Sideboards are low cabinets designed primarily as storage with a tabletop, perfect for storage and styling! They combine both practical and aesthetic appeal that offers a generous amount of storage space for any room. At Oriana B, sideboards are top of the list for storage furniture. They add elegance and functionality to your home, perfect for displaying your treasured possessions and for storing all things that you don’t need to see everyday.
If you need help deciding how to style your sideboard or what kind of sideboards work in your home, keep reading for tips and inspiration that will provide you with a range of ideas on how to integrate your unique style into this new addition to your home.
“What kind of sideboard is right for my space and how do I style it?”
We are met with this question almost every week in Oriana B! It can be challenging to figure out how to use your space wisely and incorporate a new furniture piece into your home and we are always happy to help, so we wanted to put everything we know about sideboards into one simple easy to digest piece! Keep reading to get the OB scoop on all things sideboards.
Our Top Tips For Small Sideboards
Small sideboards and cabinets are usually around 80 cm to 1.1m wide, perfect for narrower areas of your home. Small sideboards are fabulous for tight areas like nooks and hallways that need a little extra storage. Depending on the width of your room, they can also work well as a TV/media unit, but we recommend leaving at least 4m between the sofa and sideboard if this is the case. This is to allow for appropriate depth to adjust your eye line, we don’t want you craning your neck upwards to watch the latest episode of Succession! Sideboards like this also work well in corners if you are working to a tight wall width, however anything over 1.1m in a corner appears uneven to the eye, so if you are in need of more storage, consider going higher and adjusting your vision to a bookshelf.
This beautiful Dark Mango Wood Compact Sideboard is an incredibly versatile and attractive piece of furniture. The cabinet is a dark mango wood with metal door pulls and a good size internal cupboard is mounted on black metal legs which hug the side of the cabinet. Check out this sideboard here.
Some Styling Inspiration…
Dark Mango Wood Compact Sideboard €1,095 | Black High Gloss Table Lamp €147.50 | Blue Glass Dishes €105 | True Grace Portobello Oud Diffuser €59 | Black Oval Mirror €155
For smaller sideboards, keep your display asymmetrical by adding a bold lamp on the left and balancing it out with a print or narrow mirror on the other side and keep to two or three small decorative items as there isn’t a lot of space to work with. This will help to create depth to your styling, don’t be afraid to play around! For example, adding a modern style homeware item to a mid century style sideboard is a great way to mix modern and vintage together to create a unique display. Check out our short and sweet video on styling a small sideboard here:
Our Top Tips For Medium Sideboards
Medium sideboards are the most versatile, as they work well in almost any room and can be as practical as beautiful! Usually around 1.2m to 1.6m wide, they can anchor a space by filling up an entire wall with some clever styling without being overwhelming pieces of furniture. They will usually have 2-3 cabinets of storage, so they work great as space to organise crockery and glassware in a dining room or as office storage.
Depending on the width of your room, they can also be used as a TV/Media unit, but we recommend at least 5m between the unit and seating to allow the appropriate space. Similarly, this scale of the piece works best with TVs like the Samsung Frame that are hung on the wall and can double as artwork and allow you to style on top of the unit itself!
This gorgeous Dark Wood Modern Sideboard sits 1.6m wide, providing your space with some warmth with its rich medium dark wood finish and grooved doors. Check out this sideboard here!
Some inspiration ahead....
Here's some inspiration on how to style this lovely sideboard for a living room space! Adding a few small homeware items can spruce up the furniture piece!
Dark Wooden Modern Sideboard €1,195 | Curved Terracotta Vase €24 | Vintage Red and Brown Glazed Vase €120 | True Grace Seashore Candle €36 | Antique Brass Glass Tray €27.50 | Japanese Still Life €120
For a medium sideboard, create a focal point in the centre of your display by choosing a large decorative item like a mirror or art piece. It’s important to consider the size of your decorative item that it should be roughly half the width of the sideboard as if it was bigger than the sideboard then it can make the display too overwhelming. When hanging a mirror or piece of art over your sideboard keep it to 30 cm above the surface top as this will keep the focal point within your eyeline and maintain a balanced look. Here is Alannah using our medium sideboard styling tips to dress the Anthracite and Marble Sideboard:
Our Top Tips for Large Sideboards
Large sideboards are statement pieces that are perfect for open-plan spaces. Large sideboards are great for balancing the space if you have high ceilings or a period home. They provide sizable multi-functional storage, working well in dining rooms as they are perfectly balanced next to 2m or more extended tables. Large sideboards offer plenty of space for styling, working excellently as a focal point for a unique piece of artwork.
This is a large and in-charge sideboard! Sitting at 1.92m, this sideboard can be restyled endlessly and will always feel fresh, yet feel like it's been there forever. This provides endless possibilities, and the deep black will make this sideboard stand out as a forever piece. Check out this sideboard here!
Here's some styling inspiration....
Black Metal Sideboard €515 | Tall Glass Table Lamp Brown €275 | Antique White Round Ceramic Dragonfly Box €19.50 | Portland Rectangular Mirror 120cm €225 | Porcelain Zebra Jar 2 Sizes €103
If you choose a large sideboard then you have a lot of space to work with. Create a bold focal point be it either one large piece of artwork or a small gallery wall/multiple pieces resting along the centre that amounts to approximately half the width of the sideboard. Similarly, if you want to add a mirror above a large sideboard, it can be tricky as the mirror will need to be around 1m wide in order to have an impact on your display. Go big or go home, choose an extremely oversized piece or mirrors with very ornate detailing to create a bang!
Adding lamps is essential and don’t be afraid to go big as small lamps will get lost in the display. Going asymmetrical or symmetrical with your display by adding lamps on either side of the sideboard can create a bookend display. Add 4-6 decorative items to your sideboard in a similar colour palette varying in size and height, so play around with your display. Styling a large sideboard can be fun to play around with, check out Alannah styling our gorgeous large mid century sideboard with tambour doors here:
Here are some quickfire tips to spruce up your sideboard!
1. Add Artwork
Having a print on top of a sideboard is a no-brainer because it can be the main focal point of the sideboard. This could be a gorgeous print of your favourite artwork or a portrait of your loved ones. When choosing your artwork think about what colours work cohesively with your accessories, pull out one hue and work with that e.g. with our Cockatoo and Pomegranate Print the red of the fruit is perfect to build on for your accessories!
Cockatoo & Pomegrante Print €110 | Curved Glass Lamp with Linen Amber Shade €195 | Medium Red Glass Candlestick €25 | Red Stoneware Vase Ornament Set of 2 | Modern Black Meta & Glass Sideboard €1,350
2. Balance With A Lamp
Every sideboard needs at least one lamp, so choose carefully for maximum impact! Take the size of your sideboard into account: small = one small or medium lamp, medium = one medium/large or two small lamps, large = always two large lamps!
Black Inlay Lamp €325 | Japanese Still Life €120 | Pair of Glazed Foo Dogs Ornaments €45 | Mid Century Sideboard With Tambour Doors €3,225
3. Add Accessories
Adding a selection of homewares will spice up your sideboard, and incorporating smaller accessories will create a more unique sense of style for your furniture. As a rule of thumb choose a could of ornamental pieces with one vase or candle holder and at least one non-decorative item like a plant or book to add depth to your styling.
True Grace Cedarwood Diffuser €50 | Twisted Pink Vase €35 | Portland Round Silver Mirror | 70cm €140 | A-Ok Hand Ornament €17.50 | Dark Mango Wood Compact Sideboard €1,095
Do you have any go to sideboard styling tips? Sound off in the comments below!
