Kitchen and Dining Sideboards: Storage Ideas for Open Plan Homes

Key takeaways

• Sideboards work brilliantly in open plan kitchens as long as you choose the right depth and height for key circulation routes.
• Use a sideboard to zone space: placing it behind a sofa, along a peninsula or between dining and living areas can create gentle boundaries without adding walls.
• Combine drawers and cupboards so you can store tableware, linens and small appliances in a way that mirrors how you cook and entertain.
• Pick finishes that reference both your kitchen and dining furniture – for example, pairing oak doors with a black metal frame like the rustic storage cabinet in this compact metal sideboard can link timber tables with darker kitchen hardware.
• Plan what will live in your sideboard in advance so you can position it where those items are most useful, rather than just where there is an empty wall.

Can you use a sideboard in a kitchen?

Sideboards are traditionally associated with dining rooms, but they are perfectly at home in a kitchen, especially when your cooking and eating areas share the same open plan space. In practice, a sideboard is simply a low storage cabinet with a generous surface, and that makes it ideal for storing and staging everything that hovers between kitchen and dining.

In an open plan layout, kitchen units tend to be hard-working and functional. A sideboard gives you somewhere more flexible for items you do not use every day: serving dishes, table runners, extra glasses or a special coffee machine. It can also become a dedicated breakfast station, drinks area or baking hub, keeping the main worktops clear for cooking.

The key is to treat your sideboard as part of the kitchen-dining zone, not just a spare piece against a random wall. Position it where you naturally reach for plates before a meal or where you would set down dishes as you bring them from hob to table. If you are unsure about sizing, our sideboard size guide is a helpful starting point.

Zoning open plan spaces with sideboards

One of the most useful roles a sideboard can play in an open plan home is as a zoning tool. Instead of relying on solid walls or bulky room dividers, a carefully chosen sideboard can subtly signal where the kitchen ends and the dining or living area begins, while still letting light and sightlines flow.

Visual zoning without blocking light

Imagine your open plan room from above as a simple diagram. The kitchen runs along one wall, the dining table sits in the centre, and the sofa faces away from the kitchen towards a TV. A sideboard placed behind the sofa forms a visual line between the social, relaxed area and the more practical cooking space. From above, it is like drawing a gentle border – you can still see over it, but the zones feel more defined.

This approach works particularly well with mid-height sideboards that are roughly the same height as the back of your sofa. A piece like the rustic sliding-door cabinet in this industrial style sideboard can double as both storage and a console behind the seating area, giving you extra surface space for lamps or plants while marking out the edge of the living zone.

Sideboards as soft room dividers

If your dining table sits between the kitchen and living areas, you can use a sideboard to form a U-shape or L-shape around it. Picture a simple zoning diagram: the table in the centre, chairs around it, and a sideboard placed either along the long side parallel to the kitchen or at the short end facing into the living room. That arrangement frames the dining zone as its own distinct island within the wider space.

Crucially, a sideboard keeps things feeling open. Unlike a tall shelving unit or solid partition, a low cabinet does not obstruct conversation or borrowed light. You can still see across the room, but when you sit to eat, you feel anchored in a defined, comfortable area rather than floating in the middle of a multipurpose space.

Tip: When using a sideboard as a soft room divider, test the sightlines from seated and standing positions before you commit. You want to maintain views to windows and focal points while giving each zone a clear edge.

Choosing sideboards for small, medium and large layouts

The right sideboard for a compact kitchen-diner will not be the same as the right piece for a generous open plan family room. Thinking about circulation, sightlines and how you actually use the space will help you pick a proportionate design.

Small open plan kitchens

In a smaller open plan layout, such as a kitchen opening onto a cosy living area, floor space is precious and walking routes need to remain completely clear. Look for narrow or shorter-width sideboards with a modest depth so that you do not pinch the gaps around your table or between kitchen and sofa.

A shallow, metal-framed cabinet like this double-door storage cabinet can tuck neatly along a wall without dominating the room. Because it has an adjustable shelf, you can maximise vertical storage inside while keeping the footprint on the floor as compact as possible. In a small space, it is better to have one well-chosen sideboard that works hard than several smaller pieces cluttering the perimeter.

Medium open plan kitchen-diners

In a medium-sized space, you have scope to play more with zoning, but you still want to keep circulation routes intuitive. A classic sideboard length that roughly matches the long side of your dining table tends to work well. This creates a pleasing visual balance, as though the two pieces belong together.

You might choose a sideboard with both doors and drawers, such as a simple two-door, three-drawer design similar in spirit to the compact Arlington-style sideboard. Place it parallel to the table to create a mini serving station: crockery and napkins inside, with the top surface ready for dishes, drinks or a coffee tray during gatherings. The room feels anchored without losing its sense of openness.

Large open plan family spaces

In larger rooms, the risk is not crowding but the opposite: everything can feel disconnected or echoey if you do not create enough structure. Here, you can be more generous with the size of your sideboard and even consider using two complementary pieces.

One approach is to place a substantial sideboard between the kitchen and dining areas to hold tableware, linens and serving pieces, and a second, perhaps more media-focused cabinet near the living zone. Think of your floor plan diagram: the kitchen along one side, the dining table in the centre, and sideboards placed strategically to form a loose rectangle around the heart of the space. Each piece supports a different activity while working together to make the room feel coherent.

What to store where in an open plan sideboard

A sideboard is only as useful as the way you organise it. In an open plan kitchen-dining-living area, it is sensible to let location guide what you store inside. That way, the items you need are always within easy reach of where you use them most.

