A taboret (also spelled tabouret or tabourette) refers to two different pieces of furniture: a cabinet or a stool.
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As a stool, it refers to a short stool without a back or arms. The name is derived from its resemblance to a drum (diminutive of Old French tabour).[3][4]
The tabouret acquired a more specialized meaning in 17th-century France at the court of Louis XIV in Versailles. Sitting in the presence of the royal family was a much coveted honor, and the tabouret was the way to do it. The court tabouret was an elaborate, upholstered stool with curved wooden legs and tassels, carried by a liveried and wigged servant. Duchesses were automatically granted the honor of sitting in front of the queen. This stool became such a symbol of privilege that when Louis XIV's mother, the Regent Anne of Austria, granted the tabouret to two non-duchesses, such a storm of protest was raised that she had to revoke the order.[5]
In the context of the Arts and Crafts Movement, a taboret is a narrow and tall stand for a plant, lamp, ashtray, or a beverage.[6] It may also be a mission oak book stand shelf, or side table, or end table.[1][2][7]
The current sense refers to graphic artists' task furniture, a wheeled, portable stand or cabinet, with drawers and shelves for storage, used to bring supplies to a work area.[8][9]