Buying Guide
How to Choose a Chest of Drawers in the UK
By the Özbay Furniture team 10 min read
The short answer
A chest of drawers should fit your room, your storage needs and your delivery route before you order. In the UK, the main choices are narrow, wide or tall chests, usually around 60–160 cm wide, 40–50 cm deep and 80–130 cm high, with prices often starting near £120 for basic flat-pack pieces and rising to £700+ for better-made wood or made-to-measure designs. Check access carefully, because if a chest of drawers will not fit through your doors, hallways, stairs or lift, it cannot be cancelled or refunded.
Key takeaways
- Measure width, depth and height in cm before you shop.
- Choose compact, medium or tall storage based on the room size.
- Budget from about £120 to £900+ depending on build and finish.
- Check doors, hallways, stairs and lift before ordering.
- Made-to-order pieces need clear approval before production starts.
What should a chest of drawers do in your room?
The right chest of drawers should hold what you need without making the room feel cramped. Start by deciding whether you want folded clothes, bed linen, paperwork, children’s items, or a mix of all four. That answer tells you whether you need a short wide chest, a slim tall one, or a deeper bedroom piece with larger drawers.
For a typical UK bedroom, a chest between 80 and 120 cm wide works well if you want everyday storage beside a bed or under a window. If the room is tight, a narrow chest around 60–80 cm wide and 40–45 cm deep is easier to place. For a main bedroom or family room, a wider piece around 120–160 cm can replace two smaller units and give a calmer look.
Think about the top surface as well as the drawers. A wider chest can carry a lamp, mirror, books or a tray, but it still needs clearance so drawers open fully. If you are looking at coordinated storage across a bedroom, our chests of drawers and wardrobes can be planned together rather than chosen separately.
A practical rule is to leave at least 60 cm of standing space in front of the unit if you open drawers often. In tighter rooms, a chest with shallower drawers may be easier to live with than a deeper one that blocks the walkway.
- Best for small rooms: 60–80 cm wide, slim depth
- Best all-round size: 80–120 cm wide
- Best for maximum storage: 120–160 cm wide
- Check drawer clearance before choosing a top surface
Chest of drawers sizes in cm: what fits where?
Most UK shoppers want dimensions they can compare quickly, so measure in centimetres before you browse. A compact chest is often about 60–80 cm wide, 40–45 cm deep and 75–90 cm high. A medium chest often sits around 90–120 cm wide, 45–50 cm deep and 85–110 cm high.
Tall chests are useful when floor space is limited but storage is still needed. They are commonly 50–80 cm wide, 45–50 cm deep and 110–130 cm high. Wider dresser-style chests are better when you want a dressing table feel, and they often sit between 120 and 160 cm wide.
Before you order, measure the wall space, skirting board projection, radiator position and socket locations. Also check the swing of any bedroom door and the route from the hall to the room. If the chest is for a landing or box room, even 5 cm can matter when turning a corner or passing a banister.
If you are comparing a chest with a larger bedroom set, think about how much visual weight the room can take. A heavy-looking unit in dark wood or a high-gloss finish can dominate a small space, while a lighter colour and slimmer legs can make the room feel less full.
- Compact: 60–80 cm W x 40–45 cm D x 75–90 cm H
- Medium: 90–120 cm W x 45–50 cm D x 85–110 cm H
- Tall: 50–80 cm W x 45–50 cm D x 110–130 cm H
- Wide dresser style: 120–160 cm W
Which materials are worth paying for?
Material affects how a chest of drawers looks, how long it lasts and how it feels to use. The common options are particleboard or MDF with a veneer or foil finish, engineered wood with painted or laminated fronts, and solid hardwood or hardwood-framed construction. Lower-cost pieces can be fine for light use, but the drawer runners, joints and back panel matter as much as the surface finish.
Solid wood is usually heavier and more repairable, but it costs more and may move slightly with changes in indoor humidity. Veneered or laminate finishes are easier to keep looking neat and often cost less, though edge detail and drawer alignment can vary. If you want a more tailored look, Özbay Furniture’s made-to-order options can be adapted in size, fabric or colour before production is confirmed.
When comparing materials, ask what the drawers run on, how the backs are fixed, and whether the top can take everyday use from lamps, jewellery trays or folded clothing. A chest for a child’s room may need easy-clean surfaces, while a chest for a main bedroom may be better in a richer finish and sturdier build.
Do not choose only by appearance. A well-finished chest with weak drawer slides can be frustrating, while a plainer piece with strong drawers may work better for years. Every upholstered sofa, armchair and bed sold in the UK must carry a permanent fire-safety label under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, so check for it before you buy.
- Budget-friendly: particleboard or MDF with foil/laminate
- Mid-range: engineered wood with better runners and finish
- Higher-end: solid wood or hardwood-framed construction
- Check drawers, back panel and edge finishing as well as the surface
How much does a chest of drawers cost in the UK?
Realistic UK prices depend on size, material and whether the piece is flat-pack, assembled or made to measure. Basic compact chests often start around £120–£250. Mid-range pieces with a better finish or more substantial construction are often £250–£500, while larger or better-made pieces can sit around £500–£900 and above.
