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How to style a sideboard


10 buffet styling tips |

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Sideboard decor ideas can really elevate your entertaining space. As well as offering useful storage space, the sideboard is the perfect spot to display treasures and trinkets, and creates a focal point for artwork and lighting.

If you are gathering dining room ideas, don't just focus on the table – the sideboard really does have a role in your rooms scheme, too.

'Think about how you're going to bring your unique personality into the dining room to help decide how to style a sideboard,' says Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, co-CEO at home décor brand Dowsing & Reynolds .

'Books, art, photos, vases, trinkets, colors and details all provide an opportunity to say something about yourself, and make great talking points at dinner parties.'

Sideboard decor ideas

You can have a lot of fun dressing up your sideboard, and interior experts always relish the job.  

'Sideboards are some of our favorite moments to style,' says Studio Ashby . 'Art, lighting, ceramics, beautiful books and trinkets are all chic choices.'

Below, we show you the experts' top sideboard decor ideas to set your dining room apart.

1. Make it pretty yet practical

(Image credit: Neptune)

Your sideboard is the perfect spot for styling decorative objects, but don't forget it can also be used for extra storage. Glazed-fronted sideboards can make for great small dining room ideas – the space will feel less crowded than with solid furniture, plus glass allows you to show off what you're storing – albeit in a chic way.

Louise Wicksteed, Design Director at Sims Hilditch , says: 'We love to use sideboards in dining rooms as this is a great way to use the space. They are perfect for storing crockery, napkins, and cutlery to be used for more formal occasions.'

2. Highlight sideboard decor ideas with lighting

(Image credit: Arteriors)

If you are working on lighting a dining room, make space on a sideboard for lamps. This will not only allow you to create soft pools of low light – so welcome in a dining room – but will also illuminate your sideboard decor ideas. 

Helen Pett, Design Ambassador at Arteriors London , adds: 'Of course, when entertaining, the additional table space can be used for floral arrangements, beautiful china and glassware and serving platters while still sitting prettily as key part of your décor.'

3. Maximize sideboard decor ideas with a mirror

(Image credit: 'Michelle Nussbaumer and Stephen Karlisch)

If you are considering dining room wall ideas that create drama, then an antiqued glass, elaborately framed-mirror is the best find for traditional dining spaces. Plus, decorating with mirrors will double the impact of any sideboard decor ideas you're displaying – especially in smaller or dark spaces. It's a win win.

4. Display art to focus attention on sideboard decor ideas

(Image credit: Natalia Miyar)

Art, hung centrally above a sideboard, placed centrally behind a dining table, can create a focal point that frames the entire space.  

Whether it's wall-hung or propped on your sideboard, a good general rule of thumb to follow when styling your sideboard is to make the artwork around two-thirds of its width. This gives a visually pleasing proportion while also working to invigorate the space.

5. Employ the overlapping technique

(Image credit: Neptune)

To make your sideboard decor ideas feel curated, don't be afraid for your objects and anchoring pieces to 'overlap'. 

Place a lamp slightly in front of your artwork, or let foliage, twigs or flowers spread across the central piece; this will allow the finished look to feel cohesive and interactive, rather than static and flat.

6. Play with height

(Image credit: Kristin Karch Photography/The Misfit House)

One of the most important elements of styling sideboard decor is to ensure your display includes objects of varying heights to add interest to the look.

'Playing with heights and layers is essential,' states Jane Rockett of Rockett St George . 'However, this doesn’t necessarily mean putting the tallest items in the center of the sideboard. An asymmetrical display looks particularly great when styling a sideboard and allows you to build height and a focal point at just one end.'

Ally at Dowsing Reynolds adds: 'Style an uneven assortment of smaller items alongside tall or oversized items to create height and layers. Piles of books that reflect your interests alongside meaningful sculptures make great focal points.'

If you choose sideboard decor ideas that chime with your dining table decor ideas you will create a neat, coordinated look, too.

7. Group objects in threes

(Image credit: Murphy Deesign)

To make sure your sideboard decor ideas don't look higgledy-piggledy, try grouping your objects into threes for a curated finish that's easy on the eye. 

