Your dining room has hosted many dinner parties and intimate gatherings and each time you do, the ability to put extra dishes and still have a decorative addition to the room is a wish of yours. Adding a decorative piece of furniture such as a buffet or sideboard could be the answers to your wishes. A sideboard can become the focal point of the room or just be a supporting cast member. Either way a sideboard can help with storage of dinnerware that isn’t in use, and it can become a beautiful place to lie out a buffet dinner for your family friends. If you want to add some drama to your dining room that is functional too, take a look at these ideas.
What type of sideboard will fit your home?
Image via: Amy Lau Design
Gorgeous area to display decor:
Even though sideboards are intended to free up your hands when entertaining and serving meals, they also make beautiful display areas. Because sideboards are meant to compliment the dining room table, they typically are left free of clutter. Add visual interest to your dining room when the sideboard isn’t in use for clean lined decorative vases, pottery or small collections. Don’t clutter the sideboard with lots of knick knacks or it will lose its visual interest. A few key elements can make your sideboard a beautiful display area.
Dining room sideboards can add sophistication to any area
Image via: Style On a Shoestring
Storage is now easy with a sideboard:
The ability for sideboards to have incredible storage may be their best hidden secret! Sideboards will typically have doors to hide drawers or shelves behind. Use this area for seasonal table settings, table linens, candles, and other accessories that don’t always need to be on display. The sideboard storage area is an ideal place to house matches, and candle lighters – so you don’t have to go hunting for them at a dinner party! For dining rooms that need additional storage, consider hanging complimentary wall shelving above the sideboard. Use for storing and displaying family heirlooms and vintage dining room accessories as well.
Dining room sideboard amenities.
Image via: Josh Kuchinsky
While most sideboards tend to be long and rectilinear, there is no set dimension or style for a sideboard, so be creative and unique. Minimalistic sideboards can be small, and have the ability to only hold a few choice decorative items or dinnerware or a grand dining room can have multiple sideboards in varying sizes. Choose a style that suits your decorative style and try to tie it into the surrounding furnishings. Since the dining room table is the main attraction of most dining rooms, decide how pronounced you want your sideboard to be and then let your design style come through.