What's the Right Bedside Table for You?
How to choose a bedside table that accommodates your needs and suits the space.
Are you a reader, a bedtime list maker or a sanctuary seeker? Do you need clear spaces as you drift away, or do you like to have everything close to hand for your night-time regime? The way that you use your bedroom, the rhythms and routines that are part of your nightly slumber, are every bit as important as design aesthetics when it comes to choosing the right bedside table for you.
What your bedside table says about you
What your bedside table says about you
Depending on the style you’ve chosen for your room, you can source the perfect drawer unit from anywhere, from an auction house to an office supply chain or a secondhand market.
An antique piece can be a great solution for a difficult corner. They come in all shapes and sizes, just make sure you’ve got your measurements to hand before bidding or buying.
An antique piece can be a great solution for a difficult corner. They come in all shapes and sizes, just make sure you’ve got your measurements to hand before bidding or buying.
TIP: Choosing a bedside table is the perfect opportunity to play around a little. Because they’re generally small and budget options are available, you can experiment with colour, shape and unusual pairings without taking too much of a hit if it doesn’t work for you.
Open shelves
This option is perfect for readers, aesthetes and the very organised, but best avoided by those who just can’t handle any clutter. Open shelves can function as a handy bedside library, an organisation centre or as a place to display beloved objects. If you love to read in bed, having a selection of books on hand for late night browsing is always a pleasure.
This option is perfect for readers, aesthetes and the very organised, but best avoided by those who just can’t handle any clutter. Open shelves can function as a handy bedside library, an organisation centre or as a place to display beloved objects. If you love to read in bed, having a selection of books on hand for late night browsing is always a pleasure.
A unit with multiple levels provides a great canvas for creating an interesting display of objects, allowing plenty of space to arrange your pieces. You could even create your own nightstand by converting a wooden step stool, a structure that offers excellent display space and some darker corners in which to tuck things away.
TIP: Clutter is the enemy of sleep for many; for a bedroom to be a true sanctuary it must offer order as well as peace and quiet. Keeping your nightstand organised isn’t difficult. If you keep lots of little items, such as cosmetics and chargers, close to hand a couple of storage boxes will help keep everything shipshape.
Learn how to be a ‘tidy person’
Learn how to be a ‘tidy person’
A table
If you’re the kind of person who needs nothing more than a lamp, a glass of water and somewhere to put your book down, then a simple table is an easy way to create a charming bedside arrangement. But be honest with yourself about how much surface space you really need when making your selection.
While you might love the idea of a tiny, delicate table, the reality might turn out to be more crowded than you’re comfortable with. There’s nothing less conducive to a good night’s sleep than having to mop up a spilled drink, so once you’ve found the table of your dreams, make sure it’s big enough to cope with reality.
If you’re the kind of person who needs nothing more than a lamp, a glass of water and somewhere to put your book down, then a simple table is an easy way to create a charming bedside arrangement. But be honest with yourself about how much surface space you really need when making your selection.
While you might love the idea of a tiny, delicate table, the reality might turn out to be more crowded than you’re comfortable with. There’s nothing less conducive to a good night’s sleep than having to mop up a spilled drink, so once you’ve found the table of your dreams, make sure it’s big enough to cope with reality.
If you love the elegance of a simple table but worry that you’ll end up with uncontrolled clutter, there are ways to increase the amount of storage on offer without losing the essential look. Place a basket, box or sturdy bag underneath the table and use it to store all the little things you don’t want to leave lying around.
The single drawer
For those of us who know that keeping the surface clear is always going to be a tale of good intentions gone bad, having a drawer gives you somewhere to sweep the inevitable detritus of everyday life. With the clutter taken care of in a single-drawer unit, it’s much easier to create and maintain a display that adds to the beauty of the room.
For those of us who know that keeping the surface clear is always going to be a tale of good intentions gone bad, having a drawer gives you somewhere to sweep the inevitable detritus of everyday life. With the clutter taken care of in a single-drawer unit, it’s much easier to create and maintain a display that adds to the beauty of the room.
TIP: A single-drawer unit is a great addition to a guest bedroom, especially one that contains twin beds. It provides enough space and privacy for overnight guests to keep personal items such as wallets and keys, without taking up too much room.
