Vintage sideboards are so popular right now and the demand for a wonderful retro sideboard shows no sign of tailing off. So just what is it about a super cool mid century sideboard that makes them such popular statement pieces within modern room schemes?
Colour – A teak sideboard has a lightness of tone that sits well in contemporary home settings. Not too dark and not too light, the colour of a vintage teak sideboard can sit well with lighter or darker tones within a room. Interestingly, the rosewood sideboards of 1960s and 70s are highly prized by those that love them but tend to be a more niche item, in terms of popularity. These darker pieces tend to come at a higher price point, as they are much rarer, however, despite their outstanding beauty, a rosewood sideboard can be trickier to envisage within a room setting due to their stronger, darker colour.
Grain – The fantastic grain patterns found on a British or Danish sideboard of the mid 20th century will probably never be out of fashion. The often highly figured grain patterns of these vintage credenzas are both natural and truly beautiful. Rosewood sideboards, in particular, often exhibit rich, fiery grain patterns that are sometimes compared to tiger stripes.
Clean Lines – A vintage sideboard will benefit from simple sweeping lines. Drawer and door handles are usually clean and simple. Often they may not be visible at all, when the designer has adopted the use of ‘hidden’ drawer pulls. Nice Lines doesn’t mean the complete elimination of curves all together though. Far from it, curves can be a major design highlight of many a stunning mid century sideboard. However, the curves are subtle and gentle. Scandinavian sideboards, and Danish sideboards in particular, often exhibit some fantastic design elements but these are kept simple and stripped back, avoiding the use of extraneous decorative elements.
Practicality – Hmmm, this one might sound a bit mundane … but it isn’t! A retro sideboard will combine both eye-catching beauty with great storage capacity. Drawers, cupboard spaces and shelving mean these British and Scandinavian sideboards are both capacious and flexible. Some have removable trays, areas for mixing cocktails and spaces for storing liquor bottles. Drawers often come with built in cutlery dividers too. The rebirth of the vinyl record is another area where vintage sideboards shine. The top surface of a mid century sideboard is the perfect place for your turntable or, if you’re a bit of a DJ, a pair of record decks. As the shelves in the cupboards below are often adjustable/removable, these spaces are the perfect place to house your LP collection.