Sideboard Buying Guide: Size, Style and What to Look For
Sideboard Buying Guide: Size, Style and What to Look For
A sideboard is one of the most useful pieces of furniture you can add to a home. It stores what needs hiding, displays what deserves to be seen, and works in more rooms than most people expect. The difficulty isn't finding one you like; it's knowing which size, style, and configuration will actually fit your space and do the job you need it to do.
This guide covers everything: how to size a sideboard correctly, which rooms it works in, what style suits your interior, and what to look for in the construction.
What is a sideboard?
A sideboard is a low, horizontal storage unit, typically between 75cm and 90cm tall, with a combination of drawers and cupboards. Originally a dining room staple used for storing tableware and serving food, the modern sideboard has become one of the most versatile pieces in the home. It works equally well in a living room, hallway, bedroom, or home office, or anywhere that needs surface space for styling and concealed storage below.
A sideboard differs from a console table in that it has enclosed storage rather than open shelving or legs only. It differs from a dresser or hutch in that it doesn't have an upper unit. The low, long silhouette is what makes it distinctive: it sits below eye level, keeps the room feeling open, and provides a natural surface for display.
Step 1: Get the size right
Size is the most common mistake people make when buying a sideboard. Too wide and it crowds the wall. Too narrow and it looks lost. Too tall and it competes with the other furniture in the room.
Width
As a general rule, your sideboard should fill roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the wall it sits against. A wide sideboard on a short wall looks awkward; a narrow sideboard on a long wall looks like an afterthought.
Measure the available wall space first, then work backwards. Leave at least 30cm clearance on either side where possible, and make sure doors can open fully without hitting adjacent furniture or walls.
Rough width guide:
- Small room or alcove: 90–120cm
- Standard living room or dining room wall: 130–160cm
- Larger open-plan space: 160cm or wider
Height
Most sideboards sit between 75cm and 90cm tall. This is intentionally below eye level so they don't break the visual flow of the room. As a practical check: a sideboard should sit at roughly seat height or just above, which makes the surface usable for lamps, plants, and display without the furniture dominating the room.
If you're considering a sideboard as a TV unit, check the height works for your viewing angle. Most sideboards are well suited to this use in rooms where the sofa isn't too low.
Depth
Standard sideboard depth is 35–45cm. This is enough for cupboard storage and drawers while leaving the piece sitting flush against a wall without projecting too far into the room. In narrow hallways, check this measurement carefully, as a 45cm deep sideboard can feel bulky in a tight corridor.
Step 2: Choose the right room
Sideboard in a living room
The living room is the most common placement for a modern sideboard. It works behind a sofa as a display surface, along a blank wall as a focal point, or as a TV unit if the height works. A sideboard in a living room can store remote controls, cables, gaming equipment, books, and anything else that accumulates in the space, with a clean surface above for styling.
For living room use, a longer, lower sideboard with a mid-century profile tends to work best. It keeps the room feeling open and suits the horizontal lines of most sofas and seating arrangements.
Sideboard in a dining room
The original purpose of a sideboard was serving and storing in the dining room, and it still works well here. A dining room sideboard stores tableware, placemats, candles, and serving pieces that aren't used daily, keeping the table clear. The surface doubles as a serving station when hosting.
In a dining room, the sideboard benefits from being a similar height to the dining table seats so it reads as part of the same horizontal plane. A wider sideboard works particularly well in this setting, giving you proper surface space for buffet-style serving.
Sideboard in a hallway
In a hallway, a sideboard acts as a landing zone: keys, post, a lamp, a mirror above. Depth is the main constraint here. A narrow sideboard of 30–35cm depth is usually the right call in a hallway to avoid blocking the flow. Height matters too, as a taller profile makes better use of limited wall space.
Sideboard in a bedroom
Less common, but very practical. A sideboard in a bedroom works as a media unit, a dressing surface, or simply as extra storage that a chest of drawers doesn't provide. It suits larger bedrooms or rooms that double as a home office, where surface space for a lamp, display items, or tech is needed alongside concealed storage.
Step 3: Choose a style
Mid-century sideboard
The mid-century sideboard is the most widely recognisable and enduringly popular style. Defined by a long, low profile, tapered legs, and clean-lined drawers and cupboards, it originated in the 1950s and 1960s and has never really gone away. The silhouette is timeless rather than trend-led, which means it doesn't date in the way that more fashion-forward designs can.
A mid-century sideboard typically sits on tapered wooden or metal legs, which creates a sense of lightness and keeps the floor visible, which is helpful in smaller rooms. Walnut and oak are the most common materials, often with brass hardware accents.
This style suits contemporary, Scandi, and classic interiors equally well. It works alongside sofas, dining tables, and beds without competing for attention.
Contemporary or modern sideboard
Contemporary sideboards tend to have cleaner, more minimal lines: less period reference, more architectural simplicity. They often sit on a plinth base rather than legs, which gives a grounded, built-in look. Finishes include matt lacquers, painted wood, and engineered wood in white, grey, and black, as well as natural oak and walnut.
This style suits pared-back, modern interiors and open-plan spaces where a consistent, uncluttered look is the priority.
