Credence, buffet, sideboard and showcase

In a dining room or living room that is equipped with a dining area, it is desirable to have beautiful and functional pieces of furniture for storing dishes, textiles, and serving utensils. It is important to choose models so that they are spacious, ergonomic, aesthetic, and also fit harmoniously into the interior concept. For small rooms, a compact cabinet, display case or credenza is ideal; for a spacious room you can buy an antique buffet or sideboard. An unobtrusive touch of vintage gives the products a special chic. Credenza is a chest of drawers adapted for dishes, on a small surface of which you can afford serving for a cozy feast. To display beautiful dishes, there is a showcase, the structure of which is almost entirely made of glass. But the slide combines closed closed cabinets in the lower part and transparent sides and facade in the upper part. It is worth dwelling in more detail on the description of the buffet and sideboard - charming immigrants from medieval France.

Cupboard sideboard for dishes - design and features

In the modern model of the sideboard, few people recognize the same element of the furnishings of the Soviet period. Its functionality has increased noticeably, but, as before, it is easy to recognize by its design features:

Massive lower part with legs. Always closed with blind doors. Externally it looks like a floor mezzanine. It can resemble a TV stand and be placed directly on the floor without legs;
Upper tier. It has a smaller width than the bottom. Most often it is decorated with glass doors and shelves for dishes or decoration.

From an old sideboard - an “antique” sideboard

Antique furniture is always in fashion - it adds an aristocratic touch to the entire interior. It’s nice that this technique can be done with your own hands, which means it’s cheap. There are several techniques for artificial aging, choose the one that suits you best.

Method 1 – craquelure varnish

Additionally, you should purchase craquelure varnish in specialized stores; all other materials were described above.

Description of works:

After removing the old coating and sanding with sandpaper, apply a special craquelure varnish to the surface. It has the ability to transform the entire surface into a canvas cracked, as if from old age;
After the previous composition has dried, you need to apply paint or clear varnish to the surface of the sideboard.

After all the procedures, you will receive an “antique” sideboard in a surprisingly short time. It should be noted that using paint in this method is more preferable - the effect will be brighter.

Method 2 – mechanical aging

For this method, you need to prepare two stains on different bases, a shellac primer and restoration wax.

Description of works:

after cleaning the old varnish or paint, apply water-based stain as a base;
lighten with a moistened sponge those places that are more visible;
after drying, you need to sand the areas that will be darker;
now apply the stain again with a different base;
After the second layer of stain has dried, fill all places with shellac primer using a brush;
using a wire brush, rub in the restoration wax, moving it along the fiber;
After the wax has dried, wipe the sideboard with a soft cloth;

In fact, there are many more ways to age. Uniquely beautiful masterpieces are created using the “shashel” method, but this can be done by those who are familiar with carpentry.

What is the difference between a sideboard and a buffet?

The older relative of the tableware sideboard is the buffet. It has been known since the 16th century, but received its characteristic appearance in the 17th century. It was from this period that it began to be produced in the form of a set:

Lower tier with doors. Very reminiscent of an ordinary modern kitchen cabinet. Only the sizes are larger. Also equipped under the tabletop with one or more drawers for cutlery;
Central niche. It can be designed in different ways, but its main task is to separate part of the buffet space for cooking or serving;
Upper section with shelves. The third tier of the buffet is intended for display and storage of dishes. It can be open with crossbars or closed with glass doors.

The functionality of the model was so to the taste of the housewives that the buffet very quickly conquered the whole of Europe. However, in most countries nothing was changed in it at all. To this day, you can find this furniture in almost unchanged form in French kitchens. In our country, a buffet is also not a rare guest in kitchens. This is due to the small size of most kitchens. But along with other types of cupboards, it is often installed in the hall.

It is by the presence of the notorious central niche that it can be distinguished from a sideboard. Otherwise they can be almost identical. Modern buffet models are most often part of furniture sets. May be accompanied by a pair of glazed side cabinets or sections with open shelves.

Types of sideboards by design

Modern or ancient models of buffets can be divided into several types according to their design. There are stationary, hanging and corner sideboards that can be placed in any room that suits the style.

Stationary sideboard

A classic stationary buffet can consist of the following parts:

main part. There are shelves covered with glass or other material. On display cases you can place dishes, figurines and other beautiful objects that will be visible to the human eye. On the sides, the sideboard can be open for viewing or closed - deaf;
Bottom part. At the bottom of the product there are always drawers or cabinets. This area is made closed so that the user has the opportunity to store other things, for example, tablecloths, napkins, dishes for salads, snacks. Some models are equipped with both drawers and cabinets.

