Sideboards and buffets were traditionally reserved for the dining room where they would store crockery and glassware while giving you a place to display photos or flowers. However, as our layouts changed – hello open plan living – so did the application of this piece of furniture. Nowadays, they are centrepieces of style and function and have earned their place in the modern home.
So, how do you go about finding the perfect sideboard? In this guide, we’ll explore all the aspects that need considering, taking into account vital points such as what shape and style will suit your accommodation best. From a wide range of sideboards on offer, we have narrowed down our top ten from brands such as John Lewis and Argos Home, each offering its own unique storage system.
Quick List - Top Sideboards
HOMCOM
A Smart Dresser With a Significant Amount of Storage Space for the Money
John Lewis & Partners
Achieve the Mid-Century Modern Aesthetic With a Retro-Inspired Sideboard/TV Stand
Argos Home
Disney-Esque Sideboard With Curved Surfaces, Perfect for a Kid’s Room or Nursery
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Table of Contents
A traditional sideboard takes the form of a low piece of furniture that usually measures no more than 100 cm in height. The storage is easily accessible and can be drawers, doors or both, while the tabletop is the perfect display surface for both functional and decorative items such as lighting, art or trinkets.
Most commonly they are free-standing units (which all of our picks are), but there are occasionally some wall-mounted options. They come in a wide array of different styles from traditional chest-like options to mid-century modern and Art Deco, so you’ll never be stuck finding something that suits your home and your tastes.
Dresser sideboards are different in the way that they are taller rather than wider. Therefore, they tend to be narrower, which is ideal if you’re low on floor space but still require some extra storage. They too utilise both drawers and doors, but you may also find some open storage cubes or shelves.
One facet unique to dresser styles is that glass can be used for the compartments. This makes the item look like a display unit, which might not be ideal if you’re trying to hide clutter but may be desirable if you’d like to exhibit your glassware. A person does have to consider the room when buying a dresser sideboard as they can become overbearing rather quickly and make the room feel smaller.
The number one function of a sideboard, whether in a traditional or contemporary home, is that of a storage unit. Thus, it makes sense to consider the storage type and volume offered by the various options available. The most common options include:
Last but not least, you’ll want to consider the materials. As with most furniture, solid woods are favoured as the highest-quality option, but they’ll be considerably heavier and more expensive. Manufactured boards, such as plywood or MDF, can be used in conjunction with solid woods or steel frames and help keep both the cost and weight down. Steel frames aren't common but assist in the solidity.
Talking of finishes, the materials used will also dictate this to a certain degree. So, if you’re after a unit for a traditionally styled home, darker woods may work better. On the flip side, lighter wood finishes work better with contemporary décor. Or, you can always opt for the classic black or white painted wood to take away the fear of clashing with other furniture.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | BTM Black Wood Sideboard | ![]() | A Neutral Sideboard With Multiple Storage Options, Perfect for Modern Home | |
2 | HOMCOM Free Standing Sideboard, Walnut | ![]() | A Smart Dresser With a Significant Amount of Storage Space for the Money | |
3 | John Lewis & Partners Grayson TV Stand Sideboard | ![]() | Achieve the Mid-Century Modern Aesthetic With a Retro-Inspired Sideboard/TV Stand | |
4 | Argos Home Serenity Sideboard | ![]() | Disney-Esque Sideboard With Curved Surfaces, Perfect for a Kid’s Room or Nursery | |
5 | John Lewis & Partners ANYDAY Mix it Double White Unit | ![]() | High-Quality, Large Dresser With 3 Big Cubes and 2 Doors for a Reasonable Price | |
6 | ValuFurniture Cambourne 3 Door 3 Drawer Sideboard - Sonoma Oak Effect | ![]() | An Affordable Solution With 3 Drawers and 3 Cupboards for a Clutter-Free Home | |
7 | John Lewis & Partners Frame Storage Cabinet | ![]() | An Ink Blue, Solid Oak Sideboard for Displaying Collections and Decorations | |
8 | Mercers Furniture Corona Large Sideboard | ![]() | The Perfect Hallway Sideboard With Top Drawers and Space for a Shoe Rack | |
9 | Meerveil Sideboard Storage Cabinet | ![]() | A Scandinavian Dresser Sideboard, Ideal for Those Who Want Plenty of Open Storage | |
10 | John Lewis & Partners Harvard TV Stand Sideboard | ![]() | A Versatile, Art Deco-Inspired Piece Made From MDF That Makes a Great TV Stand |
Introducing our top sideboard, this is available in black and white, both of which are neutral options and perfect for the modern home. Additionally, you have an array of different storage options with open cubes, drawers and a single-door cupboard.
