Sideboards and Buffets: What's the Difference and What Size Do You Need? (UK Guide)
Shopping for sideboards and buffets and not sure which one you actually need? A sideboard usually sits flush or low to the floor with enclosed doors and drawers, while a buffet is typically taller, stands on visible legs, and adds open shelving above the storage for displaying plates and glassware.
In UK shops the two names are used loosely and often interchangeably, so the safest way to choose between sideboards and buffets is to stop worrying about the label and size the piece to your dining table and wall space instead, which is what the rest of this guide walks you through.
In this article
- What's the difference between sideboards and buffets?
- Do I need a sideboard or a buffet?
- What size do I need for my dining table?
- Sideboard vs buffet: full comparison
- How much clearance space do I need?
- What should I store in it?
- Best sideboards and buffets to buy in the UK
- FAQ
What's the difference between sideboards and buffets?
The clearest physical tell is the legs. A sideboard tends to have a low, flush base that sits close to the floor, while a buffet stands on visible legs that lift it clear of the skirting board. Buffets are also usually taller overall, often because they carry an open shelf or small display hutch above the enclosed cabinet, whereas a sideboard is normally one continuous run of doors and drawers.
The names have different roots too. "Sideboard" comes from 18th century England, where a plain board on trestles stood at the side of the dining room to hold extra serving dishes. "Buffet" is French in origin and historically described a taller display piece used to show off silver and china, a tradition traced back centuries in French dining custom. See Wikipedia's entry on sideboards for more on that history.
In practice, most UK retailers use "sideboard" and "buffet" interchangeably, and you'll regularly see one product listed under both names. Don't let the label decide your purchase. Use the shape (legs and height) to work out which suits your room, then size it properly using the steps below.
Do I need a sideboard or a buffet?
Think about the room and how you'll use it, not the name on the product page.
- Choose a low, flush sideboard if: it's a living room, hallway, or a dining room where you want the piece to sit quietly under art or a mirror.
- Choose a taller, leggy buffet if: you host formally and want somewhere to lay out serving dishes at table height, or want the open shelf to display glassware.
- Either works if: your main need is simply extra storage for linen, crockery and drinks, with no strong style requirement either way.
What size do I need for my dining table?
A widely used rule of thumb is to keep the sideboard or buffet at roughly 60 to 75 percent of your dining table's length, or at minimum half the table's length if your wall run is tight. If your wall is unusually long, you can go wider than the table itself, since a piece that runs the length of a generous wall tends to look intentional rather than mismatched.
| Dining table length | Typical seats | Suggested sideboard/buffet width |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 150cm | 4 to 6 | 90 to 115cm |
| 150 to 180cm | 6 to 8 | 115 to 140cm |
| 180 to 220cm | 8 to 10 | 140 to 165cm |
| 220cm+ | 10+ | 165cm+ |
Height matters as much as width. Aim for the top to sit within about 5cm of your dining table's height (most UK tables are around 75cm), so the two pieces read as a matched pair when seated. A taller buffet with a hutch breaks this rule deliberately, since the upper shelving is meant to sit above the table line.
Depth is the number people forget to check. A shallow 30 to 40cm depth suits linen, cutlery trays and drinks, but stacking dinner plates and serving bowls flat usually needs at least 40cm, closer to 45 to 50cm for large platters. Measure your own dinnerware before assuming a slim piece will hold it.
Sideboard vs buffet: full comparison
| Feature | Sideboard | Buffet |
|---|---|---|
| Typical height | 70 to 90cm, often close to table height | 85 to 100cm or more, especially with a hutch |
| Base and legs | Flush or a short plinth base | Raised on visible legs |
| Storage style | Enclosed cabinets and drawers throughout | Enclosed lower storage plus an open shelf or display hutch above |
| Best suited to | Living rooms, hallways, everyday dining room storage | Formal dining rooms, serving at table height, displaying china |
| Origin | English, 18th century serving table | French/Continental, historically a display piece |
How much clearance space do I need?
