Nightstand Decor- The Best Nightstands, Table Lamps and More!

Nightstand decor is simple, but can make such a big impact in a bedroom space! After giving it a lot of thought, I've found a decor combination that seems to work every time. Keep reading for my four favorite bedside tables and their corresponding lamps and decor as well as a quick question and answer session for some FAQs I've gotten on Instagram!

Now that we have been in our home for a few years, it feels like the broad strokes of each room are complete. The big pieces like sofas and coffee tables, desks and chairs are in place. I have found myself fixating on the details, lately, which is honestly the fun part of decorating. After all, it's the lamps, art and the perfectly imperfect objects that seem to really make a room feel special and warm.

Nightstand Decor:

One such space I've been ruminating about are our nightstands in our bedroom. I love the nightstands themselves, but the table lamps on them are an inexpensive set that were leftover from a project years ago. Our Blu Dot lamp in the playroom was temporarily displaced by the Snow Village we put out for the holidays, so I adopted it for my bedside table to see what it would look like to have a new lamp on the nightstand. What does it look like? Amazing?! Not to overstate it's importance, but it's unbelievable what a simple lamp swap has done for the nightstand. I decided to do a deep dive on nightstand decor and decided there was a simple formula that seems to work every time: nightstand + lamp + tray + object or vase = one hundred almost every time. Keep reading below for my favorite four nightstand decor combinations!

Nightstand Height: How tall should a bedside table be?

The height of your nightstand will ultimately depend on the height of your bed frame and the thickness of your mattress. Nightstand height is much more function over form. While there's not one perfect height, you should be able to stand in front of your bedside table and comfortably grab something from the top of it without having to stoop. Similarly you'll want to be able to easily grasp something from your nightstand while in bed. Before purchasing a nightstand, experiment with different heights next to your bed. You can pull stools or other tables from around the house to experiment with different heights or even fashion a make shift nightstand from cardboard to ensure that you are buying a bedside table that is the perfect height for you and your bed.

Mismatched Nightstands: Do bedside tables have to be the same?

I do love the symmetry of matching nightstands. That said, no, your bedside tables to not have to match! While matching nightstands seems to be the default setting for most, different but complementary bedside tables can add a lot of interest to a bedroom when done well. You do want them to have some underlying similarities– they should be of a similar style or era and look like they both belong in the room.

Nightstand Decor: To lamp or not to lamp?

For small spaces that require small nightstands, consider adding wall sconces to either side of the bed to prevent lamps from taking up precious space on your bedside table. If you aren't able to hardwire them into the wall, there are a lot of plug-in options like this one and this one. If sconces aren't an option, then I would argue that a lamp is a bedside necessity. It's just the right amount of light first thing in the morning or in the evening when you're climbing into bed and makes reading before you drift off to sleep much more convenient. Who really wants to climb out of the covers to turn off a light?