Small Bedside Commode
A small bedside commode brings compact storage and period character to a room, taking many forms from Georgian mahogany to Edwardian walnut.
Small Bedside Commode
A small bedside commode serves as a compact chest of drawers, bedside table, or pot cupboard, designed to sit beside a bed while hiding utilitarian origins. When you search for this phrase, you meet pieces spanning the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries, shaped by Georgian, Victorian, Regency, and Louis XV styles.
The selection on this page ranges from English mahogany chests and oak close stools to French walnut bombe commodes and Swedish serpentine pieces. Many examples double as bedside tables or nightstands, while others take the form of small cupboards, side cabinets, and low chests of drawers.
Early forms include eighteenth-century oak and elm close stools disguised as small chests, alongside nineteenth-century mahogany pieces with brushing slides. Twentieth-century revivals also appear, bringing Queen Anne, Sheraton, and Georgian Revival designs into smaller footprints.
How they were made
Cabinetmakers built these pieces using solid timbers like mahogany, walnut, oak, pine, elm, and kingwood, frequently applying burr walnut or mahogany veneers to visible surfaces. Construction relied on traditional joinery methods suited to domestic furniture of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Surface finishes and decorative elements include hand painting, giltwood, lacquered chinoiserie, and simulated painted wood effects. Many examples incorporate brass handles, ormolu mounts, and inset marble tops, particularly on French and Italian pieces.
Regional styles include French Louis XV, Swedish serpentine, and Italian giltwood alongside English Georgian and Victorian forms.
What varies in quality
Quality rests on the selection of timber, such as figured mahogany or burr walnut, and the precision of the cabinetwork in serpentine or bombe shapes. Finer pieces demonstrate careful timber matching across drawer fronts and crisp execution of carved or applied details.
The integrity of original brass hardware, marble tops, and surface finishes distinguishes better examples from later alterations or heavily restored pieces. Proportion and scale also dictate desirability, as smaller footprints require greater skill from the maker.
Edwards and Roberts
The Small Bedside Commode Glossary
- Commode
- A low piece of furniture with drawers or doors, originally used as a chamber closet or washstand. In modern usage, the term often describes small decorative chests of drawers or bedside cabinets.
- Serpentine
- A furniture front or top curving outward in the centre and inward at the sides. This shape demands high skill from the cabinetmaker.
- Bombe
- A swelling, outward-curving chest or commode shape associated with French and continental furniture. It requires complex curved woodwork.
- Brushing slide
- A pull-out shelf fitted above the top drawer of a chest, used for folding clothes or writing notes. It slides flush into the cabinet when not in use.
- Close stool
- An eighteenth-century piece of furniture enclosing a chamber pot, often built to resemble a small chest of drawers or a cupboard. These items transitioned into bedside storage over time.
Small Bedside Commode: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a small bedside commode used for?
These pieces function primarily as bedside tables, nightstands, or small chests of drawers for domestic storage. Their compact dimensions suit smaller bedrooms while offering surface space and drawer capacity.
Historically, many started as close stools or night cupboards before adapting into conventional bedside furniture. Today they serve to hold lamps, books, and personal items.
How do I identify the period of a commode?
Dating relies on timber choice, construction methods, and stylistic cues such as Georgian bracket feet or Victorian turned legs. Eighteenth-century pieces often use solid oak or elm, while nineteenth-century versions frequently employ mahogany or walnut.
Revival pieces from the early twentieth century often blend stylistic elements from earlier reigns. Examining drawer linings and backboards helps confirm the age of the piece.
Are French and English commodes different?
English pieces tend toward rectilinear forms in mahogany and oak, favouring Georgian or Victorian proportions. French commodes frequently feature bombe or serpentine shapes, walnut timbers, and marble tops.
Continental examples also incorporate decorative elements like ormolu mounts and giltwood. Both traditions prioritized functional storage within a compact footprint.
How do I fit one into a modern bedroom?
A small bedside commode works well beside modern beds by adding textural warmth and hidden storage. Measuring the height of the mattress ensures the top surface sits at a comfortable level for daily use.
These pieces mix easily with contemporary interiors through contrasting wood tones and period details. Their varied finishes, from painted pine to polished mahogany, anchor different interior schemes.