How to choose a sideboard: measure first, then pick the storage. A dining room sideboard should be about 60–75% of your dining table length and fill no more than about two-thirds of the wall, with 6–12 in free at each end. Most buffet cabinets are 30–36 in tall (a few inches above a 30 in dining table) and 16–20 in deep. Leave at least 30 in of front clearance, or 36–48 in where chairs or a walkway pass. Then choose drawers for flatware and linens, doors for bulky serveware, glass for display, and a top rated for the weight you plan to serve on it.
A sideboard, also called a buffet cabinet or buffet table, is a long, low storage cabinet that keeps dining essentials close and hides clutter. It is one of the hardest-working pieces of dining room furniture: it is a serving station at dinner, a storage cabinet for plates and table linens the rest of the week, and a surface for lamps, art and decor. This buying guide walks through the choices in order: size, height, depth, storage, materials, top weight, where it goes and how to style it. For the full size charts, see our sideboard dimensions guide; if you are still deciding between furniture types, start with sideboard vs buffet vs credenza.
How to Choose a Sideboard: Quick Checklist
| Decision | Rule of thumb | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Length vs dining table | 60–75% of the table length | Looks balanced and leaves walking room at the ends |
| Length vs wall | About 2/3 of the wall length, 6–12 in free each side | Keeps door swings and corners clear |
| Height | 30–36 in; 34–36 in for serving | Sits a few inches above a 30 in table and stays below most window sills |
| Depth | 16–20 in standard; 14–16 in for tight rooms | Deep enough for dinner plates without crowding the walkway |
| Front clearance | 30 in minimum; 36–48 in behind chairs | Room to open doors and drawers while guests are seated |
| Storage | Drawers + doors for most dining rooms | Flatware and linens in drawers, serveware behind doors |
| Top weight | Check the tabletop rating on the product page | Chafing dishes, stoneware and TVs are heavier than they look |
1. Size the Sideboard to the Dining Table and the Wall
Start with two numbers: your dining table length and the wall length where the sideboard will stand. A good sideboard is shorter than the table, roughly 60–75% of the table length, so the two read as a pair without competing. For example:
- 60 in table: a 36–45 in sideboard or compact buffet.
- 72 in table: a 44–54 in sideboard.
- 84–96 in table: a 50–72 in sideboard.
- 10–12 ft table: a large sideboard of 72–96 in, such as the 86.6 in Orbis.
Then check the wall length. A sideboard should cover no more than about two-thirds of the wall, with 6–12 in of open wall at each end so it does not jam into a corner, a radiator or a door swing. An 86.6 in sideboard needs roughly 9–11 ft of wall. If your room is small, choose the wall first and let it set the maximum width; a compact sideboard of 30–48 in still works with a long table on another wall. A quick way to check: mark the sideboard's outline on the floor and wall with painter's tape and live with it for a day. Most sideboards come in standard sizes; custom dimensions are only worth it for an alcove or built-in niche. Before you shop, also measure doorways, hallways and stairs on the delivery path. Full dining table length charts and clearance diagrams are in our dining table size guide.
2. Choose the Right Height: Table, Window Sills and Art
A standard sideboard is 30–36 in tall. For a buffet you serve from, 34–36 in is the most comfortable height: it is a few inches above a 30 in dining table, so platters sit at counter height and the top stays visible over the backs of the dining chairs. Lower pieces of 30–32 in feel lighter and suit mid century and modern rooms, or sit under a large window.
If the sideboard goes under a window, measure the sill height and keep the top at least 2–3 in below it, so the sideboard does not block the window or the curtains. Taller buffet cabinets and hutches belong on solid walls. Height also sets where art goes: hang a mirror or artwork 6–12 in above the sideboard top, as shown in the sideboard dimensions guide.
3. Check Depth Against the Walkway
Depth is the number people forget. Standard sideboard depth is 16–20 in, enough for dinner plates, serving bowls and a coffee maker. Every inch of depth comes out of the walkway, though, so measure from the wall to the back of the dining chairs when they are pulled out:
- Leave at least 30 in of front clearance so you can open doors and drawers.
