The choice between a tallboy and a lowboy represents one of the most fundamental decisions when shopping for bedroom storage furniture. Both serve the essential purpose of keeping your clothes organised and accessible, but they approach this task from very different angles—quite literally. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each style will help you select the option that best complements your bedroom's dimensions, your storage requirements, and your daily routines.
Defining the Terms
Before diving into comparisons, let's establish clear definitions. A tallboy (sometimes called a highboy or chest-on-chest) is a vertically oriented chest of drawers, typically standing between 110 and 160 centimetres tall. These units prioritise height over width, usually offering five to seven drawers stacked vertically in a relatively narrow footprint.
A lowboy (also called a dresser or long chest) is horizontally oriented, typically standing between 70 and 90 centimetres tall but extending 120 to 180 centimetres in width. These units spread their storage capacity across a wider profile, often featuring six to eight drawers arranged in two or three rows.
Terminology Note
In Australian furniture terminology, "dresser" often refers specifically to a lowboy with an attached mirror, while "chest of drawers" is a more general term covering both styles. The terms tallboy and lowboy help distinguish between vertical and horizontal configurations regardless of mirror attachments.
Space Considerations
Floor Space vs Vertical Space
The most obvious difference between these styles is how they utilise your bedroom's dimensions. Tallboys are the clear winners in rooms where floor space is limited but ceiling height is generous. A typical tallboy occupies roughly 60 centimetres of wall width while offering substantial drawer capacity—ideal for narrow bedrooms, apartment living, or rooms where you need to maximise walkway clearance.
Lowboys, conversely, demand significant horizontal wall space. A 150-centimetre-wide dresser requires a substantial stretch of uninterrupted wall, which may be challenging in rooms with multiple doorways, windows, or built-in features. However, their lower profile means they work beautifully in rooms with lower ceilings, sloped ceilings (like attic conversions), or beneath windows.
Visual Impact on Room Proportions
Furniture selection affects how a room feels beyond mere physical measurements. Tall furniture in a room with low ceilings can create a cramped, oppressive atmosphere. Similarly, a lone lowboy in a narrow room might emphasise the room's limited width. Consider how your choice will interact with the room's proportions:
- Tallboys suit rooms with ceiling heights of 2.7 metres or more
- Lowboys work well in wide rooms or as anchoring pieces on feature walls
- Square-ish rooms can accommodate either style based on other factors
- Rooms with prominent architectural features may favour one style over the other
Storage Capacity and Organisation
Total Volume Comparison
Despite their different appearances, tallboys and lowboys often offer comparable total storage volumes. A quality six-drawer tallboy might provide approximately the same cubic capacity as a six-drawer lowboy—the space is simply distributed differently. The key differences lie in drawer dimensions and how those dimensions suit different types of clothing and accessories.
Drawer Depth and Width
Tallboy drawers are typically narrower but deeper, running 50 to 60 centimetres from front to back. This configuration suits items you stack or fold compactly: t-shirts, jumpers, jeans folded in half. However, the narrower width can make it challenging to store items side by side or to see everything at a glance.
Lowboy drawers are usually wider but shallower. The increased width makes it easy to arrange items side by side, employing folding methods like the popular KonMari technique where you can see each item when you open the drawer. Shallower drawers also prevent excessive stacking, which can lead to wrinkled clothes at the bottom.
Organisation Tip
If you prefer the "file folding" method where clothes stand upright in drawers for easy visibility, lowboy drawers typically accommodate this approach better due to their wider dimensions. Tallboy drawers work better for traditional stacking methods.
Accessibility and Ergonomics
Ease of Access
Consider who will be using the furniture and how they'll interact with it daily. Tallboy top drawers can sit at 140 centimetres or higher, making them difficult to access for shorter individuals, children, or anyone with mobility limitations. You might find yourself storing rarely-used items in upper drawers simply because they're inconvenient to reach.
Lowboy drawers, all sitting below roughly 80 centimetres, offer universal accessibility. Every drawer is within comfortable reach for most adults, and even children can access lower drawers independently. This even accessibility can simplify your organisational system since no drawer is inherently less convenient than another.
