A bedside table is a simple piece of furniture. It normally has room for a lamp, a clock, and a few other items you may need in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. These are important things to be sure, but do you really need two bedside tables?
You really need two bedside tables if you want to balance the look and aesthetics of your room. A single bedside table can provide focus and accent to a room. Whereas two bedside tables that are of different styles can add a unique look to a bedroom.
Two bedside tables can add balance and give decorative strength to your bedroom. Whether you really need two bedside tables depends on how you want your bedroom to look and the amount of room you have to work with. Let’s look at why you really need two bedside tables.
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Why You Need Two Bedside Tables
Studies have shown that Americans spend about thirty-six years of our lives sleeping or lounging around in our beds. Because we spend so much time in them. Our bedrooms should be a place of calm and tranquility. They should encourage you to not only sleep and relax but to dream as well.
A bedside table is essentially a place to put stuff. Your grandparents may keep their dentures in a cup on their bedside table. If you wear glasses, they definitely have an important spot on your bedside table or nightstand. And of course, a bedside table almost always has a place for some sort of lighting.
Having your important things within easy reach when you are tucking in at night can make your nighttime routine calming and comforting. In addition, you never know what you may need in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning.
Two bedside tables add function as well as equilibrium to a room. The bed is the focal point of the room and adding a pair of bedside tables adds strength and focus to the layout. Identical bedside tables, one on either side of the bed gives the bedroom balance. Plus, if you have a partner, both of you should have a place to keep all your essential nighttime items.
Different Types of Bedside Tables
Traditionally there are three basic types of bedroom furniture we use to keep our essential nighttime items organized.
- A bedside nightstand table usually has two to three drawers that give you a place to keep books and magazines as well as maybe some extra socks.
- A bedside accent cabinet is generally a combination of a drawer or two along with a cabinet below.
- A bedside table may contain a drawer, but commonly has a limited amount of storage and is about looks as much as a place to keep your lamp and glasses.
That doesn’t mean you are limited to these types of bedside tables. The biggest choice you need to make is the style of your bedroom furniture and how your bedside table matches or enhances your decor.
- If you want a light airy feel, maybe sleek surfaces with glass work best for you.
- Into nature? Think about a natural wood like oak or birch.
- Like a more traditional design? Consider a baroque style in a darker finish.
A bedside table could be anything you want as long as it functions the way you need it to.
Matching Your Two Bedside Tables to Your Bed
When it comes to the design of your bedroom, the bed itself is obviously the piece of furniture with the main function. It then only makes sense that you should have the décor of the room match the style of the bed. If you have a partner, adding two bedside tables, whether they match or not, can show how your personalities meld together.
If you are buying a brand new bedroom suite from your local furniture store, this is easy to accomplish. But, if are trying to match existing pieces or if you have found a bedside table that you just love, but it doesn’t quite fit, coordinating all the pieces into one theme may be a challenge, but not an impossibility.
First, you need to take a good look at your bed. If it doesn’t have one already, can you add a headboard and use that to anchor both bedside tables? If your bed has a great look already, ask yourself what makes it so great. Use those design elements to customize your bedside tables.
Next, examine your bedside tables.
If you have been living on your own for a while, you have probably collected a few pieces of furniture that you really like and that define you. If you have a partner, they will probably have the same feelings and attachments about some of their pieces of furniture.
If the furniture is similar in build, maybe a few alterations will work to blend your styles.
- Paint: A new color to match or complement each bedside table or nightstand.
- Stain: Wood textures can be easier to work with and give your room a more open feel.
- Knobs or drawer pulls: There are so many different options here. You might find the more varied your choices, the better your pieces work together.
Whatever you choose, mismatched furniture isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While it may seem like a trivial thing at first, having two bedside tables allows you the opportunity to add pieces that reflect your personality.
Do Your Bedside Tables Need to Match Each Other
While some people love the idea of all their furniture matching in style and function, that may not be the right option for you. You may have a more eclectic approach and identically matching furniture is not your way. Don’t worry. Your bedside tables do not have to match.
Don’t be afraid of being a little creative. You don’t have to stick with the traditional balance of two identical nightstands. Maybe you have a cool side table you picked up at a yard sale. The small desk you inherited from a family member would look great with a little paint. What matters is that you choose the style and look that make you feel joy and comfort.
Here some other ideas that may work for you:
- A bookshelf
- An antique trunk
- An old fashioned suitcase
- An old sewing machine table
- A mounted shelf
- A file cabinet
- A wooden chair
Why Vendors Sell Single Nightstands
So, you have decided that you really need a new bedroom suite. You go to the store, pick out your favorite bedroom design, and when you go to count all the pieces, you notice that the package includes only one nightstand. What gives?
It’s all about marketing. Designers feel that having so many pieces of the same style can be boring and turn buyers off. On the other hand, if you do want the additional piece, that adds to the bottom line giving you a bigger bill and the salesperson a bigger commission.
Do you really need two bedside tables?
In the end, a bedside table is a place for your lamp and somewhere to store your stuff. Choose what makes you comfortable and brings joy to you and your partner if you have one. Whether you go traditional or Avant-Garde, if you choose two matching nightstands or a single bedside table, the important thing is how your bedroom makes you feel when you lay your head down at the end of the day.