Best Contemporary Sideboards for UK Open Plan Living Spaces

Storage that works in an open plan home

Open plan living has reshaped how UK homes feel inside. Knocking through walls creates light and flow, yet it also removes the natural divisions that once gave each activity its own corner. A contemporary sideboard steps into that gap. It stores the everyday items a shared space accumulates while gently marking where one zone ends and another begins.

In a room that runs from cooking to lounging to dining, furniture has to do more than sit against a wall. The right sideboard becomes a quiet organiser, holding the room together without breaking its sense of openness.

Using a sideboard to define zones

One of the cleverest uses of a sideboard in an open plan space is as a soft divider. Placed at the back of a sofa or between the dining and lounge areas, a long low unit suggests a boundary without building a wall. The eye still travels across the room, but each zone gains a sense of purpose.

For this to work, the unit needs a finished back, since both sides will be on view. Many contemporary designs are built with this in mind. Exploring the sideboard furniture range will show you which models suit a free standing position in the middle of a room rather than against a wall.

Finishes that keep a space feeling light

Open plan rooms thrive on light, so finish matters a great deal. A reflective surface bounces daylight from one end of the space to the other, which helps even on grey days. Our high gloss sideboards are well suited to this, adding a crisp modern note that complements clean lines and large windows.

If you prefer warmth to reflect the cosier lounge area, timber softens the openness of a large room and adds texture underfoot. Mixing a timber sideboard with a brighter kitchen creates a gentle contrast that signals the change from cooking to relaxing.

Scale in a larger room

Open plan spaces are forgiving of larger furniture, and a sideboard that would overwhelm a small lounge can look balanced here. A longer unit, often between 160cm and 200cm, holds its own against expansive floors and tall windows. Just make sure walkways stay clear, with enough room for people to pass comfortably on either side when the unit divides a space.

Think about the view from every angle. In an open plan room you see furniture from across the space as well as up close, so a clean silhouette and tidy top surface matter more than ever. Planning your sideboard alongside the wider living room furniture collection helps you keep proportions consistent across the whole area.

Keeping clutter under control

Shared spaces gather clutter quickly, because everyone uses them. Generous closed storage is your best defence. Use cupboards for items you want out of sight and drawers for the things you reach for daily. A tidy sideboard does a great deal to keep an open plan room feeling calm, since there are few walls to hide mess behind.

Bringing the look together

A contemporary sideboard in an open plan home should feel like part of a considered whole. Echo its finish in a coffee table or shelving, repeat a colour from the kitchen in an object on top, and let the unit anchor the seating area. When you are ready to compare designs, the full sideboard furniture range covers the proportions and finishes that suit larger spaces, with free UK delivery from Furniture in Fashion.

Lighting a sideboard in an open plan room

Lighting deserves thought in a large shared space, and a sideboard offers a natural place to add a softer layer. A pair of table lamps on the top surface creates a pool of warm light that signals the lounge zone after dark, drawing people towards the relaxed end of the room. This gentle pooling of light does as much to define a zone as the unit itself, especially in the evening when overhead lighting can feel flat.

If the sideboard divides the room, consider how it looks lit from both sides. A lamp glowing on a finished back panel adds warmth to the dining area as well as the lounge. Keeping the bulbs to a similar warm tone across the space holds the whole open plan area together and avoids a patchwork of cool and warm corners.

Frequently asked questions

Can a sideboard divide an open plan room?

Yes. A long low sideboard placed behind a sofa or between zones suggests a boundary while keeping the space open and light.

What size sideboard suits an open plan space?

Larger rooms carry longer units well, often between 160cm and 200cm, as long as walkways remain clear on either side.

Should the back of the sideboard be finished?

If the unit divides a room, both sides will be seen, so choose a model with a finished back rather than one designed to face a wall.

Which finish works best in open plan living?

Gloss reflects light across a large space, while timber adds warmth to the lounge area. Many homes use both to mark a change in zone.