Sideboard near the kitchen zone

If your sideboard sits close to the kitchen, treat it as an overflow for less-used but still kitchen-adjacent items. Deep shelves behind doors are ideal for larger serving bowls, casserole dishes brought straight to the table, spare mugs and glassware. Adjustable shelving, as found in many modern storage cabinets, lets you fine-tune the height for tall jugs or stacked plates.

Drawers near the kitchen are perfect for cutlery you use only on special occasions, cake servers, placemats and table runners. This keeps your main kitchen drawers free for everyday utensils while still keeping dining accessories close by.

Sideboard beside the dining table

Where a sideboard flanks the dining area, its contents should support laying and clearing the table. Keep everyday plates, side plates and bowls at waist height so they are easy to access for all family members. Glasses and cups can go on the upper shelf behind doors or on an internal rack if your sideboard includes one.

Use the drawers here for napkins, candles, coasters and spare tablecloths. If you enjoy hosting, reserve one drawer for entertaining extras such as place cards, special serving spoons or seasonal decorations. When everything is grouped by function, setting up for meals becomes a simple, enjoyable ritual rather than a frantic search.

Sideboard near the living area

When your sideboard lives closer to the living end of your open plan room, it can switch roles slightly. You might still keep some dining items inside, but you can also assign space for board games, spare throws, media accessories or even remote schoolwork supplies if the table doubles as a desk.

A model with a combination of open compartments and closed doors, similar to the sliding-door industrial sideboard mentioned earlier, works well here. Everyday items can live in the open cubbies for quick grab-and-go access, while closed sections hide less attractive clutter from view.

Sideboard depth, height and circulation routes

Sideboards do not just hold things; they shape how you move through a room. In an open plan home, where walkways often snake from front door through kitchen to living area, depth and height matter as much as style.

Getting depth right for clear walkways

Think about the main circulation routes in your space: from the kitchen to the table, from the table to the sofa, and from entrances to each key area. Along these lines, sideboard depth is critical. A typical sideboard depth can feel generous in a separate dining room but intrusive in a tight passage.

As a simple mental diagram, imagine drawing 90-centimetre-wide corridors on your floor plan wherever people need to walk comfortably. Any sideboard you place alongside these corridors should not shrink the walkway below a comfortable width. If the gap begins to feel tight, opt for a shallower cabinet or shift the piece to a less critical stretch of wall.

Height for sightlines and structure

In open plan spaces, sightlines – what you can see over and around – are as important as the footprint. Lower sideboards allow you to maintain views across the room, which is especially valuable if you have windows, garden doors or a focal fireplace on the far side.

Taller cabinets can offer more storage, but they should be used strategically, perhaps on shorter walls or at the very edge of the open plan area where they will not visually chop the room in two. If your ceilings are high, a mid-height sideboard with a modest profile, such as a metal-framed piece with a recessed plinth, can strike a nice balance between presence and openness.

Insight: In multipurpose rooms, aim to keep furniture heights stepped – kitchen units, then a slightly lower sideboard, then the lower backs of sofas and armchairs. This creates a gentle cascade that feels calm and layered rather than blocky.

Finishes that tie kitchens and dining sets together

One of the subtler but most satisfying jobs your sideboard can do is to visually link your kitchen and dining furniture. In an open plan space, mismatched finishes can make the room feel bitty and disjointed, while a well-chosen combination can pull everything into a cohesive whole.

Matching or mixing wood tones

If your dining table is oak and your kitchen cabinets are a similar warm timber, an oak-effect sideboard with simple lines is an easy win. A design in the spirit of the Arlington-style oak and white sideboard can bridge classic and contemporary pieces by echoing the timber table top while picking up the light tones of painted kitchen doors or walls.

If your woods do not match exactly, that can still work. The trick is to either keep the contrast deliberate – such as dark walnut against very light oak – or repeat the sideboard’s tone elsewhere, perhaps in picture frames, shelves or bar stools, so it feels like part of a considered palette rather than an outlier.

Using black and metal to unify

Black accents and metal details are another powerful way to connect areas. Many modern kitchens feature black handles, taps or lighting. Choosing a sideboard with a black metal frame or dark hardware, like the industrial-style cabinets mentioned earlier, can echo those details in the dining zone.

In a mental zoning diagram, you might imagine black lines linking the kitchen’s bar stool frames, pendant lights and sideboard legs – these repeated notes form a subtle rhythm across the space. Even if your table is a different material altogether, the metal elements will help everything feel related.

Neutral and white sideboards

Where you have a colourful or patterned kitchen, a simple white or light neutral sideboard can add calm and prevent the room becoming visually busy. Pairing a pale cabinet with a natural wood top gives you a gentle, timeless look that sits comfortably next to painted cupboards, stone worktops and a variety of chair styles.

If you are torn between stylistic directions, you may find it helpful to explore our comparison of modern vs farmhouse sideboards, which looks at how different finishes can change the mood of a dining space.

Making sideboards work harder in open plan homes

Once you have the right sideboard in the right place, you can weave it into daily life so it earns its footprint every single day. In an open plan home, that usually means giving your sideboard one or two clear jobs rather than asking it to hold everything.

Some of the most practical roles include a breakfast bar, where cereals, bowls and a toaster live together and the top stays clear enough to set out mugs and juice; a drinks cabinet, where glasses, bottles and a tray of mixers have a permanent spot; or a craft and homework station, where supplies can be whisked away behind doors when it is time to eat.

However you choose to use it, treat the top surface as part display, part function. A couple of lamps or a plant can soften the transition between kitchen and living areas, while a tray or chopping board kept permanently on top can act as a landing zone for hot dishes or teapots. For more inspiration on making your piece both useful and beautiful, take a look at our guide on how to style a sideboard.