Unique Nightstand Approaches

Read the sizing notes before the shopping list. Scale is the part that is hard to return. Looking for unique nightstand approaches? Try one of these!

When buying furniture for a bedroom, it's tempting to buy a matching set where the headboard, nightstands, and chest of drawers are all the exact same color and style. It's a quick and easy way to furnish an entire room and you can often get furniture sets for a super low price. But the truth is that most beautifully decorated rooms have pieces that feel like they've been collected over time rather than purchased in a single visit to Furniture Fair. A good start to having this “collected” feel would be to have nightstands that are unique and “non-matchy”. You could buy a typical nightstand in a different finish or material than the rest of your bedroom furniture or you could try out one of these unique approaches! (post includes affiliate links – full disclosure statement available {here})

Use a Step Ladder as a Nightstand

A small step ladder with wide rungs that you can stack a lamp, clock, and a few bedside books on can work well as a nightstand. You can find a vintage step ladder such as this cute painted wood one found at {this Etsy shop}:

By searching antique stores, flea markets, eBay, and Etsy you'll find lots of unique vintage options but if you want something more modern and fresh, look at {this cute white ladder shelf}:

Create a Nightstand from Stacked Vintage Suitcases

Stacking 2-3 suitcases makes a beautifully unique nightstand, especially if they're vintage. You could also create a nightstand on a much smaller budget by spray painting old suitcases white like this:

A Beach Cottage

Turn a Folding Tray Table Into a Nightstand

A folding tray table can be a stylish, inexpensive stand-in for your typical nightstand:

Horchow

You can use a simple, clean-lined folding tray table like {this one}, a more ornate folding tray table like {this one}, or even {this teak beauty}.

A Small Desk Can do Double Duty as a Nightstand

This is one of the preferred unique nightstand approaches because it's such a smart one! A small desk such as {this one} can serve as a works space or vanity along with functioning as a nightstand:

Image courtesy of West Elm

Sources: Desk  |  Black sconce  |  Mirror  |  Chair

These are a few other small stylish desks that would make great nightstands:

Sources:1. Mid-Century Mini Desk (3 finish options) |  2. Livingston Writing Desk (4 finish options) |  3. Beadboard Classic Desk  |  4. Quinn Fluted Desk (2 finish options)  |  5. Simple Parsons Desk (multiple color options) |  6. Haywa Desk (4 color options) |  7. Folsom Writing Desk with Drawer (2 finish options)  |  8. Homfa Writing Desk  |  9. Parsons Mini Smart Desk  |  10. Tilden Small Space Desk  |  11. Casada Desk (4 color options)

Use a Rolling Cart as a Nightstand

Yet another option is to use a rolling cart such this IKEA kitchen cart:

The Freelancer's Fashion Blog

or {this rattan bar cart}:

A Small Chest of Drawers As a Nightstand

My last idea is a practical solution that's especially smart when space is tight – place a small chest of drawers next to the bed to do double duty as a nightstand. I did this in my girls' bedroom, using a small chest between their two beds as a nightstand:

Along with our new wallpaper, there are a few other additions to my girls' room that I'm happy to share sources for. We already had {these cute twin beds} (they're no longer available in the Driftwood finish that I have but are still available in French White) but I upgraded the small nightstand that was previously between them to a larger white chest found {here}:

Sources:Chest  |  Rattan lamp  |  Peel & stick wallpaper  |  Twin beds  |  Blush tasseled duvet cover

It would help if you found a few approaches and inspiration for changing up your bedroom in ways that you'll love!