Styling your sideboard for maximum impact

The sideboard isn’t just a hideaway. With a little creative flair, it can become the star of any room.

The humble sideboard is your best friend if you want to hide something away. It holds those dishes that only come out on Christmas Day, unwanted wedding presents for when the offending relatives drop by, and tons of mismatched crockery and tea towels. But it isn’t just for stowing things in, but for putting things on. The side board is a feature of the room; often the main feature due to its size. With the right decoration, it can finish a room’s aesthetic, filling a blank wall and providing a space for you to display plants, art and all kinds of other ornamentation.

Whether you want striking colour, classic grandeur, or minimal elegance, the sideboard can bring any room to life.

First things first, choose the right one

Even without any decoration, the sideboard should be an attractive piece of furniture in and of itself, bursting with personality and charm. When it comes to charm, vintage sideboards cannot be beaten. Retro mid century models are particularly popular at the moment, but you can also go for sturdy Victorian grandeur, art deco style or understated oriental charm. Historical furniture makes for an excellent design statement and conversation piece, and also guarantees your piece will be unique. Vinterior specialises in vintage furniture, and their collection of vintage sideboards is bound to include something which is perfect for your home.

Display your dinner

The sideboard was originally used as a place to serve food, so when hosting a party or dinner, it is a perfect place to have drinks, snacks and plates within easy access. When not hosting, having a fruit bowl, carafe or cake stand could still make for an attractive (not to mention delicious) covering.

Carefully selected photos

The sideboard offers an ideal place to display photos of loved ones and treasured memories. Don’t go overboard though. Having dozens of mismatched photos covering the surface will look messy and cluttered. Select a few of the most artful or charming photos (ideally of roughly similar size and shades), and play around with placement for an artful, heart warming display.

Statement pieces

We’ve all picked up something on our travels – whether to Cyprus or Scarborough – that looked good in the shop, but has no place anywhere in our home. This could be a figurine, candle sticks, mini sculptures or something totally bonkers that you bought in a sangria fuelled haze. Well, why not make your side board an eclectic museum, displaying all the treasures of your travels? It draws the eye and sparks conversation, while also bringing a touch of whimsy to your home. Just be sure to give each piece room to breathe, to avoid a dust trap.

Plants and flowers

Lining your potted plants together along the sideboard creates a lively, retro look to enliven any space. It’s an easy and effective way to jazz up a neglected sideboard.

You could also make your sideboard a place to house fresh flowers, replacing them once a week for an ever-changing colour scheme that reflects the shifting seasons.

Make it the star

If you want a sideboard that is truly impactful, think outside the traditional wooden, white or black models you see in the shops. Go bold and beautiful by painting a simple wooden one in your own colourful design. This is not for the faint of heart, but the result could be breathtaking with the right combination of shades. Go on, let your creative side loose!