Stationary products must have legs: they can be carved, hidden or made in a modern style - chrome-plated.

Hanging buffet

Sideboards designed to be hung on the wall are best placed in the kitchen. Here such a piece of furniture will take its place - it will fit perfectly into the work area of the kitchen or dining room. The design of the classic wall-hung style buffet consists of shelves, doors and side windows for viewing. Some models are produced in a combined form - there are doors on top, and drawers just below. They can be used to organize the storage of small items - cutlery or dish towels.

Corner buffet

Corner sideboards are well suited for filling empty corners of a room. Designer models can be divided into several types:

semicircular - models where there are no corners in a visible place. The buffet is opened by sliding doors or by pressing the glass;
pentagonal - the most common type. The products are made from solid wood, they look respectable and have a high cost;
with additional shelves - several sections are used to store dishes, another one is equipped with open shelves where you can put books and decor.

The sideboard is selected based on the color design and interior style. For modern designs, metal models and glass options are suitable. If the interior is made in a vintage style, it is better to purchase a sideboard made of wood.

Sideboard history and evolution

Initially, the sideboard was purely kitchen furniture. It was a wide cabinet with doors. The sideboard was made as high as an ordinary table. Table linen was stored downstairs. Silverware was placed in small drawers under the tabletop. A little later, the sideboard acquired a second “floor”. So they began to add an upper closed mezzanine for plates. But it had rather modest dimensions.

It gained enormous popularity in our country during the heyday of the USSR. It looked almost the same as at the time of its appearance, but it was during Soviet times that it began to be equipped with an internal rear mirror, glass shelves and was moved to living rooms. In addition, it was made much wider than originally intended. The sideboards have become huge and have grown significantly. If it was originally conceived as a table, then in the Soviet Union it was already more like a cabinet. Not only in height, but also in dimensions. Also during this period, the difference between the top and bottom in area disappeared. It was a rectangular “box” on legs with glass shelves.

Today, the sideboard is still more of a living room furniture item. This is understandable. It began to be equipped not only with glazed doors on the upper part, which made it possible to beautifully arrange the dishes. A modern sideboard can be equipped with a built-in bar, a niche for a TV and is a smaller analogue of a slide. Although, it is starting to resemble the earlier versions more and more.

Varieties

Since the living room serves as a resting place for household members and their guests, where people communicate, share positive emotions, and gather around a large table in a friendly group, the space in the room must be used wisely so as not to disturb the overall atmosphere of comfort, warmth and well-being.

Functional china cabinets for the living room will easily decorate any interior of the room, elevate the atmosphere, add comfort and charm to it. They can be divided into several varieties, each of which has its own advantages:

hanging with many shelves;
corner to save space;
a buffet to give the room a slight touch of antiquity and mystery;
a display cabinet where objects dear to the heart are located;
sideboard with shelves and drawers.

Suspension

In living rooms where there is not enough free space, it is difficult to find a place for a beautiful glass display case, but you still need to store sets and souvenirs, you should place hanging cabinets for dishes. They are especially popular in rooms equipped in minimalist or high-tech style. Furniture with lower small chests of drawers and upper wall cabinets with sections of glass doors looks good. Corner cabinets, mounted horizontally or vertically, have different systems for opening doors (up, down, to the side), are equipped with lighting that advantageously demonstrates the objects located there, and can be placed in any order and at different levels. Such cabinets are placed on the walls using special fasteners, taking up very little space.

Angular

An excellent option for a traditional wardrobe, which allows you to occupy the most useless part of the living room - the corner, while significantly saving space. The corner cabinet has an unusual shape, good capacity, dishes are placed diagonally in it, which allows viewing from all sides of the room, so all items should be arranged neatly, without unnecessary clutter. This practical solution is suitable for a narrow living room and will hide the shortcomings of the room’s layout.

Being a distant ancestor of the modern cupboard, the sideboard is usually made in a retro style and looks exclusive, as if from the depths of past centuries. Each modern sideboard has a different purpose, its own characteristics, features, differing in the arrangement of drawers, shelves and doors. In a living room decorated in modern high-tech styles, a minimalist buffet is absolutely not suitable, because it will disturb the general atmosphere in the room, at least in such a room it will look funny.

As a rule, a buffet is an object with history, creating a certain aura of mystery in the room. In the old days, antique porcelain sets and figurines were stored behind glass doors on top, silverware was stored in drawers, and the lower part was intended to accommodate heavy utensils. Today, sideboards look natural in living rooms decorated in classic, retro or loft styles, where an antique sideboard is combined with futuristic furniture.