10 thoughtful touches to add to a guest bedroom
10 thoughtful touches to add to a guest bedroom
A nest of tables
As well as looking as pretty as a picture, a nest makes for a very flexible nightstand. You might go to bed with nothing but a book one night, catch up with your favourite show the next and need somewhere to keep your stuff while you knit on the third. A nest of tables lets you easily configure your space to suit your needs.
Best of all, it’s perfect for enjoying a long, lazy breakfast in bed. Who needs a tray when you can just pull out another table?
As well as looking as pretty as a picture, a nest makes for a very flexible nightstand. You might go to bed with nothing but a book one night, catch up with your favourite show the next and need somewhere to keep your stuff while you knit on the third. A nest of tables lets you easily configure your space to suit your needs.
Best of all, it’s perfect for enjoying a long, lazy breakfast in bed. Who needs a tray when you can just pull out another table?
Floating shelves
The clean lines of a simple floating shelf can help create an enhanced sense of space in smaller rooms, letting the eye take in the full sweep of the floorspace rather than chopping it off at the corners.
Plus, a floating unit doesn’t have to equal contemporary. You can use all kinds of things, from an old mantlepiece to half a tabletop, to create a unique and eclectic bedside table. Basically, if you can screw it to the wall and keep it level, you can use it as a shelf.
The clean lines of a simple floating shelf can help create an enhanced sense of space in smaller rooms, letting the eye take in the full sweep of the floorspace rather than chopping it off at the corners.
Plus, a floating unit doesn’t have to equal contemporary. You can use all kinds of things, from an old mantlepiece to half a tabletop, to create a unique and eclectic bedside table. Basically, if you can screw it to the wall and keep it level, you can use it as a shelf.
TIP: A custom-made or homemade floating shelf can be an excellent solution for a small space or a tight corners. If you’re unable to source a ready-made unit that fits, a simple shelf is a relatively inexpensive addition.
The unexpected piece
There is no rule that says you have to go with the conventional option. Using an unexpected piece of furniture in place of a nightstand can make a stunning visual statement. Foyer tables, side tables, consoles, desks and filing cabinets can all stand as a bedside table, doing what you need them to do while adding your style to the space.
There is no rule that says you have to go with the conventional option. Using an unexpected piece of furniture in place of a nightstand can make a stunning visual statement. Foyer tables, side tables, consoles, desks and filing cabinets can all stand as a bedside table, doing what you need them to do while adding your style to the space.
It might seem like a frivolous design choice, but opting for the unusual can also be a sensible decision. If there’s no room in your house for a private workspace, a desk can turn your bedside into a peaceful and industrious area.
A long console table, a dressing table or an attractive bench can do double duty as a bedside table and a creative workspace. With adequate storage, and a bit of discipline, it might be the best way to carve out the room you need to practice your art or craft.
A long console table, a dressing table or an attractive bench can do double duty as a bedside table and a creative workspace. With adequate storage, and a bit of discipline, it might be the best way to carve out the room you need to practice your art or craft.
The upcycled nightstand
Repurposing found objects as furniture is a joy, and no longer just the preserve of skint students. There’s a beauty and an integrity in seeing the possibility that lives within, and bringing it to the surface.
Making something from found objects shouldn’t be forced – the key is to look beyond the way an item is usually employed, to consider its bones. Once you have a sense of the shape of the thing, it can be simple to see what else it could be. Work with the qualities of the materials; use the weight, texture and shape to help devise a design and then a practical method of building it.
Repurposing found objects as furniture is a joy, and no longer just the preserve of skint students. There’s a beauty and an integrity in seeing the possibility that lives within, and bringing it to the surface.
Making something from found objects shouldn’t be forced – the key is to look beyond the way an item is usually employed, to consider its bones. Once you have a sense of the shape of the thing, it can be simple to see what else it could be. Work with the qualities of the materials; use the weight, texture and shape to help devise a design and then a practical method of building it.
TIP: Don’t restrict yourself to made objects when planning an upcycled piece, look to the natural world as well.
TELL US
Which type of bedside table do you have and does it work for you? Share your style in the Comments section.
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TELL US
Which type of bedside table do you have and does it work for you? Share your style in the Comments section.
14 Savvy Tricks to Boost Your Bedroom Storage
How to Style Your Bedside Table Like a Pro
10 Genius Shoe Storage Hacks
An eminently practical choice, a chest of drawers offers plenty of storage space and the ability to keep clutter to a minimum, simply by allowing you to put everything away until you need it.
Mirrored units like this one are a great way to create a sense of light and space in a dark corner.