Best Sideboards UK: How to Choose for Your Dining Room, Living Room or Hallway

Pick a sideboard by the room it is going in first, then by what you need to store, and only then by finish. In a dining room, 35 to 45cm deep is typical and the width should follow your table at about 60 to 75 percent of its length. In a living room, a longer unit with doors hides the clutter. In a hallway, depth is the deciding number: look for 35cm or less so you can still walk past it. Below are the practical trade-offs, a room-by-room table, and four picks from Opal Retail. If you're still working out width and height, our sideboard and buffet size guide covers that, so this page sticks to choosing a sideboard for a dining room or living room.

In this article

• Which sideboard suits which room?
• Doors, drawers or open shelves?
• What should I check on legs, finish and materials?
• Will a sideboard fit my hallway?
• Should I fix a sideboard to the wall?
• Our four picks
• FAQ

Which sideboard suits which room?

The same piece does a different job in each room, so start there. In a dining room it holds tableware and serves as a landing spot for dishes. In a living room it is mostly closed storage with a surface for a lamp. In a hallway it is a slim catch-all for keys, post and shoes.

These depth ranges are based on the units in our range, most of which run from about 30cm to 45cm deep. For wider dining-room context, see our dining room furniture buying guide.

Doors, drawers or open shelves?

Match the layout to what you will actually put in it. The three layouts behave differently day to day.

• Doors with adjustable shelves suit bulky items such as serving dishes, glasses and boxed games. You can reset the shelf height as your storage changes.
• Drawers suit cutlery, table linen, candles and paperwork. Small things stay sorted instead of sliding around on a shelf.
• Open compartments suit baskets, books and everyday bowls. They look lighter but nothing in them is hidden.

One layout detail is worth checking before you buy. Some units put drawers directly behind a cupboard door, so the door must be fully open before the drawer will pull out. Most people on this Mumsnet thread (about kitchens, but the point carries over) find it annoying, mainly because the door has to be fully open first and the drawer can scrape it, though a few like the extra storage. If you open your sideboard in a hurry, choose drawers in their own column beside the doors.

What should I check on legs, finish and materials?

These are the details that decide whether you are still happy with the piece in a year.

• Legs or plinth. Raised legs let light through and make cleaning underneath possible, but dust collects there. Our 110cm soft-close sideboard sits 8cm off the floor and the glass-door buffet sits 8.5cm off. If you want to clean underneath easily, check the listed leg height before you buy.
• Material. Most sideboards in this range are MDF or particleboard with a wipe-clean surface, not solid wood. That's normal, and it keeps costs down. The listing tells you which one, so read it.
• High gloss or matt. Gloss bounces light round a small room and wipes clean, but it shows fingerprints. Matt hides them.
• Weight limits. Where a listing states a load limit, it is split across shelves and the top. The 110cm unit below, for example, is rated 55kg overall and 5kg per drawer or shelf, so heavy items belong on the base board.
• Colour. A sideboard doesn't have to match your dining table. Either keep to the same tone family, or contrast deliberately, for example a white sideboard against a warm wood table.

Will a sideboard fit my hallway?

Depth is the number that matters here, not width. A 35cm deep unit in a 1m wide hallway leaves about 65cm to walk through. That is below the 900mm benchmark below, so it only suits a hall you walk straight through, not one with doors opening onto it. A 45cm unit leaves 55cm, which most people will find too narrow.

For a benchmark, Approved Document M, the building regulations guidance for new homes, expects a clear corridor width of 900mm where you approach a doorway head on. See Approved Document M, Volume 1, Table 1.1. It's a rule for new builds, not a legal limit for your existing hall, but it shows how much clear space is considered comfortable. If your hallway is narrower than that, a shallow unit or a bench is the safer choice. Our guide to shoe storage benches for hallways covers the alternative.

Should I fix a sideboard to the wall?

Yes, if there are children in the home or the unit is tall or top-heavy. RoSPA's guidance on securing flat-screen TVs says straps can be used on other types of furniture too, tethered to brackets fixed to the wall, and that on plasterboard the brackets should go into the wooden studs behind. It doesn't mention sideboards by name, so treat it as sound general practice rather than a sideboard rule. Two of the units below have an anti-tip fitting or design, which is worth looking for.

Our four picks

These four cover different rooms and budgets, and every measurement comes from the product page.

Best for a dining room

White High Gloss Dining Room Sideboard, 145cm

Two cupboards and three drawers, 145cm wide, 45cm deep and 80cm high, in an MDF high-gloss finish with iron legs. It suits a table about 195 to 240cm long, roughly 8 to 10 seats.

View this sideboard →

Best for a kitchen or tight hallway with soft-close doors

White Sideboard with 3 Drawers and 2 Soft-Close Doors, 110cm

110cm wide, 35cm deep and 80.4cm high, with soft-close hinges and an anti-tip wall fixing kit included.

View this sideboard →

Best for a hallway or tighter space

Storage Sideboard with 2 Barn Doors and Open Shelves, 100cm

100cm wide, 35cm deep and 70cm high, with a steel frame, three open compartments and adjustable shelving.

View this sideboard →

Best for display and storage

Buffet Sideboard with Glass Doors and Oak Top, Black/Brown

120cm wide, 40cm deep and 90cm high, with drawers, glass-fronted cabinets, adjustable shelves and an anti-tip design.

View this sideboard →

Frequently asked questions

Should a sideboard match the dining table?

No. It can match, but it doesn't have to. Either stay in the same tone family or contrast on purpose, such as a white sideboard with a warm wood table.

What can I put on top of a sideboard?

A lamp, a vase or a bowl, and a few books or candles.

What is the difference between a sideboard and a buffet?

The two terms overlap a lot in everyday use. Our size guide explains the difference and how wide and tall each should be.

How deep should a hallway sideboard be?

Aim for 35cm or less. In a 1m wide hallway that leaves about 65cm of walking space.

Do I need to fix a sideboard to the wall?

It's sensible, especially with children in the house. Use the anti-tip fitting if one is supplied, and fix into studs where the wall is plasterboard.