Commodes and Chests of Drawers
18th Century English Queen Anne Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Lacquer
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1920s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
19th Century English Other Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
1790s French Louis XV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Breccia Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Napoleon III Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
20th Century English Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Maple
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
1990s Unknown Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
18th Century German Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Early 19th Century Austrian Biedermeier Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1780s Dutch Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Lacquer
1750s French Louis XV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Maple, Walnut, Birdseye Maple
1990s French Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Python
19th Century Belgian Rococo Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Ormolu
Mid-18th Century French French Provincial Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
Mid-19th Century English Campaign Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-18th Century Italian Neoclassical Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Carrara Marble, Brass
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Other Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Porcelain, Hardwood
1930s Belgian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry
18th Century English George III Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Aluminum
Early 19th Century German Biedermeier Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Burl
1820s Dutch Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
19th Century Danish Art Deco Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 19th Century French Gustavian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Mid-19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
18th Century French Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
1850s Swedish Biedermeier Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1930s Italian Rococo Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Olive
Early 20th Century French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
1920s Italian Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
1980s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1880s English Aesthetic Movement Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1950s French Directoire Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
1890s British Georgian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
19th Century French Louis Philippe Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Granite
Mid-20th Century English Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese George III Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
18th Century English Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Early 20th Century Japanese Taisho Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Palisander, Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Philippine Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rattan
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Early 1900s French Regency Revival Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
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.