A sideboard earns its place by holding what the room would otherwise have on show: dinnerware, games, cables, linen. Decide the wall length first, then the height, then the finish.
Measure the wall and the doors
Leave a hand's width of wall at each end, so the piece does not look jammed. Check the space in front of the doors. Hinged doors need room to swing, so allow for the open width as well as the closed depth. Check that the height clears any power points or switches on the wall behind.
Smoked ash, 2.2 metres
The Maison Sideboard is a four-door sideboard in smoked ash with a deep, walnut-toned finish. Rounded edges and a clean facade give it a refined retro line, and the generous internal shelving takes dinnerware and media. Smoking varies the tone from piece to piece, so see it in the showroom if the exact tone matters to your room.
Grey oak veneer, 1.8 metres
If the wall is shorter, the Max Large Sideboard from Camerich is 180 cm long and 79 cm high, with four doors. The finish is smooth grey oak veneer over a blackened steel frame. The veneer is real oak, so grain and tone vary between pieces, and a dry cloth is all it needs.
A narrower alternative
For an entry or hallway, the Palm Console Table is 1.5 metres in a seamless concrete cire finish, in Cloudy Latte or Black. It is slimmer than a sideboard, so it suits a passage where depth matters.
Using a sideboard as a media unit
A sideboard works as a TV cabinet if the height suits the screen. A sideboard sits higher than a low TV unit, so check that the screen will sit at eye level when you are seated. Leave room behind for cables and ventilation. See our TV unit guide for sizing to the screen.
Styling the top
Keep the top uncluttered. A lamp at one end, a bowl or a stack of books at the other, and some clear surface between them looks deliberate. A mirror or one large piece of art above ties the piece to the wall.
Care
Dust smoked ash with a dry cloth, and use a mat under hot dishes. Veneer needs only a dry or barely damp cloth. Keep either out of direct sun, which can change the tone of timber over time. Our furniture care guide has more.
Questions we hear
Will it work in a dining room? Yes, it holds dinnerware within reach of the table. How deep is too deep? In a narrow room, check that you can still walk past with the doors open. Can I use it in a hall? A console is the better fit for a narrow passage.
See them in person
Browse cabinets and sideboards or visit our Parnell or Grey Lynn showroom. Bring your wall measurements and we can check the fit.
