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dining room furniture

Beyond the dining table - exploring the joy of the buffet table

One of the hardest-working pieces of furniture in a home, second only to the dining table, is the buffet or sideboard. This essential furniture item houses a range of cherished possessions—from the "for special occasions only" dinnerware to the festive platters brought out during Christmas, and the handcrafted tablecloths that were made by a great aunt.

These timeless treasures elevate any celebration by their mere presence.

 

Each of these gems deserves a dedicated home, which is why a buffet table, sideboard, or even an entertainment unit plays such a crucial role in your home

 

When designing and crafting a buffet, we aim to create a true reflection of the owner's personal tastes and preferences.

The design possibilities and material choices are virtually limitless when it comes to custom-made pieces. We’ve highlighted below a few pieces we've created in recent years that exemplify the timeless beauty of timber and its transformative potential.

The not so humble dining table

The dining table, is arguably the most pivotal part of the home .

It provides for so many things…

Its the place for sharing a meal at the end of the day.

Its the place for having that first cup of coffee or the late night tea .

Its the place to fold the washing.

Its the place to work out the budget.

Its the place for a Friday Night Margarita.

its the place for last minute exam cramming.

its the place for planning the next holiday.

Its the place for assembling the birthday cake.

Its the place for sewing .

Its the place for being together.

Its the place to peruse that magazine - finally alone .

The dining table really is the anchor of the home

And the design and look is as different and unique as each family

So when creating a dining table, we understand the important role this plays in the home.

The design and timber options are as vast and varied for a table

Lots of things need to be considered of course, budget tolerances, lifestyle and decor considerations all go into the melting pot of a fabulous dining table.

Our dining tables are created to last, to be passed down from generation to generation where they carry the memories and moments from one family to the next …

The dining table ; the heart of the home .

Custom made dining table; inlay camphor top, jarrah pinstripe and silver ash border

Restoration of Upright Piano

We always love the journey of restoration and when it is a family heirloom such as a Piano , the satisfaction for us as a team in achieving a great outcome is one of the best parts of what we do …

A much loved family favourite in need of some repairs

A much loved family favourite in need of some repairs

Gorgeous finished product. This treasured family item back to its orginal glory

Gorgeous finished product. This treasured family item back to its orginal glory

This mahogany upright piano was restored, repaired where needed and repolished to match the clients’ existing decor .

A beautiful journey of great sentimental value

Simply elegant Sideboards

Sideboard/credenza/buffet table, whatever you prefer to call this item of furniture in the house, its importance in the family home never waivers.

The not so humble sideboard , orginated around the 18th Century and became a more commom household item during the 19th century when households became more propserous , and the accumulation of material items grew.

The sideboard or buffet table, apart from looking wonderful should be an extension of the room that it is in.

It should be a part of the room’s personality and decor.

There are so many options when it comes to the sideboard; glass door, glass shelved, open storage, backlighting anyone ? the options are endless but at the end of the day the sideboard should be able to store all the wonderful precious items we use for food ocassions.

The perfect platter, the fantastic china picked up in a garage sale, the tablecloth that has been in the family for generations; they should all be stored safely and have the ability to keep these precious items in pristine condition.

Over the years, we have made variants of the sideboard, each with the owners tastes and preferences in mind.

They are always a wonderful addition to the home.

Classic appeal, sideboard custom made to blend beautifully with existing cabinetry

Classic appeal, sideboard custom made to blend beautifully with existing cabinetry

Night ambience created by the addition of lighting

Night ambience created by the addition of lighting

Sleek and elegant. Minimal yet functional

Sleek and elegant. Minimal yet functional

Beautiful recycled timber with the addition of frosted glass is the perfect addition to this Queenslander

Beautiful recycled timber with the addition of frosted glass is the perfect addition to this Queenslander

The richness of mahogany and beautiful carved features make this sideboard an outsanding additon to the room

The richness of mahogany and beautiful carved features make this sideboard an outsanding additon to the room

Gorgeous Accessories

Creating wonderful accessories for the home ,has been a priority for us once we decided to embark on building our gallery …

We wanted to make classic pieces, that would be durable as well as beautiful and functional.

