There are numerous reasons why you should put a bench at the end of your bed depending on the type of bed you have and the size of your room. From adding a sense of style to punctuating the end of the bed, a bench adds the perfect mix of fashion, form, and function.
You can use a bench at the end of the bed as a step stool to climb into bed, a place to store items, extra seating, or simply a colorful and stylish addition to your room. Whatever the reason may be, adding a bench to the end of your bed will be a versatile piece of furniture that can bring your bedroom’s décor together while offering function. Keep reading to learn about seven reasons to put a bench at the end of the bead.
Benches Are Versatile
Whether you use a bench to sit and relax after a long day or take off your shoes to get into bed, there is a calming aspect of having a bench at the end of your bed. A bedroom bench can even be a comfortable place to sit while you are getting ready for the day—sit down, get dressed, and tie your shoes while sitting comfortably on your bench.
A bench that has a back or extra upholstery works perfectly for having an extra seating area. If your main reason for putting a bench at the end of the bed is for comfort, you will want to choose a bench with a sufficient amount of cushioning over wood or metal benches that will be much less comfortable to sit and relax after a long workday.
You can also use the bench to place your shoes on at the end of the day if they are a pair you regularly wear. That way you do not need to sift through your closet and, instead, just grab them off of the bench each morning and then place them in the same area at night before using the bench to easily climb into bed. Just think of these uses:
- Sit quick and answer some text messages
- Watch your favorite television shows
- Relax in the morning with a cup of coffee
- Relax in the evening with a glass of wine
- Sit and read your favorite book
- Take off your shoes or tie your shoes
- Work on your laptop or tablet
As long as your bench has plenty of cushioning or a comfortable back, it can definitely double as a relaxing place to sit, drink a cup of coffee, watch television, or end a day with a glass of wine and reading a good book. A simple bench at the end of your bed can add a new area to your bedroom that can give a variety of uses throughout the day.
Benches Provide Extra Storage
Probably the most important advantage of having a bench at the edge of your bed is for the added storage. You probably can never have too much storage space for extra pillows, blankets, books, or anything else lying around your bedroom. A bench can be the perfect solution to decluttering your bedroom by hiding away unused items.
For example, you can keep blankets tucked away when it is hot and then easily grab them when it is cold or hide away the decorative pillows on the bed when sleeping at night. You can even put your children’s toys away on your bench if they spend time in your bedroom while you are trying to get work done. The possibilities are endless.
A bench is the perfect reason to help you declutter your bedroom by giving certain items a place to be hidden away, or giving them easy, convenient access, instead of being thrown on the floor or scattered on a dresser. Many benches have hidden storage under the seat and will give a sufficient amount of space for your bulkiest of items:
- Extra blankets and throws
- Clean linens for your bed
- Out of season clothing
- Extra shoes
- Extra pillows
- Trinkets or toys that get thrown around the room
You can also find metal benches with drawer space or wooden benches with flip tops that provide under-the-seat storage for everything from your spare blankets and throws to clothes that are out of season. If you think you will have to sacrifice style for storage, think again, as the most stylish and chic benches also provide hidden storage.
Benches Add Style and Personality to Your Bedroom
The right bench will add a sense of style and personality to your room while also providing essential functions and storage. You can use a bench to break up the visuals in your bedroom with some added colors and textures. But, picking a style can be overwhelming since benches come in a variety of materials, colors, styles, and sizes.
You will first need to examine the current style of the furniture and décor in your bedroom so that the bench will compliment the other pieces throughout the area. The bench does not need to match everything else perfectly; in fact, adding contrast can create a bold, new look. A bench should also help bring your sense of style together:
- Color—this is personal preference, but it is recommended you either choose a neutral color that blends in with the rest of the bedroom or a bright, vibrant color to act as a visual accent compared to everything else.
- Texture—Just like color, adding a pop of texture will add more interest to your overall décor.
- Upholstery—Look for a combination that is both stylish and durable since your bench will probably get a lot of use.
- Size—The size not only depends on the type of bed but also décor. If you have heavy furniture, you can have a fuller bench. If your décor has fine lines, use a slimmer bench.
- Create contrast—Do you have a metal framed or classic wooden bed? Contrast that with a colorful, upholstered bench for an exciting new look.
You can get really creative with faux fur benches, a classy and chic metal framed bench, or even a bench with a mirror to add a touch of allure and charm. The main thing to take away is that you do not want to sacrifice style for function. Just because a bench gives you ample storage does not mean it should not also look stylish in your bedroom.
The bench at the end of your bed will more than likely be the first thing people see when they walk into your bedroom. Therefore, this piece of versatile furniture needs to make a stylish statement while also bringing your personality and décor together. Always fall back on your own personal style to find the perfect bedroom bench.
Work or Exercise in an Uncluttered Area
Depending on what type of bench you purchase, you can use it as an extra area to do work. Read your email on your laptop, go through the day’s mail, make a shopping list, or make a phone call all while sitting at the edge of your bed. If the bench is large enough, it could end up serving as a functional workspace in your bedroom.
You can store your work-related items, such as your laptop, files, and anything else you use for work or personal finances, inside the bench so that they are easy to find. That way, you are not sifting through file cabinets or cluttering up your bedroom with a large desk or desktop computer. After you are done, you can simply put everything away.
