You may have been charmed by one while staying at a particularly tony hotel room, taking note of the prolific wood molding and confident proportions as you put away your socks or unlocked the television and minibar. Maybe you saw another in an upscale, downtown office, this time as a deep, burnished filing cabinet with a mastery of detail that redeems the "bureau" in bureaucracy. More and more canny, observant furniture buffs are paying attention to the quiet armoire renaissance that's brewing and enjoying the practical allure these unique pieces have to offer. This armoire buying guide invites you to tour the wonderful history, development and design features of that species of bedroom furniture known as the armoire, giving helpful tips on how to buy an armoire along the way.
When armoires were first used, they were storage space for fine clothes; in fact, movable wardrobes were designed to replace whole rooms filled with clothes. Today, the armoire takes many forms, and with a little imagination, it can be tailored to suit just about any storage requirement.
A wardrobe armoire can make a prominent and beautiful addition to any bedroom, even those which already have ample storage space. Its presence tends to add a retro or even nouveau antique feel in your bedroom decor. Wardrobe armoires are perfect for storing your finest outerwear and formal wear. Be sure the storage area is large enough to accommodate your favorite coats and linens and that the double hanging cabinets open to a degree that's useful, whether 90 degrees, 180 degrees or 270 degrees. Some doors even open to 90 degrees and can be recessed into the armoire for an attractive, seamless open display.
Wardrobe armoires are available in a wide variety of styles to complement your other bedroom furniture. Look for colors and styles that will coordinate with your existing furniture for a relaxing feel in your bedroom. For a modern room, choose an armoire with clean lines and a dark wood tone. For a more traditional look, look for an armoire with decorative trims and elegant hardware. If you'd like to give your new armoire an antique look, you can easily distress a white or black clothes armoire by applying a slightly contrasting color and taking high-grit sandpaper to the corners, molding any edge that could have experienced wear.
TV armoires and entertainment armoires have hitched a ride to popularity with the spread of large, flat screen TVs and affordable electronics. One of its most notable benefits is the ability to "put the television away." Many people -- especially the most electronically connected -- find that shutting the television armoire doors allows them a reprieve from the temptations of media and actually improves their outlook. Closing a television away in an armoire is also an excellent compromise when one person wants to have a TV in the room while another does not.
At the same time, TV armoires are large enough to organize your media as it meters their availability. Be sure that the proportions are large enough to fit your television and any other devices you'd like to include, remembering that televisions are measured corner to corner whereas armoire dimensions tend to be expressed in terms of length, width and depth. Also make sure that the spaces where you plan to store your home theater components that require remote controls will be visible when the doors are open, so the remote control will still function properly.
A practical, space-saving alternative to a jewelry box, jewelry armoires provide storage specialized to hold your jewelry. Most jewelry armoires also include a door-mounted or hidden mirror, allowing you to make sure your accessories look perfect. Originally, jewelry armoires were just miniature chests of drawers with standing mirrors, but the term is now also applied to modern wall-mounted jewelry cases with mirrors and lockable doors. Whichever style you choose, jewelry armoires make unique, beautiful additions to a room while keeping jewelry safe, secure and organized.
Before you choose a jewelry armoire, take stock of your jewelry collection so you can be sure to find one with enough storage for your valuable necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. Check that the jewelry armoire has the type of storage you need the most. For example, if you have many more necklaces than rings, you'll want a jewelry armoire with several hooks to hang necklaces on and not too many drawers for rings.
Sly furniture builders have applied the space, organization and security offered by armoires to another facet of modern life: the computer. Computer armoires, like entertainment armoires, allow you to close away your electronics when you want to relax, making these the perfect desks for multi-purpose rooms. Computer armoires often combine aspects of the desk with armoire storage and sliding tray drawers to make the most out of the space. Make sure you can find a computer armoire with enough storage capacity for your monitor setup, deciding beforehand if you'd also like interior space for the computer tower.
Most armoires and wardrobes have the same basic design: cupboard doors on top and drawers on bottom. There are a few distinctions though, so know your options before you buy.
Armoire cupboard doors
While most armoires have two facing cabinet doors, some armoires, especially those that make excellent standing closets, manage to work in an extra, central door. This can be a great design feature if you expect to share the armoire with others and want to create distinctions in space. Also, as mentioned earlier, be aware how far your cabinet doors can open. Full, 270 degree and recessed sliding doors work well for entertainment centers, whereas wardrobe armoires do just fine with 90 degree clearances.
