A sideboard for a Christleton dining room

Sloping floors are common in older village cottages. A sideboard that rocks can strain its joints over time, so it is usually levelled with thin hardwood packers under the feet rather than by cutting the legs down. Ask Sara for photographs of the feet and base so you can see what you would be working with.

There is no fixed answer, but a sideboard tends to look settled when some clear wall remains at each end rather than running corner to corner. Mark its outline on the floor with masking tape and live with it for a day, then compare that with the length Sara gives for the piece you are considering.

Dry air from radiators can make solid timber shrink, which may show as small gaps in panels or drawers that run differently through the year. Placing the sideboard away from a radiator and out of direct sun helps a great deal. For questions about a specific piece's timber or finish, ask Sara directly.

Yes. Send an enquiry through lifefullcolour.uk or phone Sara on 01286 400155. She can tell you more about a particular sideboard, send measurements and answer questions about viewing or delivery for that piece. When you decide to go ahead, the purchase completes on Creative Caernarfon.

Pull each drawer out fully and look at the sides, the bottom and the runners. Worn but smooth runners are normal, while cracked bottoms, split sides or loose dovetails are worth noting. The drawer should slide in straight without catching.

They mostly affect the surface rather than the structure. White heat rings and bleached patches are common on tops that served hot dishes and sat in the light. Deep burns, lifted veneer and wide splits matter more, so run your hand over the whole top.

Look at where it joins the top: old pegs or matching colour suggest it grew with the piece, while plugged holes or mismatched timber may mean it was added. Check the back for matching wear. Ask Sara what she knows about whether the gallery belongs.

Extra holes, or paler ghost marks in the wood, suggest the handles have been changed at some point. That is common and not a fault in itself. Look inside the drawer front for old backplate marks, and check that the present handles suit the style and wear of the piece.

Run a hand over it and look along the surface in side light for ripples, dents and patches where the finish has worn. Ask Sara whether the top is thought to be original to the piece, and whether it has been refinished. A top that has lived with the sideboard usually matches its sides in colour and wear.

Usually plainer than the outside: unpolished timber, often a different wood, with darker colour where light has not reached. Fresh bright wood or new shelves may mean later work, and a musty smell is worth noting. Check that shelves sit securely and the cupboard floor is solid.

Measure the length and the depth, including any moulding that overhangs the carcase, and note the height from the floor. Overhangs catch on door frames and window sills. Ask Sara for the depth of the top and the depth of the base, since some sideboards are deeper at the plinth.