IN THIS POST:
– Bedside Table Design Selection
– Essentials for Every Bedside Table
Acting as the primary storage area for anyone using the bed, bedside tables are available in a range of designs. You can get wooden bedside tables, bedside table with drawers, end tables, floating shelves, and more. Stay with us as we discuss how to choose the perfect bedside table design while selecting bedroom furniture and the bedside table essentials that should be used to decorate your nightstands.
What Counts as the Perfect Bedside Table Design?
There are a number of furniture pieces that can be placed beside the bed to provide you with surface and storage area to keep your mobile phone, add a reading lamp, or a glass of water in case you feel thirsty during the night. From simple end tables and desks to chests of drawers and small open shelving units, the options can be customised as per your need for space. However, the perfect bedside table design will be incomplete if it does not take the following into account:
- Height of the Table
- Requirement of Space
- Need for Symmetry
- Bedside Table Essentials
Let’s discuss each of these characteristics and considerations in detail below.
Height of the Table
Proportions play a large role while designing a bedside table. Being between a foot to 1.5 feet in width depending on the space you have available to accommodate the tables on the side of the bed, it is the height that is of primary importance.
A bedside table should not be more than 2 inches higher than your mattress once it is placed upon your bed to give you the perfect height for a bedside table. You might wonder why? Well, while the table needs to be high enough that you can easily access it while you’re standing near the bed, it also needs to offer the ideal height for you to reach over while you are in bed for a glass of water or to snooze your morning alarm on your phone or clock.
Requirement of Space
You should also choose the perfect bedside table design based on your need for space and surface area. This includes a consideration of the storage space that you have available in your bedroom. If you have no better place for a chest of drawers, opt to make that your bedside table, where it will perform two functions with a single placement.
Similarly, if you need to fit a desk into a room for a student but have no place to adjust it, skip the end table beside the single bed and use the desk as multipurpose furniture that offers the tabletop to be used at night as a bedside table and during the day as a desk. You can also use a small bookcase as your bedside table using the same principles, to get extra storage space for your books while using the top of the rack as the bedside table. The options are endless once you start designing a bedside table that is perfect for your needs.
Need for Symmetry
The use of symmetry is always pleasing to the eye and this is why most bedrooms have not one but two bedside tables, one on either side of a double bed. But is it mandatory to mirror both sides of the bed with the same bedside table designs? While most traditional décor styles will opt for symmetry, using two bedside tables with identical lamps on each one, the choice to move away from symmetrical patterns is entirely personal.
Bedrooms need to be harmonious and peaceful spaces where your mind is at rest and only you can determine if two different end tables with a matching colour scheme or construction material will appear odd to the eye and take away some of the cohesiveness that you want in your design. Taking a step away from the uniform look is not the norm but if it works for you, go for two different tables on either side and pull them together with matching lamps, colours, or construction materials.
Bedside Table Essentials
Decorating a bedside table is always a personal affair as we all have a range of different trinkets and essentials we’d like to have near us as we sleep. For the lazy ones, a bottle of water; for those on prescribed medications, maybe their night-time dose of pills; and for those who wear glasses, a safe space to take them off for the night without worrying about breaking them. But aside from these, there are also a number of bedside table essentials that should be used to decorate the table in a room that cannot be personalised, such as the guest bedroom.
Considered as additional decorative touches when we talk about the best guest bedroom décor ideas, placing an alarm clock, an engaging book, fresh flowers, and a range of other small items can help make your guest’s stay more comfortable. Many of these can also be used to decorate the bedside table in your own room as well. We’ll be discussing these options in detail below.
Essentials for Every Bedside Table
While you may want to cover the surface of a bedside table with decorative touches, ultimately, less is more and all of the items placed on a bedside table need to have a practical and functional value for the person using the room at night. There also needs to be plenty of space left behind after you’re done decorating for them to be able to place their own belongings on the tabletop. Some of the bedside table essentials that make a room appear more welcoming include:
- Alarm Clock
- Flowers
- Reading Lamp
- Books
- Bottle of Water
- Small Tray/Basket
- Picture Frame
- Notepad and Pen
- Box of Tissues
Here’s a brief overview of each of these accessories used to decorate a bedside table.
Alarm Clock
Even in this age of technology, many people prefer to use traditional alarm clocks rather than setting an alarm on their cell phones. While it may not be your preference, it is recommended that you place a stylish alarm clock on the side of the bed for your guests. This small touch will make your guest bedroom extremely picture worthy and welcoming, even if the clock is never really used for its true purpose.
Flowers
A decorative touch that is generally recommended for guest bedrooms, you can choose to place a vase of flowers on the bedside table, as long as you are leaving enough surface space for the guest’s essentials on the table. Opt for a flower vase that is sturdily built so that it will not break if it is accidentally knocked onto the floor.
Reading Lamp
If you love to read, or know of someone who does, then don’t forget to place a reading lamp on the bedside table for their ease. While most rooms with a double bed have two bedside tables with matching lamps, you can choose to place only one lamp on either of the two sides as long as the lamp fits the style of the room’s interior.
Books
Many avid readers cannot sleep unless they have a book in their hands or beside their bed. Your current read can always be featured on your bedtable table, while you can also consider placing some light reading material for your guests at the side of their bed.
Bottle of Water
If you hate getting out of bed for a glass of water or don’t want your guests to face the same, place a jug or bottle of water on the table beside the bed for easy access during the night. You’ll also need to place a glass alongside it.
Small Tray/Basket
Small jewellery, hairbands, clips, and other accessories might get lost if you take them off at night and simply place them on the table. Use a tray or a small basket instead to collect all such items at the end of a tiring day. You can then place each of your belongings in their rightful place in the morning without worrying about losing one earring in the night because you pushed it off the tabletop in your sleep.
Picture Frame
If you live away from your family, having a photo frame next to the bed is a good way to always have them around and to wish them goodnight at the end of every day. You can choose any frame you want as long as it is easy to balance on top of the table and add your favourite family photograph to it as needed.
Notepad and Pen
If you are a writer or a poet who gets inspired at night, or simply among the many individuals who run through all of the tasks that need to be done the following day while they are lying in bed, it is always a good idea to have a pen and a notepad on the table beside your bed to jot down anything that you think you might forget in the morning.
Box of Tissues
People who suffer from allergies will be extremely grateful to have a box of tissues handy during the night. So, ensure that you’ve placed one in the guest bedroom because it is just common courtesy to take care of all the possible needs of your guest while they are staying at your home.
Now you know how to choose the perfect bedside table design for your bedroom and guest bedroom. Here are some more décor ideas to make your bedroom warm and cosy. You can also check out the cost of decorating a bedroom in Pakistan, which includes the cost of buying a bedside table or nightstand for your room.
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