Plain Talk about Buffets, Sideboards, Servers & Credenzas...and Huntboards

When shopping around for furniture whose primary function is to hold items for table service, the differences between a buffet, sideboard, server, or credenza can be a bit confusing. Below are some important distinctions of each that should help you in your choice.

Sideboard (also known as a Buffet)

• Long, waist-high (or lower) furniture piece with short or no legs, used also for storage

• May or may not have cabinets that extend to the floor

• Has compartments or shelves in/on which to hold table service items

• May include a hutch with open shelving or with glass front cabinets intended for displaying fine tableware

• Usually found in a living room or entryway; when used in a dining room it is generally referred to as a buffet

• *"An antique variation of the sideboard is a hunt board which is taller, smaller, and more simple than a typical sideboard; it was designed to be stood around by hungry folks as they ate after finishing a hunt" - Laura Gaskil, Houzz contributor

Buffet (also known as a Sideboard)

• Same characteristics as a sideboard but are generally found in a dining room

Server

• Smaller, more formal, lighter in scale than Sideboards or Buffets

• May have drawers or cabinets

• May have an open bottom with taller legs

Credenza

• Today’s credenzas are usually long, low cabinets (with sliding doors) on slender legs.