A wardrobe is a cupboard with space for hanging clothes. As an item of furniture as opposed to a separate closet, the wardrobe did not generally appear until the early 19th century. Until then, clothes had been stored in clothes presses.
Wardrobes may have between one and four doors, and sometimes have fitted drawers in the centre section and hanging space on either wing. The doors are often panelled, with a decorative figured timber panel surrounded by a moulded frame. The clothes hangers hung on rails or hooks, usually facing the front. Antique wardrobes are often too shallow to fit standard size wire hangers comfortably side on.
A Beaconsfield wardrobe is the term used to describe an Edwardian period wardrobe that has an open storage area in the centre top section, usually backed by a mirror, with externally visible drawers below.
Wardrobes have been made in most of the usual
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furniture timbers: oak, pine, cedar, mahogany, walnut and satinwood and the styles range from the plain and simple to the elaborate and ostentatious. Many were made as part of a bedroom suite together with matching dressing table and washstand. Some wardrobes were fitted with small drawers, shelves and cupboards down one side.
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