Armoire storage
The key here is adaptability. If you need a wardrobe to organize your shirts and suit jackets now, but you could imagine needing an entertainment armoire further down the road, it could influence how you buy your armoire. Removable shelving, compartments or clothes rods add value to your armoire by giving your storage versatility. Also, consider if you actually need a chest of drawers. A full, floor-length wardrobe can simplify storage for your largest and most delicate clothes.
Armoires, chests of drawers and variations
Frequently, modern armoires incorporate several drawers below the cupboard doors. Depending on the overall use of the piece, you may find drawers useful for storage that goes beyond clothing. Television armoires and entertainment armoires tend to have space that is friendly to jewel cases for CDs and DVDs while computer armoires might design the space for a printer or your computer tower. In any case, it's helpful to imagine your armoire as a whole before you buy.
How long have people been using armoires?
According to furniture historians and etymologists, the modern armoire is the vertically-oriented, great-, great-, great-grandchild of the chest; even the word "armoire" borrows from the Latin word for chest, "armarium." But make no mistake about the term: "Armoire" is French through and through, making its earliest documented appearance around the middle of the 16th century. As such, many armoire designs are named for the monarchs with which they're associated, such as Louis-Philippe or Louis XIV. Best estimates suggest that the oldest armoires date to the early 17th century, a time that coincides with the tail end of the French Renaissance and the beginning of the Enlightenment, as France was rising as a dominant European power.
Early armoires were crafted of oak, and thanks to the period's style and the wood's density, tensile strength and weight, it was popular to embellish oak armoires with figurines, carvings and sculpture that would please the patron. More elaborate treatments grew to become the Baroque style, and peaked with one furniture builder in particular.
Andre-Charles Boulle is widely considered the Antonio Stradivari of cabinet and armoire makers. His style is distinguished by the mastery with which he layered furniture with tortoiseshell, gold leaf and other malleable metals. Because it was expensive and didn't require oak, which was becoming more and more scarce, walnut became the dominant armoire material. Luckily, around this time, Colonial America was harvesting a surplus of walnut timber. Besides filling the demand for cheap, solid wood, it produced a large cross-section of new furniture builders, new styles and made heavy-duty furniture like armoires more affordable to an increasingly affluent society. An explosion of armoires soon followed.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, as the armoire's overall design became more refined, artisans took advantage of the availability of exotic woods to distinguish their designs with polished inlays and unique building techniques.
What's with these French armoire styles?
Unless you are shopping for antiques, it's unlikely that you'll need to know about the many French furniture styles. Still, many present-day armoires are assigned the moniker of one period or another as a shorthand way to describe some stylistic tendencies. Here is a brief list:
Renaissance: Elaborate carvings decorate these armoires, making every feature a potential focal point. Subject matter includes themes of the natural world as well as ancient Greek and Roman figures. Pieces are made from heavy woods, relying heavily on oak.
Louis XIII: Embellishment continues, but it becomes more staid and abstract. The period placed a greater premium on comfort and utility in response to the purchasing power of a growing middle class.
Louis XIV, XV and the Regency period: Armoires experience a return to adornment. The medium for decoration shifts from carving to elaborate finish-work, emphasizing gold and bright lacquer. Inspiration comes from asymmetry and the Far East.
Louis XVI, Directoire and the Empire period: Armoires built during this time are typified by straight lines and the juxtaposition of different woods. Furniture for the aristocracy was distinguished by its bulk and largesse. Empire furniture is inspired by Greek, Roman and Egyptian themes.
Louis Philippe: With the rise of the bourgeoisie, furniture becomes mass-produced, available in sets, dramatically pared down and functional.
Art Nouveau and Art Deco: At the turn of the 19th century, armoires experience the return of curved lines and Rococo embellishment synonymous with Tiffany and company, while the Art Deco movement reigns armoire design back again with an emphasis on bold, geometric patterns.
Bedroom furniture
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Home office furniture
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Wardrobe, jewelry, entertainment center
Fill in your wardrobe closet with your ultimate wardrobe, clothing and shoes; stock your jewelry armoire with flattering jewelry; and supply your entertainment armoire with electronics. At Overstock.com, you will always find discount deals to enrich your life, making it the ultimate smart-shopper destination.
