To strive for the perfect nightstand. (Above: Artemide Nesso Table Lamp) 

There is quite no solace like the kind that welcomes us home. For most of us, the place we sleep in is more than four walls and a bedframe but instead a sanctuary of our own design — sometimes the only space we can truly call our own. Whether it’s inspired by the show of personality in maximalist design or the simple sleekness of minimalism, gone are the days when a bedroom was left to the devices of those who came before or the bareness of mere necessity.

There is no other culprit quite as complicit as TikTok — with its “my first apartment” transformative makeovers, abject rejection of millennial grey, and endorsement for more ambient lighting. Pinterest, as always, is the source of inspiration and many preliminary mood boards, before we attempt to engender the bedrooms of our desires. Though, the primary concern is not a matter of what to transform, but where to begin. Ideas for bedframes, bookshelves, desks, TV consoles, love seats and more are pinned and shortlisted, but as the lists become longer and longer, only one emerges as an encapsulation of an entire room in itself. The not-so-humble the nightstand (or sometimes referred to as the bedside table).

(Above: FRAMA Rivet BoxTable. $1025, via Frama.)

Where a bed can often be the first piece of furniture to catch your attention in a room, the nightstand, to the trained eye, often holds the most character. The presence of a few choice novels (i.e. not Lolita) and spectacles might suggest a learned individual. On the other hand, a bundle of Apple-wired headphones or an Audio-Technica record player would surmise the room of an audiophile. The nightstand has no rules — there is no right or wrong item to keep by your bedside. Instead, only what the sleeper desires to have within arm’s reach of convenience. In some sense, it is the purest show of identity someone’s room can offer.

@r4ph.trioli fave section of my room 💝💝💝💝#sidetable #nightstand #homeinspo #diptyque #bedroomsinpo ♬ lovergirl – saturra

Even if it’s more staged forms, a là the “hot (insert gender) nightstands” of the internet, a story is being conveyed to the viewer. Whether that story is one of personal taste or largely referential, matters not much, but either way is a display of one’s individuality and style in one of the most private spaces in the home. In that sense, the desire to “perfect” the art of the nightstand is an understandable pursuit. One that can sometimes require a helping hand, or in this case, a collated list of the quintessential items for inspiration.

Not Your Usual One-Night Stand

If you’re lucky enough to have an opening in your room for a completely new nightstand (or are just sick and tired of your old one) the options are endless. Don’t limit yourself to the tried-and-tested (unless that’s your style), but we’re a proponent of embracing the bold. Here are some unique ones to consider.

Rotate SC73 Side Table in Merlot

$653, via Finnish Design Shop. 

Normann Copenhagen Bit Stool Stack

$390, via Stacked Homes. 

Serax Tabouret Organique Side Table

$248, via Farfetch. 

$790, via SSENSE. 

Kartell Componibili 3 Module Storage Unit

$225, via Flaming Queen. 

Crescent 1-Drawer Bedside Table

$599, via Castlery. 

A Light In The Dark

One of the inescapable functionalities that the nightstand offers is simply — a surface for your table lamp. Though, who said it needed to be just that? Consider pops of colour, wacky forms, and unorthodox materials to differentiate the space.

Artemide Nesso Table Lamp in Orange

$422, via LampeMesteren. 

Akari Table Lamp 1A

$495, via Connox. 

Wooj Wavy Lamp

$125, via Wooj. 

Montera Table Lamp

$1060, via CultDesign. 

Parade Table Lamp

$437, via CultDesign. 

Candlelit Dreams

If you’re opposed to the artificiality of a bedside light then there is no better alternative than the dual-purpose candle. Not only is its “candlelit” ambience famed for setting the mood, but with the choice of a favoured fragrance, can elevate the atmosphere of your room through scent pleasantries and warm lighting.

Diptyque Feu de Bois Medium Candle

$110, via Diptyque.

Aesop Callippus Aromatique Candle

$157, via Aesop. 

Loewe Small Beetroot Candle

$150, via Loewe. 

Jo Malone Honeysuckle & Davana Home Candle

$120, via Jo Malone. 

For The Clutter

And then there are the trinkets, knick-knacks, rings, loose coins, matchsticks, keys, stray sweets and other miscellaneous items that you don’t want to see carelessly strewn across the nightstand. For this purpose, consider a keepsake box, trinket or jewellery dish to compartmentalize some of the clutter and serve as a tasteful trinket in itself.

Hermès Les Cabanes Box

$900, via Hermès.

Dolce & Gabbana Casa Carretto Square Trinket Dish

$318, via FWRD.

Gucci Marble Print Logo Tray

$236, via Farfetch. 

Dior Box of Secrets

$450, via Dior. 

Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our August 2024 issue.