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Monday, June 5th, 2017
Hooker Furniture Bedroom Arabella Ten-Drawer Dresser
The modern bureau – also known as chest-of-drawers is a case that is fitted with two, three, or even more drawers. Any chest that contains drawers should be automatically referred to as a chest not of but with drawers. It is from chests that modern pieces of chest-of-drawers come from.
In the 16th century, bureaus were made with little tills which are also called drawer boxes. These are enclosed receptacles inside the bureau’s body. It was a step in fitting a bigger drawer to the entire bottom part of the joined chest.
Even when drawers were added, many kept their lids on the top; not till mid-17th century that these pieces appeared in which the pretense of the furniture piece being a chest was finally abandoned.
The birth and development of different kinds of furniture is far from absolute. There isn’t one history that can be attributed to the bureau. It has many origins like drawers and cabinets.
Bureau: A Clearer Ancestry
What can be best declared as the lineage of bureau is the case of highboys, lowboys, tallboys and those that are referred to as chest-on-chests. You might be interested to know that the boy suffix is a French word corruption for the term for wood which is bois.
Every single one of these is a true blue bureau. Beginning with the bureau on a stand, lowboy that has been used as a table or desk, and many other uses wherein the bureau was fitted with a number of drawers.
The highboy, on the other hand, is the taller version of the bureau, where extra drawers have been added. This is a grander furniture piece that was thought of more as a separate unit though it has two sections.
Just like any other type of furniture, the bureau varieties are defined by their specific uses. The chiffonier is generally tall and narrow and used by ladies in keeping their needlework as well as small pieces of clothes.
The lingerie bureau often has seven drawers which were created for all the days of the week. This is also sometimes referred to as semainiers which is the French word that means week.
Other styles are defined based on the style of period from which they have come. The breakfront or serpentine or the Federal and Sheraton.
Decorating with the Bureau
Whether you choose to use the bureau in the living room, hallway, or the bedroom, this lovely piece of furniture is a custodian of sorts. Even people who do not bother themselves with organization do not even have to worry about things getting lost if they have a bureau or chest of drawers.
Do you want more drawers for your baby’s clothing? Then you’ve found the perfect furniture piece in the bureau. Pick which size you want and how many drawers you will need.
The narrower ones can also be freestanding cabinets inside the bathroom. These can be suitable homes for those baskets that will hold extra towels and robes.
When placed on the entryway, this is the perfect welcome that you can give to your friends and visitors. There are hundreds of styles to choose from so you won’t have to worry about finding the right look for you. If you love all things traditional, then go for wood, bamboo and other rustic bureaus.
The color brown with ornate patterns is acceptable.
For a modern approach, use glass, metal and plastic. These materials represent modernity plus they offer straighter lines. Find the pieces that are most suitable for your taste and the style of your home. Also, check for smart construction where the bureau has quality mortise-and-tenon joinery.
Tags: bureau, chest of drawers, history of bureaus, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Bureau: Short History and Interior Design Uses
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