Console Tables and Buffets: The Most Underused Furniture in South Florida Homes
By Ricardo Ortega, Showroom Manager and Italian Leather Specialist at SoBe Furniture
Walk into ten beautiful homes in Boca Raton and I will show you eight bare entryways and at least five dining rooms with nowhere to set a serving dish. Sofas and dining tables get all the attention. But the pieces that quietly decide whether a home feels finished are the ones most people skip: the console table and the buffet. On our showroom floor I see it click for customers all the time - they come in for a sofa and leave understanding why their open-plan great room has always felt like it echoes.
The 4 Placement Rules That Make Consoles and Buffets Work
Rule 1: The entry console is your home's first sentence
The first six feet inside your front door tell guests everything. A console at 30 to 33 inches high, with a mirror or art above it, turns a hallway into an arrival. In Mizner Park and Highland Beach condos where the front door opens straight into the living space, a console behind the sofa does the same job - it creates an entry where the architecture did not. The Lucca console at 54 inches suits most condo entries; wider foyers in Fort Lauderdale and Parkland homes can carry the 59-inch Element console with its bronze-tone base.
Rule 2: A buffet is storage that behaves like architecture
Holiday hosting in South Florida is a contact sport. A dining room without a serving surface means the kitchen island does double duty and the table gets crowded with dishes. A 71-to-79-inch buffet - like the Trevi in walnut with a travertine-look ceramic top, or the Ravenna with its champagne gold legs - gives you serving space up top and a season of table linens, chargers, and barware hidden below.
Rule 3: Match tops to real life, not to the photo
This is where material matters. Entry consoles collect keys, sunglasses, and wet umbrellas; buffets take hot dishes and spilled wine. Ceramic tops - like the travertine-look surfaces on our new Sorrento console - give you the stone look without the sealing, staining, and worry of natural stone. In a humid climate, that is not a small thing.
Rule 4: Leave the lane
Consoles need 36 inches of walkway in front of them; buffets need 24 inches beyond a fully pulled-out dining chair. Measure the pull-out, not the tucked-in chair. This single number is why we ask customers to bring room dimensions to the showroom - it decides between the 54-inch and 59-inch piece more often than taste does.
The Pieces Worth Seeing in Person
We just brought in three new console and buffet families - consoles in ceramic and walnut, and buffets that pair with our new dining collections. Photos do not show you how a ceramic top feels under your hand or how a walnut grain catches the light at 6 PM. Ten minutes on the floor answers questions a week of browsing cannot.
From Boca Raton to Fort Lauderdale, if your entry or dining room feels unfinished, this is almost always the missing piece. Visit the SoBe Furniture showroom at 6599 N Federal Highway in Boca Raton, contact us, or call (561) 221-6111 - open seven days a week, with white-glove delivery across South Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a console table and a buffet?
A console table is taller, shallower, and designed for entryways, hallways, or behind a sofa. A buffet (or sideboard) is longer and deeper, built for dining rooms, with cabinet storage below and a serving surface on top. Many South Florida homes benefit from both.
What size console table do I need for my entryway?
Most entries work best with a console 48 to 60 inches wide and 30 to 33 inches tall, leaving at least 36 inches of clear walkway in front. Condo entries in Boca Raton and Highland Beach usually suit a 54-inch console; larger foyers can carry 59 inches or more.
Where can I buy a console table or buffet in Boca Raton?
SoBe Furniture's showroom at 6599 N Federal Hwy in Boca Raton keeps modern consoles and buffets on the floor, including new ceramic and walnut collections. You can see the materials in person and get delivery across South Florida within days on in-stock pieces.
Are ceramic-top consoles and buffets durable?
Yes - that is their biggest advantage. Travertine-look ceramic gives you the appearance of natural stone but resists stains, scratches, and heat without sealing. For entryways and serving surfaces that see daily use, ceramic is often the more practical premium choice.
How tall should a buffet be compared to the dining table?
A buffet should stand 34 to 36 inches tall - a few inches above table height - so serving is comfortable while standing. Leave at least 24 inches between the buffet and a fully pulled-out dining chair so the room still circulates during dinner parties.
Can a console table go behind a sofa?
Absolutely. A sofa console works beautifully in open-plan rooms, defining the seating area while adding a surface for lamps and art. Keep it an inch or two lower than the sofa back and about two-thirds of the sofa's length.