From the earliest times when formal dining furniture dictated the need for spacious nooks and crannies in which to store napery and other types of table linens and silver services, the sideboard served double duty. It was an additional surface upon which to place serving dishes. Sideboards were part of a complete dining set by the early 1800′s that included a buffet, china cabinet and dining table and chairs. They were built from mahogany, fruit wood and oak woods, much like the modern sideboards of today.

The Purpose of Antique Sideboards

A sideboard was used mainly as a table from which to serve desserts, whereas the buffet was the place to store main courses, appetizers and condiments. Use of antique sideboards began as part of the dining service performed by household staff. Later, when maids and butlers were no longer part of the dining ritual, antique sideboards were needed in formal dining rooms for special dinners or for large family gatherings.

Antique Sideboards With Grace and Elegance

A sideboard in a formal dining room added a touch of grace and elegance. Today, a sideboard still has merit for useage in casual dining. They are usually included as part of the description of a “complete” dining room suite. A sideboard is much smaller in size than a buffet. In both instances, however, the sideboard and buffet have cabinets located beneath the exterior surface for storage.

Sideboards In Elegant Styles

Certainly, sideboards of valuable antiquity are sold by antique dealers regularly. Some of these styles such are Duncan Phyfe, Queen Anne, Louis XIV and Louis Quatorze, a Baroque style. These sideboards have carved legs and some have inlays that accent their elegant style. Add to these styles, Bombe with its bowl shape, Chippendale with its Oriental influence, Hepplewhite, Sheraton and Shearer as well as certain Early American pieces and the sideboard shows a prominent place in dining history.

Sideboard Use Today

Sideboards of antiquity are used in homes today as an occasional table or in a hall. They represent themselves as conversation pieces to be enjoyed and admired as part of the gracious home’s decor.

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