Sideboards & Buffets

A buffet does two jobs at once: it stores the platters, table linen and glassware that never fit in the kitchen, and it gives you somewhere to serve from when the table is full. This range runs from compact 95cm units for apartments through to 2m sideboards that can anchor a big open-plan room.

How to size a buffet for your room
Start with the wall, not the piece you’ve fallen for. A sideboard sits best with breathing room either side — somewhere between half and two-thirds the length of your dining table usually reads right. Then check depth: most units here are 40–50cm deep, and you want at least 90cm of clear floor between the buffet and your dining chairs so doors and drawers can open while people are still seated. Tight room? A narrow 95cm unit still swallows a full dinner set without crowding the walkway. Height matters too — around 75–90cm keeps serving comfortable, just above table height.

Materials: what you’re actually choosing
Solid timber — elm, oak, messmate, ash — dents rather than chips, and a scratch can be sanded and re-oiled years later. It’s the buy-once option. Veneer-top units give you the same timber look with better stability through Melbourne’s wet winters and dry, heated summers, at a friendlier price. Darker finishes like walnut, black stain and espresso hide everyday scuffs; pale naturals show wear sooner but keep a small room feeling light. Rattan door panels visually lighten a large unit and suit relaxed or coastal rooms; brass and gold hardware dresses a piece up.

Pairing with your table and chairs
Match the timber tone, not the product line. A natural oak sideboard works happily under a messmate dining table if the undertone agrees, and black sideboards are the easiest pairing in the range — they ground white, oak and walnut tables alike. Repeat one detail, such as a handle finish or rattan echoed in your dining chair backs, and the room reads as considered rather than bought as a set.

If you’d rather judge finishes in person, visit our Clyde North showroom at 1 Argon Cct — seeing oak, walnut and rattan side by side answers questions that photos can’t. Bring your wall measurement and a photo of your table and we’ll help you size the right unit. For a whole-room view, book an interior consultation and we’ll plan the piece into your space.