Designer FAQs: Buffets, Sideboards & Servers for Your Dining Room
Why does a dining room need a buffet?
If you’re tired of carrying dishes from your kitchen to your dining table, or you want a place to keep your linens and silver handy, a buffet can be a great addition to your dining room. 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.
People sometimes say sideboard, sometimes buffet. Is there a difference between a buffet and a sideboard?
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. You can use the terms interchangeably nowadays, and either is most likely appropriate for your dining room.
What size should a dining room buffet be?
The right size depends on the size of your dining room. Here are some rules of thumb:
- Your buffet should be at least 30 inches tall and 18 inches deep, so you can easily serve food from the top.
- Make sure it's a little shorter (in terms of length) than your dining table; you want to keep your dining table as the focal point of the room.
Allot at least 24 inches of space between your table and the front of your buffet. This spacing gives people room not only to walk by and serve themselves from the buffet but also to push their chairs in and out from the dining table.
Having trouble visualizing? Measure your dining room and your dining table, and use our 3D room planner.
Do you have buffet cabinets for smaller dining rooms?
Yes! Here are a few options—
- Less than 40 inches long for small dining rooms: Try the Rambert two-door buffet for a modern space, the Cressida server for a classic space, or the Delmar cabinet for a farmhouse look.
- Less than 70 inches for medium-size spaces: Check out the Saxton buffet for a more traditional space, the Brandt buffet for transitional décor, or the Douglas farmhouse buffet for a laid-back, casual look.
You can also design your own custom two-door buffet and have it made in our workshops in the finish and door style of your choice, with or without drawers. Visit our custom buffet page to play with your options.
How do I know which buffet cabinet will work with my décor?
A buffet’s wood finish, door front, and foot and trim details do a lot to communicate its style sensibility. Here are some examples from dining rooms created by our designers—
- For a classic dining room: We chose the Fairlee buffet, crafted from maple with a gray-brown finish, and with beautifully curved glass door frames.
- For a formal dining room: The Burton buffet, made from Indonesian mahogany and finished in modern walnut, has dramatic primavera inlay patterns on its doors.
- For a modern dining room: With a midcentury profile, solid doors, and a hand-forged steel base, our Altan cabinet fits this dining room’s of-the-moment sensibility.
- For a farmhouse dining room: We created a custom four-door buffet with beadboard doors, urn-shaped feet, and a charcoal finish.
Do you see a sideboard or buffet cabinet that you like, but feel unsure how it will suit your space? Use our EA inHome® app to preview it in your dining room.
How do I decorate the top of my sideboard when I’m not using it?
Check out our dining room inspiration hub for images, but here are some general ideas:
- Hang artwork or a mirror on the wall above it.
- Add items of various heights; a lamp at one end, a floral at the opposite end, and a tray filled with glasses and a decanter in the middle.
- Keep it in balance: The left and right sides don’t have to have the same décor, but they should have equal visual weight
- Pull from your dining room’s palette.
- A few medium or large items are better than many small items.
I’ve fallen in love with one of your buffets, but it would actually work better in my living room as a TV cabinet. Can I use it that way?
For many of our buffets, you can. Check the Product Details to make sure it has backpanel cutouts for ventilation and cords. If it does, you can pop your gaming consoles, streaming devices, and other electronics in the cabinet and use it in your living room or media room.
The reverse can sometimes be true, too. Just double-check the media cabinet’s size to make sure it’s at least 30 inches tall and 18 inches deep before using it as a buffet.
Do you have more questions? Click the Designer Chat icon, or contact your local Design Center—we’re happy to help!