Leave enough floor space in front of the piece for people to actually get past it. Aim for at least 90cm of clear floor between the front of the sideboard or buffet and a chair pushed in at the table, and closer to 105 to 120cm if that gap is also a walkway. Measure past any skirting board, radiator or door architrave, not just the bare wall, since these are the fixed obstacles that most often catch people out after delivery.
What should I store in a sideboard or buffet?
Real households mostly use theirs for things that don't earn a permanent spot in the kitchen: good china, table linen, spare cutlery sets, drinks and glassware. Drawers suit linen and cutlery trays, while open shelving in a buffet-style hutch is better for pieces you actually want on show.
- Drawers: table linen, napkins, place mats, cutlery trays
- Enclosed cabinets: dinner plates, serving bowls, spare crockery sets
- Open shelves or hutch: glassware, jugs, cake stands, display china
- Countertop: a lamp, a tray for drinks, or a piece you rotate seasonally
Best sideboards and buffets to buy in the UK
All four of these are in stock at the time of writing and span the sizes and styles covered above, from a compact hallway piece through to a wide, taller statement cabinet.
Budget pick
Compact Sideboard, 60cm
60W x 40D x 80H cm with an adjustable shelf inside. Suits small dining rooms, narrow hallways or as a landing spot by the door.
From £74.99 Shop this sideboard →
Best for display (true buffet build)
Buffet Hutch with Open Shelves
80W x 37D x 183H cm, a tall two-part build with an enclosed lower cabinet and open shelving above for glassware and china on show.
From £120.99 Shop this buffet hutch →
Mid-range, most versatile
120cm Sideboard with Power Outlet
120L x 35W x 95H cm with three drawers, an open shelf and a built-in charging point, suiting a 6 to 8 seat table from the sizing table above.
From £144.99 Shop this sideboard →
Premium pick
150cm Hairpin-Leg Sideboard
81H x 39D x 150W cm on slender hairpin legs, with a brass-effect geometric pattern across two doors and three drawers. Suits an 8 to 10 seat table.
From £245.95 Shop this sideboard →
For the full range of dining room pieces, including tables and chairs to pair with your sideboard or buffet, see our dining room furniture buying guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is a buffet the same as a sideboard?
They're closely related, and UK shops often use the names interchangeably. The clearest practical difference is that a buffet tends to stand on visible legs and carry an open shelf or hutch above the cabinet, while a sideboard usually sits flush to the floor with fully enclosed storage. If you're choosing between two specific pieces, judge them by the legs and height rather than by which name is on the listing.
Should a sideboard be longer or shorter than my dining table?
Shorter is the safer default. Aim for roughly 60 to 75 percent of the table's length so the two pieces don't visually compete, and go no shorter than about half the table's length or it will look undersized against it. The exception is a long wall with plenty of spare width, where a piece the same length as the table (or a little longer) can look intentional rather than unbalanced.
Should a sideboard be the same height as my dining table?
Close to it, yes. Keeping the top within about 5cm of your table's height helps the two pieces read as a set when everyone's seated. A taller buffet with an open hutch is the deliberate exception, since the upper display shelving is meant to sit above the sightline, not level with the table.
How much space do I need to leave in front of a sideboard or buffet?
At least 90cm of clear floor between the front of the piece and a chair pushed in at the table, rising to 105 to 120cm if people need to walk behind seated diners. Measure past skirting boards, radiators and door frames, not just the flat wall, since these are the most common reasons a piece that "measured fine" doesn't actually fit on delivery day.
What should I store in a sideboard or buffet?
Most households use the drawers for table linen, napkins and cutlery trays, the enclosed cabinets for spare crockery and serving bowls, and any open shelving for glassware or china they're happy to have on display. Keep the countertop for a lamp or a rotating display piece rather than everyday clutter.
How deep does a sideboard need to be to fit dinner plates?
Around 40cm depth is a reasonable minimum for stacking standard dinner plates and bowls flat. A shallower 30cm piece works well for linen, drinks and cutlery, but check your own plate diameter before assuming a slim sideboard will take a full dinner service.
Find the right size for your dining room
Browse the full range of in-stock sideboards and buffets and filter by width to match the table above.
Shop Sideboards & Buffets →Free UK delivery on all orders from Opal Retail.