Old-style dining rooms would suit an antique buffet cabinet or sideboard.
If your dining room looks a little dull and bare, consider investing in a buffet cabinet or sideboard. Buffets traditionally stand at the sides of a dining room and feature several shelves and drawers. Planning, picking and installing a buffet is straightforward enough: know your measurements, choose a style and -- if it has glass display panels -- start decorating your .
Planning for your Dining Room
Before you invest in a buffet, you should know the measurements of the dining room and the specifications of the furniture piece; there is no point purchasing a cabinet or sideboard if it cannot fit in the room. The key measurements you will need to consider are the width, length and depth. Most traditional pieces of furniture are much longer than they are wide or tall. You can find out these measurements by using a tape measure, asking the furniture salesman or looking it up in the online store. You should also think about drawer space because even if you can fit the piece in the dining room, the drawers might need to open their full length. Tables and chairs in the way, for example, might cramp the room and make it appear cluttered.
Matching the Style
Ensure that the style of your buffet suits the existing style of the dining room. A dark and modern room, for example, would look very out-of-sync with something antique or wooden. If your dining room is already traditional and old-fashioned, you might consider moving in a luxury buffet cabinet. Some of the usual antique cabinets have glass front panels, intricate carvings or patterns and come in dark wooden colors such as brown and deep red. Alternatively, more modern dining rooms might benefit from a sleek and minimalist buffet sideboard. Sideboards are usually shorter than cabinets and have two larger panel cupboards. Most modern sideboards come with hidden drawers (no handles) and in a chunky shape.These sideboards are also usually black or dark gray.
Decorating your Dining Room
Decorate the top of your sideboard with home decorations.
The benefit of investing in a buffet cabinet with a glass front is that it can display household items. Some people choose to fill the shelves with antiques, family heirlooms, sporting awards, trophies or photos. The Life in Italy website suggests displaying some aromatic herbs such as mint or parsley. Not only will this improve the look of the room, but also the smell. The site adds that "a few stems of chamomile flowers will enliven your sideboard like nothing else can. The fragrance of these flowers will soothe and relax your guests," making them "truly feel at home."
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