Serving bowls, a breadbasket, two kinds of potatoes, and a gravy boat can fill a dining table fast. By the time everyone sits down, there's barely room for elbows, and the person at the far end can't see past the centerpiece. The food isn't the problem. The table is just being asked to do two jobs at once.
A buffet or sideboard takes one of those jobs off its hands, and it quietly handles a few others along the way. It's one of the hardest-working pieces a dining room can have, and one of the most overlooked. The team at Member Name can help you pick one out, but first, it's worth seeing everything this one piece can do.
A Second Serving Surface
Moving the food off the table changes the whole meal. Set the serving dishes on the buffet, let everyone fill their plates there family-style, then sit down to a table with room for plates, glasses and conversation. Most buffets and sideboards stand around 30 to 36 inches tall, and pieces in the 34- to 36-inch range sit close to counter height, so serving from one feels natural instead of awkward. Keep a trivet or two on top to protect the finish from hot dishes.
Storage for the Things That Only Come Out Sometimes
Every dining room has its once-in-a-while items: the good tablecloth, the big oval platter, the special occasion dishes and the cloth napkins that only appear for company. Without a home, they end up in the back of a kitchen cabinet or a closet upstairs. A buffet keeps them right where they're used, with drawers for flatware and napkins and deeper cabinets for stacked platters and serving bowls. If your table has extra leaves, measure them before you shop. A long, shallow drawer or a cabinet with an adjustable shelf can store them flat, so they're close by the next time the guest count goes up.
The Anchor Your Dining Room Is Missing
A rug pulls a living room together by giving the furniture something to gather around. A sideboard does the same job along a dining room wall. It balances the visual weight of the table, fills an empty stretch of wall and makes the room feel finished.
A Top Surface That Changes With the Seasons
The top of a sideboard is prime real estate, and it doesn't have to wait for a dinner party. A table lamp adds a warm glow that overhead lights can't match, and a few framed family photos make the room feel lived-in. Keep a tray or shallow bowl you can swap out with the seasons, filled with pinecones in winter or fresh lemons in spring. When company comes, slide the extras to one end and the surface is ready for serving again.
Finding Your Fit
The right piece depends on what you need to do most. A few quick questions usually point you in the right direction. These names get mixed up even on product tags, so treat them as a starting point.
- Is serving the main job?: Go with a buffet. Deep cabinets hold stacks of plates and big platters, and the long top gives you room to set out a full meal.
- Might it move to another room someday?: A sideboard is the flexible pick. It looks just as at home in an entryway or behind a sofa as it does in the dining room.
- Is your dining room on the smaller side?: Look at a server. It's often a bit more compact, with a mix of drawers and doors and sometimes open shelves for display.
- How much wall space do you have?: Aim for a piece about two-thirds the length of your table, so a 72-inch table pairs with something around 48 inches. Leave 6 to 12 inches of open wall on each side, and keep about 36 inches between the table's edge and the sideboard so chairs can pull out.
Make Room at the Table
Your table was never too small. It just needed a little backup, and now you know what kind to look for. Stop in with your questions, or come get a feel for our buffets, sideboards and servers in person, and our team at Member Name will help you find the one that fits your space.