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If you’ve been shopping for dining room or living room storage, you’ve probably noticed the a few seemingly interchangeable terms pop up again and again: credenza, sideboard, and buffet. They seem like different names for the same piece of furniture, and it is easy to mix them up, considering they serve a similar purpose and their similar designs can make the distinctions feel surprisingly murky. Here’s a guide to the key differences to help you to choose the piece that’s right for your space.
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What Is a Sideboard?
A sideboard is a wide cabinet, typically with doors and drawers, that combines enclosed space with a useful surface for serving or display.
Sideboards are especially common in dining rooms, with a top for food service and storage for table linens to hosting accessories. Over time, though, they’ve become practical options in other rooms, too. They’re a smart choice for storing electronics, games, or toys in a living room. In an entryway, the top makes a convenient drop zone for keys or sunglasses while the hidden space is ideal for pet gear or winter wear.
Sideboard characteristics:
- Cabinet doors, drawers, shelves or a combination
- A wide, substantial profile
- Short legs or a cabinet base
- Commonly found in dining rooms, but popular in living rooms, entries, and other spaces
Today, “sideboard” is a catch-all term for a wide, medium-height storage piece, which helps explain why it can overlap with both credenzas and buffets.
What Is a Credenza?
A credenza is a long, low storage cabinet, traditionally associated with dining but now just as common in living rooms, home offices, and other spaces.
Compared with a sideboard, a credenza has a noticeably lower, more elongated profile. Many are designed with very short legs, or none at all, which makes them look more like a piece of furniture than a cabinet. Sliding doors are also a popular feature of many credenzas.
In living rooms and offices, credenzas can provide concealed storage while giving you a place for books, artwork, a television, or decorative objects. In a dining room, it can serve much the same purpose as a sideboard.
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Credenza characteristics:
- Cabinets, shelves, drawers or a combination
- Long, low proportions
- Very short or no legs
- A useful option for media, office, or general storage
“Credenza” often appears in furniture listings for pieces with a distinctly modern or contemporary look, but style alone doesn’t define it. Scale and storage design matter more.
Credenza vs. Sideboard: The Key Differences
In a nutshell: a credenza is low and long, while a sideboard is often somewhat taller and more substantial. But there is considerable overlap, and the names are not used consistently by every retailer.
Credenza | Sideboard | |
Primary Use | Living room, media, or office storage and display | Flexible storage and display; often used for dining |
Typical Location | Office, living room, media room, dining room | Dining room, living room, entry but versatile enough for many spaces |
Height/Legs | Generally the lowest profile; often with very short or no legs | Low to medium height; may have short legs or a solid base |
Storage | Cabinets, drawers, shelves or multiple | Cabinets, drawers, shelves or multiple |
Buffet vs. Sideboard: One More Term to Know
A buffet is usually considered a dining room piece, while “sideboard” has become a broader term for similar storage in dining or other rooms. The difference between a buffet and sideboard is not considerable, but buffets are almost always tied to dining, so they usually have taller legs to make serving more comfortable and convenient.
It’s worth noting that furniture terminology isn’t standardized, and you’ll find plenty of pieces that look remarkably similar labeled buffet, sideboard, or buffet sideboard. That’s why the name shouldn’t be driving your decision.
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And What About a Console Table?
A credenza is essentially a storage cabinet, while a console is a narrow table or display surface. A console table may have a shallow drawer or shelf and are often used behind sofas, in entryways, or along a wall where a slim profile is a better fit. If you’re looking for doors, drawers, and more substantial storage, you’re probably shopping for a credenza or sideboard.
How to Choose the Right One for Your Space
Choose based on the storage you need, the space you have, and how you plan to use the piece.
Start with what you want to store. Think about the items you need to put away. Dishes, serving pieces, table linens, and entertaining accessories point to a dining room sideboard or buffet. Books, electronics, games, or living room essentials may make a credenza or sideboard a better choice. If you just want somewhere to hide clutter, plus a surface for lamps, art, or decor, either can do the job.
Consider the room. The room can help narrow your choices, but it doesn’t have to dictate them. A dining room sideboard can be a beautifully functional addition to the living room and a low credenza can work in a dining room, office, or under a television. Think about your space and storage needs first, then let the style of your room guide you.
Measure before you shop. A piece can look very different in your home than online or in a showroom. Before you fall for one, measure the available width, depth, and height of your space. And don’t forget to consider the doors and drawers. You want enough room to open them fully, particularly if the piece will sit near a dining table, sofa, or walkway. If pairing a credenza with a television, make sure the piece is wide and sturdy enough to hold the TV, and that the height works comfortably for viewing.
Let the furniture’s function make the final decision. If two pieces look nearly identical but one is labeled a credenza and the other a sideboard, you don’t need to choose based on the label. If it fits your space, provides the storage you need, and works with your room’s style, it's probably the right piece.
When shopping, make dimensions, storage configuration, construction, and intended use your priorities. Once you know how you want the piece to function, choosing between a credenza or sideboard becomes much easier.
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Credenza vs. Sideboard FAQs
Is a buffet the same as a sideboard?
In practice they’re nearly the same piece: “sideboard” is the broad term for a low dining room storage cabinet, while “buffet” usually refers to that same cabinet used to serve food, sometimes standing a little taller on longer legs.
What’s the difference between a credenza and a sideboard?
A credenza is typically lower, longer, and sleeker than a sideboard – often with sliding doors and short or no legs, reading more modern – while a sideboard is usually a bit taller on short legs with a more traditional look.
Can a credenza be used as a TV stand?
Absolutely! A credenza’s long, low shape makes it a natural choice for a TV stand. Its cabinets and drawers are ideal for holding and hiding media equipment, games, and other living room essentials.
Is a console table the same as a sideboard?
Not quite. A console is typically a narrow table used primarily as a surface for display. A sideboard is an overall larger piece and offers substantially more enclosed storage. If you need to tuck things away, a sideboard is usually the better choice.
Where does a sideboard or buffet go if you don’t have a dining room?
A sideboard or buffet can work anywhere you need accessible storage. Concealed space plus a flat surface for lamps, deßcor, or everyday items is almost always welcome in a living room, entryway, home office, or even a bedroom.