Certainly, your bed is the most important piece of furniture in your bedroom, but your bedroom will not have an aesthetic vibe without at least one nightstand. Therefore, you must consider where to place a nightstand, whether it should be placed next to the bed or not.
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Is it necessary to have a nightstand next to the bed?
Yes, a nightstand must be within arm’s reach of the bed. Because it is intended to be placed next to the bed, where people can store their bedtime necessities. However, if there isn’t enough space next to the bed, a nightstand can be placed elsewhere in the bedroom.
Nightstands, or bedside tables, are designed so that people can get their essentials during the night right next to the bed. As a result, it should be placed next to the bed for your convenience.
However, if there is insufficient space next to the bed, a nightstand can be placed somewhere else, but not too far away from the bed.
Where Should Nightstands Be Placed And Positioned?
Nightstands are the most useful and necessary furniture during the night because you don’t want to get out of bed frequently to keep or take your belongings.
As a result, the placement and placement of nightstands is an important thing to keep in mind so that you don’t have to deal with problems and make your bedroom look messy.
So, below is a shortlist of where and how to put and move nightstands for your convenience.
close to your bed.
The best and most appropriate location for your nightstand is right next to your bed.
If you want to keep a lamp on the top surface of the nightstand, keep it at least two inches away from your bed and close to the socket. Alternatively, mount it on the wall. However, make certain that it does not obstruct any doors or windows.
Near an electrical outlet
If there isn’t an electric socket near your bed, you can only place and position your nightstand near the socket if you have a lamp on the top surface.
Many people leave the lamp on all night, so it is better to position the nightstand towards the socket, even if it is out of hand’s reach so that the lamp will light all night.
Avoid placing it near a door or window.
You should not position or keep your lamp in such a way that it blocks the door or windows.
Choose a location with enough space for your nightstand; placing it near or in front of any window or door will result in it blocking the path for you and sunlight to enter the bedroom.
If it’s a closed door, you might even trip over it and get hurt. Therefore, avoid putting them near doors.
What is the ideal distance between a nightstand and the bed?
Your nightstand should be within arm’s reach of your bed. It should be kept at least two inches away from your bed to provide adequate space and allow your bed sheet or blanket to fall by the side of the bed.
However, the placement and positioning of your nightstand are entirely up to you.
Leaving space between you and your nightstand is essential because it makes the room feel more organized and open.
Keep it at least two inches away from your bed so that you can easily make your bed in the morning and the bedsheet and blanket have a nice drop.
However, if you only want your nightstand to be a decorative piece of furniture, you can place it far away from your bed.
What Should You Do If You Don’t Have Enough Space for a Nightstand?
When there isn’t enough room for a nightstand near your bed, the only option is to find another way to replace the need for a nightstand, which you can do by using the space above, behind, or nearby spaces around your bed.
And to assist you in resolving this quandary when selecting an alternative to a nightstand for your small bedroom, five very effective as well as beneficial solutions have been listed below; do check them out for a clear understanding of alternatives to nightstands.
Chair
A chair is a simplest and most cost-effective alternative to a nightstand. You may have extra chairs in your home; simply take one of them and decorate it with some nice small fur rugs and some small fairy lights around the handle, and you have your nightstand.
A chair doesn’t take up much space and can be placed anywhere in your room; it’s an excellent solution and an alternative to a nightstand.
Some Floating Shelves
Because they are wall-mounted, floating shelves are an excellent alternative to nightstands. Even if you have a small space near your bed, you can simply mount a floating shelf against the wall with nails.
Floating shelves have enough top surface area to hold an alarm clock, a watch, a glass of water, or other small items. And it’s a fantastic solution.
Shelves in the Corner
Corner shelves are also a great option; simply place them in the nearest corner of your bed. Corner shelves take up almost no floor space, so they are ideal for your small space.
Corner shelves are also quite spacious, with 4–5 tiers, allowing you to store a lot of items as well as some decorative showpieces.
Some Console Table
Console tables are narrow in size because they are intended to be placed behind sofas. However, these are also an excellent choice for a small bedroom. Simply measure the height and width of your bed, then buy a console table that will serve as a nightstand and place it behind your bed.
Over the shelf, you can keep a lamp, books, a clock, and your bedtime necessities. Because of its small size, it won’t take up much room, so you can use it as a console table instead of a nightstand.
Pegboard
Another low-cost but effective option is to use a pegboard as a nightstand. Pegboard takes up no space on the ground; simply hang it up with pegs on your wall, above or beside your bed. And they have enough space for you to keep the belongings that you need during the night inside the basket.
What is the ideal height for a nightstand next to a bed?
The top of a nightstand should be the same height as the top of the mattress, or about two or four inches higher. This height is ideal for anyone who is lying in bed and wishes to reach for something.
Because the average mattress height is 25 inches, you must select a nightstand that is 24–28 inches tall to match the level of your mattress.
However, the height of your nightstand is determined by the size of your bed and mattress, so if you have a larger bed and mattress, choose your nightstand accordingly.
How Do You Match Nightstands to Your Bed?
The simplest way to pair nightstands with a bed is to buy an entire set of furniture for your room so that the design, material, and appearance are all consistent and maintain a balanced and sophisticated look inside the room.
If you want to buy a nightstand later, consider the color of your room and other furniture, the shape and design, and most importantly, the materials, before selecting a nightstand that will improve the appearance of your bedroom.
Just keep in mind that no matter when or what type of nightstand you buy to pair with it, it should be cohesive with the rest of your furniture.
What size should a nightstand be for a king or queen bed?
A nightstand 20–40 inches wide is required for a king-sized bed. The standard width of a nightstand for a queen-sized bed is 25–30 inches.
Because king-sized beds are generally larger than queen-sized beds, the width of the nightstand should be wider to match the size of the bed.
And, because queen-sized beds are smaller, the width should be less, and you can choose a nightstand that is 25–30 inches wide to match your queen-sized bed.
Is it possible to use a nightstand as an end table?
The answer is yes; a nightstand can be used as an end table. If you don’t have enough space in your room or beside your sofas for an end table,
However, you have a nightstand nearby that you can use as an end table to store items such as flower vases, showpieces, or whatever you want.
As a result, nightstands are a good alternative to end tables.
Nightstands are designed to be placed next to the bed so that you can easily grab or store items.
However, if your room is small or you simply want to keep a nightstand as a decorative piece of furniture, you can place it elsewhere in the room.