Bedroom Armoires

If you're looking to buy bedroom storage then you'll probably find a wide variety of armoires for sale. However they seem to vary tremendously in size and appearance - so what exactly is a bedroom armoire?

What Is An Armoire?

The word armoire is French, possibly deriving from the Latin armarium for a chest or safe. As such almost any closed container from a laundry hamper to a wardrobe could possibly be considered a type of armoire!

In practice the word is usually reserved for use to describe a free-standing storage cupboard with doors, usually found in the bedroom.

The most common form of armoire is a large wooden cupboard with two doors. Very often they also have one or two storage drawers at the base to provide for storage of different items of clothing or bedding. They may also have built-in shelves inside instead of or as well as the drawers and smaller sections might be used for jewelry.

Being free-standing items of furniture armoires are more flexible than built in wardrobes or closets, which could be an advantage should you move home or simply choose to redesign the layout of your bedroom. In earlier times one's armoire was often a "signature" piece of personal property taken from one dwelling to the next.

Armoires have traditionally been made from wood. Natural wood or wood effect remains popular today, from light maple and pine to darker browns. A huge variety of finishes are available from white through "chocolate" to ebony black. As well as wood modern armoires come in other materials such as metal and plastic.

Doors

The key point about an armoire is that it should have doors - the presence of doors is what distinguishes an armoire from other forms of cabinet. Two doored designs are the most common, especially amongst antique pieces, however some have only one. Three doored varieties also exist however they are less common even amongst contemporary modern designs.

A storage cupboard containing many small drawers is often described as a "jewelry armoire". In these units the doors are usually on the side and open outwards for hanging necklaces etc. These jewelry armoires often also have a hinged top which can be opened to reveal a mirror.

Today many people buy armoires specifically because the doors allow them to store an item such as a TV or computer and hide it away when not in use. In doing so they serve not just a practical but also an aesthetic design purpose.