Types of Chests and Armoires

!±8± Types of Chests and Armoires

Aside from the bed, another major component in furnishing and decorating a bedroom is the chest of drawers and armoire. Both pieces not only serve the functional purpose of storing items, but also become decorative pieces and secondary focal points for the bedroom.

Chests

Also known as a bureau, a chest of drawers stands chest or shoulder high. Because of its height, it is not generally used with a mirror. Chests usually have five, six or seven drawers and are also used to store items of clothing not hung in a closet, such as t-shirts, socks, underwear and nightgowns.

The lingerie chest, also known as a chiffonier, is specific type of chest designed to hold lingerie and undergarments. It is generally narrower and sometimes taller than other types of chests of drawers.

Easily mistaken for a small armoire, a door chest often has a cabinet with doors and a set of drawers beneath. It is typically smaller in scale than an armoire and is 50 inches or less in height. Many manufacturers use "armoire" and "door chest" as interchangeable terms.

A storage chest resembles a large rectangular box with a lid. It is intended to store bed linens including blankets and comforters. It can also be used to store seasonal clothing. Some manufacturers offer storage chests that can also double as a bed bench.

Armoires

The word 'armoire' originates from the French world for a type of cabinet used as storage for armour and weaponry. Armoires can be used may ways, from hiding a TV set, to storing clothes and jewelry. Typically described as a tall, freestanding cupboard, armoires can include shelving, drawers and pull-out valet trays. Below are the four main types of armoires:

Wardrobe armoire: designed to hold clothes; ideal for suits, dresses and bulkier seasonal items such as overcoats. Wardrobe armoires will often have clothing bar or removable clothing rod.

TV armoire: allows you to open the doors when you want to watch television, but hide the TV away behind closed doors when you don't. Some manufacturers offer a TV/wardrobe armoire combination that can be adapted and used for either purpose.

Computer armoire: as with a TV armoire, a computer armoire allows you to put a computer in the bedroom, but hide it from view when it's not in use. A computer armoire is specifically designed to accommodate a monitor, CPU and other peripherals, such as a pair of speakers or a printer.

Jewelry armoire: a jewelry allows you to store your jewelry one place. It also offers a number of storage options intended specifically for rings, bracelets and necklaces. Jewelry armoires are available in a number of models including freestanding and wall mounted.