Custom-made furniture will usually cost more because the size and finish are set to your requirements. The final price should be confirmed before production starts, especially if you need a specific width, a deeper drawer layout or a colour outside the standard card. That is useful if your room has awkward dimensions and a standard chest would waste space.
If you are comparing a chest against a full bedroom setup, it may help to look at the wider room plan first. Our bedrooms and bed frames pages show how storage can be matched across the room rather than bought piece by piece.
Be careful with very low prices that do not include delivery, assembly or a return route if access is difficult. In many homes, the real cost is not the shelf price alone but the total cost to get the furniture into place and working properly.
- Budget: about £120–£250
- Mid-range: about £250–£500
- Better-made or larger pieces: about £500–£900+
- Made-to-measure: price confirmed before production
How should a chest of drawers be delivered into a UK home?
Delivery matters as much as dimensions because a piece that will not fit cannot be forced into place later. Measure the front door, hallway width, stair turns, landing height and lift size before you order. Özbay Furniture delivers free to the door anywhere in Greater London, and elsewhere in England, Scotland and Wales the delivery price is quoted on WhatsApp.
If your home has tight access, think through the route in centimetres, not just in general terms. Check the narrowest point, the angle of the stairs and whether the chest can be tipped safely. For wider furniture, the same rule applies to bedroom sets and larger storage pieces, which is why access checks should happen before payment is final.
For timing, in-stock designs typically arrive in 3–5 weeks, while made-to-order and bespoke pieces are usually 6–8 weeks. If you need a matching look across the room, that lead time can be worth it because the final size and finish are agreed before production.
Remember that furniture which does not fit through doors, hallways, stairs or the lift cannot be cancelled or refunded. That makes a tape measure and a careful route check essential, not optional.
- Measure doors, hallways, stairs and lift before ordering
- Check the narrowest point on the route, not just the room size
- Greater London: free delivery to the door
- Elsewhere: delivery price quoted on WhatsApp
What mistakes do buyers make most often?
The most common mistake is buying by width alone and ignoring depth. A chest that is too deep can block circulation, especially in a small bedroom or hallway. Another common error is assuming that a photo tells the whole story, when the finish, runner quality and drawer layout can change how the piece works day to day.
People also forget to check whether the top is meant for display or only light use. A lamp, mirror and storage tray may be fine on one chest, but too much weight can mark a thinner top over time. It is also easy to overlook how drawer height affects storage, especially if you need space for jumpers, bedding or files.
If you are ordering a made-to-measure piece, be clear about the exact size and finish before production begins. Most designs can be ordered in a custom size, fabric or colour, and the price is confirmed first. A fabric outside the colour card is made to order and cannot be cancelled or refunded, although it remains fully guaranteed.
The safest approach is to compare the chest with the actual room, not with the showroom idea of the room. A useful check is to tape the footprint on the floor and open an imaginary drawer line with a ruler or chair.
- Do not ignore depth and drawer clearance
- Check whether the top will carry daily items
- Confirm custom details before production
- Tape out the footprint before ordering
How does Özbay Furniture fit into the picture?
Özbay Furniture London is the online store of Özbay Mobilya, a Turkish furniture maker with 40 years of experience, based in Siteler, Ankara. The style is Italian-inspired and the pieces are made in Türkiye. There is no London showroom, but designs can be seen on a WhatsApp video call if you want to talk through colour, size or layout before ordering.
The same made-to-measure approach used across the range can help when a standard chest of drawers does not quite fit. If your room needs a matching storage scheme, or you want to see how the chest sits beside a sofa or bedroom set, this can be discussed before production so the final price is clear.
For shoppers building a wider home scheme, it can also help to compare storage with seating and dining pieces in one place. For example, the London Corner Sofa, Valore Bedroom Set and Regnum Bedroom Set show the kind of coordinated styling that can sit alongside a chest of drawers without making the room feel pieced together.
Delivery and access terms should still be checked carefully for any order. The same applies whether you are buying one chest or a full room package, because good planning is what keeps the purchase simple.
- Made in Türkiye, Italian-inspired design
- No London showroom; video calls available
- Custom sizes and finishes can be discussed before production
- Check access before ordering, whatever the item
Pieces from our collection
Real designs mentioned in this guide — delivered free to your door across Greater London.
Frequently asked questions
For most UK bedrooms, a chest about 80–120 cm wide, 45–50 cm deep and 85–110 cm high is a sensible starting point. Smaller rooms usually work better with a slim unit around 60–80 cm wide, while a larger room can take a wider dresser-style piece.
Basic chests often start around £120–£250, mid-range pieces are often £250–£500, and larger or better-made designs can reach £500–£900+. Made-to-measure options are priced after the size and finish are agreed.
There is no single best material for everyone. MDF or engineered wood can be good for budget and easy-clean use, while solid wood or hardwood-framed construction is usually better if you want a heavier, longer-lasting piece and are happy to pay more.
Yes. Measure doors, hallways, stairs and any lift before ordering because furniture that does not fit through cannot be cancelled or refunded. It is safest to check the narrowest point on the route, not just the room where the chest will sit.
Yes, most designs can be ordered in a custom size, fabric or colour, and the price is confirmed before production. If the finish is outside the colour card, it is made to order and cannot be cancelled or refunded, although it remains fully guaranteed.
