What is the difference between a buffet and a sideboard?

The terms buffet and sideboard are used interchangeably, although buffets generally have higher legs and stand 34 to 38 inches tall.

What is the difference between a buffet table and a sideboard?

Buffet tables and sideboards are both types of cabinet furniture. Though often used as a synonym for “sideboard,” a buffet technically possesses a tiered or shelved superstructure for displaying decorative kitchenware. The term derives from buffet à deux corps, a piece which is seen mostly in French Provincial furniture. A sideboard is a side-table with cabinet doors that is used for serving, most often in a dining room. In form, a credenza has much in common with a sideboard (it's not uncommon to find a sideboard in a foyer, however). Find a wide range of mid-century modern buffets and sideboards on 1stDibs.

What’s the difference between a buffet and a sideboard?

The main difference between a buffet and a sideboard is that a buffet is usually slightly taller than a sideboard. However, both types of tables are typically found in the dining room and both serve the same function as a place to put serving dishes.

Antique Buffet Sideboard

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Marble Topped Carved Sideboard

Dining Room Buffet Cabinet Servers

French Louis Xv Sideboard

China Buffet

$2,396Sale Price|20% Off

$2,956Sale Price|20% Off

$8,250

Antique Gray Painted French Oak Sideboard Buffet circa 1800s

Located in Round Top, TX

Large French oak sideboard with traditional carved panel details. At 7.5' long, this will serve as an impressive buffet resting on carved feet. Please enlarge photos to appreciate t...

Category

Antique 19th Century French French Provincial Sideboards

Materials

Materials

Marble

French Sideboard Dresser 18th Century Buffet Provincial Country House FREE SHIP

Unavailable

H 42.13 in W 52.76 in D 19.69 in

French Sideboard Dresser 18th Century Buffet Provincial Country House FREE SHIP

Located in France, FR

Antique French Provincial buffet dresser sideboard 19th century Louis XV, circa 1790 Oak French country house Lovely color to the wood with good aged patina Two plank top with moulde...

Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Louis XV Buffets

Materials

Oak

Lacquered Grey Sideboard w/ Antique Mirrored Fronts and Lucite Legs & Hardware

Unavailable

Sold

H 41 in W 82.5 in D 20.5 in

Antique French Country Sideboard Buffet France

Located in North York, ON

Period French Early 19th century Sideboard, Buffet, Hand carved, rustic feel with cabriole feet. This piece is a perfect example of craftsmanship and quality joining together with Fr...

Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier French French Provincial Buffets

Antique 19th Century Chinese Sideboard Buffet

Sold

H 29 in W 77 in D 17.5 in

Antique 19th Century Chinese Sideboard Buffet

Located in Round Top, TX

Antique Chinese sideboard, circa 1840-1860. The natural elm has the tone/color of driftwood. There are three pairs of doors below and three drawers above which are all in working ord...

Materials

Mahogany

Romweber Antique Inlaid Flame Mahogany Sideboard Buffet

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Wood, Paint

Early 20th Century Chippendale Buffets

Materials

Mahogany

Antique Burled Walnut Louis XVI Marble Top Sideboard Buffet

Sold

H 41.5 in W 65.5 in D 20 in

Antique Burled Walnut Louis XVI Marble Top Sideboard Buffet

Located in North York, ON

This buffet is a great example of fine European craftsmanship. Made in France in the early 20th century, this gorgeous piece features book-matched burled walnut and satinwood veneer...

Category

Early 20th Century French Buffets

French Mid-Century Sideboard by Maxime Old, Sycamore & Ormolu, 1940s

$38,000

$4,995

$7,652

$6,831

H 41.34 in W 53.55 in D 19.69 in

Antique French Louis XVI Buffet, Bronze & Carrara Marble

Located in Senonches, Centre-Val de Loire

Antique French Louis XVI style sideboard topped with Carrara marble. Comprising two doors with a height-adjustable shelf, two dovetailed drawers with gilt bronze handles, fluted legs...

Category

Vintage 1940s French Louis XVI Buffets

Materials

Carrara Marble

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Pair of 18th Century Italian Walnut Armchairs, Circa 1750

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Pair of 18th Century Italian Walnut Armchairs, Circa 1750

Located in San Francisco, CA

A pair of Louie XV style hand carved walnut chairs with 17th century wool tapestry upholstery. These are of generous proportions, very sturdy and comfortable. The tapestry fabric has...

