Traditionally, a linen-press (or just ''press'') is a cabinet, usually of woods such as oak,

walnut A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus '' Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an i ...

, or mahogany, and designed for storing sheets, table- napkins, clothing, and other textiles. Such linen-presses were made chiefly in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries and are now considered decorative examples of antique furniture. Early versions were often simple, with some exhibiting carving characteristic of Jacobean designs. Examples made during the 18th and 19th centuries often featured expensive veneers and intricate inlays and were designed to occupy prominent places in early bedrooms as storage

closet A closet (especially in North American English usage) is an enclosed space, with a door, used for storage, particularly that of clothes. ''Fitted closets'' are built into the walls of the house so that they take up no apparent space in the roo ...

s for clothing. In modern houses, a linen press is often a built-in cabinet near a bedroom or bathroom, for easy access to fresh bed sheets and towels. Analogous terms are ''laundry cupboard'' or ''linen cupboard''. In Ireland the term ''hot press'' describes an airing cupboard used for storing linen.

References

Clothing containers Cabinets (furniture) {{furniture-stub

See also

References