Wooden Sideboards

Why choose solid wood?

A sideboard in a hallway is exposed to more variation in temperature and humidity than almost any other piece of furniture in the house — the front door opens and closes through winter, damp coats land on it, the morning rush means bags dropped and picked up daily. MDF and chipboard cores respond to those humidity changes by expanding and lifting at edges and joints. Once the face veneer chips at a corner or lifts around a hinge, there's no repair.

Solid wood moves as one piece. It can dent and show wear, but the surface can be re-waxed — for the wax-finished pieces — or touched up with paint for the painted range. The Horton and Saltburn have chunky solid-pine frames and thick tops built for daily hallway contact. The painted range is built the same way: solid timber throughout, not a skin over board.

Types of wooden sideboards

Wax-finished pine — the Horton and Saltburn are solid pine with visible grain and natural knots. The wax sits on the surface of the timber rather than covering it, so the character of the wood shows through. These suit rustic, farmhouse or country interiors.

Painted solid wood — the Devonshire, Helmsley, Acklam and Kettlewell have the same solid construction but a smooth painted finish in grey or white. No grain showing, no knots visible. These sit more comfortably in contemporary interiors or period homes with painted woodwork.

Solid oak — the Shibden is solid light oak with a cleaner, more contemporary look. Oak is denser and finer-grained than pine, with a natural warmth that works across both traditional and modern interiors.

How to choose the right sideboard for your space

Aim for roughly two-thirds the length of your wall — enough to anchor the space without filling it entirely. Most of our sideboards sit between 80–90cm tall, which keeps them below picture rails and at a useful height for placing things on top.

Depth matters more in hallways than anywhere else: 35–40cm allows good internal storage without blocking the natural line of movement past it. In a dining room or living room, a deeper piece — 40–45cm — gives more storage capacity without the same traffic concern.

If standard dimensions don't work for a specific wall or alcove, several styles — including the Horton, Saltburn and Devonshire — are available made to order. Width and height can both be adjusted before we build.

Wooden sideboards handmade in Yorkshire

Every sideboard in this collection is built by hand in our workshop in Halifax, West Yorkshire. We use solid pine and solid oak throughout — no MDF cores, no veneered board. The painted range uses solid timber underneath the finish, which is why chips can be touched up rather than written off.

Our timber is FSC certified. Every piece carries a lifetime structural guarantee. If you need a specific size to fit an alcove or match existing furniture, get in touch before ordering and we'll confirm what's possible.

Frequently asked questions

Related collections

Hallway storage furniture — monks benches, shoe benches and coat racks

Living room furniture — coffee tables, TV units and side tables

Solid wood dining tables — handmade pine and oak dining tables