If you've been browsing for dining room storage, you've likely come across the words buffet, sideboard, credenza, and hutch. They're essentially variations of the same thing—a piece of furniture designed mainly for extra storage.
Although they share some similarities, each furniture piece has specific traits that distinguish it from the other. Knowing how to tell them apart makes shopping a little easier. You'll be better equipped to find the right furniture for your space. So, let's break down the details:
What is a Buffet?
"Buffet" brings up images of an elaborate spread of food, and perhaps this is where the piece gets its name. Traditionally, a buffet functions as a serving station. Its surface displays food platters while the storage below keeps table linens and dinnerware tucked away but still within reach if needed.
A buffet typically has a long and wide body to provide ample display space for food and a medium-low profile to make it easy for guests to serve themselves.
Note: The piece of furniture featured above is our Enso Solid Wood Buffet, in cherry and walnut.
Key features of a buffet:
- Long and medium-low profile, roughly the average waist height
- Concealed storage in the form of cabinets and drawers
What is a Sideboard?
Now, this is where things can get a little fuzzy. Today, the words "sideboard" and "buffet" are used almost interchangeably. Both refer to storage pieces with a long and low profile, typically placed in the dining room.
In practice, there's no significant difference in form and function between them. That said, if there's a tiny detail setting them apart, it's the legs. If the piece has short legs or a base that sits directly on the floor with no legs, it's more likely a sideboard. If the legs are a tad bit longer, lifting the body slightly higher off the ground, the furniture piece is likely a buffet. However, this small distinction isn't universal, and many modern designs blur any noticeable dissimilarity.
Key features of a buffet:
- Long and medium-low profile, roughly the average waist height
- Concealed storage in the form of cabinets and drawers
- Short legs or no visible legs
What is a Credenza?
A credenza is a close cousin of the sideboard and buffet—actually, it might just be the OG ancestor to pieces of furniture in the dining storage category.
Traditionally, a credenza functions as dining room storage, with its flat surface mainly used to display food during gatherings. The word has Italian origins, describing the long and low cabinets reserved for royalty or nobility in the Middle Ages. At the time, food was stored in a credenza before being tested for poison.
This is our contemporary version of the credenza. You can find it in our Modern Collection.
Given its history, it's fascinating to see how the term "credenza" has become loosely attached to the dining room. Today, it's commonly associated with sleek, simple, and versatile storage units used in any room of the house.
A credenza can be in the hallway and the living room as a decorative item with extra storage. In the office, they often appear behind desks or in meeting rooms where they store files and office supplies.
Key features of a credenza:
- Low and long profile, sometimes lower than a buffer or sideboard
- Sleek and subtle exterior
- Closed storage with cabinet doors and drawers
What is a Hutch?
The hutch is the easiest to distinguish from the others because of its prominent upper section. Imagine a buffet, sideboard, or credenza with an attached upper shelving. This is basically what a hutch is.
The most defining feature of a hutch is the way it looks like a two-part construction. Again, it has a lower base resembling a buffet or sideboard and a taller, slightly narrower upper section designed to display items. The lower part provides closed storage, while the upper part often features open shelving or a display space with glass doors, meant to showcase pretty glassware. At the point where the two parts meet is a tabletop-like surface.
Key features of a hutch:
- Two-piece structure: lower cabinet plus upper shelving or cabinet
- Glass doors or open shelves for display
- Vertical storage instead of a horizontal design, like the others
How to Choose the Right Piece for Your Space
When deciding between a buffet, sideboard, credenza, or hutch, think about how you'll use the piece and where it will stay. Here are a few guide questions that might help:
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Do you need extra surface space to showcase decor and a precious collection? All four can provide the space needed to display pieces. The next concern is floor space. A longer and wider buffet can occupy more floor space, whereas a hutch can be narrower with more vertical storage.
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Do you want to display special items like china or glassware? A hutch is a clear winner here, thanks to its glass doors that can safely display your favorite items.
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Are you going for a farmhouse style or a more contemporary aesthetic? The style of the furniture piece and the material used matter. A wooden sideboard with clean lines and a simple design can work in a modern home, while a solid wood hutch made of white oak is more aligned with a farmhouse-style home.
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Are you placing the furniture piece outside the dining room? A credenza or sideboard often works better in living rooms, offices, and entryways.
- Are you looking for a versatile piece? Pieces with a simple and modern design cross categories. Honestly, it hardly matters if it's a buffet, sideboard, or credenza. If the storage piece has a simple design and is made of natural materials like solid wood, it can be versatile enough, even timeless.
If you're searching for dining room furniture, anything from solid wood dining tables to modern sideboards with ample storage space, look no further than T.Y. Fine Furniture. You can browse our collection of high-quality dining essentials online. Better yet, visit our showroom in Columbus, Ohio, when you get the chance. Seeing our furniture in person makes it easier for you to envision it in your space, as you have a better sense of its scale and appearance.
Don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions.