What is a bonheur du jour?

A bonheur du jour is a small, elegant ladies' writing desk featuring a raised superstructure of drawers and pigeonholes on top of the main writing table. Developed in France during the eighteenth century, the form enjoyed a major revival during the Victorian and Edwardian periods in Britain.

How were these desks used?

These desks were designed for the morning room or bedroom, where ladies wrote correspondence, kept journals, and managed household accounts. The upper compartments held notepaper, envelopes, and ink, while the pull-out or sloping writing surface provided space for the pen.

How do I spot Sheraton Revival style?

Sheraton Revival pieces display slender tapered legs, delicate satinwood inlay, and neoclassical motifs like bellflowers, urns, and swags. This style emerged in late Victorian and Edwardian cabinet making to revive the lighter geometric lines of eighteenth-century neoclassical design.

Where should I place one?

Because many examples are finished on all sides as freestanding pieces, they work well placed away from walls in a drawing room or study. Their compact scale also suits placement in bedroom alcoves or entrance halls where larger desks would overwhelm the floor space.

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Edwardian Bonheur Du Jour

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An Edwardian bonheur du jour brings refined ladies' writing spaces into the home, combining a compact writing surface with an elegant upper cabinet for correspondence.