“Airy” open shelves or “stories” (from the French étage) appeared during the Renaissance era. The étagère — a piece of furniture consisting of a set of open shelves — owes its name, as well as its spread, to France.

It is believed that the first wave of its popularity came during the reign of Louis XVI (1774 — 1791), which entered the history of art as the period of French neoclassicism. The art critic Tatiana Vyacheslavovna Lazareva notes that the furniture of this style “was quite simple in design, with a predominance of straight lines, flutes [reminiscent of antique columns] and exquisite carved décor in the form of garlands of flowers and ribbon bands.” Valuable wood was used to make such furniture.

In the 18th century in France, étagères were mass produced, and in the 19th century they took a firm place in the homes of people of different incomes. People used these open units to decorate and enliven the space. By displaying books and small elegant trinkets, the owner could demonstrate their impeccable taste. Soon such open bookshelves became mandatory in aristocratic salons.

In the Victorian era (1837–1901), designers added weight to this airy structure to highlight the luxuriousness of the interior: they used mirrors, carved gilded sculptures and other elements. Even the materials from which the shelves were made were often admired: copper, brass, sometimes even gold with inlays of gems.

In the 20th century, both decorative and purely utilitarian models, including metal shelves that were used in warehouses and ships, were equally in demand. Decorative étagères were made of various materials and adorned with Richelieu cutwork napkins. In the 1930s and 1950s, Richelieu cutwork embroidery was very fashionable in the USSR. Lace was created using embroidery machines. It was used not only for napkins, but also for clothing details — collars and cuffs.

In the mid-20th century, this fashion came to Siberia. Richelieu-style lace was used to decorate bed linen and textiles; it is likely that napkins for shelves were also created.