A dresser, also known as a closet, a wardrobe, a cabinet, a highboy or tallboy, a commode, a chiffonier, a bureau, or a vanity, is an essential piece of furniture used to store clothes and other belongings. Dressers have stood the test of time and have been reinvented in so many different styles and types. The best way to differentiate between all the types of dressers is by their body shape, size, and drawer fronts.
Even though dressers serve the same purpose, there are various types of dressers to accommodate different needs. Different types of dressers include;
- Storage Dressers
- Double Dressers
- Tall Dressers
- Standard Horizontal Dressers
- Long Dressers
- Combo Dressers
- Custom Made Dressers
- Armoires
With a wide variety such as this, it can be confusing to know which is which. This article will discuss the difference between all the different types of dressers to help you choose the correct one to suit your needs, style, and preferences.
Different Types of Dressers
Many people are confused about what the difference is between a dresser and a chest of drawers. They both possess drawers that are used to store clothing and other belongings.
The difference comes in with their shapes and size. A chest of drawers is typically tall and narrow, whereas a dresser is usually shorter and wider.
A dresser, by definition, is a short and wide furniture piece that features multiple drawers in two (or more) columns with six (or more) drawers. Below is an in-detail list of the different types of dressers, their uses, and popular dresser brand examples for each type.
Storage Dressers
Storage dressers are often referred to as storage chests. However, instead of falling in the chest category, they remain, to this day, on the dressers list, and here is why. It is said that the storage dresser was one of the earliest dressers ever made.
It consists of four sides and a bottom, and people use them by lifting open the top (usually hinged for opening and closing) to store their possessions, clothes, and other valuables.
Popular Storage Dresser Designs
7 Drawers Dresser – Furniture Storage Tower Unit For Bedroom, Hallway, Closet, Office Organization By dazzlingNdelightful
Source: Etsy
This storage dresser has a simple, modern design that will match almost any type of style in your home.
Dimensions: 39.3” L x 11.8” W x 21.6” H
Number of Drawers: 7
Brand: dazzlingNdelightful
Style: Modern
Materials: MDF wood top, steel, fabric
Price: $144.72
Bohemian Dresser. Carved Furniture. Hand-painted Bureau. Upcycled Chest. Eclectic Decor. Boho Décor By VDownsHealingArts
Source: Etsy
This beautiful, sturdy dresser with its tall mirror is finished in a stunning cobalt blue, blended with a vibrant purple.
It features unique carving, and the sides and insides of 3 of the drawers are decoupaged with a playful coordinating paper, while the remaining three are finished in a turquoise wax. Finally, the entire dresser is finished with clear wax and screams bohemian!
Dimensions: 31.25″ H x 20″ D x 66″ W
Number Of Drawers: 6
Brand: VDownsHealingArts
Style: Bohemian, eclectic
Materials: Clay paint, wood
Price: $1240.40
Double Dressers
Double dressers are usually very wide and consist of two columns of wide, spacious drawers. You will find these types of dressers in a couple’s room who are sharing one storage space or in children’s bedrooms.
These dressers generally have six to nine drawers (usually two or three rows) and look nice with a mirror on top. Double dressers need more floor space than taller, narrower dressers would, as they are mainly shorter and much wider than the other dressers.
So, make sure that you have ample space in your bedroom before you decide on this type of dresser; otherwise, you may regret your choice in the future.
Popular Double Dresser Designs
Archer 6 Drawer 61” W Solid Wood Double Dresser By Mercury Row®
Source: Wayfair
This dresser from Mercury row is slightly perched on top of splayed legs. It features striking herringbone wood paneling and fits perfectly into any contemporary space. The Archer dresser’s drawers are fitted with metal ball-bearing gliders, and the dresser is made of solid acacia wood.
Dimensions: 32” H x 61” W x 18” D
Number Of Drawers: 6
Brand: Mercury Row
Style: Contemporary
Materials: Solid acacia wood
Price: $1,039.99
Epitome 6 Drawer 62” W Double Dresser By Hashtag Home
Source: Wayfair
Eye-catching in every sense of the word, this lovely Epitome dresser by Hashtag Home puts a modern spin on a mid-century design.
The dresser is crafted from manufactured and solid wood, has a silhouette with rounded edges, and splayed tapered legs. The fronts of the dresser drawers feature recessed handles and a contrasting gloss finish.
