Furniture 101: Buffets, Sideboard, and Credenzas

Over the years, the furniture market has expanded rapidly with trends, inspirations, and new technology. With the expansion comes new furniture styles and pieces, making shopping sometimes feel a little overwhelming. Take a look at dining room furniture, after you choose your table and chairs, there’s the choice between a buffet, a sideboard, or a credenza. Do these furniture have different purposes or do they function the same? What are the differences? In truth, these furniture staples are nearly identical, with small differences in the details. Today, let’s take a look at these classic dining pieces to help you figure out what best suits your home and lifestyle.

Sideboards

Before kitchen cabinets were common in western Europe, waist-high sideboards were used to store dining ware, and to serve hot meals. Hutches, meant for hanging utensils and displaying fine trinkets started to appear in the 18th century as entertaining became the most popular pastime. Sideboards usually have very short legs or no legs at all. Modern sideboards tend to be decorative and intended to be used in the living room.

Landon Distressed Dining Server

Buffets

In Sweden, buffets were first used to set out large meals (smorgasbord) so diners could serve themselves. As smorgasbord became popular in the rest of Europe, so did the buffet table! Buffets sit on long legs, with drawers, cabinets, or shelves for storage. Paired with a hutch, a buffet serves as a storage center for your fine linens and treasured heirloom pieces. When shopping for a buffet table, look for high-quality hardwood materials like mahogany, pine, walnut, and oak for a piece that will look beautiful for years.

Today, the terms sideboard and buffet are often used interchangeably. If it’s in the living room, it’s a sideboard, if it’s in the dining room, it’s a buffet.

Hurdsfield Buffet Table

Credenzas

Credenzas are believed to originate in 16th century Italy, as food needed to be tasted for poison. Food would be placed on a table in a separate room for the tester. The act of tasting was considered the act of “credenza” or “trust.” This term came to mean the table that was used.

The modern credenza is longer and shorter than both the sideboard and the buffet, with either no legs or short, stubby legs. Sliding doors are the most common on credenzas. Larger display pieces, like china hutches or serving bars, sometimes include credenzas. Commercial credenzas in restaurant kitchens, are often made of stainless steel. The credenzas built for home use are made of polished wood or precious materials like marble. If you plan on using your credenza to serve food, look for a heat-resistant top.

Linea Credenza

Dining Room Style

Choosing between a sideboard, credenza, or buffet is much easier once you’ve narrowed down your dining room style. Do you like retro, midcentury modern style? Try a sideboard with funky details. If traditional style is more you, look for a handsome buffet that will be perfect for serving up holiday fare. Measure your dining table before buying a new dining room piece. Ideally, your credenza, sideboard, or buffet should be around the same height. This creates a more cohesive look, even when you mix and match décor styles.

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