closet

Oak plank cupboard St. Sylvestri , Wernigerode. 13th century

The cabinet ( low German Schapp , Rhine shaft , Schaff , Süddt. Also container , Süddt. And Austrian. Also box ) is a piece of furniture , the most complete, or at least ge can be closed. It developed from the upright asked chest coffer or above the other of two stacked chests. Etymologically , cupboard actually means latticed frame, closed space . This meaning was then transferred to the chest that was erected around the 15th century .

In common parlance, tall pieces of furniture - for example head-high or larger - are actually referred to as “cupboards”, although formally things like sideboards and chests of drawers also fall into this category.

History and Development

Early radio receivers were built into cabinets, 1924

A cupboard was originally an elliptical, box-like container (also called a horse child), which was used in the church to store the sacred utensils, the priestly robes, etc. and was therefore barred at the front.

The cupboard was later given doors decorated with paintings and placed on four low posts that were not turned into turned feet until the Renaissance period . In contrast to this, a tunnel cabinet was a cabinet standing on high posts.

Later, when the cupboard had become profane , there was a small barred opening in the cupboard door, behind which images of saints , relics , showpieces and the like were displayed.

Under the influence of the Gothic style, the cabinet was structured architecturally ( facade cabinet ), and the panels of the doors were either decorated with carvings, inlays or paintings , which were then developed into an ever greater variety from the Renaissance period.

The cabinet of the Renaissance remained decisive for the later design of this piece of furniture up to the present day. Currently, the name cabinet is used for any storage furniture the front of which can be closed with doors (wardrobe, money , kitchen, bookcase, refrigerator , etc.).

Current cabinet models are mostly made of chipboard coated with veneer or plastic . The individual components, such as side parts, floor, cover, doors etc. are often joined together with small plastic or metal parts ( "fittings" ).