Dressers + Chests

About Dressers + Chests

Dressers and chests are more than a place to store your clothes. In fact, dressers and chests can be beautiful, focal pieces of furniture in your bedroom, the place you get ready to greet the day each morning, or the key item that ties a room together. And sometimes, chests and dressers can be all of the above.

Generally, dressers come in a couple different styles. Most often, they’re horizontal pieces, not slender ones like a curio cabinet or nightstand might be. Some of our dressers come with vanity mirrors on top, though if you like a particular dresser that doesn’t have a mirror, you can mount one on the wall above or set it on top of the dresser you decide on.

Our chests are predominantly wood, though they’ve been stained in a wide variety of shades, so they’ll match your other bedroom furniture wonderfully. Whether it’s recessed handles or decorative trimming, each chest has light, stylish touches that set it apart from other chests.

These designs are for mens dressers, womens dressers and gender-neutral dressers. Choose one you love and get styling today!

Placing a Dresser or Chest

The most common place for a dresser is the bedroom, as dressers and chests are designed with spacious storage drawers for clothes. However, living rooms are not off-limits; a small unit against a living room wall can serve as functional storage for books, games, media and other living room essentials. Along the same lines: a dresser for a home office makes storing papers, files and supplies a breeze thanks to drawers that are built larger than the standard desk’s or filing cabinet’s.

Dresser Sizes and Types

Dressers come in all shapes and sizes. Here are a few of the most common types to look out for:

4 Drawer Dressers. 4 drawer dressers offer a good amount of drawer space – not too much and not too little, for the person who tends to keep only an “in-between” amount of clothes.
3 Drawer Dressers. 3 drawer dressers provide an even smaller amount of storage space than the 4 drawer – a good thing if you want a smaller design that takes up less space but a bad thing if you have more items than the drawers can handle.
6 Drawer Chests. 6 drawer dressers create a storage unit for even the largest of clothing collections; designed to compartmentalize by every category (think shirts, pants, jackets, underwear, socks and swimwear – or whatever/however you choose to categorize), this drawer design makes keeping organized a breeze.
9 Drawer Chests. 9 drawer chests push the storage capacity to the limit. Often taller than the standard dresser, these guys will store clothes and then some. Most 9-drawer drawers don’t come in all the same size (i.e., the drawers at the top are often smaller than the ones at the bottom); different sizing means targeted storage for small accessories and large pieces of clothing.
Dressers With Pulls. The way a dresser drawer is pulled out can determine the style of the piece; pulls, which are dangly-like metal loops that hinge loosely, add an industrial element.
Dressers With Knobs. Another method of pulling out a drawer from a dresser is with a knob; knobs are stationary balls that come in all materials and colors – and can be found in modern, rustic, contemporary and vintage styles.
Dressers With Legs. Dressers with legs add height to a room. They also make accessing bottom drawers a tad easier. Choose this type if you want sleek, statement style (the higher the legs, the higher the style!).

What to Store in a Dresser or Chest

The most common item to store in a dresser or chest is clothing, as these pieces of furniture are most commonly used in bedrooms. In kids rooms, toys, games, stuffed animals and coloring books can be stored in these drawers. Home offices also make nice rooms for dressers, especially when the dressers store sheets of paper, notebooks, staplers, rulers, binders, files and writing instruments! Finally, in a living room, dressers make the best storage spaces for throw blankets, media chargers, remotes, reading glasses, magazines and extra pillow shams.

Setting Up a Dresser

Most dressers do not come assembled, because it would be too heavy to move a dresser with all of its drawers. If your dresser comes with the drawers outside of it, do not rush into setting it up; pay attention to the instructions, as a misaligned drawer can lead to a dangerous toppling over of the piece.

Dressers and Chests: A Summary

Dressers and chests are great ways to add storage to a bedroom, living room, office, den, playroom, children’s bedroom or hallway space. They can be used for clothing, tech, toy and office storage.

In setting up a dresser, always pay attention to the manual it comes with. Any misstep can lead to a void on any warranty and injury.

One way dresser designs vary is by the shape of the “pull” mechanism for the drawers. One of the most common types of pull mechanism is called, uncoincidentally, a drawer pull; this is a loose hinged loop that can be tugged on to pull out the drawer. Another type of pull mechanism is the knob, which is a stationary ball shape.

Dressers also vary by number of drawers. Four- or five-drawer dressers are the most common, as they provide just enough storage for tops, bottoms, outerwear and underwear in a bedroom. Nine-drawer dressers are also available and usually come with differently sized drawers to suit a variety of storage needs. Six-drawer dressers offer an in-between size – but still enough storage space for a variety of clothes and bedroom items. Three drawer dressers are the smallest option and perfect for a smaller room.

(If you want to add a splash of style, opt for a dresser with legs; the higher the legs, the higher the style!)

A new dresser or chest can be just the item you need to create a more organized bedroom (or living room or office or den!) space.