of drawers. Crafted from black-painted pine with a

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers
Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Located in South Salem, NY

An early 20th century pair of Swedish Gustavian style chests of drawers. Each commode has three

Category

Early 20th Century Swedish Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair, Gustavian White Chest of Drawers Sweden circa 1860-80
Pair, Gustavian White Chest of Drawers Sweden circa 1860-80

Pair, Gustavian White Chest of Drawers Sweden circa 1860-80

Located in Round Top, TX

A pair of decorative Gustavian pine chest of drawers with Greek key motif painted along upper

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Green Painted Gustavian Dressers Or Chests Of Drawers
Pair of Green Painted Gustavian Dressers Or Chests Of Drawers

Pair of Green Painted Gustavian Dressers Or Chests Of Drawers

Located in Haddonfield, NJ

Pair of green painted Gustavian dressers with 3 drawers. Complimentary delivery to most areas of

Category

Antique Early 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair, 19th Century Gustavian White Chest of Three Drawers, Sweden
Pair, 19th Century Gustavian White Chest of Three Drawers, Sweden

Pair, 19th Century Gustavian White Chest of Three Drawers, Sweden

Located in Round Top, TX

Pair of decorative Gustavian pine chest of drawers painted in shades of white, fitting their

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chests of Three Drawers
Pair of 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chests of Three Drawers

Pair of 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Chests of Three Drawers

Located in Round Top, TX

Pair of 19th-century Swedish Gustavian chests of three drawers crafted in pine. Each chest features

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Pair of Painted Bedside Chests
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Pair of Painted Bedside Chests

19th Century Swedish Gustavian Style Pair of Painted Bedside Chests

Located in Wichita, KS

A beautiful neoclassical pair of Swedish Gustavian style painted chests with hand-painted

Category

Antique 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers
Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Pair of Gustavian Style Chests of Drawers

Located in South Salem, NY

A late 19th or early 20th century pair of painted Gustavian style commodes. Each commode has three

Category

Early 20th Century Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Pine

Pair, 19th Century Blue Swedish Gustavian Chest of Three Drawers
Pair, 19th Century Blue Swedish Gustavian Chest of Three Drawers

Pair, 19th Century Blue Swedish Gustavian Chest of Three Drawers

Located in Round Top, TX

A pair of elegant Gustavian pine chest of drawers with brass pulls on each drawer. Three drawers

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Brass

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Pair Gustavian Chests For Sale on 1stDibs

There is a range of pair gustavian chests for sale on 1stDibs. Each of these unique pair gustavian chests was constructed with extraordinary care, often using wood, softwood and pine. Pair gustavian chests have long been popular, with older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. There are many kinds of pair gustavian chests to choose from, but at 1stDibs, Louis XV and Rococo pair gustavian chests are of considerable interest.

How Much are Pair Gustavian Chests?

Prices for pair gustavian chests can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, pair gustavian chests begin at $1,995 and can go as high as $48,000, while the average can fetch as much as $8,654.

A Close Look at Gustavian Furniture

With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.

Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.

Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.

While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.

Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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.