Dining Room Storage

In everyday U.S. usage they're nearly the same: a long dining room cabinet with closed storage and a serving surface. A buffet is often slightly taller (about 34–38 in) and sits on a solid base. A sideboard is often 30–36 in tall and raised on legs. A hutch adds an upper display cabinet. Read our sideboard vs. buffet guide.

Common sizes are 3 × 5 ft for smaller kitchens, 4 × 6 ft for medium kitchens and 4 × 8 ft for large ones. Allow 24 in of width for each stool. Our islands range from the 61.4 in Modern Double-Sided Kitchen Island to the 110.2 in Orbis Contour Form Kitchen Island. See the kitchen island dimensions guide.

Plan for 42 in of aisle for one cook and 48 in for two cooks or where appliance doors open. 36 in is the minimum for a simple walkway. Behind seated diners, allow about 36 in, or 44 in or more if people walk behind them.

Yes. In narrow kitchens, or when you already have a dining table, a storage-first island without an overhang saves about 4 ft of depth and adds cabinets for pots and appliances. A counter-height cabinet against a wall can do the same job. Ideas are in kitchen islands without seating.

Most sideboards are 30–36 in tall, slightly above a 30 in dining table, so they're comfortable for serving. Choose 15–20 in deep and roughly two-thirds the length of the wall. The Orbis Rounded Edge Sideboard is 35.4 in tall and 86.6 in wide.

Choose a counter-height cabinet or pantry with a built-in outlet, a deep work surface and drawers for pods, filters and mugs. The Pantry Cabinet with Built-In Power Outlet has a 21.7 in deep counter, a 25.6 in tall lower shelf for larger appliances and under-shelf lighting.

Go tall and shallow: a 14–16 in deep cabinet stores more than a low sideboard on the same floor and leaves room for chairs. Add wall shelves or a plate rail, use a storage bench on one side of the table, and choose glass doors to keep the room feeling open. More ideas are in our dining room storage ideas.

Yes. Hutches, display cabinets and pantry cabinets are tall and heavy once they're full of dishes. Secure them to a wall stud with the included anti-tip hardware, and keep the heaviest pieces on the lower shelves.