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Rooms 5 Min Read

20+ Ways To Style Your Nightstand Like A Designer

By Victoria Christie On

Yes, our bedside tables can be catch-alls for hand lotion, glasses of water and miscellaneous chargers, but what if you could make them pretty, too?

It just takes a few simple steps (and a whole lot of decluttering). We rounded up 20+ ways to style your nightstand like a designer. Scroll down and get inspired!

Make it multifunctional. This petite bedroom’s only nightstand doubles as a makeup table, thanks to a faux fur-topped stool, narrow mirror and space-saving sconce. A good-looking perfume bottle makes a pretty accent.

  • Photographer Alex Lukey
  • Designer Sabrina Albanese

House & Home September 2016

Create contrast. Set against a backdrop of Farrow & Ball’s Railings, a rustic wood side table and brass sconce in this moody bedroom add warmth. A vase of deep red blooms ties in the abstract painting by Aboudia.

  • Photographer Alex Lukey
  • Designer Danielle Nicholas Bryk

House & Home November 2018

Layer in sculptural shapes. Designer Ali Budd kept the accessories simple in this bedroom, to ensure the focus is on the sumptuous velvet headboard. A curvaceous, modern sconce and some fresh stems are all you need.

  • Photographer Alex Lukey
  • Designer Ali Budd Interiors

House & Home January/February 2021

Reflect your surroundings. In this summer home on Prince Edward Island, a guest bedroom is accented with a nautical striped lamp, miniature model rowboats and a vintage-look map to reference the coastal setting.

  • Photographer Alex Lukey
  • Designer Architecture by David Lopes

House & Home July 2019

Complement your bedding. Don’t over think it: Here, ikat accent pillows and block print–style bed linens feel right at home with a chinoiserie lamp in an identical palette. It really can be that simple (and impactful)!

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  • Photographer Patrick Biller
  • Designer Tommy Smythe & Lindsay Mens Craig, Sarah Richardson Design

House & Home November 2020

Try a statement lamp. If creating a layered look seems overwhelming, focus on one piece that does all of the talking. In this case, a graphic lamp with a Cubist fish motif mimics the tattoo-like lines on the wall.

  • Photographer Melanie Acevedo
  • Designer Colette van den Thillart

House & Home January 2020

Be unconventional. “Instead of two small nightstands, the chinoiserie dresser is a more beautiful piece of furniture,” says designer Richard Ouellette of this sumptuous bedroom. He layered artwork, objets and books on top for a collected-over-time feeling.

  • Photographer Virginia Macdonald
  • Designer Les Ensembliers

House & Home January 2017

Display what you love. There’s no need to hide your treasures in a drawer! On a gold tray, add your favorite candle, a vase of fresh flowers and a trinket or two with your prettiest jewellery for a personalized vignette.

  • Photographer Alex Lukey
  • Designer Orsi Panos

House & Home September 2020

Keep it simple. Minimalists, rejoice! Keep your bedside table uncluttered with a trio of coordinating ceramics. Finish the look off with some greenery and an understated sconce — and that’s it. Sometimes, less is more.

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  • Photographer Ema Peter
  • Designer Sophie Burke

House & Home December 2020

Create symmetry. In fashion guru Mario Grauso’s stylish London flat, a pair of whimsical bird lamps is pleasing to the eye. The uniform theme is repeated in the matching side tables and striped wallpaper and bedding.

  • Photographer Chris Tubbs

House & Home September 2019

Add global flair. Snob shop owner Denise Zidel honored her South African heritage by adding a few tribal masks over the pink marble bedside table, which was crafted from a slice of her in-laws’ old dining table.

  • Photographer Stacey Brandford
  • Designer Denise Zidel & Stephanie Lees

House & Home February 2019

Turn your nightstand into a workstation. Perfect for answering emails or finishing up an essay for school, this desk doubles as a bedside table. A collection of Ugandan baskets look graphic mounted on the wall.

  • Photographer Stacey Brandford
  • Designer Denise Zidel & Stephanie Lees

House & Home February 2019

Create a pair of gallery walls. Find a handful of prints that speak to you (and your design aesthetic) and layer three over each side of the bed for an instant dose of personality. Bonus tip: storage baskets nearby keep books, beauty products and extra chargers out of sight.

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  • Photographer Phil Crozier
  • Designer Stephanie Brown

House & Home April 2019

Look to nature. If you’re lucky enough to have a gorgeous view outside your bedroom window (think: lush trees and a ravine), bring the outdoors in with fresh-cut flowers and an oil landscape painting.

  • Photographer Donna Griffith
  • Designer Barbara Purdy; Architecture by Abbott Design

House & Home April 2020

Create a monochromatic look. A blown-up Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds album cover makes for affordable statement art, while a rustic table and neutral accessories keep this farmhouse bedroom calm and charming.

  • Photographer Robin Stubbert

House & Home June 2018

Pay homage to the past. For a 19th-century vibe, swap out your nightstand for something with a little more heritage, like this antique secretaire. Layer it with vintage trinkets, books, an old world lamp, an oil painting and more.

  • Photographer Donna Griffith

House & Home November 2020

Make it personal. A picture of your family, friends or pets is a nice touch. Put it in a modern frame, so it coordinates with the rest of the room. Stick with one or two pictures or it will start to look cluttered.

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  • Photographer Janis Nicolay
  • Designer Jamie Hamilton & Greer Nelson, Oliver Simon Design

House & Home February 2020

Tell a story. In this Victorian farmhouse‘s guest bedroom with identical twin beds, an antique English chest and glossy black–shaded lamps with opulent bases create a sense of history.

  • Photographer Virginia Macdonald
  • Designer Michael Angus

House & Home June 2020

Go bold. This teenage girl’s bedroom gets major style points with sleek black accents, hits of brass and framed fashion prints that tie in the playful pillows.

  • Photographer Kim Jeffery
  • Designer Shirley Meisels

House & Home March 2021

Think about the essentials. What do you need at bedtime? For shop owner Lysanne Pepin, a glass of water (and more in the bottle for an easy refill) and a good book sit atop a quirky tree stump side table.

  • Photographer Maxime Desbiens
  • Designer Lysanne Pepin

House & Home August 2019

Have a little fun. Designer Ben Leavitt opted for a dizzying, geometric nightstand with miniature figurines and a funky lamp in this edgy bedroom.

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  • Photographer Tracey Ayton
  • Designer Ben Leavitt, PlaidFox Studio

House & Home September 2020