The 12 Best Bedroom Nightstand Alternatives!

If you’ve been following my posts you know by now that one of my pet peeves are matchy matchy furniture suites, you know the kind discount furniture stores sell.  Personalizing your bedroom is about bringing together those pieces that have some meaning to you.  Sometimes to make a piece work in the bedroom you have to repurpose it, paint it, cut legs down, etc. Other times you have to get creative for different reasons like limited space or the budget is limited.  Recently I’ve run into both these scenarios.

This school year my daughter decided to move into a house with three other girls off campus. My daughter is very talented but doesn’t possess the gift of being able to see the finished space in 3D. I guess one crazy designer per family is more than enough. Needless to say her new bedroom is small and as a student so is the budget. I was left to work out the best space and money saving solutions. She has everything she needs except the bedside table. Thank goodness the internet is filled with a wealth of creative ideas and I’m always amazed by what some people come up with.  I think it’s more interesting and fun to use at least one piece of furniture in every room that is somewhat unconventional. I’ve assembled the 12 best bedroom night stand alternatives right here for her and you!

 

Don’t know what to do with those business directories formerly known as the Yellow Pages – easy, upcycle them by dressing the covers with craft paper and use a marker to add any interesting graphics, text or a phrase. Talk about chic and cheerful and what a great way to use those heavy books.  A  cool look on a student’s budget.

 

Vintage suitcases can morph into most decor styles just by painting them. Stack them up from the floor or place a suitcase on an appropriate sized table.  When space is at a premium vintage suitcases offers additional storage. Another option would be to use a trunk, preferably vintage. I’ve used a trunk when we redid my son’s room click to see the post.

Got a china collection?  Try adhering a platter or a tray on some wall brackets and you still have enough space below for more storage.  Patterned china platters offers a pretty look.  Utilizing a simple large tray instead of a platter will represent a more contemporary look.

 

The antique wood bracket above is a unique way to display an architectural element from a bygone era. Simple butt-joint pieces of wood support the glass top. It couldn’t be easier.

While you’re at the antique market you might as well pick up a vintage step ladder too.  I love using old ladders. If the ladder is a little rickety remove the back support and set the steps leaning against the wall with wall anchors. The ladder will be the attention grabbing item in the room.

 

Walk a natural trail or take a stroll in the woods and you’ll find nature’s discarded branches. I do this a few times a year depending on what I need branches for. Obviously not just any bunch of branches will do, but the good thing is all you need is a saw and few nails to create this simple side table.

Folding tray table by Young House Love.

 

Ingenious folding luggage rack with a basic tray turns into a stylish bed side table.   Paint is your best friend for projects like this.

 

Got drums? This drum adds a lot of style with it’s chrome metal hardware perfect for Industrial Chic, Eclectic and Modern settings.

Are you wondering what’s so great about this bedside table? It’s a round pedestal table usually  only seen in other parts of the house.  Using a small round top pedestal table as a bedside table is a great way to update a traditional bedroom. This pedestal table would be great too if it were painted a punch color like red, or yellow or green.

 

A beverage cart at the right height for your bed introduces a bit of whimsy and who doesn’t need a bit of whimsy these days.  A mobile bedside table might be exactly what your bedroom needs especially if you have a sitting area.

I don’t subscribe to having an office in your bedroom because I believe it’s unhealthy not to separate work space from resting space. A much needed second desk may be required when using it for small tasks like paying the bills, or just pretending to pay the bills when you need to get away to a quiet spot in the house.

 

I left the best for last. Using dressers as bedside tables makes so much sense. Dressers  are larger than nightstands therefore further enhancing the decor style and provides greater storage. I prefer dressers acting as nightstands because it gives me more table top space to place all the piddly things and most importantly more room for books.

I chose these top twelve pieces in hopes of inspiring your creative instincts, but there are so many more out there. Let me know if you find another great example of a unique and unconventional side table.

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