kamerafel

Kamerafel is a Dutch term referring to a small table designed for use inside a room. The word combines kamer (room) and tafel (table) and is mainly found in historical Dutch and Flemish interior contexts. In practice, kamerafels are described in design literature and inventories as compact surfaces intended for everyday tasks or display, rather than as large ceremonial pieces.

Construction and design features commonly include a wooden body, often oak, walnut, or fruitwood, with a simple rectangular or square top. Many examples have a modest understructure such as a skirt, slender legs, or a lower shelf. Some kamerafels are fitted with a drawer for writing materials or small objects, while others emphasize decorative elements like veneer, inlay, or minimal brass mounts. Marble tops occur in more elaborate variants, aligning with broader trends in furniture of the period.

Functionally, the kamerafel served as a convenient surface for writing, reading, or arranging items within a room. It would typically be placed beside seating or near a window to support everyday activities, acting as a companion to larger storage pieces such as sideboards or cabinets rather than as a primary worktable.

Historically, kamerafels appear in Dutch and Flemish interiors from the 17th through the 19th centuries, reflecting a preference for practical, modestly adorned furniture that accommodated daily routines. Styles range from restrained rural forms to more ornate urban examples, often aligned with prevailing regional tastes and available craftsmanship.

Today, kamerafel is mostly of interest to furniture historians, antique collectors, and museums. Surviving pieces are valued as examples of domestic furniture practice and as records of period taste and woodworking technique.