The rule of three is a great interior design tip that you can apply to many aspects of your decor scheme, and is certainly the magic number when it comes to styling for a fresh appeal.

'Much like your coffee table or shelves, styling your sideboard decor ideas is an opportunity to be playful and reveal more of your personality within your interior,' says Jane Rockett.

8. Create a tableau

(Image credit: Arteriors)

If you're feeling a little overwhelmed at the prospect of styling your sideboard decor ideas, why not create a tableau – which is simply a group of objects that, together, look like they're made for each other?

Just as with coffee table styling, Jane Rockett suggests that 'you shouldn't worry about filling the entire space', while Arteriors' Helen Pett comments: 'We like starting with a nice low-rise sculpted centerpiece and a coffee table book stack for an everyday look.'

You could even simply add a group of candles at varying heights for a stylish and simple look.

9. Add a sculptural piece to anchor your display

(Image credit: Tiffany Leigh Design/Lauren Miller)

Sculptural vases, objets and lamps are a stylish way to make a statement and turn your sideboard decor ideas into an arty showcase that blends form and function – coordinate them to the rest of your scheme and you can pull a larger space together – useful if you are looking for uniting kitchen diner ideas.  

'Add ambience and pockets of light with table lamps, and repeat textures, shapes and colors around the room,' suggests Ally Dowsing-Reynolds.

Don't neglect candles as part of your sideboard decor display. Jane Rockett adds: 'For a sideboard in the dining room, candles, candlesticks and vases always look beautiful.'

Louise Wicksteed says: 'When it comes to styling a dining room sideboard, we suggest placing a large candle at either end. Not only does this offer subtle background lighting around the table but also nods to the elegance of the room by providing well thought-out symmetry.'

10. Display your glassware

(Image credit: Arteriors)

A sideboard can double up as a drinks cabinet in a dining room, and is ideal for displaying your pretty glassware for after-dinner drinks.

Jane Rockett says: 'A sideboard is the perfect place to curate a mini cocktail bar with a few of your favurite tipples and glassware on display.'

Mix your drinks' display with other pretty artefacts, candles and vases, or an oversized plant for extra wow factor.

How can I decorate my sideboard?

To decorate a sideboard well, there are a few rules to follow that are really useful:

What do you put in a sideboard?

Sideboards are really useful for storing everything you might need for dining – from cutlery and china to linen and flatware. You can also usefully store candles, matches, placemats and glassware in a sideboard. When shopping for a sideboard, consider what you will need to store in it – drawers will be more useful for storing candles, cutlery and placemats; cupboards for glassware and china. A combination of both is the most versatile choice.

Ruth Doherty is an experienced digital writer and editor specializing in interiors, travel and lifestyle. With 20 years of writing for national sites under her belt, she’s worked for the likes of Livingetc.com, Standard, Ideal Home, Stylist and Marie Claire as well as Homes & Gardens.

How to style your sideboard

There's an art to making furniture look good, and it's usually down to some simple styling tricks.

Sideboards are ideal for both storage and display use. Usually in a living or dining room, it's traditionally used to store dinnerware, but is also perfect for adding storage to any room without compromising on design.

Available in classic, stylish and contemporary styles, sideboards are a must-have storage solution, but what's on display is just as important as what's stored inside. Find out some styling tricks from the team at Danetti:

1.

Danetti

    Where to buy: Assi Wenge dark wood sideboard £449, Danetti

    2.

    Danetti

    • Wood is a wonderful material but the grain can create quite a distraction and is a focal point in its own right.
    • Accentuate the warm tones of the sideboard by choosing some accessories.
    • Soft coloured aubergine and chocolate coloured glass vases are blended with white pots and monochrome prints by using lots of greenery and a copper tray.

