A sideboard can be a quiet piece of furniture, or it can carry the whole room. This custom Ash sideboard takes the practical route of a storage cabinet and gives it a much stronger visual centre: live-edge Elm doors with a bold dark feature running between the natural timber sections.
The gallery follows the project from carcass construction and door preparation through to the finished sideboard. The final piece combines a pale Ash structure, generous internal storage and a pair of Elm fronts that keep their irregular live-edge character.
Starting with the cabinet structure
The early workshop images show the sideboard being assembled from its internal components. Shelves, dividers and door frames are laid out before the final fronts are fitted. This stage is where the practical proportions of a custom sideboard are established.
A made-to-measure cabinet needs to do more than look good from the front. The internal openings have to suit the intended storage, the doors need enough clearance to operate properly, and the carcass must stay rigid while the timber fronts are prepared.
The sideboard body is assembled with a clean, rectangular framework. Its lighter timber gives the piece a simple base, leaving the live-edge doors to provide the variation and movement.
Preparing the live-edge Elm doors
The Elm fronts are the defining part of the design. Their edges are left uneven and organic, with knots, changes in width and natural contours that contrast against the straight cabinet frame.
The door panels are worked alongside a dark central section. This creates a strong horizontal band through the face of the sideboard while allowing the Elm grain to remain visible at the top and bottom.
Rather than hiding the irregular edge, the design uses it as part of the front elevation. The straight Ash framework gives the cabinet order; the Elm introduces the one-off detail.
Bringing the storage together
As the carcass and doors come together, the proportions become easier to read. The sideboard has a long, low profile, with storage divided into separate compartments behind the fronts.
The open-door images show the internal shelves and cabinet spaces. These details are important because the finished sideboard is designed for regular use, not just as a decorative wall piece.
The dark feature creates a visual break across the front, while the pale framing keeps the overall cabinet from becoming too heavy. The result is a useful contrast between controlled joinery and natural timber form.
A finished sideboard with a strong material contrast
The final views show the completed sideboard from several angles. The Elm fronts carry warm grain and uneven edges, while the cabinet body and top provide a cleaner outline around them.
Seen from the front, the dark central band gives the piece a clear graphic identity. From the side, the cabinet depth and the thickness of the door material become more apparent. It is a good example of how a custom sideboard can combine storage with a more individual material story.
The final close views show the grain continuing across the doors. The natural edge remains visible at the top and bottom, giving the front a less formal outline than a standard flat-panel cabinet.
Planning a custom sideboard in Auckland?
A custom sideboard can be designed around the wall length, the storage you need and the material contrast you want to bring into the room. Before starting, useful information includes approximate measurements, photos of the space, the items that need to be stored and reference images showing preferred timber or door styles.
You can view the complete image sequence in the Ash Sideboard with Live-Edge Elm Doors project gallery.
To discuss a custom sideboard or another piece of bespoke timber furniture, send an enquiry to INWOOD Furniture. Include your approximate dimensions, storage requirements and photos of the room so the design can start from the way the cabinet will actually be used.