Nightstand Styling Ideas: What to Put on a Bedside Table

The simplest way to style a nightstand is to combine one tall item, one low item and one small personal item, then leave some empty surface. That gives you a bedside table that looks arranged and still has room for a glass of water and your phone.

If your nightstand is currently a pile of chargers, lotion and half-read books, don't feel bad. Almost everyone's is. The fix takes about ten minutes.

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How to style a nightstand: the basic formula

Start by clearing everything off. Then put back only what you reach for at night: a light source, something to read, a place for your phone and water. Whatever is left is your decor budget.

Good styling relies on a basic visual principle: we read a scene as a figure against a ground. The figure-ground relationship in Gestalt psychology describes how we piece the world visually into figure, then ground. On a nightstand, your objects are the figure and the empty tabletop is the ground. If every inch is filled, nothing stands out. Leaving a third or so of the surface open lets the objects read clearly.

The group of three

Pick three objects with different heights: something tall (a lamp or a slim vase), something medium (a stack of two books or a small tray) and something low (a candle, a ring dish or a small plant). Place them in a loose triangle rather than a straight line.

The group of two for a cleaner look

If you like a quieter look, or your table is small, use two items only: for example a lamp and a tray holding your essentials. As an architect, I'd choose this version for any nightstand narrower than about 16 inches.

What to put on a nightstand

Think in two layers: the things you use, and the one or two things you simply like looking at.

• A lamp or light source
• A coaster or small tray that corrals small items
• One or two books you are actually reading
• A carafe or a glass with a coaster
• A small plant, a bud vase or a framed photo
• A dish for rings, earbuds or a watch

Keep chargers off the surface where you can. A cable clip on the back edge and a drawer for the brick tidy things more than any decor object does.

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Nightstand decor ideas with a lamp

A lamp is the natural tall element, so build around it. Choose a lamp whose base is roughly one-third to one-half the width of the table, so it doesn't crowd everything else. The shade bottom should sit around eye level when you are sitting up in bed, which keeps the bulb from glaring at you.

Beside the lamp, add a low tray and one small object. If the lamp has a bold shade, keep the rest quiet. If the lamp is plain, a textured ceramic piece or a few stacked books bring in interest. Warm bulbs, in the 2700K-3000K range, make a bedroom feel calmer at night than cool white ones.

Pets matter here. A tall lamp with a light base can get knocked by a tail or a cat, so pick a stable, wide base and tuck the cord behind the table. A lidded glass or a heavy coaster is also kinder to your floor than a tipped cup.

Nightstand decor ideas without a lamp

Many bedrooms use wall sconces or pendants, which frees the tabletop entirely. Without a lamp, you lose the tall element, so bring height back another way:

• A slim vase with a few stems or branches
• A small framed print leaning against the wall
• A stack of books topped with a small object
• A tall candle holder (check that nothing flammable sits close, and never leave candles burning while you sleep)

Add a tray to anchor the arrangement, and you have a complete look with only three pieces.

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How to style a nightstand with an open shelf

An open shelf gives you two surfaces, so treat them differently. Keep the top styled and light, and use the lower shelf for function: a basket for a throw blanket, a pair of books laid flat, or a box for eye masks and lip balm.

Hide the clutter in a lidded box or basket instead of leaving it exposed. Repeat one material from the top (wood, rattan or ceramic) on the shelf below so the two levels look related.

Styling the bedside table by room mood

You can adapt the same formula to different tastes without buying much.

• Calm and cool: soft blue or gray ceramics, a linen lampshade and a glass carafe. For more on pairing materials, see texture pairings for cool blue decor.
• Warm and layered: a brass dish, a wooden tray and a small plant. Blue and brass works well if your bedding is cool-toned.
• Clean and modern: a single metal or glass object and nothing else. The blue and silver approach suits this.

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Simple tricks for a polished look

1. Use a tray. It makes a group of small objects look intentional.
2. Vary height, shape and material: something round, something rectangular, something soft or natural.
3. Match the two nightstands in weight, not necessarily in content. Identical lamps with different accessories feel balanced and less stiff.
4. Echo a color from your bedding in one object.
5. Edit weekly. Anything that has drifted onto the table moves back to its home.

If you want the bed itself to tie into the look, a throw blanket draped at the foot of the bed repeats the colors you chose for the table. For a reading corner that follows the same palette, see this reading nook guide.

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Mistakes that make a nightstand look messy

• Too many small objects with no tray to group them.
• A lamp that is too big for the table, leaving no room for a glass.
• Books piled higher than the lamp shade bottom, which blocks the light.
• Decor you have to move every night just to put your phone down.

If something gets moved every night, it doesn't belong there. Put it on a shelf or dresser instead.

Frequently asked questions