The nightstand beside our bed is of many uses. You keep your watch, books, and lamps on it, and it the first thing to see when you get up. As useful as it is, it is also a great accessory to your bed and the overall look of your bedroom.
Some people love to keep it completely contrasting to their beds, while few people love to keep the same color and style.
To match the nightstand to the bed or not to match it, that is the question.
Do nightstands need to match the bed?
The nightstands beside your bed do not have to match your bed. Mixing and matching the bed and nightstand colors and textures creates a more layered look. Although, you can also match your bedside tables with your bed if you prefer to have the consistency in color and texture of the furniture.
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One of the very first factors to consider, when deciding on what nightstand should suit your bed, is the number of nightstands and the height of it.
Although nightstands can have a completely different texture and color to your bed frame, it mandatory for the two nightstands to be the same.
Additionally, consider the height of your bed. If you have a tall bed, your nightstands should not be too short, and similarly, you should opt for nightstands with greater height if you have a raised bed.
What nightstand goes with a wood bed?
One of the most common materials of bed that we see are wooden ones. While there are people who love the all-wood look for their rooms, it is a much better idea to go for materials like metal or stone when it comes to your nightstands.
Lacquered nightstands and ones with glass surfaces also go beautifully with a wood bed.
If you still want to use a wooden nightstand, one stylish modification could be adding a different paint to it. Painted wooden nightstands, with coordination to the window frames or artworks in the room, can also do wonders.
A nesting style or cocktail table style nightstand would look sophisticated with a wood bed. Both these tables are minimal in style and space, and make sure that the sides of your bed do not look congested.
What’s great about these nightstands is how you can get modern and traditional styles to suit your needs.
What nightstand goes with an upholstered bed?
It is no secret that upholstered beds are the most popular choice, and for good reasons. These beds can be versatile, in style, color, and material. The material over the padding can be of various fabrics, leather, or even velvet.
They can be styled endlessly as well, from buttoned style to paneled and snuggly style. The good news is, a lot of different types of nightstands go with such beds.
If minimalism is your panache, a block cabinet with single or double drawers can be a great match for your upholstered bed. For contemporary bedrooms with furry or velvet material overhead on the bed, a simple and open etagere style is also great.
As for materials, a glass or metal bedside table should be most suitable. You can choose wood, painted wood, or stone nightstands to go with your upholstered bed.
What nightstand goes with a metal bed?
Metal beds are different from wood or upholstered beds because the design is much simpler and airy. The best choice in the material of nightstands that would be compatible with a metal bed is wood and glass.
Different stone nightstands could also add grace to your simplistic bedroom area.
Coffee, light brown, or oatmeal shaded nightstands can go great with black metal beds of any design.
As for style, a classic and compact dresser or cabinet block bedside tables would add the right look. You can always complement the nightstand with a lamp or vase to go with the metal frames of your bed.
For a more rustic look, a nightstand that looks similar to a trunk can be a rather elegant choice as well.
What nightstand goes with a sleigh bed?
Sleigh beds spot a dark and heavy look. With such beds, you may either want to keep the consistency of the dark look or choose some that is more open and airier as a nightstand.
Although the storage space may be compromised, a good nightstand style to go with sleigh beds is cocktail style nightstand or an open shelf one, without drawers. Painted or mahogany wood is a good choice for material.
A lot of people who own sleigh beds are usually fond of traditional style furniture. In that case, a dresser style nightstand can also go with your sleigh bed.
How to match the nightstand to bed?
While some people can go with a usual traditional look with all wood or all metal, it usually becomes dull and boring after a while.
Having said that, mixing and matching furniture is not everyone’s cup of tea. When it comes to that, here are a few simple ways you can follow to match the nightstands to your bed:
Match with a piece of furniture other than your bed:
If you want your bedroom to look both classic and elegant at the same time, you have to choose a base piece of furniture.
A cabinet or heirloom is a good example. Instead of a nightstand that looks like an extended part of your bed, your nightstand would look more like the furniture.
That way, there is a good overall match and consistency and it does not look overly matching either.
Add an item of furniture that is similar to the bed and the nightstand:
This is a gold trick when it comes to matching a nightstand and bed that are completely different in style and texture.
For this, you can add a small accent chair or a bedroom bench.
Without having to change anything, your bed and the nightstands will look like they belong.
Choose a nightstand with a common element:
Whether you are buying a new nightstand or remodeling one to match your bed, make sure to choose an element that is common among the bed and the rest of the furniture.
If your bed is made of wood, you can pair it with a stone nightstand with wooden linings. If your bed is of metal, chose a nightstand that is made of wood but has metal caps on the sides.
Do nightstands and bed color need to match?
No, nightstands and bed color do not have to match. If you prefer a more traditional look for your bedroom, and like the idea of having a matching furniture set, you can have the same-colored nightstand as your bed.
However, for a more modern and elegant look, a contrasting nightstand and bed colorwork in a beautiful way. For plain beds, some pop of color also adds a unique style. If you have a dark framing for your bed, a nightstand with subtle colors looks equally pretty.
How do you do mismatched nightstands?
If you ask a designer if they prefer nightstands with the same design, texture, and color as the bed in the room, they would give you a big no. Contrasting your furniture, especially the bedside stands and your bed, can add a unique and elegant style.
You can have a modern look with contemporary pieces and vice versa. You can have a subtle upholstered bed and pair it with a pop of color as a painted nightstand. Here are simple ways to master the art of adding mismatched nightstands:
Play with the textures and materials:
If you have a wooden bed, add nightstands made of glass, stone, or metal. If your bed is a classic metal one, pair it up with a wooden or glass top with a stone base nightstand.
Don’t match the colors:
Paint your nightstand. If you have a wooden bed and a wooden nightstand of the same color, cover it up with a different tint.
For upholstered beds, pair it up with brass, beige or white-colored nightstands. You can also add blues, greens, and pastels if your bedhead and wall are too plain.
Choose a contrasting style:
One of the easiest ways to introduce a mismatched nightstand is to choose a completely different style from your bed. If your bed is rustic, pair it up with nightstands that are most modern and chic in look.
If you have a modern buttoned or paneled padding on your bed, choose a classic style shagreen or stone cabinet nightstand.
Is matching bedroom furniture outdated?
Nowadays, with all chic and minimalistic designs, matching furniture in your bedroom may be a little outdated.
Experts and designers are not very fond of this traditional style either. This is because when all the furniture in a bedroom is “matchy-matchy”, it leaves little to no room for creativity or color.
They may seem to look neat and consistent at first, but the look gets pretty monotonous to the eyes quickly. All wood, all-metal, or all solid-colored furniture does not look as elegant as a little bit of contrast brings.
If you want a bedroom look that shows panache and gives you a modern look, your nightstand does not need to match your bed. On the other hand, if you prefer uniformity and the classic look old houses had, you can also coordinate the nightstand with the bed.