The bedside table is often the last piece chosen in a bedroom, squeezed into the remaining gap after the bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers are in place. Yet it is one of the hardest-working surfaces in the room. It holds the lamp you reach for at night, the book you are halfway through, a glass of water, hand cream, glasses and the small necessities that make the beginning and end of a day feel easier.
Learning how to choose a bedside table means looking beyond whether it simply matches the bed. The right one should sit comfortably beside the mattress, support your evening routine and bring a little order to what can otherwise become the bedroom’s most cluttered corner.
Start with the height of your mattress
Height comes before style. A bedside table that is too low makes a lamp or drink awkward to reach; one that sits far above the mattress can feel visually off-balance and less comfortable to use when you are lying down.
As a useful rule, aim for a tabletop that is level with the top of your mattress or within around 5 cm above or below it. Measure from the floor to the mattress top, rather than using the height of the bed frame alone. A deep mattress, mattress topper or an upholstered divan can change the final height considerably.
There are exceptions. A deliberately low table can give a relaxed, pared-back feel in a room with a low platform bed. Conversely, a taller table may be practical beside a high bed if it has a slim profile. What matters is that the surface feels natural to use, not that it follows a rule at the expense of your comfort.
Measure the space, not just the table
A bedside table can look modest online and still make a narrow bedroom feel pinched. Before choosing, measure the available width beside the bed, then allow enough room to walk past it without catching a hip or knocking a drawer open. In smaller rooms, 35 to 45 cm wide is often enough for the essentials, while larger bedrooms can comfortably carry a more generous piece.
Depth deserves equal attention. A deep cabinet provides useful storage, but it can project into the route between bed and door. If space is tight, a narrow table with shelves or a drawer often works better than a broad, solid unit. Open-legged designs can also feel lighter because more of the floor remains visible.
Think about the bed’s own scale, too. A compact single bed can be overwhelmed by a wide, heavy bedside cabinet, while a substantial king-size bed may make two very small tables appear accidental. The pair does not need to be identical in size, but each table should have enough visual presence to hold its place beside the bed.
Leave room for the practical details
Measure with skirting boards, radiator valves and plug sockets in mind. A table pushed forward by a deep skirting board can lose valuable floor space, while a socket hidden directly behind a solid cabinet makes charging devices frustrating. If you use a reading lamp, alarm clock or phone charger every night, plan where their cables will sit before deciding on a design.
A wall-mounted shelf can be an elegant answer in a particularly narrow room, provided it is securely fitted and offers enough surface area. It is less forgiving if you need concealed storage, however, and may not suit renters who cannot make changes to the wall. A freestanding table remains the more flexible choice for most homes.
Choose storage around your real routine
The most useful bedside tables are shaped by what actually gathers beside your bed. Some people need little more than a lamp, water and a novel. Others need a discreet home for medication, charging leads, sleep masks, notebooks or a child’s early-morning essentials. Neither approach is better, but the storage should be honest about the life it needs to support.
A single drawer is often the most balanced option. It gives everyday objects a hidden place without turning the bedside into a miniature chest of drawers. A lower open shelf can hold books or a basket, keeping the tabletop clear while allowing the room to retain an easy, lived-in warmth.
A table with two drawers is worth considering if you prefer a completely clear surface or share a room with limited storage elsewhere. The trade-off is visual weight. In a compact bedroom, a fully enclosed cabinet can feel more substantial than you need. Choose a raised design with legs if you want the storage but would still like the room to feel open.
Tiered bedside tables are particularly useful where a bedside surface must do more than one job. The upper level keeps a lamp and drink within reach, while lower shelves separate reading material, charging devices or a small storage box. This arrangement can make a busy routine feel calmer without adding another piece of furniture.
Consider the lamp before the finish
A bedside lamp changes the amount of surface you need. A wide-based lamp, a candle, framed photograph and water glass can quickly fill a small tabletop, leaving no comfortable place to put down a book. If you like a larger lamp, choose a table with a generous top or use a wall light to free the surface.
The proportions of the lamp matter, too. A small lamp on a very tall, bulky table can look lost, while an oversized shade may crowd a narrow cabinet. The bottom of the lampshade will often feel most comfortable around shoulder height when you are sitting up in bed, although the right reading light depends on the bed and your own habits.
If a matching pair of lamps is not for you, the tables can help create balance. Two similar-height lamps in different materials, or a table lamp on one side and a wall light on the other, can look considered when the overall scale is kept in check.
Let the material support the mood of the room
A bedside table does not need to match every other wooden finish in the bedroom. In fact, a room can feel flatter when every surface is identical. Aim instead for a sense of conversation between materials: a warm oak table beside an upholstered bed, a painted piece with a natural wood floor, or a slim black metal frame in a room that needs a little definition.
Wood and bamboo bring softness and texture, making them especially welcome in bedrooms that otherwise feel cool or minimal. Their natural variation also makes everyday marks less conspicuous than they may be on glossy finishes. Painted or lacquered tables offer a cleaner, more tailored look, but pale colours can show scuffs and dark surfaces may reveal dust more readily.
Rattan, cane and open shelving add airiness, though they ask for some restraint. They are best where the contents can be kept reasonably tidy. A solid drawer front is usually a kinder choice if the table needs to conceal the less picturesque parts of real life.
Decide whether both sides should match
Matching bedside tables create quiet symmetry, particularly in a main bedroom where the bed is the visual centre. They are a straightforward way to make a room feel settled, and they simplify decisions about lamps, storage and finish.
But matching is not compulsory. Different tables can work beautifully in an older home, a rented flat furnished over time, or a room where each sleeper has different needs. You might pair a narrow drawer table on one side with a larger cabinet on the other, for example. Keep one or two elements consistent, such as height, timber tone, leg shape or lamp colour, so the pairing feels intentional rather than improvised.
This is also useful when one side of the bed sits beside a wall, radiator or wardrobe. Forcing two matching cabinets into unequal spaces can make a room less practical. A thoughtful mismatch is preferable to a symmetrical arrangement that interrupts how the room works.
Choose a piece that can earn its place over time
Trends pass quickly at the bedside, but a useful table tends to stay. Look for a stable construction, a surface that is easy to wipe, drawers that open without sticking and proportions you will not tire of once the room changes around it. If you move home, a simple table with good storage may become a hallway stand, a reading-room side table or a useful companion beside a sofa.
It is worth considering how much assembly, moving and maintenance you are prepared for. A delicate table with a pale finish may be right for a quiet guest room, while a family bedroom may benefit from a sturdier piece with forgiving materials and enclosed storage. Lasting choice is not about selecting the most serious-looking furniture. It is about choosing something that supports ordinary days well.
Before you commit, stand where the bedside table will go and picture the final moments before sleep. If there is room for your lamp, your water, your book and the things you would rather keep out of sight, you are close to a piece that will make the bedroom feel more settled each night.