Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
1930s European Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Sycamore
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Shagreen Stingray
Early 1900s English Arts and Crafts Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Shell
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1930s Italian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Goatskin
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Stone
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Shagreen Stingray
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Macassar
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze, Chrome
21st Century and Contemporary British Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ultrasuede, Beech, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary British Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ultrasuede, Beech, Walnut
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Early 20th Century British Arts and Crafts Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Stainless Steel
1940s Italian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Burl
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Faux Leather, Mahogany
Early 20th Century English Arts and Crafts Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak, Plywood
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Faux Leather, Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Albanian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1920s Italian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
1990s French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
20th Century Italian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Leather, Birch
1920s North American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1940s American Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany, Burl
1930s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Plastic, Walnut
1920s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chrome
1920s Italian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Beech, Walnut, Ultrasuede
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique and Vintage Chests of Drawers and Commodes for Sale on 1stDibs
Is it 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 a 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.
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.