Bedroom furniture is the furniture made for sleeping, dressing and the storage of clothing and personal items. It includes beds and four-posters, chests of drawers, wardrobes, linen presses, tallboys, dressing tables, toilet mirrors, washstands, bedside cabinets, cheval mirrors, blanket boxes and bedroom chairs.
In grand houses of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the bed with its elaborate hangings was often the most expensive item in the home, and bedrooms were furnished with fine case pieces such as chests on stands and serpentine commodes. The Victorian and Edwardian periods saw the widespread production of matching bedroom suites in mahogany, walnut, satinwood, pine and oak, typically comprising a wardrobe, dressing table, washstand, bedside cabinet and chairs. Washstands with marble tops and tiled backs were essential before bathrooms became common. Antique bedroom furniture is valued for its solid construction and generous storage. When buying, check dimensions carefully, as wardrobes and beds can be large, and look for original handles, sound drawers and good mirror glass.
