sideboards

Generally low, wide chests of drawers or case pieces on legs with cupboard space. They are placed along the wall of a dining room and used for storage and serving, and for displaying plate and other precious tableware. Early pieces were often simply a board placed near the dining table found only in rooms used for eating. In the Middle Ages, a cupboard performed a similar function. Early European sideboards often had a series of stepped surfaces, the tiered arrangement allowing for the display of dishes and cups. By the 17th century sideboards were being designed with a cupboard or drawers beneath a flat table surface. The top was higher than a standard table, allowing the plate on display to be seen easily, as well as making the food more conveniently accessible to a standing person. Sometimes serving or side tables would also be introduced on which all the food was placed, leaving the grander sideboards purely for display. "Dressers (cupboards)" may be similar in design and function, but were typically found in kitchens rather than dining rooms. For side tables used along the walls of dining rooms, use "sideboard tables."