Pieces that would suit any decor and transform the grazing table to a thing of beauty and highlight the great fresh produce that we have in Australia, right across the 4 seasons …

Our serving boards are a thing of beauty, made from Australian timbers, in classic designs , in rich timbers and are just wonderful for any occasion , albeit a cheese platter on a Friday evening, or an afternoon tea with nan.

And of course made right here in our Brisbane Workshop

Elegant take away, our teak sushi platters take it to a whole new level

Elegant take away, our teak sushi platters take it to a whole new level

Spoilt for choice … hazelnut slice or Lemon Meringue ? or both ?

Spoilt for choice … hazelnut slice or Lemon Meringue ? or both ?

What better way to enhance glorious seasonal fruit

What better way to enhance glorious seasonal fruit

The timely process of restoration

Restoration or refurbishment is the process of repairing, fixing , modifying, repainting and repolishing an item of furniture.

It can often be a lengthy process, as repairs especially to antique pieces that are hundreds of years old require skill, patience and craftsmanship to ensure every detail is completed successfully whilst often keeping the delicate infrastructure intact, especially the case with veneers, paper thin and fragile, the successful repair of these can really make or break a treasured heirloom.

The argument for restoration is a strong one, sustainably wise and of great sentimental value, the journey of restoration is often an emotional one.

The adventure of restoration provides us with such a sense of satisfaction . Being involved in our clients’ family history and being able to restore a much loved item of furniture for them is one of the best things about our work. Being privvy to such an evocative journey reinforces our love of why we do the things we do.

There is so much history in each and every piece, a tapesty of lives interwoven and we are honoured to be able to enrich each and every piece of furniture, albeit it a tiny child’s chair, or grandmother’s dressing table, a great great grandfathers chair or a favourite aunty’s dining table .

Restoration is a gift for now and the future

A forgotten dressing table , some would say has seen better days …

A forgotten dressing table , some would say has seen better days …

An old dressing table is now a gorgeous new bathroom vanity

An old dressing table is now a gorgeous new bathroom vanity

Creating a sideboard for the home

The sideboard or buffet or chiffonier is an integral part of the family home.

Its a place to store our beautiful crockery, silverware, glasses and all the other wonderful pieces we accrue and keep “for good” or theoretically use more often , to make every day special.

It is a really a happy storage unit, as it ideally contains all the things we hold dear and with which we use to celebrate special occasions .

The design , look feel and timber choice of the sideboard is such a personal decision.

But the end result is always stunning, a beautiful blend of craftmanship, design and ambience that

brings all the elements of a heirloom piece of furniture together.

A modern twist on sideboard living.  Beautiful clean lines with a crisp white finish.

A modern twist on sideboard living. Beautiful clean lines with a crisp white finish.

A traditional theme in this Queenslander is carried through with the use  of Queensland Maple for this sideboard with frosted glass

A traditional theme in this Queenslander is carried through with the use of Queensland Maple for this sideboard with frosted glass

Using the richness of Jarrah this sideboard featuring ample storage is a wonderful addition to this dining room .

Using the richness of Jarrah this sideboard featuring ample storage is a wonderful addition to this dining room .

Using curved legs for the feature of this Sideboard. Once again Qld Maple is used for its striking detail

Using curved legs for the feature of this Sideboard. Once again Qld Maple is used for its striking detail

What a grant statement this restored red cedar chiffonier makes.  With an impressive marble top this show pony certainly has the wow factor.

What a grant statement this restored red cedar chiffonier makes. With an impressive marble top this show pony certainly has the wow factor.

Custom made dining chairs...

Dining chairs have a tough gig, over the years they are put through constant stress and strain.

Used several times a day, they are certainly put through their paces.

A chair has to be strong to be able to carry various weights, and it has to be comfortable to make the owner want to sit in it with ease for hours.

With these aspects in mind, we design and make our dining chairs for durability, for beauty and for comfort.

Z chair made by bywater design
classic chairs bywater design
rock maple dining chair
dining chair churchie