I remember going YEARS without a nightstand. It felt like maybe we didn't need one, or the tiny stool or chair was working fine, or even more so--a big expense because we needed two! Then I came across a vintage pair on Marketplace for $25--for two!! They served us so well for many years before we passed them onto our friends (who had been without nightstands for too long also). We got new nightstands that were a little taller and wow! What a difference.
Ideally, the top of your nightstand should be level with the top of your mattress, or about 2-4” taller. And it makes a surprising difference! It's so much more natural to reach up to grab something when laying in bed, as opposed to reaching below. And I didn't realize how true it was until we got appropriately sized nightstands for our bed.
Besides height--there are the color combinations to have fun with! Gone are the days where your bed and nightstand should match. Seriously. Don't do that. Instead mix it up! If you have a painted or upholstered bed, your options are wide open. If your bed is black, I like going for a wood tone, if your bed is wood, I like going for a painted nightstand.
(Greta's Room Sources here)
(rug, duvet, quilt, lamp, vase, fig berry stems)
(Clayton Bedroom Makeover Sources here)
Storage is, (of course!), amazing. I would say if you are looking for nightstands for your bedroom, one with storage is a must--but for a guest room, or less-used bedroom (even a young childs' room), one without storage could work just fine for you.
If you don't have a nightstand, or your nightstand isn't the right height for your bed--we've rounded up 36 favorites, divided into 3 different price ranges, under $150, under $300 and under $500! (The nightstands in the first two photos, in Greta's room and our room are no longer available but I tried to find some great dupes below!)
1. Modern Nightstand: $49
2. 3 Drawers Nightstand: $72
3. Dip-Dyed Stools: $88
4. Minsmere Caned Accent Table: $113
5. Whitewash Two Drawer Nightstand: $117
6. Charleston Wicker Wood Nightstand: $119
7. Westerleigh 1 Drawer Nightstand: $129
8. Wicker One Drawer Nightstand: $135
9. Pelham Nightstand White: $135
10. Astoria Open Nightstand: $141
11. Jean Round Nightstand: $149
12. Delta Children Farmhouse Nightstand with Drawer: $149
1. Virginia Nightstand: $179
2. Sophia 2 Drawer Nightstand: $179
3. Olivia Nightstand: $189
4. Curved Terrace Nightstand: $199
5. Taylor Nightstand: $208
6. Newcastle 1 Drawer Nightstand: $242
7. Francesca Nightstand: $270
8. Amelia Nightstand: $279
9. Gallery White 2-Drawer Nightstand: $299
10. Natural Tree Stump Side Table: $299
11. Tux Marble Top Nightstand: $299
12. Artis Rattan Cabinet: $299
1. Archer Lacquered Linen Nightstand: $349
2. Kids Hampshire Olive Green Nightstand: $349
3. Cayman Nightstand: $379
4. Marcelle Nightstand: $398
5. Atelier Round Side Table: $398
6. Metalwork Grand Nightstand: $399
7. Penelope Nightstand: $399
8. Parallel Wood Nightstand: $399
9. Bohman Nightstand: $438
10. Washed Wood Nightstand: $448
11. Ivory Shagreen Embossed Nightstand: $449
12. Debra Folz Nightstand: $499
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Where are those black ones from or are they thrifted?
The black nightstands in the photo of our bedroom are from One Kings Lane — they're sadly sold out! However, these are very similar: https://rstyle.me/+bSMD3bbhi1YhhZOH_B6dIA
Thankyou for this post! Very timely!
What would you put with a really dark timber bed? I have a large 4 poster that is made of teak timber stained dark chocolate and the bedsides are really old and to low... can't think what to change them too!!!
Sounds beautiful, Wendy! I really love the dark high-style bed inspo in this post: https://chrislovesjulia.com/high-style-beds-at-every-budget/
Maybe a similar nightstand "table" would work for you?
Hi Julia! Do you have any tips on mixing colors and textures? Say, 2 matching nightstands that aren't part of the set with your dresser? Thanks!
Hi, Jessica! They don't need to match — they just need to "go." Sometimes a weightier dresser pairs well with lighter nightstands. You're allowed to mix wood tones — this actually adds depth and layering to your room.
I have a vintage nightstand in mirror and Wooden legs, really pretty, but I only have one... Can I Mix with a different nightstand on the other side? Our bed is upholstered and the headboard is in velvet. Do you Think it will work to Mix the nightstands?
