In the country, chest of drawers are also known as a dresser or a bureau. Remember these different terms because they are often used interchangeably by a lot of people. But when did the terms actually change?
Furniture is generally renamed as it hops from one culture or society circle to the next. The history of this beautiful piece of furniture started in medieval Europe with chests that were also referred to as coffers.
These coffers were quite popular among the nobles and rich families. The coffer was constructed as a simple wooden box complete with basic joinery and hinged lid. Slight variation was the drawer which was constructed near the main compartment.
As the coffer’s popularity soared higher, cabinet makers added more drawers and soon it was finally called as a chest of drawers. The first English chests can be traced during the reign of Charles I. The typical chest then had multiple parallel drawers which were constructed horizontally but can be stacked vertically.
Soon, chifforobe was born which was a fusion of the chest and a wardrobe. The conventional function for chests is for hanging clothes that can no longer hang inside the closet. Dressers can have 5 or more drawers, with the top drawer being sub-divided into double drawers. Variations include the chest-on-chest which has been seen to further design options.
Double dressers are called tallboy. This is a chest with a wardrobe constructed on top. Highboy is similar but may not be considered a double chest. The upper and lower parts are constructed with drawers. This is a style that dominated the 18th century as well as the Restoration.
The lowboy is a chest that comes at table-height. It has single or double drawers and it was sought after during the 18th century in the U.S. and England. This was often called a dressing table or a side table.
Do you have a bathroom or bedroom vanity? Then you already own a lowboy that was constructed with a lovely mirror.
The Commode is of French origin. This is a veneered dresser that has gilt-bronze mounts. It also has, at times, ornate legs and drawers. Commodes often have marble slab tops.
Antique Is Ideal
An antique dresser is your most ideal purchase if you are passionate about old stuff. Antique, even vintage pieces, look great in your home. It is functional while also offering a unique aesthetic appeal.
Dressers are perfect for clothes storage. Others use it to store their shoes. In many cases, antique dressers were constructed using solid wood. Because of this, you can expect years of use.
Antique dressers are often found inside bedrooms but nothing should stop you from adding it to your newly-renovated basement or your bare-looking den.
Buying an antique dresser can be a daunting task for the inexperienced especially since there are so many styles to choose from. There are many distributors and main sellers that offer this furniture piece.
You can shop for antique dressers in antique shops or on online sites such as eBay. You need to make a lot of considerations when shopping for bureaus. Make sure that you buy a piece that conforms to your age, style and even your budget.
As you shop, be careful about the period or country that influenced your antique piece. There are bargain pieces but if you want to take home quality antique then be prepared to invest a little. Chest of drawers are often rectangular and they come with multiple drawers. There are plain antique pieces or you can have the highly ornamental ones. You can make your choice according to your current décor.
Useful link:
https://www.businessbrokerageblogs.com/master-bedroom-is-now-owners-bedroom/
https://www.breezpost.com/ceiling-lighting-fixtures-function-or-aesthetic-appeal/