Traditional or country sideboard
Heavier in profile, often in dark oak or painted wood, with more decorative detailing. Less relevant to Swyft's range but worth noting as a category for context: this style suits period properties, farmhouse kitchens, and dining rooms with a more classic aesthetic.
Step 4: Think about storage configuration
A sideboard's storage is made up of some combination of drawers and cupboards. Getting this balance right makes a practical difference to how useful the piece actually is day-to-day.
Drawers are best for smaller items that need to be accessed regularly: cutlery, remote controls, stationery, keys. Fabric-lined drawers protect the contents and reduce noise. Soft-close drawers are worth paying for, as they're a quality signal and prevent drawers that catch or slam.
Cupboards are better for larger items: serving dishes, bottles, cables, board games, books. Adjustable shelving inside cupboards is useful if you want flexibility to store items of different heights.
The right balance depends on use. For a dining room sideboard, more cupboard space usually works better, as you need to store larger tableware and serving pieces. For a living room sideboard, a mix of drawers for everyday clutter and cupboards for tech and media tends to be more practical.
Step 5: Choose the right material and finish
Solid wood
Solid oak and solid walnut are the most durable and long-lasting choices. They handle daily use well, develop character over time, and are worth the investment if you're buying a sideboard to keep for years. Solid wood can be refinished if it gets marked or scratched, which is not an option with veneered or engineered alternatives.
Swyft's Sideboard 01 and Sideboard 03 are both crafted from solid white oak. The material quality shows in the weight and feel of each piece.
Veneered or engineered wood
A wood veneer over an MDF or chipboard core offers the look of solid wood at a lower price point. Quality varies considerably: higher-end veneered furniture is difficult to distinguish from solid wood; budget options show their construction quickly through wear, particularly at edges and joins.
Painted finishes
Popular in white, grey, and blue, painted sideboards suit both contemporary and more classic interiors. The finish is more susceptible to chipping than a natural wood finish, particularly on high-traffic pieces. Matt and satin finishes tend to be more forgiving than gloss.
Swyft sideboards
The Swyft sideboard range offers two distinct styles to suit different interiors and room types.
Sideboard 01 is the longer, lower option: a classic mid-century silhouette with four fabric-lined drawers and two large cupboards. Built from solid white oak with tapered brass feet, it's available in oak, walnut, blue, and grey. It works well as a living room statement piece, a dining room storage unit, or a TV unit. It arrives fully assembled with the feet screwed in.
Sideboard 03 takes a more contemporary European direction. It features open and closed shelving alongside a single drawer, with metal feet and floor-safe glides. The clean lines and mix of open and closed storage make it well suited to dining rooms, where displaying some items alongside concealed storage is often more practical. It pairs with TV Unit 02 and Coffee Table 04 for a coordinated look.
For a closer look at the full range, browse all Swyft sideboards.
FAQs
What size sideboard do I need? Measure the wall where you intend to place it and aim for a sideboard that fills roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of that width. Leave at least 30cm clearance on either side. For height, most sideboards sit between 75cm and 90cm, which keeps the room feeling open while providing a usable surface. For depth, 35–45cm is standard; check this carefully in hallways.
What is the standard height of a sideboard? Most sideboards are between 75cm and 90cm tall. This low, horizontal profile is intentional. It keeps the piece below eye level, allows the surface to be used for display, and avoids the dominance of a taller unit.
What is the difference between a sideboard and a buffet? The terms are used interchangeably. In the UK, sideboard is the more common word. In the US and some older British usage, buffet describes the same piece. Both refer to a low horizontal storage unit with drawers and cupboards, originally used in dining rooms for serving and storing tableware.
What rooms can a sideboard go in? A sideboard works in most rooms of the home. The most common placements are the living room (as a display and storage unit or TV stand), the dining room (for tableware and serving), the hallway (for keys, post, and a lamp), and the bedroom (as a media unit or dressing surface). The main variable is size: choose a narrower, shallower piece for hallways and bedrooms, a wider piece for living and dining rooms.
What should I look for in a good sideboard? The most important factors are material quality (solid wood outlasts veneered alternatives), drawer construction (soft-close drawers are a good quality indicator), and storage configuration (the balance of drawers to cupboards should match your intended use). Check that cupboard shelving is adjustable if you need to store items of different heights, and that the dimensions work properly for the wall and room.
Is a mid-century sideboard still in style? Yes. The mid-century sideboard silhouette (long, low, tapered legs, clean lines) has been in continuous production since the 1950s and is as popular now as it has ever been. It suits a wide range of interior styles, from contemporary Scandi to classic British, and its timeless profile means it doesn't date in the way that more trend-specific designs can.
Can a sideboard be used as a TV unit? Yes, provided the height works for your viewing angle and the surface is wide enough for your TV. Most sideboards at 75–90cm height work well as TV units when paired with a sofa at standard seat height. Check that the cupboard depth is sufficient to house any set-top boxes or media equipment you want to keep inside.
Where to start
Browse the full Swyft sideboard range, available in oak, walnut, blue, and grey finishes.
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