How to Select a Nightstand that Fits Your Needs

The first question to ask yourself when sourcing a nightstand? What are your needs? Consider your bedtime routine and take stock of all of the accouterments that play a role. Are you a book-before-bed type that needs a plethora of shelving to stow in-progress volumes? Or do you simply need a perch for your Kindle, no drawers required? Regardless of how you take your reads, bedtime reading likely means a nightstand with enough surface area for a to accommodate a table lamp is imperative. Which is all to say, assess your bedtime equipage and determine how you’d like it stored. On the surface? Or on tucked inside drawers, or stacked on shelves? That will give you a strong sense of whether you need a nightstand with drawers, shelves, or neither.

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Alternatively, your bedtime accessories might be quite minimal, but you simply have a need for additional storage in your bedroom. Whether due to a small closet, or a lack of square footage to accommodate a dresser, the storage space a nightstand offers could come in handy. In these cases, you might want to spring for a small nightstand—or large nightstand—with drawers or cabinet storage. In a pinch, a nightstand with ample storage space can be used to stow everything from cosmetics to jewelry to extra sweaters.

Should you find that your pre-bed routine is remarkably minimalist and storage in your bedroom is already plentiful, you might want to opt for a nightstand that’s actually a side table. Side tables tend to evoke a more relaxed and casual air in a bedroom. As a bonus, they can break up the right-angled tyranny created by a boxy bed frame and coordinating dresser.

To really embrace the out-of-the-ordinary, consider a sculptural side table à la John Dickinson or Mario Lopez Torres. You might also consider unusual stand-ins like a ceramic drum stool or Italian ceramic figural stool as a nightstand. Other unique options include a wicker side table, a Moroccan Moorish side table, or even a demilune side table!