The French call their wardrobes Armoires and we love them.

Doesn't it sound so much more sophisticated to shout up the stairs to your loved one, "Please close the Armoire door after you darling," rather than, "Oi, shut the blasted wardrobe door when you’ve finished!"

Like most items of furniture, armoires have developed over time and have been influenced by other pieces. Armoires, being a good example of this phenomenon, slowly evolved out of cupboards and cabinets and were finally born in the late 17th century.

Soon after they developed, French artisans made some sumptuously decorated armoires for Louis XIV. Expense was not an issue, and the king employed the most celebrated furniture-makers of the time. These armoires were not only places for putting clothes, but were also mind-bogglingly beautiful pieces of art, lavishly decorated in brass, mother of pearl, bronze, tortoise shell, ivory, and exotic woods.

Flash is not really the technical word to describe some of these Royal pieces, but I do think it sums them up just fine! The brass and tortoiseshell marquetry, the exotic woods and ormolu mounts, would have looked stunning in the brightly painted and gilt-carved rooms of the Royal Court. You would, however, need a suitable house for one today, as they might look a bit out of place in a three bed semi. You’d also need upwards of a million pounds to own one of Louis’s old ones!

Luckily for us, though, armoires have been made continually for over three hundred years and there is one to suit us all. They come in oak, walnut, pine, and fruitwood; they can be painted, heavily carved, plain, or tall. Some even have drawers.

It can be difficult to determine an armoire’s age precisely, as their designs often didn't change for generations. Some have lovely dates and initials carved into them, which is handy and very desirable. It’s important, though, to be confident that the date wasn’t carved in inaccurately, and much later, to "add some value." An expert’s eye is needed here.

Here’s a tip for dating armoires. Prior to about 1850 they were made as solid pieces of furniture. Chunky round pegs hold them together and you can’t dismantle them. After 1850, with the development of new furniture-making tools and machinery, craftsmen began to make armoires in sections and put them together with bolts and screws so they could be dismantled easily into four or more parts. This is fabulous news for transporting, delivering and getting them up the stairs, but not so fabulous if you’ve just bought an 18th century one that was made in this way!