Nightstand Ideas

A bedroom is often considered a home's most personal space--a place of retreat and relaxation. Too many furnishings and possessions create visual and mental clutter. Things attracts dust, make a room seem smaller and keep the mind busy. A sparsely furnished bedroom can promote relaxation for a good night's rest. One essential element for balancing a room visually and energetically is a nightstand. Does this Spark an idea?

Significance

Many people find it hard to just drop off to sleep. They may read books or magazines, jot down notes for the next day and watch television as part of their bedtime ritual. Nightstands are the perfect place for reading materials, writing utensils, remote controls and anything else you use regularly before bed.

Features

Nightstands are available in different shapes (round, square), sizes (large, small), materials (wood, plastic) and styles (contemporary, traditional). Furnish your bedroom with nightstands that reflect your personality and tastes.

Everyday items can function as a nightstand: stacks of books, wooden crates, boxes covered with colorful tapestries and plant stands all work.

Functional Considerations

Keep your nightstand functional and uncluttered. Photos, knickknacks and other objects may fall as you reach for your glasses or pen. Try nightstands with drawers or shelves, and store near to you only those items that you use daily.

Pair and Match Nightstands

If you're hoping to meet someone special, try having two matching nightstands, one on each side of the bed. According to Katina Jones, the author of "The Everything Feng Shui Book: Create Peace and Harmony in any Room," pairing creates the space needed to receive others because there is "an obvious place for this person to put his or her . . . personal items."

If you can't arrange to have matching nightstands, make sure that you do use are close as possible in height and scale. A large nightstand will look strange when paired with a smaller one and will create disharmony in the environment.

Nightstand Height

To more easily reach items on the nightstand while reclining, avoid nightstands that are too low or too high in comparison to the bed. Sarah Richardson in "Design for Inspired Living" prefers the "height of the table to be at the same height as the mattress." Similar height also creates aesthetic balance.