Do you often misplace the strands of pearls you wore at last night's dinner at the opera with friends? Can you never find your favorite piece of jewelry when you need it most for that very important date? Well, worry no more. Get a jewelry armoire to store your jewels in the most elegant and efficient way.

A jewelry armoire may not be as huge as the special room beneath Buckingham Palace where Queen Elizabeth keeps her jewelry collection, but it certainly can store more of your beads, stones aand bangles than the musical jewelry box that you've kept since high school for sentimental reasons.

Armoires

The French word armoire originally meant an arms cabinet or gun storage, but not anymore. In these modern times, an armoire is defined as a tall cabinet, usually with drawers, shelves and doors. Armoires nowadays can be wardrobe armoires, jewelry armoires, entertainment armoires and just recently even computer armoires.

Even family-friendly Wal-mart stocks faux burl wood jewelry armoires for less than $200 ordered online, so there's really no excuse for not getting out there and choosing your jewelry armoire.

How to choose your jewelry armoire

1. The first thing you need to know is your woods or non-woods and including your pretend woods. And then decide which suit you most.

Do you like your jewelry armoire to gain more character and charm even with wear? Then a real solid wood jewelry armoire is for you. Most real wood jewelry armoires are made from oak, maple or pine, so you can choose from the classic yellow brown oaks, regal cherry red maples or mission brown practical pines.

Do you not mind the look of an engineered MDF teamed with laminates or wood veneers for your first jewelry armoire? Then you can hop on to the internet and shop for hand-carved, hand-painted jewelry armoire beauties which look like wood and cost less.

2. The next thing to decide is where you are going to put your jewelry armoire. Will it stand next to the Victorian mahogany chest of drawers in your bedroom? How much space do you have for it? Do you want it to match with the other furniture in the room? Or do you want it to be a centerpiece?

Depending on your answers, you may want to consider the homely French country style with its handcrafted doors, the elegant Queen Anne dark cherry heirloom style or the chunkier mission brown jewelry chest box style.

3. How will you use your jewelry armoire?

Will it be mainly a storage space for your jewelry? Then you may want a tall chest of six to eight drawers with sides that swing open to hang your pearls and necklaces.

Or will it be a place where you can sit down, try on that flaming red ruby necklace after you've put on your makeup? Then you might consider having a shorter vanity armoire with mirror, vanity and a soft-cushioned bench.

4. Are there any fengshui (or child proofing) considerations for your jewelry armoire?

Does it have to have round edges so as not to shoot sharp darts of energy while you are trying to relax before an important party? Are you afraid your toddler might bang her head on the sharp rectangular edges your jewelry armoire as she uncontrollably waddles to you while you're putting on a pair of ruby earrings? Then the half-round jewelry armoire with rounded legs might be the one for you.

5. Are there any other security considerations for your jewelry armoire?

Do you have home contents insurance but would still feel safer if your jewels are locked? Then you may want to get a jewelry armoire that can be locked.

6. And last but not least - how much are you willing to pay for it?

Does your budget fall around the $300 mark? Then you can buy popular, best selling brands in real oak with mirror, eight drawers and side swing doors to hang all your pearls and golden necklaces.

Do you have around $400 to spare? Then you can get yourself an elegant dark cherry red maple Queen Anne jewelry armoire accented with detail rice carved posts on its doorface.

How about if you just have $59.95? Then the excitement of the hunt for good and used jewelry armoires is for you. Last time I checked there was a cherry Queen Anne jewelry armoire chest box being auctioned on ebay for a mere $59.95. But you better hurry.