wooden Sideboards
French high-end artisanal furniture manufacturing
The Sideboard Buffet furniture, full of history, is always very practical
The sideboard is an emblematic piece of domestic furniture, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages. Back then, it was used mainly to store crockery, silverware and table linen, while providing a surface for displaying dishes at mealtimes. The word buffet derives from the Old French ‘bufet’, meaning ‘small table’. Over the centuries, the buffet has evolved in terms of design and functionality:
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A large buffet, often called a ‘double-bodied buffet’ or vaisselier consists of two superimposed sections: a lower section with doors for storage and an upper section, sometimes glazed, for displaying objects. Other tall versions still exist today, such as the variants known as meuble d'appui or meuble 3/4, with heights close to 130 - 140 cm / 51.2" - 55.1"
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On the other hand, a small sideboard, or low sideboard, consists of a single unit with doors and drawers, making it ideal for small spaces and offering practical storage solutions. Even more space-saving are the mini sideboards, for example in our DIRECTOIRE collection. They can be used as extra storage in a hall, living room, bedroom or hallway. Their narrow width, generally less than 100 cm / 39.4", means you can only fit a few items on the top.
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Today, the sideboard is primarily used for its storage capacity, but its long top can also be used as a display unit. Depending on the amount of wall space you have available, you can choose sideboards of different looks and sizes. Long sideboards over 180 cm / 70.9" in length will allow you to decorate more creatively and show off not only your most aesthetic objects but also the frames, mirrors and paintings that can be placed on them or hung on the wall.
The different styles of solid wood sideboard
There are many advantages to choosing a wooden sideboard. The solid wood sideboard is renowned for its strength and durability, adding a touch of authenticity and warmth to any stylish interior. The wooden sideboard blends harmoniously with a variety of decorative styles, from traditional to contemporary.
We offer a wide range of solid wood sideboards, made in France with real craftsmanship:
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The wood species we use, such as oak and cherry, come from sustainably managed French forests.
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The collections available on our site cover the antique sideboard, inspired by the classic Louis-Philippe and Louis XVI-Directoire styles, and the modern sideboard, with its cleaner lines and contemporary designs, which you'll find in the SIENNA and STELLA collections. Between the 2, a rustic or country sideboard will delight lovers of traditional regional furniture with a wood finish throughout. On the other hand, a creamy white or pearl grey finish will take you into a lighter world with a charming sideboard, as in the TRADITION and RIVE GAUCHE collections. This diversity means that everyone can find a sideboard to suit their tastes and the ambience of their home.
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Wood species and finishes are also important considerations. Cherry is well known and used to make Louis Philippe and Louis XVI style furniture, but you'll also see cherry used for the models in the contemporary STELLA collection. Its pink veining and smooth, fine grain continue to appeal to enthusiasts. We can make any of the wooden sideboards shown here from solid cherry wood.
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Since Louis XIV, oak has been recognised as the French wood par excellence. Grey in appearance with a coarser grain, it is much appreciated throughout the world for its hardness and longevity. Discover our oak contemporary sideboards with the SIENNA collection. We can also make any of the sideboards on the site in oak, whether antique or modern.
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We also offer sideboards in walnut and ash, for example in the CANNES and TRAPEZ collections, and we can also adapt a cherry or oak sideboard in these 2 complementary species.
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Finally, personalise the finish of your sideboard by choosing the wood stains and colours you like from our colour chart. Create a unique piece of furniture that perfectly matches your tastes.
What guarantees of sustainability and ecology do these buffets offer?
Maison GONTIER offers a 5-year commercial warranty, well beyond the 2-year legal guarantee, because we are confident in the quality of the craftsmen we work with.
Your sideboard will last for many, many many years with gentle maintenance using a slightly damp cloth.
The solid wood used in our furniture comes exclusively from PEFC-certified, sustainably-managed French forests.
Each buffet is made to order to avoid wasting natural resources.