Do y'all say "bureau" to mean a chest of drawers?

[Reverend Conehead]

The word I learned for that piece of furniture that has drawers to hold your clothes is "bureau." Of course, it can also mean a government office, and "bureau" is actually the French word for office. So I grew up saying that, but now, sometimes, if I say it, people don't understand me. So I'm like, "You know, a 'bureau', as in a 'dresser'."
...
This makes me suspect my usage of this word is regional. I grew up in rural Texas, between Ft. Worth and Waco, so maybe this usage is regional to Texas. However, my dad is from Western Kansas, so maybe it's regional to there, and I got it from him. Then again, my mom is from upstate New York, so maybe that's how they say it there, and I got it from her.
...
With this being a Dallas Cowboys site, probably a whole lot of people here are from Texas. Therefore, maybe you can tell me if calling a dresser a "bureau" is a Texas thing. If it's not, then maybe I can find out if it's a Kansas or New York State thing. No one says it like that here. (Nebraska)
...
Btw, one thing that is a Texas thing is calling a toilet the "commode." Most of the country doesn't say it like that, but I found out that they called an old-fashioned version of a toilet, which was a toilet lid over a bucket was called a commode back in the 19th century. So that probably evolved to mean a modern toilet in Texas.

 

[Runwildboys]

Bureau, dresser, chest of drawers...though a dresser is usually the women's low and wide piece, often with a mirror attached. But I pretty much think of it the same as sofa/couch/divan.

"Commode" is commonly known, but here in the northeast, I'm used to it being used as a more comical way of referring to a toilet, almost like calling it a throne.

 

[Tabascocat]

They are all dressers to me

 

[NorthoftheRedRiver]

I remember my grandmother calling it a bureau. Maybe an older term?

 

[Vtwin]

Here in Franklin County Vermont it's most commonly called a bureau, followed by dresser. Never a chest of drawers.

 

[DanteEXT]

I'm not sure I've heard anyone use the word bureau for a chest of drawers. If ever used, it was for the other definition of an office or department for transacting a particular business.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

I use cabinet to describe all furniture that holds other things. I remember as a child having a chifferobe and a crendenza in our home. Never again, never again.

 

[Creeper]

I have used dresser, most commonly, and bureau. I have heard the term chest of drawers used but I don't use it.

 

[Runwildboys]

I use cabinet to describe all furniture that holds other things. I remember as a child having a chifferobe and a crendenza in our home. Never again, never again.

What, no sideboard, armoire, or wardrobe?

 

[Runwildboys]

I have used dresser, most commonly, and bureau. I have heard the term chest of drawers used but I don't use it.

I delivered furniture for 11 years, and all the furniture manufacturers labeled them "chest" or "chest of drawers".

 

[VaqueroTD]

I always think of a bureau as a gigantic dresser. And yes, have heard the term more with older women than anyone else.

 

[Kevinicus]

Never heard it called bureau before.
I've always used dresser, though when shopping have to search for "chest."

 

[catiii]

The word I learned for that piece of furniture that has drawers to hold your clothes is "bureau." Of course, it can also mean a government office, and "bureau" is actually the French word for office. So I grew up saying that, but now, sometimes, if I say it, people don't understand me. So I'm like, "You know, a 'bureau', as in a 'dresser'."
...
This makes me suspect my usage of this word is regional. I grew up in rural Texas, between Ft. Worth and Waco, so maybe this usage is regional to Texas. However, my dad is from Western Kansas, so maybe it's regional to there, and I got it from him. Then again, my mom is from upstate New York, so maybe that's how they say it there, and I got it from her.
...
With this being a Dallas Cowboys site, probably a whole lot of people here are from Texas. Therefore, maybe you can tell me if calling a dresser a "bureau" is a Texas thing. If it's not, then maybe I can find out if it's a Kansas or New York State thing. No one says it like that here. (Nebraska)
...
Btw, one thing that is a Texas thing is calling a toilet the "commode." Most of the country doesn't say it like that, but I found out that they called an old-fashioned version of a toilet, which was a toilet lid over a bucket was called a commode back in the 19th century. So that probably evolved to mean a modern toilet in Texas.

Native Texan. Always used bureau, never used commode.

 

[gtb1943]

I have heard it called Chester Drawers by my mother who was English and my grandmother who was from Indiana