Sunbury Occasional Sideboard

Design details

The kitchen safes that Sunbury is based off usually had legs to elevate them off the ground, which we’ve kept in Sunbury as they add elegance. We’ve replaced the traditional mesh ventilation panels though, swapping them for solid timber so the cabinet’s contents are tidily tucked away. There’s also a stop-chamfer edge down the sides, adding just a little decorative character and emphasising the feet.

Practical details

Sunbury is a piece that’s as much about function as it is form. So, we’ve really considered details like its height, for instance, which is tall enough to make the most of a small space but not so tall that you can’t use the drawer easily (which, as a side note, sits on strong, soft-close runners hidden underneath). While the shelves inside are not only adjustable (resting on our sturdy, timber zig-zag supports), but also deep enough to hold dinner plates comfortably.

Sunbury outside the kitchen

Kitchens and dining rooms are far from the only places you can use Sunbury. It would be great in a hallway as it offers lots of storage space in a small footprint (add little baskets inside and use it for hats, gloves, walking maps and dog leads). Or, take it into your home office, where its shelves could be filled with paperwork (they’re deep enough for A4 magazine files) and its drawer with stationery.

Why tulipwood?

Tulipwood is always the timber we turn to when we know we’re going to use a painted finish. That’s because, as well as being strong and stable, it also has a very fine, very even grain. Because there’s little in the way of knots and swirls, it’s easy to create a flat, smooth and practically perfect finish using eggshell paint which, later down the line, you can easily repaint or touch up.

Why oak?

Oak is, hands down, our favourite timber. There’s just the right amount of visual texture in its grain so it has personality but doesn’t feel too rustic. It’s also a proven timber, chosen for its strength and reliability for centuries. You’ll find it tucked away inside Sunbury, forming the cupboard shelves and the interior of the drawer as a lovely surprise when you peer in.

The finish: paint

You can choose from any of our colours for Sunbury, each applied in our water-based eggshell using a mix of spray and hand-painting techniques so the finish is perfect as can be. By using eggshell, rather than a seemingly more hardwearing plastic coating, you can not only repaint easily, but your cabinet will have a soft, low-sheen finish that’s so much more tactile and has a greater depth of colour.

The finish: IsoGuard®

The oak, meanwhile, is always finished using our Darkened Oak IsoGuard® – our own oil-based formula that protects the timber for a time from spills, without masking its natural texture. It also imparts a deep, rich brown colour that particularly suits this contemporary take on a traditional piece.

The hardware

To tone in perfectly with the Darkened Oak, it had to be Black-Bronze hardware for Sunbury. We’ve picked out the Barlow beehive knobs, which are small and discreet but have a tactile ribbed detail to them, as well as matching hinges and magnetic catches.

• For orders under £100 (or €100 in Ireland), it’s £6.95 (or €18 in Ireland).
• If your order is available now for UK mainland delivery, we’ll deliver it within 7 days. Otherwise, it’ll arrive in the estimated time frame stated above and at checkout. We’ll be in touch nearer the time to confirm your delivery date.  
• Orders to mainland UK or Northern Ireland will arrive via our white glove service. We’ll unbox and position your items, assemble anything that’s needed and take away the packaging for recycling.
• If you’re ordering outside mainland UK or Northern Ireland, items will be sent through our international delivery partners. 

Returns

• For designs in a made-to-measure fabric or non-standard colour, and fitted pieces like kitchen and bathroom cabinets, we can only refund 80% of the amount you paid.
• A £29.95 collection charge applies to all furniture returns delivered with our white glove service.
• If you cancel your order within 24 hours, we can refund the full amount.

Need to know

Natural timber will always want to move. It’s going to expand and shrink as the temperature and humidity in your home changes, but there are specialist joinery techniques that can help to counteract the movement. And that’s exactly what we do, so although you might see a little movement in the timber over the seasons, it won’t change drastically.