Designer sideboards – how to find the right model for your home
- Sideboard vs. chest of drawers
- Low sideboard – sideboard – highboard: it's all about height
- How to style a sideboard: what to bear in mind
- Material and care
- Summary
1. Sideboard vs. chest of drawers
Chest of drawers or sideboard? Telling the two apart isn't always easy, but there are two features you can go by. First, sideboards are always wider than they are tall, while chests of drawers tend to be taller. Second, sideboards usually combine open and closed elements such as drawers, sliding doors or woven panels. Chests of drawers often have drawers only and no open compartments.
2. Low sideboard - sideboard - highboard: it's all about height
Low sideboards and highboards are variations on the sideboard and differ in height. A low sideboard usually comes up to about knee height, which makes it a good choice as a TV or hi-fi unit.
A sideboard, by contrast, is 70–100 cm high. While a sideboard extends horizontally, a highboard offers storage space that goes upwards. It is always taller than 100 cm, but lower than a classic cupboard.
Most sideboard designs are no more than 45 cm deep, making them ideal for narrow rooms. As a freestanding piece, a sideboard always stands on the floor, so no wall mounting is needed.
3. How to style a sideboard: what to bear in mind
A sideboard is a true all-rounder that works in any room. You can use it for crockery in the kitchen, clothes in the bedroom, work supplies in the office, shoes in the hallway or odds and ends in the living room.
You can decorate classic sideboards with books, vases or figurines, while large pictures or mirrors look great on the wall above.
Low sideboards, on the other hand, are often paired with a TV. Receivers and cables can be hidden away behind the doors.
Highboards offer plenty of storage space inside. Keep the decoration on top fairly restrained, though. Very large pictures often look as if they've been hung too high and stretch the overall look too much vertically. Instead, arrange vases, small picture frames or a few plants on your highboard, and make sure it looks attractive from the side too.
You don't have to limit your styling to the top of the sideboard: small highlights inside can also show off your designer sideboard.
"Place an LED light inside a sideboard with woven elements. It creates an unusual eye-catcher and makes the whole sideboard glow." – Viktoria, interior expert
4. Material and care
Naturally, you want a stylish piece of designer furniture to keep its good looks for as long as possible. With a little attention and care, high-quality sideboards made of wood and metal will stay in good condition. Lacquered surfaces need nothing more than a damp cloth, while oiled surfaces can be treated with wood care oil about once a year. For waxed surfaces, there is furniture wax, and metal surfaces are quickly cared for with a damp cloth.
"Sideboards with semi-transparent woven elements are particularly beautiful and very much on trend. The mix of materials is interesting and expressive, and it gives a solid freestanding piece a sense of lightness – while it still stores your things with ease." – Viktoria, interior expert
5. Summary
- Sideboards and chests of drawers differ in their proportions. Sideboards are designed to be wide, while chests of drawers are designed to be tall. Sideboards are also characterised by a combination of open and closed elements such as drawers, sliding doors or hinged doors.
- Low sideboards and highboards are variations on the sideboard. Low sideboards are built low and work well as TV or hi-fi units. Highboards are at least 100 cm high and offer plenty of storage space for all kinds of things.
- You can decorate sideboards with pictures, vases, plants and figurines. With highboards, consider the overall height when hanging large pictures.
- Care depends on the material: wood is oiled, while lacquered and metal surfaces are simply wiped with a damp cloth.
Buy designer sideboards online at Connox – your benefits at a glance
- high-quality original sideboards from top design brands
- personal support from our customer service team
- fair delivery costs
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Shopping advice at Connox
Would you like to buy a designer sideboard online but need some help? Our customer service team is always happy to help. We'll support you with advice while you shop, make recommendations and answer your questions quickly. Then simply sit back and have your chosen item delivered straight to your door.
