Fans of classic films and Victorian-era novels have probably noticed it: a small, unassuming wooden door tucked into a bedroom corner. This was the commode closet—not glamorous, but surprisingly clever.
I remember one at my grandparents’ farmhouse. A tiny wooden door near the side of the bed, hiding a chamber pot. As a kid, I once accidentally tipped it over—traumatizing—but the closet itself? Pure genius.
A Cozy Corner with a Purpose
Using an outhouse in the dead of winter was no one’s idea of fun. The commode closet solved that problem. It was a small, beadboard-lined nook with a little door concealing a chamber pot, giving a private solution for nighttime emergencies.
In my current home in coastal Maine, I noticed a small arched alcove in the bedroom. I thought it was decorative—turns out it once served the same purpose. Remote, simple, and practical, it kept late-night trips outdoors to a minimum during freezing nights.
Design Meets Necessity
These closets were clever blends of privacy and practicality. Some even included shelves for washbasins or water pitchers, and tiny vents to reduce odor. Finished in beadboard, they were tidy, functional, and far from slapdash. They show how homeowners balanced utility and comfort before indoor plumbing became standard.
From Chamber Pots to Modern Bathrooms
By the early 20th century, commode closets were replaced by full indoor bathrooms. Plumbing spread, and toilets made chamber pots obsolete. Yet, in older homes, these little closets often remain—sometimes overlooked, sometimes forgotten, but always telling a story.
Why I Love These Tiny Spaces
I have a soft spot for mine. It’s never used, but it’s charming, a conversation starter, and a reminder of how people made life work with the resources they had. And avoiding a freezing walk outside at night? That’s just smart design.
The commode closet may seem quaint today, but it’s a small, subtle testament to ingenuity. A tiny corner that once carried out a big job, quietly telling the story of how homes and people adapted before modern conveniences arrived.