Dimensions: 32.5” H x 62” W x 15.5” D
Number Of Drawers: 6
Brand: Hashtag Home
Style: Modern Mid Century, contemporary
Materials: Manufactured Wood, Solid Wood
Color Options: Walnut white, Natural grey
Price: $529.99
Midfield 6 Drawer 32.7” W Double Dresser By Loon Peak
Source: Wayfair
The Midfield dresser has an elegant, simple look in a retro style and will fit in with any type of décor. It is made of high-quality MDF and features six non-woven, breathable cloth drawers with a strong metal frame.
Dimensions: 31.5” H x 32.7” W x 11.7” D
Brand: Loon Peak
Style: Retro
Materials: MDF, iron
Color Options: Dark brown, Brown
Price: $101.99
Tall Dressers
Tall dressers are typically high and narrow in appearance. The tall dresser possesses about the same space as a long bedroom dresser; however, they take up less floor space than long dressers.
Popular Tall Dresser Designs
Hayley 5 Drawer Tall Dresser By Kelly Clarkson Home
Source: Wayfair
The perfect addition to any guest bedroom or master suite, the Hayley dresser adds a lovely vintage charm to your space. The dresser features traditional elements such as framed drawer fronts, bracket feet, carved pilasters, and a slim top drawer ideal for storing jewelry and other delicate items.
The dresser has a beautiful distressed, weathered white finish against a contrasting brown surface, and the drawers are fitted with antique brass hue-finished metal pulls. The product is hand-curated by Kelly Clarkson.
Dimensions: 58.13” H x 40.13” W x 18.13” D
Number Of Drawers: 5
Brand: Kelly Clarkson Home
Style: French country, vintage, traditional
Materials: MDF, solid wood
Price: $799.99
Isabela Solid Pine Wood Chest Dresser By Red Barrel Studio
Source: Wayfair
This wonderful Isabela dresser combines traditional style with modern mid-century design with a boxy silhouette and matching drawer knobs.
The drawers are large, offering plenty of storage space for all your clothing and the top surface of the dresser is big enough to place a jewelry box, lamp, or any décor you prefer to display. This dresser is constructed of solid pine wood and is a great storage addition to any space.
Dimensions: 35.5 ” L x 17.5 ” W x 54.5 ” H
Number Of Drawers: 5
Brand: Red Barrell Studio
Style: Traditional, Modern Mid-century
Materials: Solid pine wood
Color Options: Tobacco, Black, Mahogany, Natural, White
Price: $499.99
Realyn Dresser By Signature Design By Ashley
Source: Wayfair
The Realyn dresser and mirror set is a dream bedroom furniture addition to any traditional cottage-style space. It is beautifully crafted with an antique two-toned aesthetic and scalloped details.
The drawers are framed and feature decorative corbels, and dark bronze-tone finish bail pulls. This lovely piece is guaranteed to add a touch of class and charm to your room.
Dresser Dimensions: 81” H x 64” W x 18” D
Mirror Dimensions: 38.13” H x 34.88” W x 2.25” D
Number Of Drawers: 6
Brand: Signature Design By Ashley
Style: Cottage, traditional
Materials: MDF
Price: $749.99
Standard Horizontal Dressers
The standard horizontal dresser, typically known as a standard dresser, comprises two to three rows of wide, long drawers and usually has a top row of multiple smaller drawers.
You may have seen a dresser in the past that was topped with standing framed photographs, rows of books, perfumes, or even television? That is because the standard dresser has plenty of tabletop space available to hold any décor that you want to display in your bedroom or living space.
Standard dressers usually come with a matching style mirror because the dresser is low enough to have a mirror above it, eye-level to its owner. The standard horizontal dresser is a derivative of one of the oldest pieces of furniture ever invented; the chest.
Popular Standard Horizontal Dresser Designs
Lafever 6 Drawer 57” W Double Dresser By Mercury Row
Source: Wayfair
The Lafever dresser is a combination of traditional and mid-century modern styles. It features six drawers and is crafted from manufactured wood and sustainably sourced pine. The dresser possesses a boxy shape, black knob pulls, four tapered dowel legs, and simple moldings.
For added visual effect, the top drawer’s front features a split down the middle. The top surface of the dresser has more than enough space to display your décor, books, or a lamp.
Dimensions: 35” H x 57” W x 18” D
Number Of Drawers: 6
Brand: Mercury Row
Style: Mid-century modern, traditional
Materials: Solid pine wood, high–grade MDF
Color Options: White, Caramel, Walnut
Price: $379.99
Lyra 9 Drawer 50” W By Kelly Clarkson Home
Source: Wayfair
This great dresser from the Kelly Clarkson Home collection is the perfect addition to any French or country-style space. The incredible Lyra dresser is crafted from engineered wood and solid pine and possesses nine drawers, providing you with more than enough space to store your clothing and small belongings.
