Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Early 20th Century British Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mother-of-Pearl, Ash, Mahogany, Pine, Paint
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
18th Century Italian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
19th Century French French Provincial Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
1920s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch
1920s French Louis XVI Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Early 20th Century Danish Country Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Early 2000s Swedish Gustavian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Carrara Marble, Bronze
19th Century Swedish Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Gustavian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1930s German Industrial Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak, Pine, Plywood
Late 18th Century French Louis XIV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
1910s Hungarian Rustic Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak, Pine
Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Cedar
Late 19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Brass
1770s Italian Louis XV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Boxwood, Fruitwood, Walnut, Burl
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 19th Century European Louis Philippe Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary European Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
19th Century Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Brass
1960s American Georgian Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1970s French Campaign Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 18th Century Italian Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-18th Century English Chippendale Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
18th Century English Georgian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Early 20th Century American Chippendale Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
19th Century Swedish Gustavian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Early 20th Century Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany, Walnut, Burl
20th Century French Chinoiserie Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Ormolu
Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
19th Century Dutch Empire Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
19th Century Japanese Edo Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cedar
19th Century Italian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fruitwood
20th Century French Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
1940s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Late 20th Century French Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Plastic, Laminate, Resin, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary English Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Late 18th Century English Georgian Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
1950s Swedish Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Brass
1820s American Federal Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
18th Century Spanish Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
1970s Italian Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bamboo, Rattan
Mid-18th Century Italian Rococo Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Lacquer
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cedar
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.