- Leave 36 in where people walk behind seated guests, and up to 44–48 in for comfortable serving and chair movement.
- In a narrow room, a hallway or an entryway, choose a slim 14–16 in sideboard.
Check door swings too: a cabinet door of about 20 in needs that much free floor in front of it, and drawers need their full depth to open.
4. Storage Space: Doors, Drawers, Adjustable Shelves or Wine Racks?
Function first: decide what you will store before choosing a style. The storage layout matters more than the finish in daily use, and a family that hosts often needs more storage space than one that uses the sideboard mostly for decor.
| Storage type | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Drawers | Flatware, napkins, table linens, candles, chargers | Check inside height; 3–4 in suits flatware, 7 in or more holds placemats and serving utensils |
| Doors with shelves | Bulky serveware, stacked plates, small appliances, tall items | Adjustable shelves fit pitchers and bottles; fixed shelves may not |
| Glass doors | Display of glassware, china and collectibles | Everything inside stays visible, so it needs to be tidy |
| Open shelves | Baskets, books, cookbooks, everyday dishes | Collects dust; works best for items you use daily |
| Wine racks and bar storage | Bottles, stemware, drinks for guests | Store full bottles low; check per-shelf weight |
Most dining rooms are best served by a mix: a row of drawers for flatware and linens, and doors with shelves below for plates and bulky serveware. The Orbis Rounded Edge Sideboard, for example, has 4 center drawers on full-length metal slides and 4 doors with shelved cabinets. If you mostly store glassware or want to show off dishes, a glass-door cabinet with lighting adds display and soft evening lighting. For a home bar, look for wine racks, stemware holders and an outlet for a wine cooler; our coffee bar cabinet ideas cover drinks stations in more detail.
Check the hardware as well. Soft-close hinges and full-extension metal drawer slides make daily use quieter and easier, sliding doors save space in a tight room because they need no door swing, and adjustable shelving gives extra space for tall items like pitchers, cake stands and bottles.
5. Materials: Solid Wood, Oak Veneer or Mixed Materials
Sideboards come in solid wood, engineered wood, oak veneer, and mixed materials such as metal and glass. Each has a trade-off:
- Solid wood: heavy, durable and repairable, with strong load support for a heavy top. Pine, oak and acacia are common.
- Plywood, MDF and veneer: stable and less likely to warp; an oak veneer or wood-look finish gives the grain of a hardwood at a lower weight. Good for long sideboards with large doors.
- Lacquered or painted finishes: wipe clean easily and resist water and stains, which matters near food and drinks.
- Mixed materials: steel frames with tempered glass suit modern and industrial rooms and look lighter; stone or marble-look tops add a heavy, traditional feel.
Think about visual weight as well as material. Raised legs and rounded edges look lighter in a small room; a plinth base reads solid and traditional. Match warm wood tones to the floor or the dining table's undertone, or choose a contrasting painted or brown finish on purpose. Your sideboard does not have to match the table: complement it with a shared wood tone, hardware or clean lines.
6. Pick a Style: Mid Century, Modern, Traditional or Farmhouse
The finish and shape of a sideboard set the feel of the whole room, so choose a style that fits your other furniture:
- Mid century modern: tapered legs, clean lines and warm walnut or oak tones; a low 30–32 in height keeps it light.
- Modern minimalist: flat or handle-free fronts, neutral or white finishes and simple hardware.
- Traditional: paneled doors, carved details, turned legs and darker brown wood or a painted finish.
- Farmhouse and rustic: visible wood grain, natural finishes, and sometimes sliding barn doors.
- Industrial and glam: black metal frames, glass doors and built-in lighting.
Mixing wood tones is fine if they share an undertone: pair a warm oak sideboard with a walnut table, or a cool gray finish with black metal chairs.