Showcase cabinets are the most popular piece of living room furniture and decoration; they look elegant, emphasizing the refined taste and status of the owners, and due to their transparency they create the effect of lightness. It can be a completely glass cabinet or a cabinet divided into several sections, some of which hide its contents from prying eyes behind blind doors. Showcases serve more of a decorative function than an economic one; they are designed to store and display to guests the most expensive dishes, antiques, collections of weapons and souvenirs brought from distant countries.

This magnificent piece of furniture will never go out of style, as it is designed to fully focus the attention of guests on family values, while protecting the things dear to the heart from dirt and dust under the glass surface. Furniture showrooms present a very wide range of display cases; based on catalog photos, you can choose a laconic model or an elegant one that can decorate any living room interior

Sideboard

Back in the 18th century, the sideboard became widespread and won the favor of the consumer. Initially, it was intended for storing dishes and serving items, hence its name. Noble people, boasting of their wealth, tried to display all the expensive dishes, collections of trinkets, and luxurious vases. Today, different designs of sideboards determine their functional purpose:

made in the form of chests of drawers;
with display sections - for storing books or utensils;
glazed cabinets - cabinets with many compartments for dishes, books, niches for placing equipment.

A sideboard usually has two tiers, while a buffet has three.

Design features of sideboard cabinets for dishes

Top part

Since the upper part of the sideboard appeared much later, it was this part that underwent the greatest changes. At first it looked like a smaller version of the bottom. Another small cabinet with blank doors was simply attached to the top. Then the doors began to be made of glass. This allowed the sideboard to become not just a kitchen cabinet, but to quietly migrate into the living rooms. Even in Europe, not everyone could afford classic tableware display cases designed for living rooms. The sideboard has become a good budget alternative.

Traditionally, the top of a home sideboard is equipped with:

Several shelves for dishes. They can be made of glass or base material. Their size directly depends on the dimensions and number of sections. The number varies from 2 long ones to several dozen miniature ones;
Doors. Currently, they are made strictly of glass;
Rear mirror. This fashion has taken hold and it is often installed today.

All glass used in production can be classified as float. This is a hardened, polished blade that is uniform throughout its thickness. No defects are allowed. It can be made from both natural crushed quartz and synthetic. It can be transparent and colorless. If the thickness of the cut gives a tint (green, bluish), then this is transparent glass. Colorless will not have this effect, so it transmits light better. Most often it is also equipped with shockproof films. If such glass is broken, there will be practically no fragments. It will simply crack, but will retain its shape.

It is the glass doors that will play a huge role when fitting a sideboard into the interior:

Lightened. Transmits over 50% of light. Provides an amazing view with soft natural lighting;
Matted pattern. Will bring originality. Performed using sandblasting method;
Dairy. The glass is etched with acid until it partially or completely loses its transparency. It will look good in combination with traditional transparent;
Tinted. Another way to add originality to your design. Give preference to warm shades of bronze and gold;
Stained glass film. Each fragment of the pattern is framed by a thin metal profile. Everything looks voluminous, expensive and stunningly beautiful. Simply stick to the surface of the sash.

There are several options for the door opening system:

2 doors. They can be hinged or move sideways in special grooves;
3 doors. Most often, they will all be sliding. Or 2 sliding and 1 swing;
4 doors. There will also be either all sliding ones or in combination;
6 doors. There are sliding doors at the top, and 3 folding ones underneath.

Bottom part

The lower part is a system of shelves and drawers. Designed for storing various things or everyday utensils with frequent use (for kitchens). Always supplied with solid doors. They can also be decorated:

Thread. An excellent option for wooden models. Allows you to create a three-dimensional drawing of any shape and complexity;
Milling cutter. This method is more suitable for particle board models. Allows you to apply relief patterns without damaging the structure of the material;
PVC films. A wide range of textures will allow you to update the design of your doors at minimal cost. It won't last very long. Easy to re-glue;
Hand painted. Add some variety to a boring wood background;
Decorative strips. They are easy to glue into the desired shape. Looks good with minimal cost.

Materials for manufacturing can be:

Wood. A very expensive pleasure;
Fiberboard. The boards are pressed from strand fibers. Quite soft;
Chipboard. Sawdust is pressed into layers with heating. Looseness depends directly on the size of the sawdust;
MDF. The densest, since they are made from wood waste of the smallest fractions.

A little less often, these boards can be found in a varnished version (LMDF, laminated chipboard).