Love all your Renovation<3
YES! Mix it with a piece that's maybe the same tone but a different weight: If your vintage piece is larger but more "airy," try a second nightstand that looks more "sturdy" or "stalky."
Thank you for this post!!!! I so need night stands for my two spare rooms!
Great content! I’d love to see a follow up about bedside lighting! I love my nightstands, but not my lamps. I don’t know how big I should go, or should I wall mount? I’d love to see your thoughts and ideas!
We just got a king bed for the first time and I'm struggling with finding nightstands that are the right proportion. What is the right width for a king bed?
I get what you mean. The width just depends on the room. You want to scale your furniture to the room that it's in, not necessarily to the other pieces of furniture. If your room can handle some larger nightstands, go for it! If your king is taking up a large part of your wall space already, it's okay to go smaller!
I’ve been eyeing the indigo night stand from Anthropologie for years but have always hesitated since I’ve never seen it in person. Is the price reflective of the quality? I hope so!!
Any thoughts on nightstand width? We have a king size so the proportion seems off for the typical width nightstands when there’s more space to the wall. Or is it just me?
Scale the nightstands to the size of the room, not the size of the bed. Even "skinny" nightstands look great with a king that's on a shorter wall.
Hot tip: if you want a “plugged in” nightstand for your phone and lamp, we had somewhat cheapie nightstands and just cut a 2” hole in the back board, put a small powerstrip in the drawer and ran the cord back out through the hole, and under the bed to the outlet. We have our lamps plugged into the power strip (back in through the same hole) and keep our phones charging in the drawer overnight. It’s reduced the visual clutter a lot! And it was FREE. :)
Do your nightstands have to match your dresser color? Can you do different color nightstands then your bed then your dresser?
Definitely! Layer in colors and textures and finishes that you love. They don't need to match. They just need to "go."
Love all of these. Would love to see a post on end tables. I cant seem to find any i like. Im starting to think maybe i hate end tables! Lol
Second this, all of it! I can't seem to find end tables that I like. Do the same rules apply for color combinations? Should the end tables be painted or wood tone if coffee table or media console is black or would a metal or other material mix better?
This post could not have come at a better time. I’m literally shopping for new nightstands. I may have missed it, but our your nightstands sources? I’m looking for black too with a similar style.
Thanks!
I mentioned that they are no longer sold, but I linked some similar ones!
How do you feel about having a completely different night stand on the other side of the bed?
I love it! Show off your style and personality. No need to match!
Hi, I love your nightstands. We’re ate they from and are they still available?
Thanks,
Marushka
Hi! Ours are from McGee and Co., and they sold out. But I found a similar option for you: https://rstyle.me/+gf67yeJ-oM2ZEaoCyB25VA
One thing that I don’t like about some of the inexpensive options out there is how square they feel. Especially with a king or queen sized bed, don’t you think the width of the night stand makes a difference? I’ve tried using nightstands that are the right height but feel like the wrong scale width wise! What do you think?
I hear ya! The width of the nightstand really depends on the size of the room, not the size of the bed. Scale your furniture to the room that it's in. Your space might be able to "handle" some wider options! (Pottery Barn has great options for wider nightstands.)
Love this! Do you have any recommendations for wider nightstands, perhaps 26 to 30 inches? I'm really struggling to find ones wide enough to fit the wall my king bed is on, without large gaps. Thanks!
Truly! Check out Pottery Barn and McGee and Co. These are my go-tos for wider nightstands. Also, look at vanities, console tables, and desks as options. These would all make great nightstands!
A pro interior designer I follow said once that your bedside lamp and nightstand combined shouldn’t be taller (or much taller) than your headboard’s highest point and I think that’s a great tip, too. There are always exceptions but it is much more visually pleasing to me when they’re the same or slightly shorter.
Great tip!
I feel like some of your low budget options are pretty high budget. Is it just me? This kind of creep is something I've noticed for a while now with CLJ. Maybe your tastes have gotten more expensive? Maybe your less in touch with what is a normal budget and not a budget of someone doing this for full-time work? P.s. I'm genuinely trying to be constructive with the comment here and do appreciate your content!
We rounded up 3 different budgets and even mentioned I was able to find nightstands for $25 on Facebook years ago (another option!) I guess I'm curious what price range you were looking for?
Personally I feel you’ve shared a great range of price points! Under $500 is super reasonable in my opinion. Everyone is In different places financially so I get that what feels inexpensive to some may be inaccessible to others. I see that you make an effort to cater to different budgets and I appreciate that! Also loooove this round-up. If only I could move past my analysis paralysis and make a decision already! But these are some seriously good options to consider.
