Servers, Buffets & China Cabinets

With so many storage options out there, it can get difficult to keep track! Let me break it down for you to make your shopping easier.

A server, also known as a serving table, is a piece of dining room furniture typically placed against a wall and used to stage food before serving—think Thanksgiving dinner! Servers are smaller and more formal than sideboards and buffets and are often used to store the nice cutlery and fanciest table linens. They can have drawers, doors, or an open bottom, and may be similar to buffets or sideboards in that they have cabinets.

On the other hand, a hutch typically has shelves or cabinets on top of a lower unit with a counter and drawers or cabinets. Hutches can be used to store or display items like the good china you never use, glassware, or decorative accents, and can be placed in kitchens, dining rooms, or living rooms. They can come in various styles and sizes, and some have glass doors with interior lighting to highlight items.

Finally, a curio cabinet is a piece of furniture that's designed to display and store items while keeping them safe. They're typically vertical, with glass on each side and glass shelves, with a metal or wood frame. Curio cabinets can be used to display a single item of interest or collections of objects, such as figurines, wedding photos, trophies, or china.

Now that you know the difference, take advantage of my free 3D room designer to see which option best fits your space.