Before you order a sideboard, check five things: the length and depth against the wall you have, the height relative to nearby furniture and windows, the mix of doors and drawers inside, the construction and finish, and whether it will physically fit through your front door and hallway. Get those right and the style decision becomes much easier, because you are choosing only from pieces that will genuinely work in your room.
Our modern sideboards UK collection covers everything from compact cabinets for flats to long, low designs for open plan living. This guide walks through each point in order, so you can narrow the choice with confidence and avoid the common pitfalls of buying a large piece of furniture online.
A sideboard can live in a dining room, a living room, a hallway or even a bedroom, and each setting changes what you need from it. In a dining room, it stores crockery, glassware and table linen and acts as a serving surface. In a living room, it might hold board games, media equipment and books, sometimes doubling as a stand for a television. In a hallway, a slimmer design takes care of post, keys and gloves.
Think about what will go inside first. Plates and serving dishes need deep, tall cupboards. Cutlery and napkins are best in shallow drawers. Media equipment needs cable access at the back and ventilation. Writing a quick list of what you plan to store will guide every other decision.
Sideboards sit naturally within our wider modern living room furniture UK range, which makes it straightforward to coordinate one with a coffee table, TV unit or display cabinet in the same finish.
The most useful measurement is the clear wall length available, allowing for doors, radiators and corners. As a general guide, a sideboard looks balanced when it leaves some breathing space at each end, rather than running tight from corner to corner. In a dining room, it should also be roughly in proportion to the table: a long table often looks best with a long sideboard opposite.
Depth is where many people go wrong. Most sideboards are between 40 and 50 centimetres deep. In a narrow dining room, check that you still have enough room to pull chairs out and walk behind them once the sideboard is in place. Around 90 centimetres between the edge of the table and the front of the sideboard is a comfortable minimum for most rooms.
Height matters for the look of the room. A low sideboard keeps a space feeling open and sits comfortably beneath a window or a large mirror. A taller design, sometimes called a highboard, gives more storage but can feel heavy in smaller rooms. If the sideboard will sit under a window, measure from the floor to the sill and leave a small gap.
This is the step that is easiest to forget. Large sideboards are often delivered fully assembled, so measure your front door, any internal doors and the width of hallways and stairs. Pay particular attention to tight turns, low ceilings on staircases and narrow doorways in older houses and flats.
If space is tight, look for designs that arrive flat packed or with removable legs. Some sideboards are also available in modular sections, which are much easier to manoeuvre. Taking these measurements before you order saves a great deal of stress on delivery day.
The internal layout decides how useful a sideboard will be every day. Look closely at product images and dimensions to understand how the space is divided.
Consider how the doors open. Hinged doors need clear space in front, while sliding doors are better in tight spaces or where the sideboard sits close to a table. Push to open mechanisms give a clean, handleless look but are worth trying if you can, as some people find them less intuitive.
Sideboards are commonly made from solid wood, wood veneer over engineered board, high gloss lacquered board, glass or metal. Each has its own character and care needs.
Solid wood, such as oak or walnut, is durable and can be refinished if it gets marked over the years. Veneered pieces use a thin layer of real wood over a stable core, giving the look of solid timber with less risk of movement in heated homes. Our wooden sideboards UK include both, so you can choose the balance of character and stability that suits you.
High gloss finishes reflect light and suit contemporary interiors, especially in rooms that need brightening. They are easy to wipe clean but show fingerprints, so a soft microfibre cloth is useful. Our modern high gloss sideboards UK sale range includes white, grey and black finishes, many paired with wood or metal details.
Whatever the material, look for solid back panels, robust hinges, drawers with sturdy bases and legs or plinths that spread the weight evenly. A sideboard should feel stable when you lean on it and its doors should close neatly without catching.
Sideboards are long term pieces, so it is worth choosing a style you will still enjoy in several years. Clean lines and simple shapes tend to age well and adapt to changes in decor. Some popular directions include:
Raised legs make a sideboard look lighter because you can see the floor beneath it, which helps in smaller rooms. A plinth base feels more solid and grounded, and suits larger or more formal spaces.
A sideboard rarely stands alone. In a dining room it relates to the table and chairs, and in a living room it relates to the sofa, coffee table and television. Repeating a material, such as the same wood tone or a matching metal finish on legs and handles, ties the room together.
If you are planning a dining space, our guide to styling dining tables with sideboards in UK homes offers practical combinations. For living rooms where a sideboard sits near the television, our guide to matching TV units with sideboards in the UK explains how to balance the two pieces.
Once your sideboard is in place, the top surface becomes a natural focal point. Keep it simple. A lamp at one end, a stack of books or a bowl in the middle and a plant or vase at the other end is a reliable formula. Hanging a mirror or artwork above the centre of the sideboard frames the arrangement.
In a dining room, leave some clear space for serving dishes when you entertain. In a living room, avoid overcrowding the top, as a busy surface can make the whole room feel cluttered.
Use coasters and mats under drinks, plants and hot dishes. Dust regularly with a soft cloth and follow the specific care advice for the finish. Wood benefits from being kept away from radiators and direct sunlight, which can cause drying and fading. Glass and high gloss surfaces clean best with a gentle, non abrasive cleaner.
Check hinges and handles occasionally and tighten any that loosen over time. A little care keeps doors aligned and drawers running smoothly for many years.
When you are ready to compare designs, you can browse our full range of sideboards and storage at Furniture in Fashion. We offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes, and Returns are available up to 30 days.
Most sideboards are between 75 and 90 centimetres high, similar to a dining table or slightly taller. Low sideboards can be closer to 60 centimetres, while highboards are taller still.
Around 90 centimetres between the table edge and the sideboard front is a comfortable minimum. This allows chairs to be pulled out and people to walk behind them.
Yes, provided it is strong enough, at a comfortable viewing height and has some way to manage cables. Check the weight guidance and look for a design with a hole or gap at the back for wires.
Both have advantages. Solid wood can be refinished over time and has natural variation, while veneer offers a consistent grain and is less likely to move in centrally heated homes.
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