Whether you live in a small apartment or a three-story home, stylish storage is essential. We all have items that need to be stored safely, and finding the right storage solution is crucial. Enter credenzas and sideboards. Sturdy and strong with shelves and cabinets, they are the ideal choice for safely tucking away larger items. You’ve probably heard of these types of furniture before but may be less familiar with them in your home.

Credenzas, sideboards, and buffets all share similar qualities but are distinctly different. If you’ve spent any time moodboarding on Pinterest or scrolling through TikTok, you may have come across a few stylish credenzas perfectly placed in living rooms or used to create a chic home bar. Sideboards and buffets, on the other hand, have a more traditional ring to them and may feel like a piece of furniture you’d find in your grandparent’s house.

Without context, it’s easy to lump them together, making it all the more difficult when deciding on the right piece for your home. Ahead, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about credenzas and sideboards to help guide you.

What are Credenzas and Sideboards?

Before we dive into the specifics, let’s start with the basics. Credenzas and sideboards are cut from the same cloth and fall into the category of free-standing storage furniture. These items feature shelves and doors, whether it be a hinged cabinet or a sliding door, and can be used to store an assortment of different items.

Credenza vs. Sideboard— What’s the Difference?

Despite sharing a similar function, credenzas and sideboards are two different types of furniture and have historically been used for different purposes. A sideboard, for example, is also known as a buffet and was used to store dishes and serve as an additional tabletop storage for food during large meals and events. For this reason, sideboards are usually found in the dining room, placed in close proximity to the dining table. They’re also taller than a credenza to be at a comfortable height for serving. Think about it—you wouldn’t want to go through a buffet line having to bend down to fix your plate, right? With taller legs, sideboards are designed to be taller than a credenza, with many reaching the same height as a dining table would.

Since credenzas, also known as accent cabinets, are more universal, they can be placed anywhere in the home. They are much shorter than a sideboard and often wider with deeper cabinet space, offering a more diverse storage solution. Many people use them as media consoles to display a TV and store its accompanying accessories or simply for stylish storage in living rooms, entryways, and offices.