Sideboards really first rose to prominence in the 18th century when they began to replace and eradicate "long-serving" tables which were commonly known as "slab" tables. These were traditionally used for serving in the dining room as a table to put the individual serving bowls and plates of food on and would sit parallel to the longest side of the dining table.
Sideboards then began to replace these tables as they provided the extra function of having drawers and cupboards for additional storage as well as still having the surface to use for serving. It is thought that sideboards first came to England in the 1770's and now over 240 years later they are still a mainstay of our homes - although their use has expanded and is no longer limited to dining rooms but are also often employed in the home office, living room, kitchen and bathroom alike.