Modern Bedside Tables: Size, Storage and Bedroom Layout

Modern bedside furniture works best when its proportions suit the bed and the room around it. Look beyond the front view: the depth, finished height and room needed to use the storage can change whether a cabinet fits comfortably beside your bed. These three models give a useful comparison.

Compare width, depth and height together

Sims is the narrowest but deepest of these examples. Madon is 20cm wider and 5cm shallower. A pair of Madon tables uses 140cm of wall width before allowing for the bed frame or gaps; a pair of Sims uses 100cm. That 40cm difference can decide whether an arrangement fits between a wardrobe and the bedroom door.

Use the bed frame and finished mattress as reference points

Measure the full bed-frame width and the mattress height with any topper in place. Compare the bedside surface with where you will reach from when seated or lying in bed. The best height depends on the bed and your preference; the product’s width alone cannot tell you whether the surface will be easy to use.

Compare taller bedside tables for a higher mattress

If the 45–52 cm examples above sit too low beside your mattress, the 60 cm Berkeley and 66 cm Hampton offer two taller starting points. Compare their surfaces with your finished mattress height, including any topper; “tall” does not describe a standard bedside size.

For a mattress top 64 cm above the floor, Berkeley’s surface would sit 4 cm below it; Hampton’s would sit 2 cm above. These differences help you picture the arrangement. They are not a rule that either position will be comfortable for everyone.

Mark both proposed surface heights beside the bed with removable paper, then check the reach from your usual seated and lying positions. Include the lamp you plan to use: moving the table surface also changes the height of its shade and switch.

Hampton is 11 cm wider and 1 cm deeper than Berkeley, so choosing the taller option also changes the footprint. Mark that extra width beside the bed frame and check the drawer’s opening route. Height alone does not establish usable drawer capacity. Hampton’s listing specifies that its legs and handle need attaching; follow the supplied assembly and fixing instructions before use.

Plan the storage and the items on top

List what you actually keep beside the bed: a lamp, charger, book, glasses or medication. Check the surface space those items need and ask for usable drawer dimensions where a particular object must fit. Allow for drawers opening and for access to sockets behind the cabinet.

If you want a substantial lamp, compare its shade as well as its base with the bedside footprint. Leave a practical area for the items you reach for daily, and check how a top lip or curved edge changes the usable surface.

Choose a pair or an asymmetric layout deliberately

Matching tables create a consistent arrangement when both sides of the bed have the same space. Where one side meets a doorway or wall return, different footprints may work better. Compare the complete layout before selecting finishes; a photograph and a few measurements can make the constraints much clearer.

Browse bedside tables or contact our team with your bed-frame dimensions and the space available on each side. For the difference between stone and ceramic tops, see our marble bedside tables guide.