Chinoiserie Hollywood Regency Polished Brass Chest of Drawers or Petite Cabinet
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Heavy high quality chest of drawers circa 1970's. It consists of brass clad wood cabinet with a black lacquered wood base. overall very good condition have a small dark spots in brass.
Brass
Korean Side Chest on Legs with Traditional Brass Hardware and and Petite Doors
Located in Yonkers, NY
An antique Korean side chest from the early 20th century, with petite double doors and traditional brass hardware.
Brass
1960s Petite Danish Modern Teak Three-Drawer Dresser or Nightstand
Located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
A petite 1960s teak chest with the clean geometry and warm material palette of Danish Modern design.
Teak
Chinese Autumn Moon Locking Chest, 19th Century
Located in Chicago, IL
With balanced proportions and a rich patina, this petite Chinese storage chest brings great character to the modern home as a storied side table or nightstand.
Elm
Early 19th C. Side Chest w/ Marquetry, Italy
Located in Atlanta, GA
This petite sized antique chest from Italy houses three drawers, has a recessed panel design at each case side, and is raised on decoratively carved bracket feet (which give a pierce...
Wood
Venetian Antique Pair Reverse Serpentine Side Chests w/Intricate Marquetry
Located in Atlanta, GA
A handsome Venetian pair of petite side chests, with reverse-serpentine design and intricate inlay marquetry, from the early 20th century.
Wood
1980s Thomasville Prestige Oak Five-Drawer Chest or Sideboard
By Thomasville
Located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA
At 40 inches wide, the piece can function as a petite sideboard, low dresser, entry chest, or substantial bedside cabinet.
Brass
Cute Table Top Italian Early 18th Century Walnut Chest w/Drawers
Located in Atlanta, GA
A small sized Italian walnut chest from the early 18th century. This Italian chest of four drawers features carved column side posts, paneled drawers and sides and sits atop four pet...
Wood, Walnut
Italian Pair Wooden 3-Drawer Side Chests w/Crossbanding Accents, Early 20th C.
Located in Atlanta, GA
A handsome Italian pair of petite three drawer chests from the early 20th century.
Wood
Italian Mid 20th C. Pair Raised Two-Drawer Side Chests in White
Located in Atlanta, GA
This mid-century Italian pair of petite raised side chests will make perfect end tables together for an intimate seating arrangement, or charming bed side nightstands for a guest or ...
Wood, Paint
Set of Three Italian Modernist Mahogany Cabinets / Chests by Longato Arredamenti
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Set of three petite mahogany chests/oversized nightstands (two cabinets and one chest of drawers) which can be displayed together for sideboard or credenza use with highly stylized a...
Aluminum
Indian 19th Century Merchant's Chest with Pierced Geometric Decor and Patina
Located in Yonkers, NY
The craftsmanship is evident in the intricate geometric patterns, which add a layer of visual interest and texture to the piece. Raised on petite bracket feet, the chest exudes stab...
Brass
Scarce Antique Tuareg Mauritania North Africa Mixed Metal Mounted Wood Chest
Located in Forney, TX
Dimensions: (approx) 11" Tall, 24" Wide, 14" Deep; (measurement without key) Weight: 21 lbs A striking example of functional art, this rare chest can be used a variety of different ...
Brass, Copper, Iron
18th Century Style French Louis XV Bombe Cerused Oak Chest of Drawers Nightstand
Located in Forney, TX
A visually striking vintage French Louis XV style painted whitewashed cerused oak petite bombé chest of drawers (bedside nightstand - small commode dresser - chair side cabinet - end...
Wood, Oak
Pair of Antique French European Tapestry Nightstands
Located in Las Vegas, NV
Antique pair of petite bombe nightstands or small chests. Clad in a beautiful tapestry fabric, they have a very French Country feel.
Tapestry, Wood
Antique Oak Tabletop Four-Drawer Collector's Cabinet with Shaped Upstand
Located in Nottingham, GB
Measuring 33 cm wide by 17 cm deep, with a total height of 47 cm to the top of the upstand and 39 cm to the chest top, its petite footprint makes it versatile for organising jeweller...
Brass
Unique Dome Shaped "Blue Apatite" Stone & Brass Lidded Decorative Box, 1960's
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a very well made and unusual Decorative Jewelry Box. "a unique treasure chest shaped petite trunk to hold all your treasures - perhaps made by a pirate."
Stone, Brass
Chinese Lattice Catbox Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th century kitchen cabinet is known as a catbox, named for its original use in keeping cats, dogs and other household pets away from food stored within. Petite in scale, the e...
Elm
19th Century Danish Black Painted Oak Secretary Bureau
Located in Round Top, TX
The interior is painted a contrasting blue and fitted with traditional petite curved drawers. The lower chest features attractive Bombay-style curves, enhancing the overall profile o...
Brass
Set of Three 14th or 15th Century Ceramic Fertility Figures from Thailand
Located in Yonkers, NY
Created in Thailand during the 14th or 15th century, this set of petite fertility figures, depicted bare chested, a bun adorning the top of their head and seated with their legs cros...
Ceramic
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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