Yes, There Is a Difference Between a Buffet, Sideboard, Server, and Credenza

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. Confusing, right? Oh, and have you heard of a huntboard? I hadn’t either, at least until reading this helpful Houzz design article that breaks down the details of these terms.

You might be asking yourself why does all of this matter? It doesn’t necessarily, especially if you already have a piece in your dining room that functions for you and meets all of your needs.

But if you’re in the market for a piece of furniture that you can use for storage and serving, you might as well know what you’re searching for, especially since many furniture manufacturers use the terms interchangeably.

Here’s what we learned about these 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.

Read the full article → Buffet, Sideboard, Server, Credenza: What’s the Difference? on Houzz

Before heading over to Houzz for the details, tell us what you call that useful piece of furniture in your dining room that holds your extra servingware!