10 Nightstand Solutions for Small and Awkward Spaces

Small, cozy bedrooms have their merits, but come with their share of challenges – square footage being the obvious one. If you’ve decided to forego the nifty nightstand due to space limitations, hold up! Don’t nix it just yet. Browse these bedside solutions that cleverly squeeze a nightstand in, no matter how small or awkward the space.

Boho-styled bedrooms with mounted nightstand

Home Depot

1 / 10

Elevate It

When in doubt, elevate it. That’s the thinking behind this fantastic floater, the South Shore Sazena Nightstand, Home Depot, $138. The design includes two nooks to stash stuff for a functional and sleek look. The boho styling – from the mustard pillows and fringe blanket to the macrame plant holder – is on point. (Yet another small-space lesson here: Don’t waste precious nightstand space; hang your plants instead.)

PS: For an alternative to boho textiles, why not check out these African beauties?

Amazon

2 / 10

Try a Tiny Tray

Made for the tightest of spaces, the BedShelfie (Amazon, $94) means never having to use your floor as a dumping ground. Heads up, eco heroes: This minimalist tray is constructed from eco-friendly bamboo. Its minimalist design features two nifty notches to seamlessly slide in wires for charging devices.

Small grey nightstand with spooled legs in bedroom

Bed Bath & Beyond

3 / 10

Tall Legs for Small Spaces

If your small space has just enough square footage to house a wee nightstand but you worry that more furniture will make it feel claustrophobic, try sticking to furniture with legs. Leggy furniture has this ability to make a space feel airier. An example is this dainty Safavieh Mina 2-Drawer Nightstand in Grey, Amazon, $922. Bamboo-esque detailing and gold knobs command attention.

Hoft Home

4 / 10

Three in One

This nifty table triples as a nightstand, a stool and a secret storage unit. The Mikah Accent Table (Hoft Home, $329) has glamorous good looks, with a faux marble up top and plush velvet below. If you’re confused by the design, the cylindrical storage part fits into the gold base for a neat and tidy arrangement.

A white IKEA RASKOG utility cart is used in this bedroom as a three-tier nightstand, housing an extra blanket in the bottom tray, a stack of novels in the middle tray and an alarm clock and vase of fresh flowers in the top tray.

Homey Oh My

5 / 10

Get Clever With a Cart

How ingenious is this idea from the blog Homey Oh My? An IKEA RASKOG cart is the perfect small-space nightstand, maximizing storage via its three roomy storage trays while minimizing space occupation. For a dynamic, multipurpose tool, opt for a cart with casters (wheels), like the one pictured. This way, you can move the cart around as needed. Stationary stored in the middle shelf? Wheel it by your desk. Makeup and hot tools in the bottom shelf? Yank it over to your mirror!

Nightstand in bedroom with wallpaper backdrop

HGTV

6 / 10

Wall Candy With Concealed Storage

A bulky nightstand can kill the vibe in a small bedroom. So, designer Jillian Harris mounted this wedge of a nightstand in this episode of Love it or List it Vancouver, layering in complementary blues and greys. She also added a space-saving wall sconce and a fresh vase of greenery – a lovely detail in a bedroom. Wallpaper, meanwhile, adds depth and coziness. From the space-savvy furniture to the fresh, airy decor to the layering of textures and patterns from the floor to the walls, the smart choices made in this small space make it feel roomier and luxurious.

Small bedroom with nightstand and integrated shelves

Janis Nicolay

7 / 10

Embrace Vertical Storage

With limited space, every square foot is integral – including wall space! Vertical storage is your best friend when furnishing tight quarters. In this functional design, the nightstand extends upwards as a shelf, creating lots more room for storage and decor. Meanwhile, wood-look wallpaper warms up the space, creating a rustic backdrop in lieu of a headboard.

A country farmhouse bedroom showing a stool as a nightstand

The Grit and Polish

8 / 10

Try a Stool for a Table

“A breezy, historic country bedroom,” is how Cathy of the Grit and Polish describes her charming bedroom that was entered in the One Room Challenge. Most of the pieces are salvaged – including the vintage stool. A tall, skinny stool works as a perfect stand-in for a nightstand in narrow spaces, with its multiple levels acting as shelves and its spindly shape keeping it looking nice and airy. With this stool in particular, the marble top and spooled legs give it quirky appeal. Who needs a big, clunky nightstand anyway? See more of Cathy’s beautiful farmhouse bedroom here.

Books of various sizes are stacked together to create a makeshift nightstand.

Getty Images

9 / 10

Use Books as a Nightstand

This one’s for the bookworms with extremely limited space. Admittedly, this solution is definitely a little more experimental and may take several tries to get right. But there’s something oh-so-boho about a stack of books used as a nightstand. That’s the thinking with this next tip that melds a pleasurable pastime with a functional need. Stack the books, balance the alarm clock and whatnot on them… and you’re done! We strongly suggest keeping the stack pretty short, with largest, sturdiest books on the bottom. Another tip: Use old books that you don’t often read to create the bulk of the stack. Place more often-read books near the middle, towards the top. Keep your current reads at the top of the tower.

A small, sculptural nightstand resembling an hourglass shape holds several books and a lamp next to a bed with pink-tone bedding.

LIVIO

10 / 10

Sculptural Spool

Cylindrical side tables have been trending large lately – and they’re not just for the living room. Tucked beside a bed, the slim, shapely piece imparts elegance and whimsy, as seen in this bedroom by Toronto-based interior design firm LIVIO. An extra-long skinny tentacle of a reading light is strangely interesting and very space-conscious. A quiet landscape in tones of pinks picks up on the casually rumpled bedding. If you have enough space to squeeze in a narrow stool but the budget for a whole nightstand, consider this artsy option.