Antique Night Commode
An antique night commode provides bedside storage with historical form, spanning Georgian mahogany cabinets to French revival pieces.
Antique Night Commode
An antique night commode takes the form of bedside cupboards, tray top cabinets, and close stools dating from the Georgian period through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The pieces appearing most frequently on this page are Georgian mahogany bedside cabinets and cupboards alongside later French revival tables and chests.
Origins stretch across English workshops and French makers, incorporating styles from George III designs to Louis XV interpretations.
Distinction in Craft
Quality rests in the selection of figured timbers such as flame mahogany and the precision of marquetry, boxwood inlay, and dovetail joints.
Refinement appears in the handling of serpentine fronts, tray tops, and cylindrical bodies, where proportions and timber matching elevate the piece.
Antique Night Commode Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for night commode among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
The furniture styles range from early Georgian and George III to Regency, Louis XV, and twentieth-century revival interpretations.
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The Antique Night Commode Glossary
- Tray top
- A raised gallery edging the top surface of a cabinet to prevent items from rolling off. This feature is common on Georgian bedside tables.
- Commode
- A low cabinet or chest of drawers originally designed to house a chamber pot. Many antique night commodes retain this enclosed form.
- Tambour
- A sliding door constructed from narrow vertical strips of wood glued to a canvas backing. It runs in concealed grooves around a curved cabinet front.
- Marquetry
- Decorative patterns formed by fitting together thin veneers of various coloured woods and other materials. It defines many French revival pieces.
- Close stool
- An enclosed wooden chair or chest containing a receptacle for sanitary use. Early examples date to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Antique Night Commode: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an antique night commode?
An antique night commode is a small enclosed bedside cabinet or table dating from the Georgian era or later. These pieces were originally built to hold a chamber pot or provide discreet night-time storage.
Modern interiors utilise them as bedside tables or lamp stands that introduce period timber and classic proportions to a bedroom.
How do I identify a Georgian night commode?
Georgian examples typically feature solid mahogany or oak construction, often displaying tray tops, panelled cabinet doors, or pull-out commode slides. Their lines follow eighteenth-century proportions with bracket feet or straightforward square legs.
Later nineteenth-century and revival pieces often incorporate French styling, satinwood, or elaborate marquetry inlay that distinguishes them from earlier English furniture.
What is a tray top commode?
A tray top commode incorporates a shallow raised rim around the upper surface, fashioned directly from the solid timber or built up with mouldings. This design kept water jugs and glassware secure on uneven floors.
Craftsmen often combined this top with a cupboard below, creating a practical bedside unit that concealed interior storage.
How do I style a night commode at home?
These cabinets suit bedrooms and small sitting rooms where enclosed storage is useful beside a bed or armchair. Their compact footprint allows them to function as lamp tables or occasional surfaces.
Pairing dark mahogany or walnut pieces with neutral walls lets the grain and brass hardware stand out as focal points in the room.