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Ideal Nightstand Height: 28”
Ideal Nightstand Width: 24”
Ideal Nightstand Depth: 18”
Give or take an inch or so!
The size of your nightstand can make or break your space. It doesn’t seem like it’d be that big of a deal until you’re laying in bed at night, go to set your phone down, and just can’t seem to find the surface.
Not only does the size of your nightstand matter in terms of functionality, but it’s also about appearance and how it makes the rest of your room look and feel.
Let this be your ultimate guide to figuring out the ideal nightstand height, nightstand width, and nightstand depth.
Several factors play into getting the ideal nightstand size:
- Height of your bed
- Bed size (king, queen, or twin bed)
- Size of your room
Ultimately, the most important thing is that you do what works in your space.
What is the best size nightstand for your bedroom?
Let’s first take a look at the “average” nightstand size to give you a starting point.
Assuming you have a bed with a standard height of 26”, a nightstand that is roughly 28” tall, 24” wide, and 18” deep will look great in most settings.
BUT, we have to consider some other factors so that you find the perfect nightstand for YOUR space.
Nightstand Height
The ideal nightstand height should be 1” or 2” higher than the top of your mattress.
This is for function. You definitely don’t want to be breaking your back just to reach for your glass on a low nightstand!
Let’s piece together the parts of the bed to see how the measurements line up to get you the perfect nightstand height.
-The standard bed frame height is 7”
-The standard box spring height is 9”
-The standard mattress height is 10”
Add all of this together and we get the standard bed height: 26”
Now it makes sense why the ideal nightstand height is 28”. 😉
Nightstand Width
Your nightstand must be proportionate with your bed. So a large nightstand won’t look great next to a twin bed – just as a small nightstand will get lost next to a king bed!
The width of your nightstand solely depends on the size of the bed & how much space you have. And remember, you can always be within a couple of inches of these guidelines.
Let’s break this down by bed size.
King Bed Nightstand Width
King beds should have a nightstand width of 24” or larger.
I would try to stay above a 24” or larger width for this bed size. It’s simply going to look better in your space.
Obviously, if you are crunched for space and can’t quite get to 24”, just get the widest you can fit for your bedroom without overcrowding!
To help you visualize this nightstand size, here are my nightstands next to my king bed.
These nightstands are 29” high, 30” wide, and 18” deep. As you can see, they perfectly complement the space, as well as the size of the bed.
If you have a large space to fill, don’t be afraid to go big with your nightstands like these! Plus, it’ll give you that much more storage. 😊
Queen Bed Nightstand Width
Queen beds should have a nightstand width of 20”-24”.
If your queen bed is in a smaller bedroom, we want to make sure we’re not overcrowding, while ensuring the nightstand stays proportionate to the bed.
While 20”-24” is just a general guide, you can go outside this range by a few inches without any issues.
In fact, in one of my guest rooms, I have a queen bed with even smaller nightstands that are only 16” wide! But because this room is so small, it still works!
These nightstands are 27″ tall, 16″ wide, and 15.5″ deep.
You can see there’s still a good amount of space between the walls and the nightstands. Since this room is so small, these feel proportionate without making the entire room feel cramped. Something to note is that these nightstands originally were 1″ taller than the bed, however, I put a 3″ mattress topper on it which makes it a tad shorter than the bed.
In my case, I cared more about comfort than the height difference, but something to keep in mind if you have a mattress topper or you’re thinking about getting one.
I absolutely love the look of these nightstands and am so happy with how this room turned out! Aside from cute nightstands, guest room essentials can make a guest room feel cozy and warm for your visitors. 😊
What NOT to Do
On the flip side, I also have an example of what NOT to do from when we first moved into our home.
I had these hand-me-down tables that I needed to put somewhere for the time being. So they ended up as nightstands in a guest room. They are a thrift find and are actually pretty cute but just don’t fit the room as well as I would hope.
You want to avoid a nightstand that is too small for your space.
You can see this is a queen bed in a bigger room. These nightstands are way shorter than the bed and are not proportionate to the bed in the slightest bit. Now keep in mind this bed also has a 3″ mattress topper on it, but regardless the tables are way too short.
Although these extremely cute little tables come in at 23.5” tall, and 14.5” wide, they just do not work! This further proves the importance of getting the right nightstand size!
RELATED POST: 42 Extremely Thoughtful Guest Room Essentials That Will Make Your Guests Never Want To Leave!
Twin Bed Nightstand Width
Twin beds should have a nightstand width of 16”-20”.
Look closer to 20” if you want to maximize your nightstand storage!
Don’t forget, we’re all about function around here! Both for the surface of the nightstand and the storage space.
If you’re afraid of going too small – consider this. Are you going to be able to sit a lamp on it? Can you sit a glass of water, phone, AND lamp on it (even if it’s a little tight)?
If the answer is no, then your nightstand is too small.
Nightstand Depth
Typically wider nightstands by default have more depth, so you shouldn’t worry about depth too much.
Anywhere between 16”-20” of depth is perfect for any size nightstand, no matter how tall or wide.
What you don’t want is a super skinny nightstand that serves no functional purpose!
My Favorite Nightstands
Now you didn’t think I’d leave you hanging, did you? Here are my top favorite nightstands I could find! If I only had enough bedrooms (and money), I might just buy them all! 🙂
Remember, the size of your nightstand can make or break your bedroom. But now you’re the expert and ready to shop for that perfect nightstand that will make your room look absolutely stunning!
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