      Where to buy: Assi walnut sideboard £449, Danetti

      More sideboard inspiration (pricing from low to high)

      1. With clean lines, a sleek design (including push-to-open doors) and plenty of storage, this sideboard is perfect for any contemporary home. It's also compatible with the media unit, meaning you can remove one or both legs from the sideboard and slide the media unit underneath for additional storage. Hopkins Sideboard Oak Grey, £129, Made.com

      Made.com

      2. A quirky storage solution, this retro vintage 50s style sideboard features three uniquely coloured drawers adorned with an eclectic mix of handles made from iron, bone and cut glass. Milligan Retro Sideboard, £379, Atkin and Thyme

      Atkin and Thyme

      3. With a white gloss finish and contrasting grey doors, this sideboard combines practicality and style to make an ideal storage solution for your home. Assi White and Grey Gloss Sideboard, £429, Danetti

      Danetti

      4. This lovely rustic, worn-in finish is a nice nod to mid-century design. It's made from solid reclaimed fir recovered from old buildings. Hoot sideboard, £595, Loaf

      Loaf

      5. This distinctive sideboard is handmade from eco-friendly mango wood and is large enough to house all your home's essentials. Newton Sideboard, £699, Atkin and Thyme

      Atkin and Thyme

      6. Beautifully designed in solid walnut with oak details on the door, this is stylish, spacious and perfect for a modern home. Scarpa W Sideboard by WeWood, £4608, 4Living.co.uk

      4Living.co.uk

      Buffet in a modern interior: what you need to know

      Even some 20 years ago, a buffet could be found in almost every apartment, and even more so in summer cottages. Today, this piece of furniture takes on a new meaning, giving zest to interiors of different styles.

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      Pictured:

      What is a buffet?

      Sideboard is a floor cabinet designed to store dishes, tableware and some other kitchen or tableware. Most often, the lower part of the sideboard is massive and equipped with wooden doors. A little higher is usually a countertop with free space, and already above it is the upper tier of cabinets, usually with glazed doors. This configuration of buffets is considered classic. It has remained virtually unchanged since their appearance in interior design in the 17th century.
      Recently, new interpretations of this piece of furniture, made in a minimalist style, have appeared. True, in this case they are more reminiscent of a rack than a sideboard. By the way, in our country this piece of furniture is often called a sideboard or a slide.

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      Pictured:

      Where is the buffet located?

      Since the sideboard is still a kind of “showcase for dishes”, as well as a place to store cutlery, it is usually located next to the dining table. But the latter can be both in the kitchen and in the living room.

      Sideboard style and color

      Showcase from the Charme collection by Domus Mobili

      In the kitchen. The sideboard can be made in the style of a kitchen set or only slightly repeat its color scheme. Recently, it is important to use the sideboard as an accent in the interior. Often this is achieved through contrasting colors. Accent can also be created by combining different styles. For example, when a vintage sideboard is placed in a minimalist interior with smooth glossy facades of the kitchen. Such a stylistic contrast looks very impressive.

      In the living room. The presence of a buffet in the living room is logical if there is a dining group right there. It is better if it harmonizes with the general style of the living room and, perhaps, does not even stand out much from the general background. To design a sideboard in the living room, you should choose more neutral forms that will organically fit into the interior. To emphasize the contents of the sideboard, you can use special interior lighting. In combination with glass doors, it always looks beautiful and moderately solemn.

      • 1 of 1

      Pictured:


      , Stepan Bugaev, Design Point

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      how to choose materials and decorate a sideboard

      A sideboard is a roomy kitchen cabinet of an unusual shape. Today it is considered that this piece of furniture is outdated, and it has no place in the modern design of the kitchen or living room. However, this is not true.

      • Features and purpose
      • Varieties
      • A bit of history
      • Design features
      • Front options
      • Choose a style
      • How to make a buffet with your own hands
        • Materials and tools
      • Video: how to make a farm-style sideboard
      • Varieties of buffets in the photo

      Features and purpose

      The main purpose of the sideboard is to store kitchen utensils, serving items, cutlery. Often, non-perishable food (vases with sweets and cookies), as well as drinks, are stored in the buffet.

      This unusual piece of furniture easily copes with two functions at once:

      • Practical - it is convenient to store in it, and it is convenient to get various kitchen utensils from it.
      • Decorative - with a sideboard, the interior becomes unusual, and the kitchen and living room are filled with homely warmth and comfort.
      Sideboard can perform both practical and decorative functions.