Its scalloped base molding, visible knots and wood grains, distressed finish, and dark bronze hardware on the drawer fronts add a unique French charm to this magnificent piece of furniture. The product is hand-curated by Kelly Clarkson.
Dimensions: 45” H x 50” W x 18” D
Number Of Drawers: 9
Brand: Kelly Clarkson Home
Style: French, country
Materials: Solid pine wood, Luan plywood
Color Options: Beige/chalk, Mint
Price: $769.99
Long Dressers
A majority of long dressers have mirrors attached at the back. They feature wide or long drawers and are mostly used in rooms with plenty of floor space to spare. Long dressers come in various styles, including;
Popular Long Dresser Designs
Nova Domus Marcela Italian Modern Dresser By Vig Furniture Inc.
Source: Houzz
The Nova Domus Marcela is a stunning Italian dresser with a strikingly gorgeous Rovere Maranello veneer finish, a powerful blend of functionality and style. It features six wide, self-closing drawers that offer plenty of storage space and would be the ideal addition to a contemporary style living area.
Dimensions: 61” W x 19” D x 30” H
Number Of Drawers: 6
Brand: Nova Domus Marcela
Style: Contemporary
Materials: Veneer (Rovere Maranello Veneer Finish)
Price: $1450
Volare White Dresser By At Home USA Inc.
Source: Houzz
This beautiful high-gloss white Volare dresser from at home USA Inc. features six soft-closing drawers with plenty of space to store folded clothing and other personal items. It is a fantastic choice for any contemporary style living space.
Dimensions: 68” W x 18.5” D x 32” H
Number Of Drawers: 6
Brand: At Home USA Inc
Style: Contemporary
Materials:
Color Options:
Price: $1541
Modrest Ethan Italian Modern Gray Dresser By Vig Furniture Inc.
Source: Houzz
This strong and striking dresser by Vig Furniture Inc. features natural wood grains, a lovely rich, grey veneer finish, and sturdy metal legs. The dresser has three soft-closing drawers with lots of space to store clothing and other items.
Dimensions: 19″ D x 66″ W x 30″ H
Number Of Drawers: 3
Brand: Vig Furniture Inc.
Style: Contemporary
Materials: MDF, Veneer
Price: $1344
Combo Dressers
Combo dressers are standard dressers with one or two cabinets attached to their sides or in the middle. These dressers possess both wardrobe doors and dresser drawers. The combo dresser has plenty of space, allowing you to hang your clothes and store your folded clothing and other items.
The different sizes of the dresser’s drawers are perfect for organizing your things based on size or category. This dresser is ideal if you need to store bigger, bulkier items such as shoes, bags, belts, and boots.
Popular Combo Dresser Designs
Soren Dresser – Natural By Classic Home
Source: Houzz
The beauty and character of the Soren dresser by Classic Home is highlighted by a unique combination of solid wood panels, herringbone, and clean lines.
The simple details combined with lovely rich textures and contrasting iron legs bring out the mid-century appeal of the dresser. The product’s beautiful patterns and distressed finish make it the ideal dresser for a room with a mid-century feel.
Dimensions: 32″ H x 18″ D x 61″ W
Number Of Drawers: 6 (with iron handles)
Brand: Classic Home
Style: Mid Century
Materials: Solid wood, Black finish iron legs, Acacia wood top
Color Options: Natural
Price: $1364
Stonegate Rustic Solid Wood White Dresser With Mirror By Kashif Humayun
Source: Houzz
For those who love the rustic vibe, this lovely Stonegate dresser is the one for you. It provides more than enough space for all your clothes and other items as it features two doors and six drawers.
The dresser has a hand-distressed, two-tone white finish with a warm stone-stained top surface. It is perfectly suited for any rustic farmhouse living space.
Dresser Dimensions: 62.5” W x 18” D x 44.5” H
Mirror Dimensions: 44 ¾” W x 2” D x 33 ½” H
Number Of Drawers & Doors: 6 x Drawers, 2 x Doors
Brand: Kashif Humayun
Style: Farmhouse
Materials: Solid pinewood, glass, mortise, and tenon joinery
Price: $1599
Custom Made Dressers
A custom-made dresser is exactly as the name suggests. It is a dresser that has been specially made to fit into a certain space. A custom-made dresser allows the owner to choose the materials, style, size, design, and finish of their dresser to satisfy their idea and vision of how they want the dresser to look.
Armoires
An armoire usually has two doors that can open, which makes it seem more like a cabinet than the traditional types of dressers. An armoire possesses drawers to store clothing and hanging space for clothes that are stored on hangers.
