Over the past few months I’ve ended up researching minimalist sideboards for a few different client interior projects, so I thought I’d share my favourite finds here, too.
Sideboards are incredibly useful and versatile pieces of furniture. They add extra storage and act as a place to display vases, artwork and the like. What’s more, they’re not just the preserve of dining rooms – they can work brilliantly in hallways, living rooms and offices, and I’ve even seen them used as console tables behind sofas or as dividers to break up open-plan spaces.
Here are 21 of the best designs currently on the market, all with the kind of clean lines and simple, timeless aesthetic that means you can invest in them safe in the knowledge that they’re unlikely to ever date. As always there are options to suit all budgets, room sizes and settings, and I’ve added a few handy tips to help you choose the right sideboard for you at the bottom of the post.
- Muuto ‘Reflect’ dresser, available in a natural or black-stained finish, £2,705, Made in Design [AD – affiliate link]
- Kristina Dam Studio ‘Grid’ powder-coated steel sideboard, available in black or beige, £1,449, Utility Design
- ‘Gideon’ solid-oak sideboard, £599, MADE.com [AD – affiliate link]
- Ferm Living ‘Haze’ metal and glass sideboard, available in black or beige, £1,555, Someday Designs
- ‘Type 01’ sideboard, available in ash or oak veneer, £429-4,000 depending on the size chosen (the example shown here is £1,041), Tylko
- Lacquered-MDF sideboard, numerous colours and configurations available, from £2,013, Montana
- ‘Jenson’ solid-oak sideboard, available in a natural or dark-stained finish, £599, MADE.com [AD – affiliate link]
- Punt ‘Tactile’ three-door sideboard, available in oak, dark grey-stained oak, walnut or white-lacquered walnut, £1,688-1,887, Nest.co.uk
- ‘Mambo’ oak-veneer and metal sideboard, £349.30, La Redoute
- Muuto ‘Enfold’ metal and oak sideboard, available in grey, green or black, £1,549, Made in Design [AD – affiliate link]
- Northern ‘Hifive’ oak and metal television table / sideboard, available in a natural, dark or black-stained finish, £1,581, Made in Design [AD – affiliate link]
- ‘Øna’ sideboard, available in black, navy or white and with black or oak legs, €1,117.50 for the longer version (shown here) or €967.50 for the shorter one, Noo.ma
- ‘Estate’ oak-veneer sideboard, £999, John Lewis
- Woud ‘Virka’ oak-veneer and metal sideboard, available in oak or black and oak, £1,155 for the low version (shown here) or £1,799 for the higher one, Nest.co.uk
- Skagerak ‘Jut’ oak cabinet, available with an oak, green-marble or black-marble top, £1,875-2,249, Nest.co.uk
- ‘LIXHULT’ grey metal cabinet combination, £60, IKEA
- Punt ‘Sussex’ two-door sideboard, available in oak, dark grey-stained oak, white-lacquered oak or walnut, £1,612-1,790, Nest.co.uk
- ‘BESTÅ’ storage unit, available in numerous colours and combinations, from £185, IKEA
- ‘Bergen’ oak-veneer sideboard, £750, Rose & Grey
- Steel sideboard, available in black, white, beige or a galvanised zinc finish, €649, Design Of
- Woud ‘Array’ oak and metal sideboard, available in a natural or black-stained finish, £1,599 for the smaller version (shown here) or £2,049 for the larger one, Heals
Tips for choosing a sideboard
Firstly, think about how you’d like to use your sideboard. Do you want it for storage, display or a combination of both? And do you need the things within it to be easily accessible? That will dictate whether you opt for one with shelves, cupboards, drawers or a mix of all three, and help you narrow down the selection.
Above: Skagerak’s oak ‘Jut’ cabinet and Noo.ma’s stylish ‘Øna’ sideboard
It’s also worth considering whether you want to create a feature out of your sideboard or have it blend into the background. All of the above designs are fairly minimalist, but some have added detailing in the form of chevron patterns (John Lewis’ ‘Estate’, Rose & Grey’s ‘Bergen’), grooved surfaces (Muuto’s ‘Enfold’, Punt’s ‘Sussex’, Woud’s ‘Array’) or perforated steel fronts (Kristina Dam Studio’s ‘Grid’). The fluted glass doors of Ferm Living’s ‘Haze’ design work particularly well if you want your sideboard to make a statement – especially if you’ll be using it to store pretty ceramics or tableware that you’d like to keep on view.
Above: Muuto’s ‘Enfold’ design and Ferm Living’s ‘Haze’ cabinet, shown here in green and beige
When it comes to size, make sure you measure carefully – and, as sideboards can be chunky, do check whether your chosen design will fit through any narrow doors or hallways! Many of the above models are available in several sizes, but if you have awkward dimensions to contend with then it’s worth considering IKEA’s ‘BESTÅ’ system, Montana’s designs or Tylko’s ‘Type 01’ sideboard. The first two are modular set-ups that come in all sorts of colours and combinations, while the latter can be made to any length and height you want. They’re all incredibly versatile, allowing you to design a piece that suits your space and needs perfectly.
If you have a small room and want to avoid overwhelming it, look for a sideboard with slender legs that lifts it off the ground – being able to see a bit of floor and wall around it will instantly create the illusion of more space. Another alternative is the Design Of model which, although not on legs, has a wonderfully lightweight, unobtrusive appearance. It works best if you primarily want to use it for display rather than storage, although you could add some boxes or baskets to hide away any less-than-pretty items.
Above: Woud’s slim-legged ‘Array’ sideboard and Design Of’s super-sleek steel design – both ideal for small spaces
Finally, it’s worth thinking about where you’re going to place your sideboard and whether there’ll be enough room to open any doors or drawers properly. If space is tight, you might want to consider a design with sliding doors rather than hinges – La Redoute’s ‘Mambo’, Northern’s ‘Hifive’ and Woud’s ‘Virka’ are all good examples.
Above: Woud’s sliding-door ‘Virka’ sideboard, shown in the high and low versions
Please note this post contains affiliate links (all clearly marked), which means I will receive a small commission on any resulting sales. You won’t pay any more by clicking on these links than you would by visiting the websites directly.
All photography via the brands named above
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