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The Kitchn
thekitchn.com › do-you-know-the-difference-between-a-buffet-sideboard-server-or-credenza-201394
Yes, There Is a Difference Between a Buffet, Sideboard, Server, and Credenza | The Kitchn
March 26, 2014 - Buffet: There is no defining difference ... referred to as a buffet instead of a sideboard. Server: A server is smaller, shorter, and more formal than a buffet or sideboard....
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Woodstock Outlet
woodstockoutlet.com › blog › defining-servers-sideboards-buffets-credenzas
Dining Room Furniture 101: Defining Servers, Sideboards, Buffet Tables & More!
If you combine the cabinetry and long length of a sideboard with the longer legs of a server, you’ll have a buffet table. As a result, buffets often have slightly less storage than sideboards.
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Snyder's Furniture
snydersfurniture.com › snyder's amish furniture news blog › buffet vs. sideboard vs. server: differences in amish furniture
Buffet vs. Sideboard vs. Server: What's the Difference? | snyders.furniture
March 5, 2025 - Entryways to hold keys, mail, and seasonal decorations. A server is a smaller, narrower option, perfect if you're short on space but still need some storage. It's taller than a buffet and often features drawers and open shelving.
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Houzz
houzz.com › magazine › buffet-sideboard-server-credenza-what-s-the-difference-stsetivw-vs~17542991
Buffet, Sideboard, Server, Credenza: What's the Difference?
If you put the same piece in the entryway or living room, it would probably be called a sideboard or simply a cabinet. ... What Is a Server? Servers tend to be smaller, more formal, and lighter in scale than buffets.
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Home Zone Furniture
homezonefurniture.com › blogs › decor › difference-between-servers-buffets-and-hutches
How to Tell the Difference Between Servers, Buffets and Hutches – Home Zone Furniture
September 9, 2022 - Buffets are a piece of storage furniture on higher legs and are often used in the dining room, while sideboards have low or no legs and are found in living rooms or entryways.
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Slumberland
slumberland.com › collections › sideboards-and-buffets
Buffet Furniture, Sideboards & Servers | Dining Storage – Slumberland
While often used interchangeably, buffets and sideboards have subtle differences. A buffet is designed primarily for dining rooms. They often feature a longer, lower profile. They have storage for serving dishes, dinnerware, and linens.
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Ethan Allen
ethanallen.com › home
Buffets, Sideboards & Servers for Dining Room | Ethan Allen
A buffet is also convenient for serving meals or snacks buffet style, rather than plating food in another room or passing dishes around family style. It depends on whom you ask! Some sources it has to do with the style of the cabinet; others say sideboards belong in the living room, and buffet cabinets belong in the dining room.
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Living Spaces
livingspaces.com › inspiration › ideas-advice › guides › credenza-vs-buffet-vs-sideboard-whats-the-difference
Credenza vs. Buffet vs. Sideboard: What’s the Best Choice for Your Home?
Buffets, on the other hand, are typically taller and deeper, making them ideal for dining spaces when storing dinnerware or serving as a surface for entertaining. Sideboards share similarities with buffets but often feature more versatile designs ...
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Coleman Furniture
colemanfurniture.com › dining room furniture › sideboards & buffet cabinets
Sideboards & Buffet Cabinets | Coleman Furniture
A console table is generally narrow and decorative, while a sideboard or buffet cabinet offers enclosed storage and is designed to be more functional. Sideboards are deeper and often feature drawers or cupboards, making them more suitable for dining rooms. ... Other common names include buffet, ...
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Belfortfurniturebuzz
belfortfurniturebuzz.com › blog › whats-the-difference-between-a-server-and-a-sideboard
Dining Servers, Sideboards, Buffet's and More — Belfort Buzz Furniture and Design Tips
December 14, 2020 - This stunning buffet is the perfect accent piece for purpose, function and style in your dining space. This dining side buffet features plenty of storage and timeless style. 3 - Servers are smaller in scale and more formal, they may have drawers, ...
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Home Zone Furniture
blog.homezonefurniture.com › decor › difference-between-servers-buffets-and-hutches
The Difference Between Buffets, Servers and Hutches
September 9, 2022 - Buffets are a piece of storage furniture on higher legs and are often used in the dining room, while sideboards have low or no legs and are found in living rooms or entryways.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/interiordesign › what’s the difference between a credenza and a sideboard?
r/InteriorDesign on Reddit: What’s the difference between a credenza and a sideboard?
May 26, 2018 -

Are they the same thing? What are they for? And is a “buffet” just a credenza that’s in a dining room?

