Make dinner parties, Sunday brunches, and takeout game nights a breeze by investing in the right dining room furniture pieces. Besides a solid dining table set, proper storage furniture is also key to a functional dining room. Credenzas are the solution to dining room storage and display needs all in one. But what is a credenza? Keep reading to learn more about this versatile dining room piece or jump ahead to a section that interests you.

What Is a Credenza?

A credenza is a piece of storage furniture with no (or short) legs. They also tend to have sliding doors or sleek ones with no obvious pulls. This gives a low-to-the-ground appearance, giving the room a formal feeling design. Today, credenzas are mostly used for storage purposes and have become synonymous with sideboards and buffet tables although there are some notable differences.

Credenza vs. Sideboard vs. Buffet Table

Sideboards and buffet tables are also pieces of storage furniture. While credenzas have a low, simplistic shape, often with cabinet-style sliding doors, sideboards are usually bigger, equipped with high legs and dresser-like drawers. Buffet tables have longer legs and are always placed specifically in the dining room.

Credenza Sizes by Width

With a better idea of what a credenza is, it's time to discuss your size options. Credenzas are ideal for holding snacks, beverages, and overflow dishes in the dining room during a meal. Use the credenza's cabinet space to store china, crystal, linens, serving dishes, and seasonal kitchen decor. Be sure to keep in mind how much space your wall has and how much you're looking to store in your credenza.

Credenza Storage Features

Maximize the usefulness of a dining room credenza with features specifically designed to help you dine and enjoy. Keep extra wine, glasses, and silverware within an arm's reach to easily serve your guests.

Cabinets

The appeal of having cabinet doors on your credenza gives you the flexibility to hide things like seasonal items behind closed doors until they're needed. Reachable cabinets are also convenient for storing cumbersome serving pieces like gravy boats and cake stands, and give you easy access to fragile items that you don't want to risk breaking – like that crystal punch bowl you bring out twice a year. From sliding doors to soft-close cabinets, there are several convenient options to pick from.

Drawers

Drawers are a helpful feature to put away small, flat items such as silverware, cocktail napkins and napkin rings, and other table linens. They're easily accessible and a designated spot so your items don't get lost amongst the every-day housewares.

Shelves

On the other hand, if you have pieces you want to show off, like knick knacks, antiques, or pottery, credenzas with shelves promote an open concept to highlight things that would otherwise be put away.

Wine Storage

Use your credenza to store wine for an aesthetic and functional display. Many credenzas come with built-in wine glass holders that suspend the wine glasses securely within an interior storage compartment. They can also have built-in wine racks to store go-to wine brands and pull them out for dinner parties or special occasions.

Silverware Storage

Store extra silverware or special silverware sets in a credenza with built-in utensil drawers. You can easily swap out silverware to store cloth napkins, napkin rings, and other small-scale dining essentials that you want to save for holidays.

Open Storage

Some credenzas have one or more open storage compartments that you can use to store and display stacks of dishware, table vases, glassware, or table linens for an organized aesthetic. You can also put your own shelf organizers inside the open compartments for flexible storage ideas.

To summarize "what is a credenza?" – it's a multi-purpose piece that can elevate the look and functionality of a room. It's a great addition for storage, decoration, or just another surface to utilize while hosting.