Pottery Barn Linwood Nightstand
The star of the bedroom is, and will always be the bed. However, you can't praise the bed's achievements without giving a serious nod to her crew. Think about it. Would your bed be as comfortable if you actually had to get up to turn the light off? I don't think so. To help her achieve her full potential, the bed needs a killer set of nightstands.
With so many nightstands out there - not to mention side tables, end tables, etc. - shopping for the perfect pieces can easily get overwhelming. Before shopping, it may help to first consider these four simple “rules” to help you narrow down your options.
As always, these rules are just tools to help guide you to a solution that will work for you. Bend them, break them, it's totally up to you!
1 | Maintain similar surface levels
You want to be comfortable reaching items from your favorite spot in bed, so you'll want a nightstand that is the same height (+/- 5”) as the top of your mattress.
Source: Amber Interiors
2 | Don’t squish the space
To be able to navigate the room with ease, maintain ~36″ of open space around your bed on all sides. To help figure out the optimal width for your nightstand, also account for 3-6” between your nightstand and bed.
If space is tight, don't be afraid to get creative. You can mix and match pieces to fit the space and satisfy your functional needs. Notice how Simone Haag & Sarah Shinners paired a set of small floating shelves with an L-shaped accent table in the small room below. I love how they offset the painting to add weight to the small shelves and balance the room.
Source: Simone Haag & Sarah Shinners
3 | Shop for scale
The average nightstand is 22″ wide, but you may want to go larger or smaller depending on the width of your bed, the overall scale of your bed frame, and the available space in your room. Here are some general guidelines when you're thinking about the width of your nightstands:
Also, remember that the width and depth of your nightstand will dictate the amount of surface space you have to work with. Nightstands can get cluttered fast, so think about what you’ll want to house on the surface and what you’d like to keep on display versus hide in drawers.
That’s really it for the rules. As you’re shopping, remember hardware (knobs or pulls on drawers) can usually be changed out - so don’t let that hold you back if that one detail doesn’t jive with your style.
If you need a little more help getting started, keep scrolling and I'll take you through some of my favorite nightstands in different sizes and different price points.
Large and In Charge
A large room with a King or California King bed will look best with a wider nightstand (26"- 32"). If the bed has a tall headboard, a headboard in a bold, dramatic design, or a four-poster bed it will also likely require a taller, bolder nightstand or a chest of drawers. The goal here is to find nightstands that can hold their own next to the bed, not get lost in all her glory.
Pottery Barn Blatchford Nightstand in Black
If you want to use a chest of drawers next to your bed and are worried your mattress just doesn't stack up - you may be able to add a few inches to your bed with a box spring. Box springs come in low profile (4.5"-5.5" tall) and standard (8.5"-9" tall) heights so either adding a box spring or upgrading to a taller box spring could give you the extra height you need.
Nightstands GREATER THAN 27" Wide | UNDER $400
Knocbel Rustic 3-Drawer Nightstand
Everly Quinn Gerome Accent Chest
Magnolia Home Hartley 2-Drawer Nightstand
Nightstands GREATER THAN 27" Wide | $500-700
Crate & Barrel Kean Charging Nightstand
Pottery Barn Warren Nightstand
Pottery Barn Astoria Nightstand
Nightstands GREATER THAN 27" Wide | $700-$1,200
Pottery Barn Dolores Nightstand
One Kings Lane Serrano Dresser
McGee & Co Mackenna Nightstand
Amber Interiors Talara Nightstand
Smaller Spaces
In smaller spaces, you'll need to scale down your nightstands accordingly. Narrow your search to nightstands that are 22-27” wide, and you'll still have a huge selection to choose from.
Amber Interiors Elora Nightstand
Nightstands LESS THAN 27" Wide | UNDER $200
Target Hearth & Hand with Magnolia Nightstand
Target Threshold East Bluff Woven Accent Table - designed with Studio McGee
Nightstands LESS THAN 27" Wide | $300-$600
Pottery Barn Prescott Nightstand
Birch Lane Eros 3-Drawer Nightstand
Pottery Barn Augusta Nightstand
Alternative Nightstands
In the rare event that you don’t need storage or need something that will fit in a particularly tight space - stools, side tables, and end tables are all great nightstand substitutes.
Source: Emily Henderson
It might be difficult to find a piece that is as tall as your mattress - but don't sweat it - it's more important that you don't squish the space.
Side Tables and End Tables | Under $150
1. Wood and Glass Table | 2. Round Nesting Tables | 3. Round End Table | 4. Live-Edge Teak Table
Side Tables and End Tables | $150-200
1. Woven End Table | 2. Tripod Nesting Tables | 3. Carved Tables | 4. Bistro Table
Floating Nightstands
Floating nightstands are a great space-saving solution - and often the only functional solution if you need access to under-bed storage.
1. Light Oak Nightstand | 2. Two-Drawer Acacia Night Stand | 3. One-Dawer Solid Wood Nightstand | 4. Circular Wall Shelf
Cubes & Ottomans
Ottomans are also great (and often VERY affordable) options for nightstands when you don't need storage.
Left: Amber Interior Design | Right: Amber Interior Design
They add a softness to the overall feel of the room and are still highly functional with a tray adding stability to the surface.
1. Upholstered Cube | 2. Cube with Skirt | 3. Round Ottoman | 4. Ottoman with Wood Legs
Desks & Console Tables
Alternatively, if you have the space but need that spot next to your bed to do double duty - desks, vanities or console tables are another great substitute.
Source: Katie Hodges Design
1. Campaign Desk | 2. Vintage Walnut Desk | 3. Vanity with Mirror | 4. Herriman Console Table
That's a wrap.
A few quick tips and nightstands have never been easier. What piece should we cover next? Let us know in the comments and our team of designers will be ready to remove the guesswork for you!