Commodes and Chests of Drawers
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Ash
Early 2000s American Louis XV Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Griotte Marble
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Glass, Wood
2010s British Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood
2010s Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Georgian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
2010s American Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Nickel
2010s French Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Lucite, Wood, Burl
21st Century and Contemporary Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pearwood
2010s American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Art Glass, Mirror, Oak, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1990s French Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Lizard
1990s American Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Lithuanian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Wood
2010s Italian Rococo Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
2010s Italian Other Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Art Glass, Mirror, Murano Glass
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Goatskin
2010s Mexican Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
2010s Italian Organic Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s American Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Italian Organic Modern 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 Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary European Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
2010s French Directoire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Cherry, Oak
2010s American Minimalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Aluminum
2010s Indian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Copper, Sheet Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chrome, Steel
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Cherry, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Amethyst, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Raffia, Rattan
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary British Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
2010s Lithuanian Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Foil
2010s Philippine Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Goatskin
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Italian Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Italian Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
2010s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Silver Leaf, Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Linen
2010s French French Provincial Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Fabric, Lacquer, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
2010s American Minimalist Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Aluminum
2010s Italian Post-Modern Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
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.