Night Side Table: How to Choose the Right Size and Style

The right night side table is usually 45–60 cm high (about 18–24 in), close to the top of your mattress. Choosing the correct height, footprint and storage helps you keep a lamp, phone and water within reach without making a condo bedroom feel cramped.

Before ordering, measure the space beside the bed rather than choosing by appearance alone. A small table can be enough for a rental bedroom, while drawers or an open shelf are useful if you want to hide chargers, books and personal items.

1. Start with the height beside your bed

Measure from the floor to the top of the mattress, including the mattress protector and bedding. A night side table should ideally finish level with the mattress or sit slightly lower, so you can reach across comfortably without twisting your wrist.

If your bed has a thick mattress or a tall base, a 50 cm table may look too low. For a low platform bed, a tall bedside cabinet can feel awkward and block the room visually. Compare the table height with the finished bed height, not only the bed frame specification.

Common table height	Imperial equivalent	Works with
40–45 cm	16–18 in	Low platform beds and compact rooms
45–50 cm	18–20 in	Many standard beds and guest rooms
50–60 cm	20–24 in	Taller bed bases or thicker mattresses

These are general furniture guidelines rather than fixed standards. A table that is a few centimetres lower is normally easier to live with than one that is significantly higher than the mattress.

2. Measure the footprint and walking clearance

Width determines how much you can place on top, while depth affects how far the table projects into the walkway. Leave enough room to walk past the bed and open drawers fully; in a compact bedroom, reducing depth is often more helpful than reducing height.

Mark the proposed width and depth on the floor with masking tape. This simple check shows whether the table will interfere with a wardrobe door, bedroom door or the gap between two single beds.

Choose a narrow table when the bed is close to a wall or wardrobe.
Allow roughly 60 cm of clear walking space where possible.
Check the table top can hold your lamp, phone and a glass without reaching into the walkway.

For a genuinely tight space, our Innis Round Tray Side Table measures Ø46 × H48 cm (about Ø18 × H19 in). Its raised bentwood tray top helps contain smaller items, and the three-legged form suits a bedside, reading corner or sofa.

3. Decide how much bedside storage you need

Open surfaces are quick to access, but they make cables, medicine, books and other small items visible. A drawer gives a cleaner appearance and protects personal belongings from dust, while a lower cubby is useful for books or a basket.

One open surface

This is enough if your routine only requires a lamp, phone and water. It also keeps a small bedroom visually light and makes cleaning straightforward. Choose it when you prefer minimal storage and do not need to hide items.

Drawer and open shelf

This arrangement separates daily-use items from things you want nearby but out of sight. The Harrington Side Table measures 45 × 40 × 45 cm (about 18 × 16 × 18 in) and has a drawer, gallery shelf and lower open cubby, using laminated board in a Coimbra finish. It suits a bedroom where one compact table must organise several small essentials.

Two drawers

Two drawers are useful for couples sharing a bedside area or anyone who keeps chargers, reading glasses and personal items close at hand. The Capri Side Table With 2 Drawer measures 60 × 41.6 × 50 cm (about 24 × 16 × 20 in), with Walnut and Matt Black Epoxy finishes and two drawers. It suits buyers who want concealed storage with a more substantial surface.

4. Match the material to bedroom use

Material affects appearance, cleaning and how the table relates to the rest of the bedroom. Solid timber brings visible grain and a warmer feel; laminated board and MDF can provide an even finish and practical shapes; veneer gives a timber surface over an engineered core.

Look at the table top especially closely because it receives the daily wear. Use coasters for drinks, wipe spills promptly and avoid placing hot items directly on finishes that are not specified for heat resistance. For a coordinated room, match the table’s wood tone to the bed, wardrobe or flooring rather than trying to make every piece identical.

5. Choose a shape that fits the room

Rectangular tables use wall space efficiently and usually offer more usable storage inside the same footprint. Round tables soften a room and reduce sharp corners, which can help beside a narrow passage, but their curved edge may provide less practical surface for a square lamp and several objects.

A raised tray edge is helpful if you regularly place a phone, remote or reading glasses on the table. Keep the top proportionate to the bed: a very small table can look lost beside a wide bed, while an oversized one can make the bedside feel crowded.

6. Plan lighting, charging and everyday reach

Place the table where the lamp switch is reachable from bed, and check whether the lamp base leaves room for your phone or water. If you charge overnight, measure the distance to the socket and avoid routing a cable across the walking path.

Drawers can hide excess cable length, but the charger still needs a safe route to the socket. Keep liquids away from power strips and do not overload a small top with decorative objects that make your daily items difficult to reach.

Night side table choices in brief

For a low bed or narrow walkway, choose a compact table around 40–48 cm high with a small footprint.
When clutter is the main issue, select a design with a drawer plus an open shelf or cubby.
For two people sharing storage, a wider two-drawer table gives each person more usable space.
Choose rounded edges or a circular top where movement beside the bed is tight.

Browse our coffee and side tables range, or enquire with Kedai Perabot if you want help comparing dimensions and materials for your bedroom.