How to choose?

Let’s take a closer look at the most popular modern and classic models and try to make a choice.

White sideboard

Furniture for dishes in light shades is suitable for a living room in Provence style. However, the white version will fit perfectly into other style trends, although it is worth considering a few nuances. For example, if the design is made in a classic style, then light furniture must certainly be of high quality. A white cabinet can be a good design solution when arranging a small living room, especially if it has glass doors - the light transparent design will visually expand the space.

If a sideboard is purchased for a luxurious large living room, then it is recommended to choose massive white pieces.

Another option for a small area is a white single-leaf sideboard.

Modern sideboards are very convenient, equipped with transparent doors on top and closed drawers on the bottom. In this case, the dishes are on display, and below you can hide household unaesthetic things like tools or office supplies. Be sure to check the reliability of the shelves and their capacity before purchasing.

Classic sideboard

This design is similar in appearance to a traditional sideboard and is usually used in classic living rooms. The difference from a standard buffet is the presence of additional compartments for storing dishes. If you need to choose a classic sideboard, then take into account the manufacturing elements: the upper part should be equipped with glass doors; the traditional model does not have glass at the bottom.

This is a spacious cabinet, but large dimensions are uncharacteristic for it: the maximum allowable height and width is 2 m.

Modern classic models always look solid and noble, even if they are made not of expensive wood, but of chipboard. Although, of course, natural materials look more luxurious and last longer. However, elite wood is more demanding in terms of maintenance. If the cabinet is made of inexpensive raw materials, then you can decorate it with unusual patterns and figures on the transparent doors. It is also possible to purchase a classic example with backlight.

Corner sideboard

This model is recommended for buyers who own a very small living room. A corner cabinet takes up very little space and allows you to make good use of a corner where it is usually difficult to fit anything. A special feature of corner models is the ability to display the most beautiful dishes in small quantities - a corner display case is not suitable for storing an abundance of tableware.

Designs for small living rooms have a purely “symbolic” angle, they are narrow and elongated in height, but there are also models for spacious rooms.

The corner sideboard is smaller in size than the classic one, and when ordering the product, it is recommended to add special drawers and shelves to it. This is a very convenient design that can become not only a functional piece of furniture, but also a decorative one. Corner models fit well into both classic and modern interior styles. You can decorate the corner cabinet with carvings or interesting ornaments. Manufacturers offer wenge color options or varnished sideboards.

Wooden display cabinets

An attractive and functional design that can be made from both expensive and artificial materials. Beautiful dishes look very elegant if they are neatly arranged on the sideboard display. When choosing such a model, be sure to consider the size of the product and its compliance with the parameters of the living room. For a small room, do not choose a bulky structure and, on the contrary, refuse a miniature cabinet when arranging a spacious area. Make sure the shelves are sturdy and can support heavy dishes.

Display cabinets are always equipped with transparent glass in the front part. When purchasing, it is recommended to give preference to items with impact-resistant glass. These designs come in a variety of colors - make sure the pattern you like suits your living room style.

For a review of the classic sideboard for dishes, see below.

Shapes and sizes of sideboards for dishes

The height of a standard sideboard can vary from 1.5 to 2 meters. At the same time, its width does not exceed 2 meters (maximum value). The standard depth for the top is 30 cm, and for the bottom - 50 cm. However, this is just a cliché. When making to order, the specific features of your room will be taken into account.

There are also several types according to shape:

Classic. There are legs. The top is narrower and thinner than the bottom;
Floor. Has no legs;
Corner sideboard. The interior space looks like a triangle. Quite a complex option for dishes. But the corner version looks very nice. Allows you to save valuable meters of usable space;
Mounted. The lower massive part is missing. At the bottom you can place a wide cabinet;
Modular. It is assembled from separate modules like a constructor. A unified stylistic orientation allows, by rearranging several modules, to update the appearance of the entire ensemble;
Ostrovny. No top. Used for serving and demonstrating food and drinks.

Rules for placing dishes in a sideboard

By tradition, only the best examples of tableware are put up for review. How to place it depends only on your imagination. Although, there are a few rules:

When placing glass and tableware at the same time, place the porcelain in the center;
Larger items are installed behind smaller ones;
Do not mix tea or coffee sets with glass or crystal. This is bad manners;
Colored porcelain (glazed) is displayed separately from white;
To increase capacity, plates can be placed at an angle. At the same time, this improves the appearance of the displayed service;
Only the smallest flat plates or saucers can be placed in stacks. In this case, the size of the stacks should not be too high.