7. Top Weight: Can It Hold Your Serving Dishes?
When you serve buffet-style, the top carries chafing dishes, platters, stoneware and drinks, often for an hour or more. Check the tabletop weight capacity on the product page, and the per-drawer and per-shelf limits, before you buy. As a guide from Homsee product pages, the Orbis sideboard top is rated for 110 lb, the 4-Door Display Cabinet top for 88 lb, and the solid wood Relievo pieces for 176 lb. Spread heavy dishes along the top, keep the heaviest items near the legs or ends, and use trivets and placemats to protect the finish from heat and spills.
8. Where to Use Sideboards and Buffet Tables: Dining Room, Living Room and Entryway
Dining room
The classic place is the longest solid wall of the dining room, centered on the dining table, or near the kitchen door so food and plates travel a short distance. A dining room sideboard holds the everyday plates, flatware and table linens you reach for every meal, then becomes the serving station for family dinners and friends. In an open plan, a sideboard can also stand behind a sofa as a soft divider between the kitchen or dining room and the living areas.
Living room
In living rooms a sideboard works as a storage cabinet for games, books and media, or as a console behind the sofa. Keep it about the same height as the sofa back or a little lower. If you also have a coffee table, you can echo its wood tone or shape for a matching sideboard and coffee table look; see the coffee table size guide for proportions.
Entryway and hallway
An entryway needs a narrower piece: 30–48 in wide and 14–16 in deep, with drawers for keys, mail and gloves and a top for a lamp and a tray. A compact drawer chest like the 47.2 in Relievo, at 15.7 in deep, fits a small dining room, an entryway or a spot beside the bed.
9. Using a Sideboard as a TV Stand
Can you use a sideboard as a TV stand? Yes, with three checks. First, width: the sideboard should be at least 2–3 in wider than the TV. A 65 in TV is about 56–57 in wide, so it needs a 60 in or longer cabinet. Second, height: a dining sideboard of 30–36 in puts the screen higher than a TV stand of 20–25 in, so the center of the screen can end up above seated eye level. That works for a wall-mounted TV or a room where you mostly stand, but a low 24–25 in media console is better for a sofa. Third, cable management: you need openings in the back panel or a cord cover, and closed storage for consoles and routers. Our TV stand size guide has the full chart.
The difference between a sideboard and a TV stand is mostly height and depth: a TV stand is lower and often shallower, with open space for electronics; a sideboard is taller and built for dishes. A TV console like the Relievo Panel TV Console sits at 24.8 in tall and 14.2 in deep, with drawers for remotes and cables.
10. How to Style a Sideboard
- Start with one focal point: a mirror or artwork centered above the sideboard, about two-thirds of its width.
- Layer heights: a tall lamp or vase at one end, a medium stack of books or a bowl in the middle, and something low, such as a tray of glasses, at the other.
- Keep the serving zone clear: leave at least half the top empty if you serve food from it.
- Change it with the seasons: swap candles, branches and table linens instead of adding more decor.
- Light it: a pair of lamps or LED lighting inside a glass-door cabinet warms the dining room at dinner.
More layout and decor ideas are in how to decorate a dining room.
Homsee Sideboard Picks
All specs below come from each product page. Compare the full range in sideboards and buffets.
| Product | Best for | Size (H × W × D) | Storage and top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orbis Rounded Edge Sideboard – Oak | Large dining rooms and 10–12 ft tables | 35.4 × 86.6 × 19.6 in | 4 drawers + 4 shelved cabinets; top 110 lb |
| Relievo Carved Drawer Chest | Small dining rooms, entryways, beside a bed | 31.5 × 47.2 × 15.7 in | 6 drawers (33 lb each); top 176 lb |
| Relievo Panel TV Console | Living room TV stand, TVs up to 65 in | 24.8 × 60 × 14.2 in | 4 drawers + 2 glass-door cabinets; top 176 lb |
| 4-Door Display Cabinet with Glass Shelves and Iron Legs | Display buffet for glassware and china | 35.1 × 63 × 15.7 in | Glass shelves (44 lb each), 3-color LED; top 88 lb |
| 63" Electric Lift Bar Cabinet | Home bar and entertaining | 42.1 × 63 × 23.6 in (top lifts to about 58 in) | Racks for 16 wine glasses, 3 cubbies, hidden outlet |
Orbis Rounded Edge Sideboard
The Orbis is a full-size buffet cabinet for a long dining room wall: 86.6 in wide, 19.6 in deep and 35.4 in tall, a comfortable serving height above a 30 in table. Its 4 center drawers (7.3 in high) hold flatware and linens, and 4 doors open to shelved cabinets for plates and serveware. The oak version is plywood and MDF with an oak wood finish; it also comes in dark walnut and natural wood in solid pine, MDF and engineered wood veneer. Plan for about 9–11 ft of wall.
