Short answer: a sideboard is 75 to 90 cm high and 35 to 50 cm deep. In the dining room, choose one close to the length of the table and leave 1 m between the two. In the hallway, a sideboard 30 to 40 cm deep keeps the way clear. In the living room, it should take up about two thirds of the wall.
The sideboard holds what has no fixed place: the good china, the cutlery, the tablecloths, the keys. It is also the piece that gets in the way most when it is too deep. The right size depends on the room it goes in.
How high should a sideboard be
The usual height is 75 to 90 cm. Below 75 cm, it starts to work as a TV unit. Above 90 cm, it is too high for serving at the table or putting down a dish.
In the dining room, a sideboard the height of the table, or slightly higher, makes a continuous line. In the hallway, a taller piece, around 85 to 90 cm, sits at hand height for dropping keys and post.
Our sideboards range from 73 cm on the PILLAR to 87.5 cm on the HALL.
Which depth to choose
- Dining room: 40 to 50 cm. Enough for 30 cm plates and serving dishes.
- Living room: 40 to 50 cm.
- Hallway or corridor: 30 to 40 cm. In a narrow corridor, any more squeezes the way through.
In a corridor, the rule is to leave at least 80 cm clear between the front of the piece and the opposite wall. That is the width that lets one person through with a bag, or two sideways. In a 1.10 m corridor, anything deeper than 30 cm already eats into that space.
A sideboard for the dining room
The width of the sideboard follows the table. A good reference is a sideboard the length of the table or slightly shorter, centred on it. A 200 cm table and a 200 cm sideboard read as a set.
The distance between the two is the measurement most often missing: 1 m between the table and the sideboard. With the chairs occupied, this lets you open a door or a drawer without asking anyone to stand up. With 60 cm, the cutlery stays inside until the end of dinner.
Some examples with real measurements:
- The URBAN WOOD and the BALANCE are 200 cm wide. They go with a 200 cm table, such as the RIVIERA.
- The TONE is 190 cm wide and 50 cm deep. It can have LED lighting underneath and a stone top.
- The PILLAR is the longest: 280 cm, and 73 cm high. It needs a long wall, of 3.50 m or more.
To plan the whole dining room, with the table, the sideboard and the lighting, see the Dining room page. Table sizes are in the guide Dining table sizes for 4, 6 and 8 people.
A sideboard for the living room
In the living room, the sideboard usually stands against a free wall or behind the sofa. Against the wall, it should take up about two thirds of the wall's width. On a 3 m wall, that means a sideboard of around 2 m.
Behind the sofa, the sideboard should not rise more than 10 cm above the back of the sofa. Its width should be the same as the sofa's, or a little less.
A sideboard for the entrance hall
In the hallway, the sideboard is for putting things down and storing a little: keys, post, sunglasses. It needs little depth and little width.
- Depth: 30 to 40 cm.
- Width: 80 to 120 cm in most hallways.
- Height: 80 to 90 cm.
The HALL is 100 cm wide, 40 cm deep and 87.5 cm high, with 2 drawers on a metal base. Because the base is open, the floor stays visible and the hallway feels larger. It comes lacquered or in wood, as the HALL WOOD.
If you hang a mirror above it, leave 15 to 25 cm between the top and the bottom of the mirror. The mirror should be slightly narrower than the piece.
Sideboard, buffet or console: what is the difference
The names overlap, but there is a practical difference:
- Sideboard: a low, long piece with doors or drawers. In Portugal, «aparador» is the usual name for the dining room piece.
- Buffet: the same piece, with a name borrowed from French. It is usually the dining room sideboard, where food used to be served.
- Console: narrower and lighter, often without doors. It is for putting things down, not for storage. It is the typical hallway piece.
Doors, drawers or a wine rack
- Doors with a shelf: for plates, serving dishes and glasses. The URBAN has 4 push-to-open doors, with no visible handles.
- Drawers: for cutlery and tablecloths. On our sideboards, the drawers have soft-close runners and velvet-lined interiors.
- Wine rack: the ARC has a central wine rack between 2 doors and is 144 cm wide. It suits a smaller dining room.
Summary of measurements
- Height: 75 to 90 cm.
- Depth: 40 to 50 cm in the living and dining rooms, 30 to 40 cm in the hallway.
- Width in the dining room: close to the length of the table.
- Width in the living room: about two thirds of the wall.
- Between the table and the sideboard: 1 m.
- Clear passage in a corridor: at least 80 cm.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ideal height for a sideboard?
Between 75 and 90 cm. In the dining room, close to the height of the table. In the hallway, between 80 and 90 cm.
How deep should a sideboard be for a narrow corridor?
Between 25 and 35 cm, to leave at least 80 cm clear to walk through.
How far from the dining table should the sideboard be?
1 m. That lets you open the doors and drawers with the chairs occupied.
Should the sideboard be the same size as the table?
It does not have to be the same, but it looks better close to the length of the table, or a little shorter, and centred on it.
How long does a Pistacho sideboard take?
Each sideboard is made after the order, in 4 weeks. Then allow 1 more week for delivery and assembly. The expected date is on each product page.
