On Saturday and Sunday, we finally brought home all my china from storage, along with my grandmother’s buffet. (Or is it a cupboard? Honestly, I never know the right word in English—please, comment below). It’s a beautiful piece with the history, made in 1880, and has been in my family ever since. I grew up knowing it as just there—always part of the background, solid, familiar. And now it’s here, in this house that also happens to be built in 1880. I think they suit each other. Like they’re meant to be in the same space.
There’s more to say about the buffet itself, but I’ll save that for another time. It deserves its own story.
These past two days were all about unpacking boxes—so many boxes—filled with porcelain services I’ve collected over the years. Unwrapping each cup and plate felt like rediscovering little treasures. I didn’t realize how much I had missed them until now. But oh, what a mess! Wrapping paper everywhere, boxes stacked in corners, and a general chaos that I’m trying to ignore every time I walk into the room.
There is a story behind all these things, behind this weekend and the little emotional knots that come with it. But today—it’s Monday. Back to work. The porcelain can wait (actually can’t… I can’t… but oh well… that’s life).
How was your weekend?
Ilze
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a day in the life of a latvian mom 
I would probably call that piece of furniture a sideboard or just ‘cupboard’ but I have a feeling it has a proper, technical term that I don’t know. Anyway, it is really lovely.
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Thank you! ‘Sideboard’ is an interesting word, I had never heard of it! I always get stuck between cupboard, buffet, and all the other terms. Maybe it depends on what’s stored inside? Either way, I’m so glad you think it’s lovely. It feels like such a comforting presence in the house now. I missed it!
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Good luck with all the boxes. I’d call if a chiffonier. And it is beautiful.
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Thank you! A chiffonier—now that’s a new one for me! I don’t know how this word sounds :). Isn’t it funny how many names one piece of furniture can have? Do you have any old family furniture in your home?
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We have a couple of pieces, including a chiffonier.
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That is nice! Is there any particular history of those pieces you want to share?
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Nothing special.
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Whatever it’s called, it’s a beautiful piece of furniture! And I love the wallpaper!
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Thank you so much! I’m so happy you noticed the wallpaper too—it took ages to decide on the pattern. I wanted something that felt both vintage and fresh. Do you like mixing old and new styles in your home as well?
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I love antiques and look forward to hearing the story behind this one. Myself I would call that a cabinet. It’s lovely and how cool that it was built the same year as your house! The boxes and papers strewn about would drive me out of my skin — OCD — but it will be such a sense of accomplishment when all is in its proper place 🙂
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I totally get that—unpacking chaos drives me a little nuts too, but I’m trying to breathe through it and enjoy the rediscovery part. I love that you’re into antiques! Do you have a favorite piece or story behind one in your own home? I promise I’ll write more about this cabinet/buffet soon—it really has such a journey.
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Almost everything in my house is old. Either pieces that have been in my family forever (my mom’s rocking chair, my dad’s desk, grandma’s pie safe, etc.) or things from other people’s families that were given to me or I picked up at antique and thrift shops. I love old stuff!
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That sounds amazing! This buffet and table and painting and a few chairs are what I have, and that is it. I hope to find a few more things to not have just IKEA at home 🙂
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I have no idea what that gorgeous piece of furniture should be called – it will probably be different in American & British English anThat’s whyway. To me, a sideboard is waist-height. and if it has shelves for displaying plates etc. above, it would be a dresser, but this isn’t really a dresser (or hutch in the USA), it’s more likely a cabinet or buffet. How lovely to have this, knowing it belonged to your great-grandmother, and is the same age as your house! Your china must look lovely displayed in it. That’s what makes a house start to look and feel like a home, when everything that has its own little story starts finding its place.
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Yes! The names are definitely a language puzzle in themselves. I’ve heard “dresser,” “hutch,” “sideboard,” “cabinet,” and now “chiffonier”—I almost want to vote on it! 😄
And yes, the moment I placed some of my favorite china pieces inside, the room instantly felt warmer. Do you have heirlooms or special pieces that carry family stories?
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Everything in my home, my daughter’s home, our holiday home, my granddaughters’ homes – everything has a story, especially things I inherited from my grandparents and that they will inherit from me (and if they get rid of them, I’ll come back and haunt them!). Some of these iems and their stories are on my blog somewhere.
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Ha Ha Ha. “I’ll come back and haunt them” 🙂 Not sure I want to spend my time on hunting 🙂
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I didn’t do any heavy lifting or hard work like you did. I spent mine relaxed. 🙂
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Relaxing is good! Even better if paired with hard work – twice as sweet 🙂
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Sideboard is a good term for it, although the glass cupboards make it a dresser
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Thank you, Derrick, I like dresser 🙂
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I can see this dresser has a lot of history, it’s good that you have space to have it in your home and continue its story.
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I’d call it a China cabinet. A buffet or server is usually lower and without a top. It would be something you serve food on like trays of appetizers or pastries. Whatever, it’s lovely and meaningful.
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