Relievo Carved Drawer Chest
The Relievo Carved Drawer Chest is a compact sideboard for small spaces: 47.2 in wide, 15.7 in deep and 31.5 in tall. It is solid wood with a lacquered finish and needs no assembly. Six drawers, each rated for 33 lb, hold napkins, candles and flatware, and the 176 lb top can carry a lamp, a coffee maker, serving dishes or a TV.
Relievo Panel TV Console
The Relievo Panel TV Console is the pick when the sideboard doubles as a TV stand. At 24.8 in tall and 60 in wide it suits TVs up to 65 in, and the slim 14.2 in depth saves floor space. Four drawers hide remotes and cables, and two glass-door side cabinets display glassware or books. Solid wood, lacquered white, no assembly required.
4-Door Display Cabinet with Glass Shelves and Iron Legs
For a modern or industrial dining room, the 4-Door Display Cabinet works as a glass buffet: 63 in wide, 15.7 in deep and 35.1 in tall, with tempered glass doors in a black steel frame. Three-color LED lighting shines through the glass shelves (about 8 in between levels, 44 lb each), and the raised legs leave 9.6 in of floor clearance.
63" Electric Lift Bar Cabinet
The 63" Electric Lift Bar Cabinet is a bar sideboard for entertaining. Lowered, it is a 42.1 in tall, 23.6 in deep serving counter; raised, the motorized top lifts about 16 in to reveal glass shelves and stemware racks for 16 wine glasses. Three open cubbies store bottles, and a concealed outlet powers a wine cooler or blender. Leave clear space above it for the lift.
Related: see our dining room storage ideas.
FAQ
What should you consider when choosing a sideboard?
Measure the wall and the dining table first: the sideboard should be about 60–75% of the table length and no more than two-thirds of the wall. Then check height (30–36 in), depth (16–20 in) and front clearance (at least 30 in), choose storage (drawers, doors, glass or open shelves), material, and a top rated for the weight you will serve on it.
What is the standard size of a sideboard?
A standard sideboard is about 30–36 in tall, 16–20 in deep and 48–72 in long. Compact sideboards are 30–48 in long, and large sideboards run 72–96 in. See the sideboard dimensions guide for full charts.
Should a sideboard match the dining table?
No. It should complement the table rather than match it exactly. Repeat one element, such as the wood tone, the leg style or the hardware finish, or choose a deliberate contrast like a painted sideboard with a wood table.
Can you use a sideboard as a TV stand?
Yes, if it is at least 2–3 in wider than the TV, its top is rated for the TV's weight and it has a way to route cables. Dining sideboards are 30–36 in tall, which raises the screen above seated eye level, so a 20–25 in TV console is better for watching from a sofa.
Should a dining room have a sideboard?
Not every dining room needs one, but a sideboard adds storage for plates, flatware and linens and a serving surface for guests. If you have at least 6 ft of wall and 30 in of clearance in front of it, it is usually the most useful piece of dining room furniture after the table and chairs.
What is the difference between a sideboard and a buffet cabinet?
Today the terms are used interchangeably for a long, low dining room storage cabinet. Traditionally a buffet has a solid base and sits in the dining room, while a sideboard has legs and can go anywhere. Our sideboard vs buffet guide compares sideboards, buffets, credenzas and hutches.
Where should you put a sideboard in a dining room?
On the longest solid wall, centered on the dining table or close to the kitchen, with 6–12 in of open wall at each end and at least 30–36 in of clear floor between it and the chairs.