I personally would look in the $50-75 range and there are only two options there. I tried to be really constructive with the comment, genuinely.
I'm personally not in a place where I'd spend $500 for a nightstand, but I didn't say CLJ shouldn't share those options. I completely understand that other people are in a place where they want them. I didn't ask for a magic $8 nightstand. I just voiced an opinion that the low-budget category seemed to skew high and I've noticed that with CLJ lately.
I'm about to be furnishing an apartment from almost zero (because I moved across the country, not because I'm right out of college with no money/experience with purchasing for my home). When I read the title of the post, I expected this to be a great resource for me to use soon. It wasn't as useful as I expected. I voiced that disappointment. That's all *shrugs*
I think the prices are acceptable? I remember 7+ years ago bloggers were vying for relevance and the sensationalist blog titles would be “make this for $37! In 2hrs!” And it turns out it was all scrap wood or found in a dumpster and it was spray painted.
CLJ has moved on from these because it’s not novel and probably doesn’t make as much money as affiliate links.
I feel like nightstands cost more than you think! I recently spent a long time trying to find new nightstands for our master bedroom (we needed more storage) and finally lucked into a sale on the Target website and they were $99 each (one drawer and two shelves) and they were wood tone - I had a WWJD moment and knew we needed to mix in some wood tone with our all white matchy matchy furniture. Anyway, this is a nice selection of styles and prices. :)
I wouldn't know of a store that would sell a cheaper nightstand than at 49 dollars. I imagine the reader demographic of this blog is people in their 20s all the way to 40s and I think most people that feel like acquiring nightstands is a priority to them, are either able to save up to buy some (even if they have to save up money for six months, like I did) or can go thrifting and upcycle whatever they find just like Julia did back in the day when she was maybe saving her budget for other things that she had prioritized at that time. I don't get people getting offended over 50 to 500 dollar pieces of furniture. If your financial situation doesn't allow for spending on furniture and reading about other people being able to afford things you cannot, then maybe you need to take a break from reading this kind of content. There is absolutely no shame in it, there is times where I wish I could afford a 4k couch and when it puts me down, I stop looking at blogs and pinterest that show me exactly what I can't have. Maybe a healthier approach then expecting bloggers to make a post about eight dollar nightstands, because the reality is, there is people in higher income classes or with a furniture budget that they set for themselves that maybe love this content! I sure know I find it helpful and inspirational. It feels like lately no matter what Julia blogs about there is always someone being overly criticizing and harsh and I wish everyone would just calm down a bit and remember that they are reading free content and if they don't like it anymore, then find a different blog that suits your budget better.
The original poster asking about price was quite nice about it, and just because she may want a more bargain version, doesn’t mean she needs to stop reading the blog. Just...wow.
What are your thoughts on feeling the need to match your nightstand to your dresser? My bed frame is charcoal metal and my dresser is unfinished very light colored wood- but I love your black nightstands! I don't care for everything to look so match-y but want them to look cohesive ugh
Definitely do NOT need to match!!!! I love a mix
How does Greta turn her lamp on and off from her bed? It looks so far away and so difficult to manage when she's done reading for the night and just wants to snuggle up an drift off to sleep. Very pretty visually, though!
It may look farther away in pictures than it is in real life. She probably has to lean over a little bit, but it's not a stretch. Would love to get her a small reading sconce above her bed, too, though!
I love that you broke the nightstands into price categories! Also, great tip about getting one the same height of your bed. I usually keep a tape measure in my purse so I can keep an eye out for the correct sized furniture for my place!
love this...will do something similar for dressers. I need a quality one for my sons room and I am really struggling. :)
So if you really love a nightstand but it's just too short (like Greta's) would you put casters or different feet underneat to raise it up?
Our nightstands don't match. My husband uses his vintage oak dresser and I have a vintage oak tea cart; much like #10 in the under $150 group. We went with the strategy, "use what you've got". In our former house we did have matching vintage nightstands … actually my M-I-L's former living room end tables. Now they've being used in our living room.
It took me forever (pre-internet shopping days) to find nightstands. Far easier to just check out your list! But I do miss the thrill of the hunt.
Greta's nightstand actually came with legs and we just loved the look of it without them on and it's level with her mattress so we felt okay about it, but if you feel like your nightstand is too short but you love it otherwise, I'd definitely look for ways to add some height!