It’s better to keep your nightstand close to the bed. But just how close are we talking about? One of the most common questions people ask is how close a nightstand should be to the bed.
Some say the distance between nightstand and the bed should be three inches, while others say it should be six. The answer to this question depends on what type of furniture you have and your personal preference.
Many factors affect the placement of a nightstand, such as the size of your room, how much space you have for furniture, how high your bed is, and how close to your headboard you want.
What Is The Ideal Distance Between A Nightstand And A Bed?
You must keep your bedside table close to your bed. The placement of your furniture within a room is important, so make sure it is at least one or two inches from the side of your bed or a few inches taller.
Depending on your design preferences and your reach, it can go further. This distance is based on both practical and design considerations.
I didn’t give much thought to it as long as my alarm clock, phone, and a glass of water were within reach. To this day, they remain so.
What is the reason for this particular distance from the bed? Does there need to be some designer formula? I would say yes and no.
So, here’s what you need to know about nightstands. This article will explore the benefits of spacing between your bedside table and your bed.
Where Should A Nightstand Be Placed To A Bed?
Decorating and furnishing your home is always fun, and you have a lot of freedom to do it. For example, from your bed, you can choose the perfect spacing and height for your bedside table based on what you need it for.
For your bedside table to function, it must be reachable from your bed, so having space between your furniture can help your room feel less cluttered and more spacious. The distance from your bed should be about one or two inches.
According to designers, the room would look cluttered if the bedside tables were equidistant from the bed. There’s less furniture and less clutter in the room since minimalism is the mantra here.
Do You Need To Leave Space Between Your Bedside Tables And Your Bed?
In the morning, having your bedside tables too close to your bed makes it difficult to make the bed. You should leave some space between them and your bed. This may or may not apply to you, since not everyone cares whether their bed is made!
It is safe to space your bedside table even further away if, for instance, you don’t plan on reaching it frequently from your bed and you want it for decoration or to hold other decorative items, such as lamps that you won’t mind getting up to turn off.
You’ll see nightstands jammed up against beds if you type “complete bedroom suites” into Google Image Search. If I were you, I’d rather not roll over in the night and hit the nightstand with my head.
How Much Space Should You Leave Between Your Bed And Nightstand?
The distance between the bedside table and the bed is 3 inches.
By leaving just a little space between these two pieces, you can keep your lamp, alarm clock, and tissue box within easy reach of your bedside table while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing look.
What Is The Recommended Distance Between A Nightstand And A Wall?
You should keep a space of at least two feet around the bed. This is because you need enough space to move around while making the bed. Accordingly, the distance between the wall and the bedside table should be two feet.
There is also the possibility that the room where the bed is located might not be large enough to allow for two feet of space between the bed and the wall. It should be about one foot wide if this is the case.
I’m fine if I have one foot around my bed. There is a foot of space between me and the wall where my bedside table is located.
Depending on your room size, the size of your bed, and how much space you need to move around, the space around your bed and the distance of your nightstand from the wall will vary.
How Big Should A Bedside Table Be?
Since beds are around 25 inches tall, bedside tables range from 24 to 28 inches and are designed to complement them. Therefore, 20 inches by 20 inches is a nightstand’s standard width and depth.
The fact that beds come in such a wide range of heights also means that bedside tables come in a wide range of heights.
So don’t worry if your bed is too high or too low; there are bedside tables that are taller and shorter than standard. Heck, there are ways you can make your nightstand taller.
High Bed
A taller nightstand may be necessary for beds higher up from the ground, such as canopy beds.
Low Bed
Platform beds are lower to the ground, so choosing shorter nightstands makes sense. Generally, nightstands should be level with the top of the mattress or a bit higher, but if you want to reach down, you can lower your nightstand.
Is It Possible To Have A Balanced Bedroom With Only One Nightstand?
Without a doubt. Beds are the focal point of a bedroom. The bed occupies the largest space in the room, so it dominates the design.
Large dressers, chests of drawers, and easy chairs balance the decor in a room with a bed as the focal point. As a result, there isn’t any imbalance in the room because of one little nightstand.
You can, however, place a chair and a tall floor lamp on the other side of the bed if you think a bedroom with only one bedside table seems a little odd.
Should I Buy Two Bedside Tables?
If you live with a partner, you can always add another nightstand. The number of bedside tables in your room isn’t set, nor is there a requirement for two, one, or any.
You can choose how much furniture you want to put in your room. For example, if you are the only one who will use the bedside table, then you may only need one.
You might need to save space or only have room for one bed since your bed is against a wall. However, there are a few reasons why you might want two bedside tables.
Storage & Symmetry
To maintain overall symmetry, two bedside tables are necessary. Interior designers place a great deal of emphasis on symmetry.
Organizing and stabilizing a room can be achieved by using it. Your storage space will also increase if you have two bedside tables with drawers.
Your partner
You may want to have two bedside tables if you share a room with someone else. There should be one for both of you, and if you like, one for each of them.
The last thing you want to do in the middle of the night or in the early morning hours is to reach each other.
Your bedside table is a great place to keep your glasses, the book you are currently reading, a glass of water, and, more commonly, your phone. Therefore, it is only fair that you both get a spot.
DIY Alternatives To Nightstands
Other creative options are available if you don’t want to purchase bedside tables. You only need to consider how much space you need for your bedside table and whether or not it needs storage.
Bookcase Headboard
Adding a bookcase headboard to your bedside table is a great alternative. With them, you can keep your items close to your bed without occupying any more space with additional furniture pieces!
Small Rolling Carts Or Bar Carts
A bar cart or small rolling cart is a good alternative to bedside tables. Besides providing extra storage space, they also provide a lot of surface area.
Decorate or store blankets and books in the extra space. You can also find them in various colors and styles, making it easy to match them with your decor.
Window Sill
It’s possible to use your window sills as a bedside table if you have large windows in your room. Space-saving options like this are great if you have a small bedroom.
It saves space and money by not buying a bedside table; you can add lighting, storage, or decor.
A Dressing Table
By using it as a nightstand, your dresser can do double duty. You can use it as a bedside table if you already have one in your room.
Shelf
The wall behind your bed can be a shelf to free up floor space. Nightstands can be made from regular floating shelves or purchased specifically for use as nightstands.
Consider buying a shelf designed to attach to the side of your bed if you don’t want to add anything to your wall.
Bar Stool Or Chair
Upcycling an old bar stool or chair is an excellent way to repurpose a piece of furniture you no longer use.
Is There Anything Specific That You Should Keep On Your Nightstand?
It is common to see pictures in glossy magazines of staged bedrooms with a pretty vase of flowers, an alarm clock, and occasionally a phone charging on the nightstand.
That’s fine, but it’s unrealistic. There is no staging in your bedroom. If something happens during the night, what you keep on your nightstand will come in handy.
For example, you might keep your keychains, glasses, mobile, Kindle, a lamp, the book you’re reading, the TV remote, and maybe even your cat. What you do with your nightstand and your life is up to you.
The Bottom Line
What is the ideal distance between a bed and a bedside table in a bedroom? Hopefully, you got the answers you needed.
For design and practical reasons, keep the distance between the bed and the nightstand at least 3 inches. It’s now clear to you why this distance between the two matters.
