Commodes and Chests of Drawers
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Carrara Marble
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
18th Century German Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Walnut
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Elm
Late 20th Century French Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Limestone, Metal
Early 1800s Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
19th Century American American Classical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Soapstone, Brass, Ormolu
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Palisander
Late 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
20th Century Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak, Teak
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Boxwood, Nutwood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
Early 1800s Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
1940s French Neoclassical Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Late 18th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Kingwood, Satinwood
1770s Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Stone
20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Aluminum
18th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Maple, Olive, Walnut
18th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Swedish Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Early 20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak, Glass
19th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Poplar
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Silver Leaf, Gold Leaf
Late 18th Century Swedish Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
1940s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Elm
Early 1800s Swedish Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
19th Century French Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mirror, Rosewood
18th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique and Vintage Chests of Drawers and Commodes for Sale: Find Art Deco Commodes and Mid-Century Modern Chests of Drawers on 1stDibs
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.