Buffets with Shelves for Stylish and Functional Storage

A buffet with integrated shelving above creates the ultimate stylish and functional storage solution for any home. This winning combination elegantly addresses the need for extra space to tuck away dishes, decor, and serving essentials while complementing your room's aesthetic.

Read on to discover how to maximize this storage furniture mashup's potential.

Benefits of Buffets with Integrated Shelving

While a buffet alone provides ample storage for dishes, table linens, and serving pieces, pairing it with open shelves above doubles your organizational real estate. The bonus storage capacity suits the needs of nearly any room, from dining rooms to kitchens, home offices to entryways.

This built-in shelving creates a natural home for less frequently used items like fancy barware, overflow dishware, and decorative objects. The open design gives you easy access to these pieces instead of hiding them behind closed cabinet doors.

Beyond extra storage, this furniture combo allows you to build a beautiful vignette displaying your favorite accent pieces, books, and collectibles. The visual interest makes an excellent alternative to hanging artwork while keeping cherished items readily available.

More Kitchen Storage with a Buffet and Shelves Combo

For kitchen storage struggles, a buffet with shelves introduces copious storage possibilities. Tuck away extra dish and glassware sets for entertaining or daily overflow. The shelves also work beautifully for cookbooks, small appliances, or barware.

If your main kitchen cabinets are full to the brim, install a buffet and shelves in an adjoining breakfast nook or butler's pantry. Use it to neatly store and display all your tableware, serveware, and table linens. This frees up your primary kitchen cabinets for food storage.

Design Options for Buffets with Shelves

Fortunately, buffets with integrated shelves suit a wide range of decor styles. Whether your aesthetic is modern farmhouse or traditional, you're sure to find a combo that's both functional and fashionable.

For contemporary interiors, seek out a sleek buffet table with floating wood or glass shelves in a matching finish. Painted wood finishes like navy, black, or white work well for cleaner, modern envelope styles. Mix in baskets, ceramics, and fresh greenery for an inviting look.

In traditional dining rooms, an antique style sideboard crafted from rich wood makes a lovely foundation for open wood shelving. Experiment with layered classic patterns and accessorize with ceramic vases, silver pieces, and seasonal floral arrangements for timeless beauty.

No matter your interior design style, a thoughtfully decorated buffet with shelves acts as a welcoming focal point and provides organized storage.

Adding Shelves Above an Existing Buffet

If you already own a buffet you love, explore DIY options for adding shelves above it. Floating shelves offer an easy upgrade. Measure the width of your buffet then purchase ready-to-install floating shelves and brackets from your local hardware store. Space the shelves far enough apart to accommodate your tallest decor items.

For a more built-in look, consider hiring a carpenter to construct and install custom-sized shelving above your buffet. Visit home improvement retailers to view wood shelving options and hardware to match your buffet. Provide the carpenter detailed measurements and finish selections to beautifully blend the new shelves into your existing setup.

Placement Considerations

Strategic buffet and shelf placement transforms any unused space into a storage mecca. Tuck it behind a sofa, in an entryway, or in place of a credenza behind an office desk. Place your combo along a wall or floating in a room for a striking focal point.

In dining spaces, position your buffet along the back wall or on the side perpendicular to the table. Allow at least 36 inches of walkway space behind it for accessibility and traffic flow. Illuminate display shelves with strategically placed lighting.

Style Your Vignettes

Carefully style decorative items on the shelves in quantities of three for visual harmony. Try framed photos, ceramic vases, glassware, and small sculptures. Keep functional items like dishes or linens concealed inside the buffet or behind doors.

Maintain this zone's practicality and beauty by tidying shelves nightly and dusting weekly. Rotate seasonal accessories to keep your buffet area fresh and fashionable.

Shop Top Brands for Quality

Both big box stores and custom furniture makers offer stunning buffet and shelving combinations to match your style and budget.

Retailers like Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pottery Barn sell affordable contemporary options with clean lines and versatile finishes. Or work directly with skilled carpentry artists on a custom built-in sideboard and shelving unit.

You can also source a quality vintage buffet on resale sites, then DIY floating shelves above. Sand and stain older wood pieces to refresh them. AddEclectic charm with your accessory displays.

Costs and Considerations

A new ready-to-assemble buffet with shelves ranges $300-$1,500. Custom-built sideboards with installed shelving start around $1,800. Factor in wood type, size, hardware, and labor costs.

If DIYing shelves over an existing buffet, budget $30-$150 for materials like brackets, boards, tools, paint and finish supplies. Consider special installation needs like drywall repair, reinforcement for heavy storage, lighting fixtures, and electrical work.

Accurately measure your space before purchasing anything. Check buffet and shelf depths and visualize items you intend to store. Confirm the buffet structurally supports shelf weight.

Style Your Functional Buffet

An artfully styled buffet with shelves works overtime as a functional storage solution and an eye-catching display. Harmoniously blend boxes, baskets, flowers, books, and barware collections. Experiment with different heights, symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangements.

Try visually balanced groups of three decorative items on open shelves. Weave greenery throughout displays for softness and life. Incorporate pops of metallic sheen from copper mugs or marbleized ceramic pieces.

For further visual interest, lean a large framed mirror against the wall behind the ensemble and embellish with wall sconces or pendant lighting. This expands the vignette's dimension and amplifies light.

Change up stylistic vignettes seasonally to refresh this hardworking space. Accent with holiday linens or seasonal greenery as needed. With a well-decorated buffet and shelf duo, you can store and show off beloved dishware sets and decorative collections in style.

For the final polish, add a rug underneath and a fresh coat of paint or wallpaper on the surrounding walls. This grounds the combo and immerses it into your room's story. With ample storage and display space, buffets with shelves above are the modern home's must-have for every room.