Dear 1Earth Antiques,
On eBay I find listings for commodes, small cupboards with doors and
drawers. What else might they be referred to as? What exactly were they used for?
— Phyllis.
 Dear Phyllis,
"Commode" comes from the French word for "convenient."
Strictly speaking, it's the French name for a chest of drawers. In
English, the term is also used to describe a piece of furniture with a
chamber pot. But the most common use in the antiques sense is the French definition.
The first commodes appeared around 1700. As storage, commodes were more
convenient than a chest; as decoration, they were short enough that they
didn't interfere with decorated, mirrored, or painted walls. What was
stored in them depended on the room they were in. A commode in the bedroom
might hold blankets or linens, while one in a common room might house spare candles.
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