Believe it or not, you can use your bench to work out your triceps by having your back towards the bench, placing your feet under for sit-ups, or even balancing with yoga. If your bench has storage, you can keep your workout clothes, weights, bands, workout DVDs, shoes, and anything else you may need so that they are easily accessible.
The bench will end up turning into a much-needed work or exercise area that you can use daily. It can also be used to avoid cluttering up your room with your work or exercise items. So many people work and exercise from home, it is very easy to muddle up a bedroom. Your bench can be useful while also keeping your room clean and tidy.
Place Items on Top of the Bench
You may have numerous decorative pillows that add style to your bed during the day, but what do you do with them when it is time for bed? More than likely, you throw them on the floor, get into bed, and catch some much needed sleep. Instead of throwing them on the floor, why not place them on top of your bench at the end of your bed?
A very helpful reason to add a bench at the end of the bed is to not only store things inside the bench but also on top of it. Feel free to throw those decorative pillows or extra blankets on top so you are not tripping over them at night. Or you can use the bench as an extra piece of furniture to display books, pictures, or other inviting accessories.
If your bench does not come with a top that opens up for storage, it is the perfect opportunity to turn it into a display area to add style and charm to your bedroom. Just make sure your feet are not too close to the bench that you kick off your accessories at night. That way, the bench now turns into a fashionable piece of furniture like a dresser.
Using a bench as a surface to place items on can serve two functions—either as an area of display or an area of function so that your items are not just thrown on the floor. If you are using it as an area of display, try not to clutter the top of the bench up too much. This will be an eye-catching piece of furniture, so sometimes less is more.
You Can Place Household Items on Benches
A bench at the end of the bed can have an important daily use of laying things out that you need to grab easily in the morning, afternoon, or evening hours. For example, if you do not have a lot of time in the morning before work, you can lay out your clothes at night on the bench. That way, you do not have to search the closet in the busy morning.
This is just one of many ideas that you can use the bench for to make your life easier. This reason is especially important for working parents who play double-duty in the morning of trying to get ready for work while making their kids breakfast, making lunches, getting their kids dressed, all while trying to get ready for work:
- Lay out your outfit or your children’s outfits the night before
- Put your shoes either on or underneath the bench for easy access the next morning
- Place your children’s backpacks, homework, or lunch boxes on or under the bench
- Charge your cell phone or laptop on the bench
- Keep your briefcase on the bench so you can just grab it and go in the morning
- Keep any bills that need to go in the mail on your bench
- Put your gym bag on the bench so you do not forget it
These are just a few ways you can use the bench at the end of your bed to make your mornings that much easier. The bench is now used as a time saver; it helps relieve anxiety and can make mornings less stressful. The bench is not just a stylish piece of furniture, but is also an object that is serving as a work and life assistant for you.
Just make sure you do not over-clutter your bench with too many items, as this will defeat the purpose of trying to use the bench to make your life more organized and hassle-free. It may seem tempting to start piling mail, magazines, and clean clothes on your bench, but this will end up making your bedroom just look messy and cluttered.
Benches Can Help Stylize Your Room
The final reason is the simplest one—maybe you do not want to store things on the bench, do work on it, or lay out your clothes for work. Maybe you simply want to use the bench to better stylize your bedroom. Maybe you have an old bench that has sentimental value and, although not sturdy enough to hold you, can add personality.
A bench at the end of the bed does not need to have multiple uses to be useful. It can simply add a cool twist to a room that seemed boring before. It may not be the most stylish bench or add a dash of color, yet still mark the edge of your bed and bring everything together. Maybe it is simply a place for your cat or dog to sleep at night.
Whatever the case may be, a bench at the end of the bed can add a sense of detail and that is the only reason for it. Although the different functions of a bench can make your life easier, simply balancing out the room and the furnishings within your bedroom is reason enough to add a bench to the end of your bed.
If you are not looking for the other reasons discussed that focus on function as well as style, you can simply purchase a simple bench with just four legs and no storage underneath. That way, focusing on adding a bit of detail can save space since the bench will not be too bulky. This type of bench is perfect for smaller bedroom areas.
What Should I Put at the End of My Bed?
To determine what exactly you should put at the end of your bed, you will need to first measure the width of your bed. A bench that is too large will create more clutter in your room, while a bench that is too small will look awkward and disrupt your room’s overall balance. Below are some standard measurements to get you started with shopping:
- Twin bed–38 inches wide
- Full bed–54 inches wide
- Queen bed–60 inches wide
- King bed–76 inches wide
- California king bed–72 inches wide
Now you can shop for a bench that is a bit shorter than your bed. A standard is 80 to 90 percent of the measurements above and that is how long your bench should be at the end of your bed. You also want to avoid something that is too bulky because it will end up being very inconvenient or even dangerous when trying to walk around your room.
The height is also an important decision. Whatever you decide to put at the end of your bed, it should not be taller than the height of your bed. Once you have the measurements down and no your reasons for putting the bench there, you can start thinking about all the different options of what you can put at the end of your bed:
- A standard bench
- A bench with a decorative back
- Upholstered storage bench
- A small sofa or loveseat
- Club chairs for a sitting area to relax
- Two small matching stools
- An ottoman or footstool
- A short trunk or chest (which also adds some much-needed storage)
- A few storage cubes
- Television cabinet
Whatever you put at the end of your bed, it needs to be the right width and height as well as complementing your room’s sense of style. Whether you are lying out your clothes for the next day, sitting and watching television, or storing away items, your bench should complement the area of unused space, not clutter it up or add disorder.