A nightstand is a small, cozy table-like piece of furniture to help you organize and keep your necessary items near your bed. Usually, lamps and clocks are the common items that are kept in a nightstand. It goes beside the bed.
The nightstand beside your bed should be a little bit higher than your bed. This looks good and accentuates the depth of both the decor. The height may vary according to preference but the standard-sized nightstand should be taller or higher than the top of the bed.
Should the nightstand be lower or higher than a bed?
It is best to keep your nightstand a bit higher than your bed. The nightstand should be about 2′-4’/6′ taller than the mattress of the bed. It makes it easier to reach the top of the nightstand and grab anything. Reaching below while laying on the bed can be uncomfortable and inconvenient.
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There is not absolute rule for this measurement. You can keep the bed and the nightstand the same height. But it is more comfortable to make the nightstand higher than the tip of the mattress.
The average height of a mattress is somewhere around 25 inches. So it is best to keep the top of the nightstand from 25 to 28 inches tall. Not too high, just a comfortable height to grab the necessary items.
When should the nightstand be lower than a bed?
It is an unsaid rule that the nightstand beside your bed should be higher than the height of the bed. But in case the nightstand looks good next to the bed and goes with the overall decor, then the low height can be considered.
It is more inconvenient to reach down to grab anything. It is also very risky to put anything below the height of your bed when your are laying down. You may drop it and cause it to break.
But you a piece of decor suits the theme the height can be considered. Once you get the hang of it, the low height will not be much of a problem. Also if you have two nightstands, you can keep the shorter one to the side where you don’t use to keep stuff. That will work as well.
When should the nightstand be higher than a bed?
One of the basics of decor design is to keep the nightstand a bit higher than the bed or the tip of the mattress. This will give you a comfortable position to grab things from the table.
The average nightstand heights up to around 28 inches, which is higher than the edge of the mattress. Most of the times this height is perfect as it is not too far from the edge of the mattress. So you don’t have to reach too far from your bed.
In terms of the general design of the room decor, it is best to keep the nightstand higher than a bed.
Should a nightstand be taller, shorter, or same height as a mattress?
It is advised to keep the nightstand taller than the mattress of the bed.
This is to make things comfortable and convenient. It is easier to reach up than to go down to grab something, especially if you are laying down. This is why most designers keep the nightstands taller than the top of mattress and the bed.
What is the standard height for a nightstand?
The standard height of a nightstand is 24 to 28 inches considering the height of the mattress of 25 inches. It is not too lower than the mattress tip, and a bit higher for comfort.
It is a general instruction to keep the top if the nightstand at the same level as the top of the mattress, or even 2-4 inches higher. It is considered a rule of thumb now a days.
Are end tables and nightstands the same height?
In general, the height of end tables and nightstands are the same. The standard size of the two decor pieces of furniture are the same, which is 25 inches.
If you are getting the two pieces from different places and a custom size, the heights will differ. But the height of an end table and a nightstand is basically the same. So if you ask for a standard for the two pieces of furniture, you will get the same height in the two deco pieces.
No matter where you get the two pieces from or what design you choose, you are more likely to get the pieces at twenty five inches, which is the universal standard size.
Why are nightstands so short?
Nightstands are simple and short pieces of furniture to keep lamps, clocks and other small things. The table like furniture is placed beside your bed and should not take much room. This is why the nightstands are short.
The standard size of a nightstand is up to twenty eight inches, which is only a little higher than the tip of the bed mattress.
This is considered standard because of the comfort and convenience. It is always easier to put things away on a higher place when you are laying in bed. This is why most nightstands are a bit higher than the bed.
How to add height to a nightstand?
Sometimes when you choose a nightstand it can be a bit shorter than you wanted it to be. Some nightstands come in designs that are shorter than usual. You can follow the tips given below to add a bit of height to your furniture-
- Add something on top of the nightstand to add height;
- Use furniture risers to the bottom of the nightstands;
- Use pieces of other furniture to add the nightstand;
- Go to a professional, carpenter, and customize the needed changes to your nightstand;
- Add a drawer top to increase the height of the nightstand.
- If possible, consider lowering your bed frame a little bit to adjust the height;
These are some ways you can adjust the height of your bed frame according to your preference. You can be creative as well to find the solution to your problem.
How tall should a nightstand be for a platform bed?
If the top of your mattress is roughly around 30 to 33.5 inches then you should opt for a taller nightstand. A nightstand around the size of twenty eight inches should be perfect for such a platform bed.
A tall nightstand will make things easier to grab and put with much worry of it breaking or getting damaged.
A platform bed is usually higher and bigger than an average sized bed. This is why it is best to get a tall nightstand. Anything shorter than a twenty eight inch nightstand will cause much inconvenience to the user.
A taller nightstand will give more depth to the overall outlook of the room as well. A shorter nightstand beside a large platform bed will cover the existence of the nightstand itself. This is why you should go for a tall nightstand for a platform bed.
Should nightstands match bed?
No, a nightstand does not need to match the bed. It is unnecessary if it doesn’t go with the theme of the bedroom. In most cases using contrasting pieces of furniture for the two decor pieces is more classy.
You should keep in mind the overall outlook of the bedroom and what theme you are thinking of achieving. There are many designers who feel that it is best to choose to complement furniture instead of identical decor. This has become an unwritten rule.
Here is more in details about Should Nightstands Need to Match Your Bed?
As long as your bedroom looks good and comfortable you are good to choose any piece of furniture. Try to accentuate the theme and depth of the furniture and keep in mind small similarities in details if you will.
A nightstand is a very cozy and complementing piece of furniture. To be more comfortable and convenient to the user, it is best to use a standard-sized nightstand, which is in general taller than the bed. It looks good, classy, and is more convenient in terms of usage.