Over my many years involved in the furniture industry, some questions I have found get asked regularly, and today’s article covers one of those questions
What is a buffet unit?
These days the term is used interchangeably with sideboards. In reality this is not quite true and is something that has evolved over time to be an accepted use. The reality is that a buffet unit is subtly different in so much as it is a taller version of a sideboard that is designed for people to be able to serve food comfortably whilst standing up
The height difference between the two is not huge, and a buffet unit is effectively a tall sideboard. A small sideboard will be in the region of 75cm high, although you will often find that this varies between designs. In the UK the average height of a sideboard will be somewhere close to 85cm, while a buffet unit will be a bit taller and will typically be 90cm tall. As such a tall sideboard can often do the job of a buffet unit.
Because a buffet cabinet is designed to do a specific job, you will normally only find it in one area of the home, which is the dining room. However, a sideboard is a more flexible item of furniture and depending on size, you can and will find it throughout the home, including in the living room, and hallways as well as being a key piece of dining room furniture.
Design features of a buffet unit
As already mentioned, they share a lot of commonalities with sideboards and these days are often used interchangeably. They are both designed to sit against a wall wherever they are placed, and feature a long flat top that makes serving food or displaying items easy.
Both items also offer ample storage underneath, featuring a combination of cabinets with doors, drawers, and sometimes open shelving to help keep all of your items both organised and hidden away.
Should you opt for a large sideboard you will typically find that you have a choice of four cupboards or stacks or drawers under the counter top. With some designs of modern sideboard also featuring drawers that sit on top of the cupboard space. These drawers are ideal for smaller items such as cutlery, candles and keys and are a key part of helping you to keep any room tidy and organised.
Between them, sideboards and buffet units will provide you with smart and elegant spaces for you to express both your style and tastes.
One emerging design trend we have started to see which is worthy of note, is in particular low sideboards being used for alternative purposes. They are a particularly effective alternative furniture solution for the home if you are looking for a tall TV stand.
A designer sideboard will give you approximately an extra 20cm versus a standard TV stand, and can come with extra features such as integrated LED lighting, which make them a great alternative piece of statement furniture for the lounge.
At Price Crash Furniture we have literally hundreds of sideboards for you to chose from in every design imaginable, so if you are not sure and want some help, just get in touch with our team of furniture experts that are real people sat here in the UK and ready to help – you won’t be disappointed. We are rated excellent for our service on Trustpilot and that is something every staff member is rightly proud and protective of, and shines through in everything they do.
Author Bio
Richard has been involved in the furniture industry for 15 years, starting originally in 2011 as a specialist in TV stands, his enjoyment for all things home furniture has led to him broadening his knowledge and expertise over time, and there is now nothing he doesn't know or hasn't seen in his extensive knowledge he has built up over the years.
As a keen blogger Richard has now written and published over 200 articles relating to home furniture topics and has an active following on LinkedIn where he regularly shares his knowledge and expertise with detailed buying guides from his years at Price Crash Furniture