Thanks!

Top answer
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A credenza, in my mind, is usually a piece of furniture in an office setting. It sits behind or to the side of the matching executive desk. A sideboard is a taller piece of furniture used in a dining room as a storage space and buffet spot.
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Buffet, sideboard, server, credenza: Do you find yourself using these terms interchangeably? I sure do! After all, there's so much overlap between these furniture types that a piece's classification is often determined solely by its location in your home. Here's four storage pieces: Sideboard: The distinguishing feature of sideboards, according to Houzz, are the short legs. The cabinets may also reach all the way to the floor. Buffet: There is no defining difference between a buffet and sideboard, but if the piece has relatively high legs, it may be referred to as a buffet instead of a sideboard. Server: A server is smaller, shorter, and more formal than a buffet or sideboard. Credenza: Historically a credenza referred to a piece of furniture with no legs and cabinets that reached to the floor, but many modern credenzas have legs. They're likely to have sliding doors as well. There is no difference between a sideboard and a buffet in terms of definition. A sideboard used in the dining room may be called a buffet, and when placed in the living room, called a sideboard. Historically speaking, buffets were first used in Sweden to lay out big spreads of food and drink, known as smorgasbords. The concept of buffet tables caught on in France and then throughout the rest of Europe. In practice, I have noticed that shops and manufacturers seem to call long, low storage pieces on higher legs buffets, and those on shorter (or no) legs sideboards. The word “credenza” comes from the English word “credence” and the Italian word for “belief” – which makes sense, considering the first credenzas were used as a place for food that needed to be tasted to test for poison before being served to a VIP. Early credenzas had no legs, just cabinets reaching to the floor. During the mid-20th century, credenzas enjoyed a renewed popularity among the modern design crowd – but the “new” credenzas tended to be long, low cabinets on slender legs, often with sliding doors.
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Rustic Red Door
rusticreddoor.com › blogs › rrd › plain-talk-about-buffets-sideboards-servers-credenzas-and-huntboards
Buffets, Sideboards, Servers & Credenzas | Rustic Red Door
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, with a simpler design 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
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The Room Place
theroomplace.com › buffet-and-servers › c › 200
Living Room Buffets, Servers and Sideboards - Harlem Furniture
Sideboards and Buffets: Although both use a similar design, sideboards tend to be a hutch-style fixture placed in the living room. Buffets, meanwhile, are reserved for the dining room.
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Finefurniturelosangeles
finefurniturelosangeles.com › home › buffet vs. sideboard vs. credenza: what’s the difference?
Buffet vs Sideboard vs Credenza - What's the Difference? | Fine Furniture Los AngelesFine Furniture Los Angeles Blog
May 1, 2023 - Buffets – A buffet is a type ... acts as storage. Sideboards – Buffets have long legs and act as storage centers, whereas sideboards do not have legs and sit directly on the floor....
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Furniturepick
blog.furniturepick.com › home › dining & kitchen › what is a dining room…
What Is a Dining Room Sideboard or Buffet, Server? – FurniturePick.com Blog
February 24, 2021 - Named usually as a sideboard but sometimes a buffet or a server, credenza, cupboard, this piece of furniture is placed as a part of a complete dining room set and is used to store and display items.
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Castlery
castlery.com › us › blog › sideboard-vs-buffet-vs-credenza
Sideboard vs. Buffet vs. Credenza: What's The Difference? | Castlery US
October 14, 2025 - Sideboards are the masters of compact living. They’re generally shorter and more compact. Designed to fit neatly against a wall, they offer a handy surface for your everyday essentials without taking up too much visual or physical space. This makes them especially suitable for entryways, hallways, or even cozy dining areas. ... Buffets and credenzas, on the other hand, bring a sense of grandeur and spaciousness with their extended length.