Morts Musings

By guest writer: Elena Price

Sideboards and dressers were extremely popular in the 1970s, but lost their appeal in later years. However, they have recently been making a come-back and are now seen as stylish, must-have pieces of furniture for the dining room.

A dresser is a tall piece of furniture, which usually has a base which has cupboards or drawers, whilst the top section has shelves where you can display your crockery. A sideboard is a piece of furniture which has drawers, cupboards or compartments in which you can store your tableware, and has a flat surface like a table. However, you can also often buy a matching top unit to place on top of the sideboard, making it look like a dresser.

Sideboards and dressers are incredibly practical pieces of furniture, allowing you to store plates, glasses, cutlery and other tableware in your dining room, leaving your kitchen cupboards free for other things.

We’ve put together some hints and tips to help you to choose the perfect sideboard or dresser for your dining room.

Measure up before shopping

Before you start searching for your new furniture, decide where you would like to put it and measure up to see how much space you have available. Remember to make sure that you will have enough room to open the cupboards or drawers. If you are buying a wooden dresser or sideboard, make sure that you don’t place it in direct sunlight, as this can cause fading, or next to a direct heat source, such as a fire or a radiator.

Choose high-quality furniture

Your sideboard or dresser is likely to be used fairly regularly, so it’s important to choose one which is well made so that it will last for years. If you are thinking about buying a wooden sideboard or dresser, look for one which is crafted either entirely or predominantly from solid wood, as it will last longer than one built from cheaper materials such as MDF. Some retailers offer wooden sideboards and dressers with protective lacquer finishes. This type of finish will help to keep your furniture looking its best for longer.

Make sure it’s practical

Make sure that your new sideboard or dresser is practical as well as beautiful. Think about what you want to be able to store in it and make sure that choose one with enough space for your tableware. Do you want to be able to display your crockery or glassware, or would you rather hide it away inside of the unit? Would storing your tableware be easier if the sideboard or dresser had adjustable shelves?

Choose the right style

There are many different styles of sideboard and dresser on the market, and it’s important to make sure that you choose one that suits your dining room, particularly as a sideboard or dresser is likely to be a real focal point in the room. Firstly, you will need to decide whether you would like a traditional or a more contemporary style piece and ensure that whichever style you choose will suit the look of your room and fit in with the rest of your dining room furniture.

Sideboards and dressers can sometimes be fairly bulky, so it’s important to choose one which doesn’t make your dining room look smaller or darker. Although some people avoid buying wooden furniture for this reason, you can buy sideboards and dressers in many different types of wood, and you may find that furniture made from a light coloured wood looks perfect. Alternatively, if you want to make your dining room look warm and cosy, try choosing a sideboard or dresser made from a darker wood.

Look for great deals online

Some online furniture retailers offer great deals on sideboards, dressers and other pieces of furniture, and will deliver your item straight to your door.