Buffets

About

A buffet provides the storage infrastructure that makes a dining room fully functional — somewhere to keep table linens, serving pieces and bottles without filling the dining table or scattered across a sideboard too small for the job. Our range of buffets and dining room storage units covers a variety of widths and configurations in contemporary and classic finishes. The buffet is closely related to the sideboard — the terms are often used interchangeably — but in Australian homes the distinction usually comes down to proportion. A buffet tends to be longer and lower, often used as a serving surface during meals, while a sideboard may be taller and narrower. Both serve the same essential function: dedicated storage for dining room essentials. Placement drives the selection. A buffet positioned along the wall of a dining room works as a display surface for table centrepieces between meals and transforms into a serving station during a dinner party. This dual function means the top surface matters as much as the storage inside — it should be a material that handles heat (from dishes briefly placed there), humidity and the occasional wine ring without becoming permanently marked. Storage configuration typically combines a mix of cupboard space (for bulkier items like serving platters, casserole dishes and wine bottles), drawers (for cutlery, napkin rings, tablecloths and smaller items) and sometimes open shelving or glass-front sections for display. In open-plan living and dining spaces — common in contemporary Australian home design — a buffet can also serve as a visual boundary between zones, particularly effective when positioned with its back to the living area and face to the dining space. A low-profile unit at 750-800mm doesn't obstruct sightlines; a taller unit creates a more defined separation. Timber buffets in oak, walnut and pine suit the natural interior direction that's been dominant in Australian design. White high-gloss buffets work well in smaller spac