Furniture Tutor™

One of the first things to consider when purchasing a nightstand is size.

• How high do you need? (How high is your bed?  How high are the lamps that will be used?  Do you want to reach up or down to get something off of the nightstand?)
• How wide do you want?
• How deep do you require?
• What configuration do you want? (Open bottom, single drawer with open bottom, all drawers top to bottom, drawer with swing door(s), swing doors only, adjustable shelves)
• Is the room big enough for one or two nightstands?

Knowing your size and configuration is a big step in finding the right nightstand for your specific purposes.  I personally like having at least one drawer that I can cram all of my stuff into when guests come over and hide any clutter.

Finding a suitable style should not be that tough.  There are so many designs in the market today that what it usually takes is some diligence on your part to search out a style that you are happy with.  As always, I recommend to go online and look through the hundreds of varieties available to the consumer to consider.  Most furniture showrooms do not have the space to have twenty bedroom suites on display but they could possibly have one suite from a manufacturer you like so that you would be able to see some of their product in person instead of just pictures.

Nightstands are commonly constructed in solid wood, wood veneer, melamine, metal so they are strong enough to last.  There are many other finishes and combinations of finishes available in the market so if you are not finding what you’re after, just keep looking.  Check the construction to see how they have done their joinery.  Are they using dovetail connections or butt joints?  Are the connections glued and screwed for extra rigidity?  Are the drawers four sided with fronts or just four sided?  Do they have glides?  If yes, are they full extension so the drawer pulls open fully for easy access to articles inside the drawer?  Do the doors swing easily?  Are the hinges adjustable?  Do the doors close squarely?  How stable is the unit?  Can you sit on it without fear of the unit collapsing?  Items like self-closing drawer are a wonderful add-on but generally cost you more money.

Keep in mind your negative and positive space.  If the unit has legs it will feel far lighter in room when you can see more of the floor below the unit.  Large block style unit tend to look heavy and will eat up all of your extra visual space in the room.  Most bedrooms are not that large today so choose wisely on how much floor you are willing to cover up.  The bonus of units with drawers or doors is the extra usable storage space added to the room.