# Sideboard Buying Guide for Indian Homes: The Underrated Piece That Makes the Room **By Sahil Soni** · 2026-07-24 Ask most Indian homeowners what a sideboard is, and you'll get a range of answers - "that long cabinet in the dining room," "the thing you put plants on," "isn't that just a TV unit?" The sideboard is actually one of the most versatile pieces of furniture in a home, and one of the most underappreciated. This guide clarifies what it is, where it goes, and how to choose the right one. ## What Is a Sideboard? A sideboard is a low, horizontal storage cabinet typically placed against a wall in the dining room or living room. Standard dimensions: - Height: 80–95 cm (roughly counter height) - Width: 120–180 cm (varies significantly) - Depth: 35–50 cm It functions as both storage (behind closed doors) and display surface (on top). The combination of closed storage and an open surface is what makes it so useful - it hides clutter while presenting a curated, styled surface. **Alternative names you'll encounter**: Buffet, credenza, console cabinet. These terms overlap significantly in the Indian market. For our purposes, a sideboard is any low horizontal cabinet with doors and/or drawers used primarily in the dining or living room. [![Solid Wood Cane Sideboard Cabinet with woven cane doors and three drawers, styled in a modern living room for storage and display.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0661/0570/4633/files/solid-wood-cane-sideboard-cabinet-wooden-storage-console-with-drawers.webp?v=1784896670)](https://induscraft.com/products/solid-wood-cane-sideboard-cabinet-wooden-storage-console-with-drawers "Solid Wood Cane Sideboard Cabinet Wooden Storage Console with Drawers") ## Do You Actually Need a Sideboard? **You do, if any of the following apply**: - Your dining table lacks storage for extra cutlery, serving dishes, and linens - Your living room has a wall that needs visual purpose without a TV unit - You want a surface for displaying decorative items, family photos, or plants - Your entrance hall needs a console-style storage piece - You're missing a place to store household items that don't have a natural home elsewhere **You might not, if**: - Your dining room already has a crockery cabinet or built-in storage - Your living room wall is fully occupied - Your home is under 600 sq ft, and every piece of furniture needs to be absolutely essential ## Sideboard vs Buffet vs Credenza vs Console - Settling the Terminology **Term** **Typical Dimensions** **Traditional Location**  **Primary Use** **Sideboard** H80–95cm, W120–180cm Dining room Serving + storage **Buffet** H80–90cm, W150–200cm Dining room Serving + storage **Credenza** H70–85cm, W150–200cm Living room/office Storage + display **Console** H75–90cm, W100–150cm Entrance/living Display + minimal storage In practice, Indian furniture brands use these terms interchangeably. Focus on dimensions and interior layout rather than the label. [![Comparison infographic showing the differences between a sideboard, buffet, credenza, and console, including dimensions, typical location, and primary use](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0661/0570/4633/files/sideboard-vs-buffet-vs-credenza-vs-console-comparison-guide.webp?v=1784896529)](https://induscraft.com/collections/sideboards-1 "Buy Solid Wood Sideboard and Buffet Online") ## Where to Place a Sideboard - **Dining Room**: The most natural location. Behind the dining table or on a side wall. Provides serving surface during meals and storage for extra crockery, placemats, and linen between meals. - **Living Room**: On a non-TV wall, as a surface for display and storage. A sideboard in the living room often does what a TV unit does on the opposite wall - anchoring the space with a horizontal piece. - **Entrance Hall**: A narrower sideboard (40–55 cm depth) works beautifully as an entrance console - keys, mail, and decorative items on top, shoes or bags in the drawers. - **Study/Home Office**: As a credenza behind a desk for document storage and equipment. [![Sideboard placement options - dining room, living room, and entrance hall](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0661/0570/4633/files/sideboard-placement-guide.webp?v=1784883963)](https://induscraft.com/collections/sideboards-1 "Explore our handcrafted solid wood sideboard collection") ## Interior Configuration: What to Look For A sideboard's exterior design is what you style. Its interior is what you actually use. **Standard configurations:** **Configuration** **Best For**  All doors (no drawers) Maximum hidden storage for large items (table linen, serving bowls) All drawers Cutlery, napkins, small accessories - best organisation Mixed (2 doors + 2 drawers) The most practical: large items behind doors, small items in drawers Combination with open shelf Display + storage - good for crockery you want visible **Drawer count**: 2-4 drawers is standard. Make sure drawers open fully without hitting adjacent furniture. **Shelf height inside cabinets**: Verify that your tallest serving pieces (large steel containers, tall vases, wine bottles) fit inside. Many sideboards have fixed shelves with inadequate height clearance. ## Material: Solid Sheesham for the Long Term A sideboard endures significant daily contact - surfaces get wiped, drawers get pulled, doors get opened. Material matters. **Solid sheesham**: The right choice. Dense, scratch-resistant, handles surface cleaning easily, and develops a patina over time. The Induscraft sideboard collection includes multiple designs - from the geometric carved Jaali Cabinet to simple contemporary pieces. **Plywood (ISI-grade)**: Acceptable for the carcase (the main body). Interior plywood surfaces are fine. **MDF**: Swells with repeated cleaning moisture on surfaces. Not recommended for a piece that gets daily surface contact and cleaning. ## Size Guide: How Wide Should Your Sideboard Be? **Dining room placement**: The sideboard should not be wider than the dining table it accompanies. In a dining room with a 150 cm table, a 140–160 cm sideboard is proportional. **Living room placement**: The sideboard should be no more than two-thirds of the wall's width - the same rule that applies to coffee tables relative to sofas. **Entrance hall: More compact -** 100-120 cm wide is typically sufficient and won't overpower a standard entrance. ## Styling the Top Surface The top of a sideboard is a styling opportunity. The key is restraint - a few deliberate objects, not a crowded shelf. ### Classic styling formula: - 1 larger object (vase, lamp, framed artwork leaning against wall) - 1 medium object (decorative bowl, plant, small sculpture) - 1 small object or tray for organisation **For the dining room**: A table runner or cloth under the objects softens the surface and protects the finish. ## Price Guide **Type** **Price Range**  Basic sideboard, plywood ₹8,000–₹15,000 Solid sheesham, standard ₹16,000–₹28,000 Sheesham with carving detail ₹25,000–₹45,000 Premium artisan sideboard ₹40,000–₹70,000 Browse the full [sideboard and cabinet range at Induscraft.](https://induscraft.com/collections/sideboards-1 "sideboard and cabinet range at Induscraft.") ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q. What is the standard sideboard height?**  80–95 cm - roughly counter height. This makes the top surface comfortable for serving and display without being too low to access easily. **Q. Can a sideboard be used as a TV unit?** Yes - a wide sideboard with cable management holes can function as a low-profile TV unit in a living room. The horizontal format works well with modern flat-screen TVs. **Q. What's the difference between a sideboard and a crockery cabinet?** A crockery cabinet (also called a hutch) typically has an upper glass-front display section above the lower storage cabinet. A sideboard is the lower section only - without the upper display unit. **Q. How deep should a sideboard be?** 35-50 cm depth is standard. Deeper than 50 cm starts to dominate the room. For entrance halls, 30–40 cm depth is better. **Tags:** living room sideboard, sheesham sideboard India, sideboard buying guide India, sideboard designs India, sideboard for dining room India, sideboard vs buffet India, wooden sideboard India --- > Source: [Induscraft](https://induscraft.com/blogs/news/sideboard-buying-guide-india)