Bedroom Side Tables An Indispensable Addition
For a place where we spend up to a third of our lives (and some people spend even more time there), bedrooms can be haphazard affairs, often with little central planning. Many homeowners are content to invest in a really great bed, piecing together the rest of the furnishings to fill the available space.
You know the drill. A dresser here, a high boy there. Perhaps a chair in the corner and a nightstand by the bed.
This is unfortunate, as a well designed bedroom will promote and encourage relaxation and even a deeper sleep. The addition of bedroom essentials, including proper lighting and bedroom side tables, can totally transform the experience in the bedroom.
Nothing could be more true regarding this than bedroom side tables. Often known as nightstands, these beauties are more than a place to put a small lamp and an alarm clock. They can really serve as the nerve center of the bedroom, giving you ready access to all your most used items without having to constantly get out of bed.
For example, bedroom side tables with drawers are indispensable. While you can get them with an open design, the presence of drawers allows you to keep some of those major conveniences you always seem to need at night within easy arm’s reach – a box of Kleenex, batteries for the remote or earplugs if you happen to live with someone who has an occasional snore-fest in the middle of the night.
But why stop there? Having drawers on your side table allows you to keep other things handy, such as a book you’re reading and your reading glasses. You may also want to keep your prescriptions there, just in case you forgot to take them before you got into bed.
If you’re a bit of a romantic, be sure to keep some candles in your bedroom side tables along with a lighter. This can also can come in handy if the lights go out. A flashlight in a drawer is another good idea.
If you live in earthquake country, you may want to not only have a flashlight in your bedroom side tables, but a whistle as well. This is always highly recommended in cases where a door can become jammed or blocked and you can’t exit the building immediately. A whistle can be a lifesaver, literally.
Convenience is a big consideration with these tables. You want everything to be within easy reach. This may take some experimentation. First, with today’s pillow top beds you want to purchase bedroom side tables that are high enough to be even with the top of the mattress. If can be a bit lower, but ideally you want it to be an extension of the bed. You want to be able to easily get to things, such as a glass of water, even in a darkened room.
Size is important, too. If you have a lot of night-support equipment, you may want to get a table with a larger top. Even a lamp and an alarm clock can consume a lot of real estate on the table. You want to make sure you have enough space that you won’t end up with a glass of water teetering on the edge, or worse, a book that ends up falling in the dead of night not only waking you, but scaring you to death.
Finally, if you have enough room, you want to make sure you have side tables on both sides of the bed. While you can get away with one, it’s far better to have two so your significant other isn’t constantly asking you to get one thing or another. An additional table can keep the bedroom a place for romance, not unwelcomed interruptions.
