Five of the best bedside tables

Because I am always asked about this and because it’s a really hard piece of furniture to find. For some reason manufacturers seem to think that if we are the type of person who wants a bedside table we will want something boxy and ugly or ornate and French. Every single client I have visited over the last eight years has thrown bedside tables in to the mix and they are hard to find. So, periodically I think it’s worth doing a round-up of what’s out there as everyone has different requirements.

adventures in furniture ethnicraft oak geometric side table £329

We have a couple of vintage stools with no storage. That works for me as it forces me to be tidy. There’s no shoving things in drawers and forgetting about them. That said there’s a wicker basket in the bathroom that’s a horror show so it’s really just about moving it from one place to another. But for me the bathroom is out of sight out of mind and I like a decluttered bedroom as, psychologically, I think it helps me sleep better. And that may be just a placebo effect but I’m for that too. If I believe it works then it can work.

adventures in furniture ethnicraft oak geometric side table £329

That is why I have chosen this table above. Not least because it is quite sculptural and pretty but also because you could tuck a pile of books below it between the legs and they would look like they were meant to be there rather than messily on the floor because there was no storage. You could also hide a glass of water or a box of tissues so this is a particularly hard-working table. It also doesn’t look too “bedroom” so you could happily put it in another room if you wanted and it would work just as well.

cox and cox black metal bedside cabinet £275

That said, I know that some of you will always want storage and this is a rather good little number. Made from black metal it has two drawers, you can see the floor which makes the whole thing look lighter and will make the room look less cluttered and it has leather handles for a really nice textural feel. This too could move into a home office and might actually be good in a guest room that doubles up as an office as it’s has an industrial feel to it.

But don’t be put off by the industrial look. Sometimes that juxtaposition between hard iron and soft bedlinen and a luxurious throw can be just want you want.

la redoute bedside shelf £120

Shelves are always good in bedrooms and this is a shelf and drawer combination so you can have two – as pictured here and put books in the middle with a lamp and a glass of water on top. Or just one. If you were being really organised you could install a plug in the back of the drawer/wall so you could charge your phone at night and shut it in the drawer to stop the evil blue light escaping. You could also have a clock radio plugged in too – as well as the lamp – and it would keep all the wires hidden. If you were using it for a lamp you would have to drill a hole in the top for the cable to go through but that’s doable and tidy. So suddenly what looked like a simple shelf turns into quite a useful idea with a little more investment. You could also get a builder to make you one out of cheap wood and then paint it to match the wall or stand out, whatever takes your fancy.

pair of pine bedside cabinets from vinterior £159

Talking of painting this can be a really good idea for cheap or generic furniture. These cabinets cost £159 for the pair. They are made from solid wood – no chipboard – and there’s lots of storage. They’re just a bit… well… orange. So why not paint them in a really fabulous colour – and I don’t mean white. Or, if you do want white then paint the feet black or something. How about cobalt blue with orange feet? Or soft blush pink with red handles? Have fun and turn this fairly ordinary piece of fiurniture, which is, nonetheless, well made from quality materials into something fun and bespoke. And still have room to hide all your tissues and lipsalve from view.

etsy bedside tables

These have now been sold but you get the idea. If you don’t want to customise yourself then Etsy is a treasure trove of people doing it for you. This was a pair of 1940s cabinets that have been wallpapered. If you can’t find anything modern or high street that suits your needs go and have a rummage round here or in local junk shops and see if there’s something not too expensive that you can customise to suit your needs.

This is another great floating drawer idea and it looks vintage as well. This is £114.99 with free delivery (at the time of writing). I could be very tempted.

floating bedside drawers via etsy £115

I hope that has been helpful. In short, try the high street, then look at antiques, realise you can’t afford it and go to vintage and handmade that you might be able to customise to suit your purposes.