      Sideboards are sometimes compared and even confused with other kitchen furniture. However, we can safely say that despite some similarities, in the end, the buffet is a unique thing of its kind. For example, if you compare it with a pencil case, then the sideboard is a little higher and much wider. Unlike cabinets, it has three sections: top, middle and bottom. Finally, very often sideboards are “equipped” with a countertop and a niche.

      Varieties

      Buffet buffet different. This piece of furniture may well be used not only for the kitchen or living room (this is the lot of classic sideboards). There is also a sideboard and a display cabinet. Each model is distinguished by the presence or absence of open shelves, as well as the number of drawers.

      The classic model is, after all, a kitchen version, or, in extreme cases, it can be placed in a living room combined with a kitchen. Numerous shelves and drawers contain not only dishes and cutlery, but also tea, coffee, confectionery and spices. The free niche of the hostess is used as a worktop, for preparing snacks, brewing tea or spectacular serving of ready meals.

      Classic model, mainly used in the kitchen.

      Sideboard - this is for a classic living room. Initially, sideboards were called low sideboards without an upper compartment. Modern models outwardly very much resemble their predecessor, and differ only in the absence of a niche. The sideboard has a lower cabinet with two (sometimes three) doors, and an upper compartment with glazed facades. Thanks to such "showcases", it is possible to flaunt expensive and spectacular dishes.

      Sideboard is usually located in a classic living room.

      Showcase cabinet - another kind of old sideboard. This model is considered ideal for the dining area, as it allows you to put decorative gizmos and dishes on display, and also provides easy access to them. Can be with open or glazed shelves.

      Buffet-showcase is usually located in the dining area and also has a decorative function.

      A bit of history

      Sideboard, as an interior item, has been used since the 15th century. France is considered its homeland and initially it was available exclusively to the rich nobility. It was only used to store dishes. The first models had two compartments: porcelain was stored in one, and silver cutlery was stored in the other. For maximum safety of the contents, the buffet doors had special locks.

      Initially, the buffet was an interior item in the homes of the French nobles.

      It is worth noting that the word "buffet" itself is literally translated from Latin as "brilliant table".

      It was not until the 17th century that these kitchen cabinets took on the shape we are familiar with today. The upper part of the structure either remained open or was equipped with elegant doors. In the middle there were drawers for storing cutlery, and in the lowest compartment with massive doors they stored heavy dishes to make it easier to get them out.

      Over time, the buffet began to take on a more modern form.

      In the middle part of the structure, between the upper and lower compartments, there was a table top. It was most often used to prepare cutlery for serving or to prepare quick snacks. It is believed that it was thanks to this function that the word "buffet" received another meaning - a place for a snack.

      In Russia there was a prototype of a modern sideboard, which was a metal cabinet with legs. The model was used to store samovars, various containers for heating water, as well as jars of jam.

      Modern buffets are not much different from their "ancestors". Like the tables and chairs that are familiar to us, kitchen cabinets have not lost their relevance and are still in demand in a variety of styles and interiors.

      Sideboard or sideboard can be found in many modern homes.

      Design features

      Traditional sideboard consists of three parts: top, middle and bottom.

      The top is usually used to store dishes and kitchen items that are not used every day, such as glasses, wine glasses, fine dinnerware and sets for guests. The uppermost shelves can be glazed, or they can be completely open. The glazed version is more preferable, since the dishes at the same time remain in sight, and, at the same time, are protected from dust, moisture and grease.

      The upper part is usually used to store dishes that are rarely used.

      The middle section has special drawers for storing cutlery and other useful little things. In modern sideboards, such departments are located immediately below the upper compartment, and in the sideboard they take place under a niche with a table top. A niche is usually designed to store frequently used dishes, as well as vases with fruit or sweets. Looks very impressive on the countertop and a vase of flowers.

      Some sideboard models are equipped with pull-out tops, which makes the design even more functional. On such a surface, you can cook or sort dishes before placing them in their places.

