4 Reasons Why Every Home Needs A Sideboard

Sideboards have been around for a very long time, however their popularity has seemed to have risen significantly over the last year. Before the time of fitted kitchens, sideboards were used as a way to maximise dining room storage, and especially used for storing serving ware and cutlery. If you're exploring sideboard ideas for your home, they remain brilliant for sideboard storage and work beautifully as a sideboard for dining room spaces, living rooms, and beyond. They also lend themselves to countless sideboard decor ideas.

Today, sideboards have a number of uses and not just in the dining room, from displaying your favourite photo frames and trinkets to being used as a mini bar during cocktail hour. A sideboard is definitely a must have for the modern home! Whether styled as a sideboard for dining room gatherings or placed in a hallway or lounge, they adapt easily.

Summary

This piece outlines why sideboards are indispensable in modern homes: they suit any space and style, offer a curated surface for display, provide ample hidden storage, and act as an extra serving station when entertaining. Versatile across dining rooms, living rooms, and hallways, sideboards elevate decor while keeping clutter out of sight. With countless designs and sizes, there’s a practical and stylish option for every home.

1. A size and style for everyone Whilst most sideboards are usually rectangular and long, there aren't specific dimensions for a sideboard as there are many different styles and size options out there to suit your space. You could opt for the traditional size and style or go for something a bit smaller to fit better in the space you want to use it. Think about a small sideboard for dining room nooks, a wide sideboard to anchor open-plan areas, or a narrow sideboard for hallways and compact spaces. Here are some examples of sideboards we have that come in both a large and narrow size.

2. A place to display all your favourite objects The top of a sideboard can be used to make a beautiful display area. Prop up your favourite family photos, a lamp to add height, vases, candles and other ornaments to create an attractive display area. If you're searching for sideboard decor ideas and wondering how to style a sideboard, try layering heights with a lamp and artwork, then add a few meaningful objects for balance. Make sure not to over clutter the sideboard with too many knick-knacks as the sideboard may lose visual interest. A stylish sideboard has the ability to finish a room and complete the look.

3. Hidden storage the great thing about sideboards is that they offer an incredible amount of sideboard storage. Sideboards usually have a combination of drawers, shelving space and a cupboard behind doors, making it a very organised storage solution. Effective at hiding clutter of all shapes and sizes, whether you're trying to hide away your large dinner set that only comes out during special occasions, mismatched plates and bowls that you have no room for in the kitchen or anything else from around your home, a sideboard is very useful.

4. A table extension If you're entertaining in your dining room, sometimes you need an extra pair of hands or extra space for all of your scrumptious dishes and drinks that you just can't fit on the table. A sideboard offers an additional serving surface for you, so you can keep everything close by to the dining table and easily move things around when you're clearing the table or want to add more to it. It can also be used as a buffet station so if you have a smaller dining table, you can go up to get your food and sit back down with your plate, leaving you enough space to still enjoy your meal. This makes a sideboard for dining room entertaining especially practical.

We think you can agree that a sideboard is a very useful piece of furniture, and what's great is that there are so many options, designs and styles out there so there is definitely a sideboard for every home! We've only used a few examples in this blog, view all of our sideboards here for more sideboard ideas!

Q&A

Question: Why is a sideboard considered a must-have in modern homes?

Answer: Because it’s incredibly versatile: it suits dining rooms, living rooms, and hallways, offers a curated surface for display, provides ample hidden storage, and doubles as an extra serving station when entertaining. With so many styles and sizes available, it elevates decor while keeping clutter out of sight.

Question: How do I choose the right size and style of sideboard for my space?

Answer: There are no fixed dimensions, so match the piece to your room: small for dining nooks, wide to anchor open-plan areas, and narrow for hallways or compact spaces. You can go traditional or opt for a smaller footprint; many collections offer both wide and narrow versions (for example, Blake and Valencia).

Question: What’s the best way to style the top of a sideboard without cluttering it?

Answer: Layer heights with a lamp and artwork, then add a few meaningful objects like photos, vases, or candles for balance. Keep the edit tight—too many knick-knacks dilute visual impact—and let the arrangement “finish” the room rather than overwhelm it.

Question: What kind of storage does a sideboard provide, and what can I keep inside?

Answer: Most sideboards combine drawers, shelves, and cupboards behind doors, making them ideal for organized, hidden storage. They easily house large dinner sets for special occasions, mismatched plates and bowls, and general household clutter you’d rather keep out of sight.

Question: How can a sideboard help when I’m entertaining?

Answer: It acts as an extra serving surface right by the table, so you can stage dishes, drinks, and desserts and rotate items as needed. It also works as a buffet station—great for smaller dining tables—or even as a mini bar during cocktail hour.