Bedside Table: More Than Just a Storage Surface

A wooden bedside table can work with a multitude of room designs. The key is to find a shade and type of wood that blends with other items or choose a form and finish that fits with a particular style.

Weathered, antique or distressed wood will easily find its place in a traditional or rustic interior, while the French country style is incredibly chic and has enjoyed renewed popularity in recent years, with good reason.

To style this kind of furniture, think emotion. Repurposed old boxes, photo frames, bird cages as candle holders—anything with a sense of lasting value and warm memories will fit in beautifully. For bonus points, find authentically crafted hardware to replace the existing, if not to style.

White bedside tables, combined with lighter shades of wood, are a staple of the nature-oriented Scandinavian style. Their often-simple lines make them ideal for both spacious and smaller rooms. Besides white, you can often find them in combination with light grey, pastel neutrals and sometimes even turquoise and yellow.

Scandinavian bedside cabinets are, essentially, minimalistic. Yet, due to distinct finishing, they are far from the typical cold, neutral items the word usually brings to mind. Their design is closer to mid-century modern, but still fresh enough to use in the 2020s. With a clean appearance, straight legs and practical features, they can fit a range of styles, including transitional and industrial. A rounded bedside table also appears as a typical item in this category.

The best way to style a Scandinavian nightstand is with a simple lamp, a photo frame and a candle or a small plant.

From one point of view, a sleek, simplified shape may not sound very appealing to many. From another, it provides more freedom to style. Even if you don’t like the idea of perfect symmetry and two identical nightstands, there is still a way to break it with decor. In such a case, the more non-imposing initial design, the better.

For an ultra-modern setting, think about adding LED lighting accents. Whether it’s a tape-lining, discreet backlight, or hidden foot light, the final effect can be striking as well as practical. On a functional side, it can provide enough visibility throughout the night, eliminating the need for overhead lights. This kind of lighting can make quite an impact on a black bedside table and in futuristic-oriented interiors.

With technology introduced into furniture, modern bedroom tables becomes an ultimate storage space for all necessities that shouldn’t clutter the surface. Progressive concepts brought us bedside tables with space that doubles as an overnight charging station for phones, gadgets, and more.

And then, there are colours. A minimalistic design allows for vibrant hues and bold patterns. If you haven’t considered the idea of having a bedside drawer as the ultimate statement piece of the bedroom design before, think again. Match the hue(s) of your tables in the bedroom with other room accents to underline its character. You may be surprised to discover that even orange or yellow can work in creating an energetic yet sophisticated vibe.

A narrow or small bedside table is an excellent solution when floor space is at a premium. Use these to balance out the proportions without imposing. A slim surface will easily host a sleek lamp, together with one or two tiny deco items. Even if there’s enough room for just one furniture item, don’t despair—think of that as an opportunity to make it a statement on its own. That being said, have you thought of floating shelves as an option?

Whatever you choose, keep in mind that bed frames define the height of nightstands. Bed table surface should reach about the same level as the top of your mattress. Playing with radical juxtaposing is better left to professionals.

While bedside tables with metallic accents have been around for centuries, fully mirrored and metallic ones still pack quite a punch. Effortlessly chic, they are designed to make a significant visual impact in any room. These finishings have their natural place in modern luxury interiors but work surprisingly well as an unexpected twist on traditional items, too - especially if reflective surfaces extend to wardrobe storage.

A bedside table with mirror can help brighten up the room, due to the amount of highly reflective surfaces. With the proper lighting, these can seriously boost the overall glam factor, making the whole setting appear grandiose in a very elegant way. Just remember to be careful with decor. In this case, less is definitely more.

According to the popular wellbeing design philosophy, the tables in the bedroom should have rounded corners and stand below the level of the top of your frame of your bed or mattress. Bedside drawers are highly desirable, for practical reasons as much as conceptual. Clutter is not welcome from any point of view, so it’s great to have a place to store necessities at hand. Even the things that help you fall asleep faster, like a book or earplugs, would be better to store each night, than to have them gradually piling up around.

The scent and flicker of a lit candle can create a homely, luxuriously pampered atmosphere. Plus, a set of beautiful candles looks great on any type of bedside cabinet.

A flower vase is welcome in a bedroom, but it will find its place on a dresser table or a chest of drawers rather than on a nightstand. You wouldn’t want to accidentally hit and knock it over during the night.

Finally, the whole setting, no matter the style, should fit with your personality. The ideal interior is the one where you feel at your best and the same applies to every detail it comprises.