      The lower part of the cupboard consists of large compartments with shelves, covered with opaque fronts. It is there that large kitchen utensils - pots, pans, dishes find their "shelter". There is also a place for household appliances.

      The lower part of the sideboard is designed to store large items.

      Front options

      The appearance is largely determined by its front (front panels, doors). Depending on the design, they can be:

      1. One-piece - continuous sheets. Such facades are durable and easy to use. Since there are no seams on them, they are easy to wash and wipe.
      2. Framed - base framed. Usually such structures are made of different materials. Outwardly, they look very attractive, but otherwise they lose to solid facades.

      For decorative framing of panels use:

      • Carving (patterns applied to wood). This is a classic buffet design.
      • Engraving - a design or inscription made on metal or other durable metal.
      • Glazing. Option to decorate the top of the sideboard. If you do not want the contents of the shelves to be visible to everyone, use stained glass windows instead of ordinary transparent glass.
      • Veneering. The facade is covered with a thin layer of natural wood. As a rule, this is a great option for saving money, since a sideboard made of MDF with veneer looks no different from a piece of natural wood furniture.

      Choosing a style

      Whether you're buying a ready-made sideboard or planning to make your own, decide on a style ahead of time. The most popular are classic, modern, country.

      Classic. Furniture items in this style are distinguished by a noble shade. Brown, beige and all pastel colors look perfect. The decor should be moderate, since the classic design direction does not tolerate excesses.

      Modern. This style is dominated by light and pastel colors. As decorative elements, preference is given to carvings, ornate patterns and ornaments. The lines should be smooth, floral patterns and semicircular shapes are welcome.

      The Art Nouveau style features pastel colors and ornate decorations.

      Country. It is generally accepted that this is a rustic design. Thanks to this style, it becomes warm and cozy in any room. The main requirement: the sideboard must be made of natural wood or MDF with veneer trim. The predominant colors are warm.

      The rustic style is characterized by the predominance of wood finishes.

      How to make a cupboard with your own hands

      The main advantage of handmade furniture is maximum convenience and correct dimensions. You choose what you will make a sideboard from and how its finish will look like. By the way, an unusual color of a piece of furniture, molding or stained glass can be chosen as a decor.

      Materials and tools

      A wide range of materials for making furniture by hand is now available. Most commonly used:

      1. Fiberboard. The material is budget-friendly. The main performance characteristics are resistance to a humid environment (which is important for the kitchen), comparative ease of processing. Typically, fiberboard is used to make the back walls of wall cabinets, drawers and classic cabinets. The material is not deformed and is securely held on the fasteners. Thanks to its use, it is possible to reduce the weight of the future buffet.
      2. chipboard. Easy to handle and also a very common material. It is actively used for the manufacture of a wide variety of pieces of furniture. It has an aesthetic appearance - the surface may have “woody” patterns. The only caveat: it is recommended to keep finished furniture away from heat sources. Otherwise, the process of evaporation of harmful substances may begin, which will cause allergic reactions.
      3. MDF. Environmentally friendly material. It is valued for its resistance to moisture and decent appearance. It is not afraid of heat sources, so furniture made of this material can be installed anywhere in the kitchen, even next to the stove. MDF is also actively used for the manufacture of decorative elements.
      4. Solid wood. The most expensive and environmentally friendly material. Pine, oak or larch is best suited for a sideboard. To save money, it is recommended to make only facades from natural wood, and make side and rear walls from more budget materials.

      Having decided on the material for creating a sideboard, you need to choose a set of tools. You will need:

      • Drill.
      • Screwdriver.
      • Wood drills.
      • Tape measure and sticky tape.
      • Drawing pencil.
      • Vice.
      • Milling and grinding machine.
      • Sanded sheet.
      • Lacquer finish.
      To work, you will need quite a lot of tools and materials.

      Well, you need to start the process of creating a sideboard with your own hands from a drawing. Thanks to the right project, you can accurately determine the amount of material and decorative elements you need.

      After all the necessary measurements and cutting, the assembly of parts is carried out according to the following plan:

      1. Preparation of large elements, and then smaller parts.
      2. Assembly of the body and installation of internal parts using screws and angles.

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