Nightstand Styling Ideas: 10 Steps That Work

The easiest way to style a nightstand is to pick the right size first, then add a light, one small tray for loose items, and one or two things that make it look lived in. Keep the rest of the surface clear. A nightstand that works at 2 AM looks better in daylight, too.

It's very common for a bedside table to turn into a dumping ground for receipts, hair ties and tangled cables, so don't feel bad if yours has. The ten steps below fix it in order.

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How tall and wide should a nightstand be?

Size comes before styling, because no arrangement rescues a table that is too small or too low.

• Height: the top should be level with your mattress, or 1-3 inches higher. Lower is awkward to reach from a lying position.
• Width for a king bed: roughly 24-30 inches. Narrower tables look tiny next to a mattress about 76 inches wide.
• Width for a queen bed: about 20-24 inches.
• Width for a twin bed: about 18-22 inches.
• Gap from the bed: leave about 3-5 inches so the duvet can drape and you can make the bed without pinching it.

Measure your mattress while it sits on the frame you'll actually use. A thick pillow-top can add several inches that a frame's listed height won't show.

The 10 steps to style a nightstand

1. Clear it completely. Look at the pile. If you have lotions, medication, mail and a water glass, you need drawers. If it's only a phone and a book, a shelf or open table works.
2. Set it level. Use felt pads or adjustable feet so a glass of water doesn't wobble.
3. Add the lamp. Its base should relate to the table: a sturdy table takes a substantial base, a slim table a slender one. About one-third of the table's width is a good footprint. The shade's bottom should sit near eye level when you're sitting up in bed, which keeps the bulb out of your eyes.
4. Put down a landing tray. A small tray or shallow bowl holds glasses, lip balm, a watch or earrings, so the rest of the surface can stay open.
5. Add something vertical. Lean a small framed print behind the lamp, or hang art or a mirror above the table. This ties the furniture to the wall.
6. Bring in something living. A small succulent, a bud vase or a good faux stem softens the hard edges of wood and electronics.
7. Stack a couple of books. Two or three hardcovers laid flat give you a second level, and a small object on top breaks up the flat surface.
8. Tame the cable. Run the charger down the back of the leg nearest the outlet and use small adhesive clips to hold it in place.
9. Add one texture. A ceramic coaster or a small unlit candle in a glass or metal vessel works. I'd skip burning candles at the bedside and use a diffuser if you want scent.
10. Reset it each morning. Take the water glass away and tidy the tray when you make the bed. It takes about ten seconds.

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What to put on a nightstand

A balanced top usually has three parts: something that gives light, something tall or vertical, and something small and personal. This is the familiar group-of-three formula. It works because the eye reads a tall element, a mid element and a low one as one composition. It also fits the figure-ground idea in perception: the first Gestalt principle is figure-ground, where we sort a scene into an object and its background. Empty space around your grouping is the background that makes the objects read clearly.

For a cleaner look, use a group of two: a lamp and a tray, or a lamp and one book stack. Everything else lives in the drawer.

How to style a bedside table without a lamp

If a wall sconce or pendant provides the light, or the table is too small for a lamp, shift the height to something else. A tall bud vase, a leaning framed print or a stack of books topped with a small object takes the lamp's place as the tall element. Keep the tray for daily items. Plug-in sconces and clip-on reading lights also free up the surface entirely, and for a renter they're easy to take along.

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How to style a nightstand with an open shelf

Open shelves show everything, so they suit people who put things back. Keep the top styled as above. Use the shelf for a basket or lidded box that hides small clutter, plus one or two books laid flat. If you know you'll toss things on it, choose drawers instead.

Which setup suits which room?

• Main bedroom: drawers for storage, balanced lamps (matching or not), and a dimmer or smart plug for mood control.
• Guest room: keep the top almost empty so a visitor can set down a phone, a washbag and water.
• Small apartment: a wall-mounted shelf or floating drawer at mattress height keeps the floor visible. If you only have one side to fill, see how to balance a bedroom with only one nightstand.
• Kid's room: rounded edges, no glass top, a washable finish, and a wall anchor if your child climbs.

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Common mistakes and quick fixes

Buying a matching bedroom set can make the room flat. Coordinate instead: if the bed frame is wood, try painted or lacquered tables, and if the headboard is upholstered, wood tables add contrast. If you want a new finish, you can paint a nightstand or browse painted nightstand ideas.

Tiny lamps look cute and give poor reading light. As an architect, I'd choose a lamp roughly as tall as the nightstand, give or take a few inches.

Water rings ruin wood fast. Use a coaster every time, or have a glass shop cut a piece of glass to sit on the top.

Materials, lighting and a final check

• Solid wood is repairable but sensitive to water.
• Painted or lacquered surfaces wipe clean, though chips are hard to blend.
• Metal is tough but can clank when you set down a glass.
• Marble and stone look good but are porous, so unsealed coffee or wine can stain.

For the bulb, I recommend warm white, about 2700K-3000K, in the bedroom. Cooler daylight bulbs feel alerting, which is the wrong signal at bedtime.

Before you buy, lie down and check four things: there's an outlet nearby, the drawer opens fully without hitting the frame, you can reach the switch without sitting up, and the lamp is heavy enough not to tip if you bump the table in the dark. If you have a pet that sleeps with you, a heavier base is also a good idea.

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Frequently asked questions