Popular Armoire Designs
100% Solid Wood 3-Door Grand Armoire With Lock, Mocha By Palace Imports
Source: Houzz
This grand armoire is extremely versatile, offering four-in-one features such as;
- A hanging compartment with a solid wood rod
- 2 x Drawers for smaller items
- A key to lock away all your valuables
- 4 x Small shelves for storing folded garments
If you require more storage, the design allows you to add three big adjustable shelves. The armoire is beautifully hand-painted and constructed of durable, strong, and sturdy solid pine wood. Thanks to the four different color options, this brilliant piece will work with most décor and furniture styles.
Dimensions: 72″H x 21″D x 46″W
Number Of Drawers & Doors:
Brand: Palace Imports
Style: Natural
Materials: 100% Solid wood
Color Options: Java, Honey Pine, Mocha, Mahogany
Price: $826
Stanton Armoire By David Lee
Source: Houzz
This armoire is a versatile dresser that transitions effortlessly between various design aesthetics, from traditional to farmhouse styles. It features a timeless X beam design, a television pull-out/swivel, and durable, sturdy solid poplar and birch wood construction.
Dimensions: 45 ½” W x 78” H x 25” D
Number Of Drawers: 2
Brand: David Lee
Style: Traditional, American Colonial
Materials: Solid poplar and birch wood, 6 x antique brass ring pulls
Price: $3410
Talitha Armoire By Jonathan Adler
Source: Houzz
The Talitha armoire is crafted from nickel-plated metal and decorated with hand-stamped, starburst patterns. The reminiscent silver-leaf surface emits a lustrous glow and adds a touch of modern and minimalism to your space. The piece has two adjustable shelves and three drawers with beautiful, luminous, hand-cut abalone shell mosaic drawer handles. The stunning armoire takes functional art to a whole new realm.
Dimensions: 40” W x 72” H x 20” D
Number Of Drawers & Shelves: 3 x drawers, 2 x adjustable shelves
Brand: Jonathan Adler
Style: Contemporary
Materials: Nickel-plated metal, abalone pulls, hand-stamped patterns,
Price: $4500
Dresser Styles And Materials
The main material used to make dressers is wood. There were no fancy machines to mold plastic into different shapes for drawers back in the day, and wood was the only material that people had to work with.
Since then, the market has changed immensely. Apart from wood, there are various materials of which dressers are made today. These materials include;
- Metal – Industrial, heavy
- Bombe – A bombe (serpentine style) dresser has convex curves on all its sides. It features wave-like drawer fronts with convex curves in between two concave curves. The center of a bombe dresser extends (swells) out further than the corners.
- Rattan/wicker – Lightweight, cottage feel, plastic or fiber
- Leather – Rich, textured look, button-tufted
- Traditional – Embellished, carved wood
- Contemporary – Up-to-date styling
- Cottage – Evokes a warm and relaxed feeling, carved wood, light tones
- Rustic – Natural, weather-beaten tones and textures, timeworn, utilitarian framing, distressed wood
- Modern – 20th Century, novel configurations, clean and neat, futuristic lines
- Distressed – DIY look, looks aged, has an antiqueness to it
- French – Vintage charm
20 Brands That Supply The Best Dressers
- Bassett Furniture
- Bernhardt
- Coaster Furniture
- Hooker Furniture
- Kincaid Furniture
- Klaussner
- Lexington
- Magnussen Home
- Poly & Bark
- Room & Board
- Stickley
- Urban Outfitters
- West Elm
- Woodbridge Furniture
Top Online Furniture Stores To Buy Dressers
- AllModern
- DWR – Design Within Reach
- Hayneedle
- IKEA
- Pier 1
- Wayfair
- Amazon
- Restoration Hardware
- Joss & Main
- Anthropologie
- Lulu & Georgia
In Conclusion
When choosing a dresser, you want it to be functional, versatile, and durable, but you also want a piece of furniture that will complement the rest of the décor in the space. Many factors will determine the type of dresser you need, such as size, material, price, number of drawers, and style.
A dresser is there to upgrade the functionality and look of your space. Nowadays, there are hundreds of thousands of different dressers on the market, and it can become an overwhelming task to filter through them all before you find the right one that will work for you.
Hopefully, this list has helped you know the difference between all the different dressers and allows you to make an informed decision as to which type will meet your needs.
References:
Home Stratosphere: 21 Types of Dressers & Chest of Drawers for Your Bedroom (Great Ideas)
Hunker: Types of Dressers
Houzz: Combo Dresser
Etsy: Storage Dresser