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Brass and Oxblood Leather Table Lamp in Jacques Adnet Style, 1980s

$676

$592 / item

H 23.5 in W 23.5 in D 2 in

Set of 2 Brutalist Whitewashed Reclaimed Wood Collage Tiles by Peter Glassford

By Peter Glassford

Located in San Antonio, TX

A sculptural White wash collage tiles part of the Brutal Nature collection by Peter Glassford, handcrafted from reclaimed wood fragments and assembled into a richly textured, one-of-...

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2010s Mexican Brutalist Contemporary Art

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20th Century Italian Sterling Silver Inkstand, baroque revival

$17,142

H 9.45 in W 16.54 in D 13.39 in

20th Century Italian Sterling Silver Inkstand, baroque revival

Located in VALENZA, IT

Faithful copy of the writing service by the silversmith Pietro Rubini, Milan c.1775 The inkstand is composed of a shaped tray supported by 4 rocailles feet, modeled along the entire ...

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Late 20th Century Italian Baroque Sterling Silver

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New World Buffet designed by Michael Taylor for Baker Furniture

$3,600

$1,311Sale Price|20% Off

$1,713

H 23.63 in Dm 16.54 in

Einar Bäckström mid-century rise and fall modernist pendant lamp, Sweden, 1950s

By Einar Backstrom

Located in Forserum, SE

An extraordinary mid-century pendant lamp, produced by the renowned Swedish manufacturer Einar Bäckströms Metallvarufabrik in the 1950s. It features three curved brass arms holding c...

Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

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Brass, Steel

Antique French Louis XVI Commode Chest Of Drawers, Carrara Marble & Bronze

$3,861

H 32.29 in W 43.31 in D 19.69 in

Antique French Louis XVI Commode Chest Of Drawers, Carrara Marble & Bronze

Located in Senonches, Centre-Val de Loire

Antique French, Louis XVI style chest of drawers topped with a white Carrara marble, fluted legs finished with golden bronze clogs. Three dovetailed drawers with bronze and brass de...

Category

Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Carrara Marble

Custom Made White Linen English Arm Rolled Back Sofa with Casters

$6,890 / item

H 33 in W 84 in D 38 in

Custom Made White Linen English Arm Rolled Back Sofa with Casters

Located in Old Town Orange, CA

White linen English arm rolled back sofa with casters. Custom made to order, upholstered in a heavy weight Belgian linen, with down feather seats. Very comfortable to sit in, with ...

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21st Century and Contemporary American Sofas

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Antique Buffet Sideboard For Sale on 1stDibs

Find many varieties of an authentic antique buffet sideboard available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of wood, oak and walnut, every antique buffet sideboard was constructed with great care. Find 235 options for an antique or vintage antique buffet sideboard now, or shop our selection of 1 modern versions for a more contemporary example of this long-cherished piece. Your living room may not be complete without an antique buffet sideboard — find older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century. An antique buffet sideboard is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Victorian, Art Deco and Louis XV styles are sought with frequency. Baker Furniture Company, Frank & Son and Gillows of Lancaster & London each produced at least one beautiful antique buffet sideboard that is worth considering.

How Much is a Antique Buffet Sideboard?

The average selling price for an antique buffet sideboard at 1stDibs is $2,705, while they’re typically $750 on the low end and $18,500 for the highest priced.

Finding the Right Case Pieces And Storage Cabinets for You

Of all the vintage storage cabinets and antique case pieces that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items.

In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior.

Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time.

Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room.

In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.

A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Alternatively, apothecary cabinets are charming case goods similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers.

Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard that features colored glass and metal details, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.

Questions About Antique Buffet Sideboard

What is the difference between a buffet and a sideboard?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
The terms buffet and sideboard are used interchangeably, although buffets generally have higher legs and stand 34 to 38 inches tall.
What is the difference between a buffet table and a sideboard?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2021
Buffet tables and sideboards are both types of cabinet furniture. Though often used as a synonym for “sideboard,” a buffet technically possesses a tiered or shelved superstructure for displaying decorative kitchenware. The term derives from buffet à deux corps, a piece which is seen mostly in French Provincial furniture. A sideboard is a side-table with cabinet doors that is used for serving, most often in a dining room. In form, a credenza has much in common with a sideboard (it's not uncommon to find a sideboard in a foyer, however). Find a wide range of mid-century modern buffets and sideboards on 1stDibs.
What’s the difference between a buffet and a sideboard?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMay 22, 2019
The main difference between a buffet and a sideboard is that a buffet is usually slightly taller than a sideboard. However, both types of tables are typically found in the dining room and both serve the same function as a place to put serving dishes.

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