Commodes and Chests of Drawers
1970s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Leather, Wood
1750s Swedish Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Leather, Rosewood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Mid-20th Century Swedish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wicker, Teak
1870s Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine, Paint
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Late 17th Century Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Ash, Walnut
Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Burl
2010s Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
2010s Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
2010s Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
17th Century Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Palisander, Walnut
1680s Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
20th Century Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Beech
17th Century Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Giltwood, Fruitwood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
18th Century and Earlier German Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
18th Century and Earlier Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Late 18th Century Dutch Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Finnish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
1970s French Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
2010s Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
1930s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fruitwood
2010s French Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
1960s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
18th Century Swedish Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
Early 17th Century European Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
2010s French Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Oak
Mid-20th Century Danish Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Nickel
2010s French Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Ash, Lacquer
18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-18th Century German Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Mid-18th Century Swedish Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Mid-20th Century Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Teak
2010s Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Birch
Mid-18th Century Swedish Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Teak
Early 18th Century German Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood
1920s Italian Baroque Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry, Fruitwood, Walnut
Mid-18th Century German Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Spruce
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
Early 1900s Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
17th Century Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Fruitwood
Early 20th Century Spanish Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
1750s German Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
1780s German Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
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.