9 Best Bedside Tables Of 2026 For Every Interior Style
Should your bedside tables be higher than the bed?Having your tabletop align roughly with the top of your mattress is generally considered the sweet spot. After all, when you wake up half-asleep in the middle of the night and reach for a glass of water, it is far easier if everything is sitting at arm’s reach rather than miles below you.Kris Manalo, head of design at Atkin and Thyme, agrees. “For practical purposes, try to keep the height of your tables in line with the top of your mattress. If you have matching bedside cabinets at either side of the bed, leave the same amount of space between the table and the wall on both sides.”It is not just about practicality either. Lining up your bedside tables with the mattress helps everything feel more balanced visually, especially if you have matching tables either side of the bed. That said, there are exceptions. Taller, slimmer styles like locker-inspired designs or open side tables can still work brilliantly, even if they sit a little higher or lower.How much storage do you really need?“One of the main things to consider when choosing a bedside table is how you need it to function within your bedroom,” says Kris. “A bedside table is a useful piece of furniture, so be realistic about whether you need it to work as a storage piece or simply as a surface to place a lamp and a few books.”If storage is top of the list, a two or three drawer bedside table is usually your best bet, especially if you like to keep chargers, books and all the random bedside bits hidden away. Kris notes that more storage often means a chunkier piece of furniture, which can work beautifully in a larger room but may feel too heavy in a smaller bedroom.In tighter spaces, a lighter frame, slimmer legs or an open shelf can stop the room from feeling crowded. This is where side-table styles and compact nightstands can come into their own, offering enough room for the essentials without taking over the whole corner.What's the best way to style a bedside table?As well as being nice to look at, a properly styled bedside table is far less likely to become a dumping ground for receipts, lip balm and tangled charging cables. According to Sophie Clemson, director and co-founder of The Living House, stacking a couple of aesthetic books is a simple way to add height, while a framed print placed behind accessories can help create more of a styled moment.If you have plenty of surface space to work with, Sophie recommends going bigger with lighting too. “Lighting can really make or break a room, and layers of lighting are really important in a bedroom to create a relaxing and cosy atmosphere,” she explains. A large table lamp with a more sculptural base or bold shade can make a bedside feel far more considered.Kris also suggests leaning into texture and personality when styling. “This year, we’re embracing the lived-in look, with carefully curated furniture pieces that reflect our personality. Textured front furniture is very popular at the moment; think fluted wood panelling, 3D patterns and retro inspired designs that sit stylishly next to the bed.”Mixing materials such as marble, wood, metal and woven finishes can help your bedside set-up feel more layered and interesting too, especially if you want the room to feel collected rather than too matchy-matchy.
