The Versatile Armoire

Whether you call it a Wardrobe, Chiffarobe, or Armoire, this piece of furniture might be the most versatile one in your home. Creative designers are discovering numerous uses for it in both home and office settings. Let's explore ...

For centuries, closets were almost nonexistent in homes. Instead, people stored their clothing in wardrobes or chiffarobes. It's fascinating to observe how closets have evolved from being nonexistent or small to becoming large rooms designed for displaying and organizing clothes. Currently, there's a trend returning to a wall of closets with doors, rather than using an entire room. It appears that everything comes full circle.

Originally, Armoires were actually called armories and were a large cabinet built to hold a military style lot of ammunition. These cabinets featured elaborate decor but never feet. The first one pictured above is from William Burges, Great Bookcase. Image © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford. | Source: Peter Schofields Reviews.

It was the French, of course, that renamed this piece of furniture, the Armoire. If you are lucky enough to own a beautiful armoire, you know the vast amount of storage it provides. I have a great solid pine armoire that I purchased from Rich's downtown Atlanta more than fifty years ago. Most of the time it has been in my dining room securing my collection of lettuce or leaf dishes. Today it is in the guest room and houses a collection of decorative items used throughout the house. But let's take a look at other ways armoires are being used today.

Armoire: Accessory Storage

Armoire: Coffee / Wine Bar

Armoire: Pantry Storage

Armoire: Home Office

Armoire: Nursery

Armoire: Mud Room

Armoire: More ...

Is there anything you can't elegantly store in an Armoire? Could you imagine using it as an additional bathroom? Perhaps for craft or sewing materials, blankets or linens, books, a child's reading nook, or even as a secret door to a magical Narnia room!

What do you use an Armoire for?k We would love to know.

This is way everyone should have at least one armoire!

Enjoy!

jan

For additional inspiration, don't miss my Pinterest Board: Armoire. 

It's challenging to feature all the amazing ideas in a single article.

You can also locate the photo credits for all the images above.

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Discover a wide range of treasures at Lakewood 400 Antiques Market, the perfect place to find everything you need to decorate your home, from furniture to fresh produce, handmade jewelry, fashion items, art and collectibles. With such a diverse selection, you'll always be surprised by the amazing finds just waiting for you! For additional details, Click Here!

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Jan Jones is a Designer, Artist, and Author of

"Finding Me: A Motivational Journey of Discovery for Young People."

For more information Click Here