Commodes and Chests of Drawers
1920s French Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1920s British Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1860s French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Rosewood
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Brass
2010s Indian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
1930s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary European Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Mid-17th Century English Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pewter
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
2010s Italian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Nickel
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood
1940s English Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
20th Century Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Carrara Marble
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 18th Century Austrian Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Plate, Bronze, Iron
1890s Italian Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
1930s Belgian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Cherry
20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ormolu
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Straw
Early 19th Century Italian Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
2010s Indian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass, Metal
1960s European Louis XVI Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Lucite, Burl
Late 20th Century European Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
1980s Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Other
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
2010s Italian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Nickel
Early 1900s Italian Art Deco Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Walnut
Early 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble, Bronze
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
1930s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut, Spruce
Late 18th Century Italian Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
Early 20th Century English Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
2010s Indian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal, Sheet Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Parchment Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
2010s Indian Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
1890s French Louis XVI Antique Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Hardwood
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.