Commodes and Chests of Drawers
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s German Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary English Campaign Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Leather, Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Slovak Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Lithuanian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Maple, Burl
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Rustic Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s American Minimalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Aluminum
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Elm, Wood
2010s Italian Victorian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
2010s German Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Lacquer
2010s Brazilian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Italian Other Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Suede, Mahogany
2010s French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Cherry, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Elm, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bone, Wood
Early 2000s American Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
2010s American Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Stainless Steel
2010s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch, Oak
2010s Portuguese Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
2010s Italian Organic Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s French Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Federal Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
2010s Italian Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Linen
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Organic Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Burl
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1990s British Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry
2010s Italian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Anglo-Indian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Early 2000s Unknown Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Italian Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Stainless Steel
2010s French Other Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rock Crystal, Brass
2010s French Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s American Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass, Silver Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ash
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical 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.