Console Table vs Sideboard vs Credenza vs TV Console: Height, Depth and Which Wall Each Suits
DecoraHubThese four pieces get mixed up in showrooms and on shopping sites. They differ in height, depth and storage, and each suits a different wall. Buying the wrong one usually means a piece that is too deep for a passage or too shallow to hold dinner plates.
The differences in one table
| Piece | Height | Depth | Storage | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Console table | 30 to 36 in | 12 to 16 in | Open base, sometimes a drawer | Entryway, passage, behind a sofa |
| Sideboard | 34 to 38 in | 18 to 22 in | Closed cabinets to the floor or on short legs | Dining room |
| Credenza | 28 to 32 in | 16 to 20 in | Long and low, often sliding doors | Living room, office |
| TV console | 17 to 28 in | 14 to 16 in | Drawers and open shelves for devices | Under the television |
Console table
A console is a display surface. It is shallow so that it can stand in a walkway. DecoraHub marble console tables are mostly 45 to 47 inches long, 15 to 16 inches deep and 31 to 32 inches high, with a composite marble top on a PVD coated SS304 base.
- The V Luxurious Console, 46 x 16 in, champagne gold, ₹35,999
- Golden and Black Base Marble Console, 45 x 15 x 31 in, ₹37,499
- Golden Heart Shaped Console, 46 x 16 x 32 in, ₹39,999
- The Zenith Marble Geometric Console, 46 in long, ₹39,999
Choose it when: the wall is in a passage, you want to show the base, and you need to put down keys and post, nothing heavier.
Sideboard
A sideboard stores crockery, cutlery and table linen beside the dining table. It is deep enough for a stack of dinner plates, which are 10 to 11 inches across, with the doors closed. Its top is at serving height, a little above the dining table.
Choose it when: the dining area has a free wall of 5 ft or more and at least 42 inches between the wall and the nearest chair back. DecoraHub makes sideboards to order. See current sideboards or ask through the contact page.
The in-between piece: a long console at serving height
The Echo Modern White and Echo Modern Black consoles are 60 or 72 inches long, 16 inches deep and 36 inches high. That is sideboard height at console depth. In a dining area too narrow for a 20 inch deep sideboard, an Echo gives a serving surface for a buffet without blocking the chairs. The 60 inch size is ₹48,999 and the 72 inch size is ₹54,999. The Linear Marble Top Console at ₹58,999 and The Echo Modern Wood Console at ₹44,999 belong to the same wood-bodied family.
Credenza
A credenza is a long, low cabinet. It started as office furniture and moved into living rooms. It sits below window sills and below wall art, which makes it useful on a wall with a low window. It holds files, board games and a music system.
Choose it when: you need closed storage in a living room or study and the wall has something above 32 inches that you do not want to block.
TV console
A TV console is sized to the screen. It is low so that a TV standing on it sits near eye level, and it has cable cut-outs and ventilation. The Riva Marble Top TV Console Unit With Cabinet (72 x 16 x 28 in, ₹62,999) is the closest DecoraHub piece to a credenza, with closed cabinet storage under a marble top. Lengths for each TV size are in the TV unit size guide. All models are in luxury TV unit designs and the TV unit collection.
Pick by wall
- Entrance passage under 5 ft wide: console, 15 inches deep.
- Foyer wall with space for a mirror: console. Styling is in the entryway console styling guide.
- Behind a floating sofa: console at or just below the sofa back height. See console table behind a sofa.
- Dining wall, wide room: sideboard.
- Dining wall, narrow room: Echo console at 36 inches high.
- TV wall: TV console.
- Study or under a window: credenza.
Common questions
Can a console table be used as a TV unit?
Only for a wall-mounted TV. At 31 to 36 inches high, a console puts a standing TV too high, and it has no cable management.
Can a console be used in a dining room?
Yes, as a serving surface. It will not store crockery.
Which costs more?
Consoles start at ₹33,999. TV consoles start at ₹52,999. Closed storage adds material and hardware, so sideboards and credenzas cost more than a console of the same length.
How do I check the quality of the base?
Read the console table buying checklist and PVD coating vs electroplating.
Browse marble console tables. Project orders go through the B2B enquiry form.