Mirror Integration and Dressing Functionality
Lowboys' flat, expansive tops naturally accommodate mirrors, making them popular choices for dressing areas. A lowboy with an attached or wall-mounted mirror above creates a functional vanity space where you can check your appearance while accessing your clothing. The surface also provides space for jewellery boxes, cologne, and other accessories.
Tallboys rarely include mirrors due to their height, and their narrow tops offer limited surface space for accessories. If you need a dressing station with mirror access, a lowboy is almost certainly the better choice.
Stability and Safety
Tallboys present inherent stability challenges that lowboys largely avoid. Their height and narrow base create a higher centre of gravity, making them more susceptible to tipping if drawers are opened simultaneously or if someone applies forward pressure. This concern is especially significant in households with young children who might climb or hang on furniture.
Wall anchoring is essentially mandatory for tallboys and strongly recommended even for lowboys. However, lowboys' wider base and lower profile make them inherently more stable. In homes where wall anchoring isn't possible (some rental situations), a lowboy represents the safer choice.
For detailed safety information, see our guide on essential safety tips for securing furniture.
Style and Aesthetic Considerations
Traditional vs Modern Associations
Historically, tallboys carry stronger associations with traditional and colonial design aesthetics. The vertical emphasis and stacked drawer arrangement echo historical furniture styles, making tallboys natural fits for traditional, hamptons, or antique-styled bedrooms.
Lowboys, while equally historic in origin, have become strongly associated with mid-century modern design. The horizontal lines and emphasis on width align with modernist design principles, making lowboys popular choices in contemporary, Scandinavian, and minimalist interiors.
However, both styles are available in virtually any aesthetic, from ultra-modern high-gloss finishes to rustic reclaimed timber. Don't let stylistic associations limit your options—focus on finding a piece that matches your existing decor regardless of its vertical or horizontal orientation.
Bedroom Suite Coordination
Consider how your choice integrates with other bedroom furniture. If your bed frame features a tall headboard, a lowboy might provide better visual balance. If your bed sits low and modern, either style can work depending on other elements in the room. Many bedroom furniture suites offer both tallboy and lowboy options in matching designs, allowing you to coordinate or even combine both styles in larger bedrooms.
Price and Value Considerations
Neither style is inherently more expensive than the other. Prices depend primarily on materials, construction quality, brand, and features rather than vertical or horizontal orientation. You can find budget-friendly options and premium pieces in both categories.
However, consider long-term value beyond initial price. Lowboys' superior accessibility might mean you actually use all your storage space rather than leaving top drawers underutilised. Tallboys' space efficiency might enable you to fit adequate storage in a room where a lowboy simply wouldn't fit. The "better value" choice is the one that best serves your specific situation.
Making Your Decision: A Summary Framework
Choose a tallboy if:
- Floor space is limited but ceiling height is adequate
- You prefer traditional or colonial aesthetics
- You're furnishing a narrow room or apartment bedroom
- You don't need integrated mirror/dressing functionality
- All primary users can comfortably reach upper drawers
Choose a lowboy if:
- You have generous wall width available
- Ceiling height is limited or you have sloped ceilings
- You want mirror integration and dressing surface space
- Accessibility for various heights/abilities is important
- You have young children and prioritise inherent stability
- You prefer modern or mid-century aesthetic styles
Can't Decide?
In larger bedrooms, consider using both. A tallboy in one corner maximises vertical storage while a lowboy along a main wall provides a dressing station. This combination offers maximum storage flexibility and allows you to experience the benefits of both styles.
Conclusion
The tallboy versus lowboy decision ultimately comes down to your specific circumstances rather than either style being objectively "better." Measure your space carefully, consider who will use the furniture and how, think about aesthetic preferences, and don't forget practical factors like mirror needs and safety considerations. With thoughtful analysis of your requirements, you'll confidently select the style that transforms your bedroom into a well-organised, functional, and beautiful space.