If you use cookware frequently, then there is little point in putting it up for review. You get tired of regularly adjusting the composition. And the appearance of constantly used dishes is noticeably worse than that of new ones.

The uniqueness of antique furniture

Antique wooden furniture has remained popular for several years now. This can be explained by the many advantages it has:

It harmonizes perfectly with different colors and textures in the interior.
Can be used for any style.
Creates a cozy atmosphere in the room.
Excellent workmanship.

There are several solutions:

Buying furniture from an antique store is an option for those with an unlimited budget. This fact can be explained by the fact that genuine antique furniture or restored compositions are very expensive due to exclusivity.
Purchasing modern furniture that has been artificially aged. But even for this you will have to spend money.
Aging furniture with your own hands. To do this, use what you have at your dacha or in the house. This approach will be a solution for those who have creative abilities and good imagination. Next, we will tell you how to age furniture with your own hands.

Where can sideboard cabinets be installed?

If the size of the kitchen allows you, then such a pleasure will add sophistication to the atmosphere. But, since such spaciousness is rarely seen in domestic kitchens, feel free to send the sideboard to the living room. It is there that he will reveal all his best properties. You can choose a model with a niche for equipment and make it the central element of the decor. In this case, it is better for you to choose a modular option with additional pencil cases, a display case or wall shelves (island).

Styling and decor

To correctly fit a sideboard into the interior, you should choose it based on the stylistic orientation:

Classic. Correct silhouette, strict contours. Symmetry is observed in the furniture itself and its arrangement;
Minimalism. Regular cubic shapes without excess decoration. The decoration can be an unusual design. For example, an option where the glazed part is located in the center of a rectangular sideboard (similar to a large aquarium). The style is for everyone, keeping up with modern trends;
Palace styles. Sideboard and all its relatives come from this era. It was the Baroque and Rococo styles that gave rise to the most beautiful and sophisticated options. Bent legs, carvings, gilding, porcelain overlays with painting. The styles are renowned for their sophistication and fluidity of form;
Ethnic orientations. An oriental style sideboard in the shape of a polyhedron with openwork carved doors will create a unique flavor for the interior. You can also choose a design with different directions of hand painting (Zhostovo, Palekh, Khokhloma). To complete the picture, place appropriate items inside. Remember, ethnic style involves decorating the entire room in one direction. Single elements of the furnishings will either blur the overall impression or get lost in the interior;
Vintage. This style involves the recreation of a certain historical period. Hand-finished furniture and individuality are encouraged. You can use methods of artificial aging, decoupage (pasting with colored napkins), and hand painting. The rest of the setting should be in the spirit of the same time period.

Antique furniture

Antique interior items must fit into the overall style of the room, they must have an appropriate environment. An exquisite and beautiful antique wardrobe will certainly look very incongruous among modern furnishings with a stylish design. This will become a real bad manners in design. It is necessary to think in advance and plan your interior correctly.

It's best to start by choosing the style of the entire room. There must be a unified concept throughout. There are several main directions in the interior where antiques can optimally fit:

This interior style, such as historical, goes perfectly with antique furniture. Trying to recreate the era of chic baroque in your own apartment or house or convey the restrained style of the classics of antiquity is not an easy, but worthy task. You can easily cope with it if you know the main points of this direction. You should know that such a piece of furniture as a wardrobe always looks different. For example, the luxurious antique style is expressed in particular severity and clarity of lines, and baroque becomes the embodiment of all the splendor of the theater with its original and fancy decor.
An antique cabinet sometimes becomes appropriate for a modern interior. This will come as a surprise to many. Many creative people choose this style as the not very common boho. It is quite colorful and original in its own way. Grandma's antique buffet, which we inherited, can fit perfectly into a free country style.

Antique furniture can decorate many rooms. To create an original and beautiful environment, you must follow the following recommendations:

When choosing a historical style, be sure to adhere to all the correspondences of a given era, never place an antique wardrobe and a modern bedside table next to each other;
Often, antique furniture is large in size, and if in a small room the closet is in the center and occupies a fairly large space, then there should be a minimum of other interior items so that the room does not look cluttered;
Antique items often stand out for their original decor, natural materials or masterful carvings, so it is imperative to provide high-quality lighting in the room so that you can admire all this beauty.

There are different types of antique furniture, and you should find the optimal model for your chosen interior. Consider all the nuances when choosing furniture.

Photos of sideboards

After people forget a thing well, it becomes a fashionable novelty. This is exactly what happened with the sideboard. After decades of neglect, demand for these functional and beautiful china cabinets has risen again.