With all the storage in mind and the excellent price we think this makes the best value for money. To top things off it also has almost the ideal mid-sized dimensions, making it suitable for plenty of different sized rooms.
This smart dresser features an unusual combination of traditional dark wood tones and modern design, meaning it wouldn't look out of place among modern or traditional décor.
The sideboard is made of a combination of pinewood and particle board, resulting in it being lightweight but still able to hold up to 100 kilos of your favourite books and other bits. On top of that, you get a significant amount of space for the money, making it an excellent choice if you're on a tight budget.
The design is retro-inspired, and we particularly like the long legs that give the sideboard a mid-century modern kind of aesthetic. Not only that, but the panelled design offers something a little more interesting than flat planks of wood.
A perfectly versatile sideboard/TV stand hybrid from John Lewis & Partners and in true John Lewis style, it feels like a solid, stable bit of furniture so is guaranteed to stand the test of time.
This sideboard from Argos Home harks back to older times, with design flourishes such as curved surfaces and plinth style legs. It reminds us of something you'd see in the classic Disney films of yesteryear, such as Peter Pan or Beauty and the Beast, and who hasn't wanted to live in one of those worlds before?
This charming sideboard is on the more petite side, thus making it an ideal choice if the room you're aiming to decorate is smaller or you want a compact piece. What's more, we think the size and design would be brilliant for a nursery or child's bedroom.
If you're not familiar with the ANYDAY range by John Lewis & Partners, it essentially comprises top-quality goods without the steep prices. Here we have their dresser, which is astonishingly large, making it ideal for those homes where chaos never seems too far away.
Within the dresser, we have four big cubes and two doors, so there are plenty of shelves to both display and store items neatly. The drawback is that there's not a lot of information on this piece with regards to weight and material, which is useful information we would expect from such a company.
The Cambourne sideboard from ValuFurniture is a fuss-free, affordable way of furnishing your home. It is designed to help you minimise messy clutter and does so by providing you with three drawers and three cupboards. Furthermore, you can use the tabletop to create a homely display of family snaps or house a few design-focused knick-knacks.
This piece is made from engineered wood, rather than real wood, with an oak effect finish, but will likely suit many contemporary homes. Again, the instructions aren't known to be the easiest, so you could struggle if you're not confident with building things.
While many sideboards hide debris and tidy a house, they also have the opposite advantage of showing off your collection of cookware, glassware, records, books or whatever you find yourself most proud of. If that's the look you're going for, then this will be right up your street.
Not only that, but the sideboard is also a nice piece of furniture in itself, made from solid oak with eight display shelves. Of course, the standout feature is the ink blue colour, which may split the crowd, but it's a certified winner for us.
To us, this offering from Mercers Furniture is the perfect hallway sideboard. It has drawers across the top, which will be handy for housing keys, wallets, headphones and other accessories. Underneath, it could double up as a closed shoe rack for your daily footwear selection.
That said, you'll need a pretty big hallway as this is one of the widest options in our ranking. Still, it could always work elsewhere in the home. Some buyers have found the assembly instructions hard to master, though, so you'll want to have a DIY-savvy person around when it's go-time.
Here we have our first dresser sideboard, and without doubt, the best feature is the storage on offer as there are five open cube spaces and shelf space behind the two doors. Furthermore, the design is modern, particularly the legs, which give the piece that ever-popular Scandinavian feel.
However, while there might be plenty of storage options, most of them are out in the open. For some people, this will be an advantage. For others, not so much. It just depends on why you want the sideboard and what you plan to put in or on it.
Getting the ball rolling, we have this TV Stand Sideboard from John Lewis & Partners. As the name suggests, it's a slight hybrid of designs and capable of being utilised in many different rooms. Plus, the Art Deco style is very on point with the interior trends of the moment.
There are a couple of things to note, though. Firstly, if you're not looking to use it as a TV stand, then the storage may not be the most ideal as there aren't any drawers. Secondly, although it's rather expensive, it's made of MDF. Good MDF, but MDF nonetheless.
No. 1: BTM|Black Wood Sideboard
No. 2: HOMCOM|Free Standing Sideboard, Walnut
No. 3: John Lewis & Partners|Grayson TV Stand Sideboard
No. 4: Argos Home|Serenity Sideboard
No. 5: John Lewis & Partners|ANYDAY Mix it Double White Unit
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