A cupboard is a piece of furniture for enclosing dishware or grocery items that are stored in a home. The term gradually evolved from its original meaning: an open-shelved side table for displaying

dishware Tableware is any dish or dishware used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. It includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, and other items for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of obj ...

, more specifically plates, cups and saucers. These open cupboards typically had between one and three display tiers, and at the time, a drawer or multiple drawers fitted to them.Andrews, John (2006) ''British Antique Furniture''. Antique Collectors' Club ; p. 226

Types of cupboards

Airing cupboard

An airing cupboard (or hot press) is a built-in storage space, sometimes of walk-in dimensions, containing a

water heater Water heating is a heat transfer process that uses an energy source to heat water above its initial temperature. Typical domestic uses of hot water include cooking, cleaning, bathing, and space heating. In industry, hot water and water heated t ...

, either an

immersion heater Electric heating is a process in which electrical energy is converted directly to heat energy at around 100% efficiency, using rather cheap devices. Common applications include space heating, cooking, water heating and industrial processes. A ...

for hot running water or a boiler for

central heating A central heating system provides warmth to a number of spaces within a building from one main source of heat. It is a component of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (short: HVAC) systems, which can both cool and warm interior spaces. ...

water (hence, also "boiler cupboard"), or a

hot water storage tank A hot water storage tank (also called a hot water tank, thermal storage tank, hot water thermal storage unit, heat storage tank and hot water cylinder) is a water tank used for storing hot water for space heating or domestic use. Water is a con ...

. Shelves, usually slatted to allow for circulation of heat, are positioned above or around the heater to provide room for clothing. The purpose is to allow air to circulate around the stored fabrics to prevent damp forming. Some variants of airing cupboards also serve as the linen cupboard, the storing area of the household's clean sheets and towels. In another version, the airing cupboard serves as a temporary drying space, either for laundry or for wet outdoor clothes and shoes. Its shelves can be used to fully remove traces of damp from dried clothing before the items are put away elsewhere in drawers and wardrobes. A moveable electrical version of this is a

drying cabinet A drying cabinet is today usually an electrical machine designed to expedite the drying of items - usually clothing - that are unsuitable for a mechanical clothes dryer. Such items may include delicate clothing care labeled as "hang dry", "dry ...

Built-in cupboard

A built-in cupboard is a storage space that forms part of the design of the room and is not free-standing or moving. It is not the same as a cabinet. In the United Kingdom houses often have a built-in cupboard under the stairs.

Linen cupboard

A linen cupboard is an enclosed recess of a room used for storing household linen (e.g. sheets, towels, tablecloths) and other things for storage, usually with shelves, or a free-standing piece of furniture for this purpose.

Stationery cupboard

Most offices have a lockable repository for valuables. The heart of this is usually the supply of

stationery Stationery refers to commercially manufactured writing materials, including cut paper, envelopes, writing implements, continuous form paper, and other office supplies. Stationery includes materials to be written on by hand (e.g., letter paper) ...

Gallery

File:St James's Church, Whitechapel, Cupboard door - geograph.org.uk - 913360.jpg, Built-in cupboard: A cupboard built into the wall of St James's Church,

Whitechapel, Lancashire Whitechapel is a tiny hamlet in the civil parish of Goosnargh in Lancashire, England. It lies on the border of the Forest of Bowland near the foot of Beacon Fell, and close to the neighbouring village of Inglewhite. Its name is marked as ''White ...

File:WMUK office - stationery cupboard March 2012.jpg, Stationery cupboard: An office stationery cupboard, with its lockable doors open File:LiveryCupboard.JPG, Antique cupboard: English

livery A livery is an identifying design, such as a uniform, ornament, symbol or insignia that designates ownership or affiliation, often found on an individual or vehicle. Livery will often have elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or ...

cupboard approximately 1600 to 1640 Image:Serwantka.JPG, Antique cupboard: Decorative crockery and bibelots in ''vitré armoire'' or ''vitrina''

References

{{Authority control Cabinets (furniture) Furniture