What height and dimensions for a bedside table?

No standard sets the dimensions of a bedside table: the benchmarks below are usage benchmarks from interior architects, named as such. The dimensions of the models cited are those written in their title, in our bedside table collection, read in the order width x depth x height.

Bedside table height

The usage benchmark comes down to one rule: the top is placed at the height of the top of the mattress, give or take 5 cm. Lying down, your hand falls on the top without twisting your shoulder; sitting up in bed, you can put down a glass without aiming. Any higher, the glass tips over at the first clumsy gesture; any lower, you have to lean out of bed to grab an alarm clock. Measure the made bed, duvet included, from the floor to the top of the mattress: it's this dimension, not that of the frame, which determines the bedside table.

Standard bedside table height

There's no standard height, only a common range: most models sit between 45 and 65 cm, because most beds place the mattress between 50 and 60 cm from the floor. The catalogue illustrates the spread well: 48.1 cm for FRAMA's Rivet, 49 cm for HAY's small Facet, 52 cm for Normann Copenhagen's Rib, 54 cm for Hartô's Marius and FRAMA's Ratio, 55 cm for Zuiver's Rise, 60 cm for Hübsch's ash bedside table, 66 cm for the large Facet, 70 cm for Hübsch's Merge and 72 cm for Mustard Made's The Shorty locker. Each height corresponds to a different bed.

Standard bedside table dimensions

The most common format measures 40 to 50 cm wide, 30 to 40 cm deep and 50 to 60 cm high. That's the case for the Rib (42 x 40 x 52 cm), the Marius (44 x 40 x 54 cm) or the Rise (40 x 50 x 55 cm, slightly deeper). This format suits a 140 or 160 cm bed at standard height; it becomes too low next to an ottoman bed and too high next to a futon.

Bedside table height in relation to the bed

Start with the type of bed. A futon or platform bed places the mattress 30 to 40 cm from the floor: it calls for a bedside table of 30 to 45 cm, or a wall-mounted bedside table fixed low. A bed on a standard base places the sleeping surface at 50 to 60 cm: a bedside table of 50 to 60 cm matches it. An ottoman bed or a bed with a thick mattress rises to 65 to 75 cm: you then need a tall model, like Hübsch's Merge (70 cm) or Mustard Made's The Shorty (72 cm). A tolerance of 5 cm, above or below, remains comfortable.

Bedside table dimensions

Three dimensions matter, in this order. The height follows the mattress. The width follows the width of the bed and the available space. The depth follows the walkway: a bedside table deeper than 45 cm juts out towards the foot of the bed and gets in the way when getting up.

Bedside table width

The usage benchmark: about a third of the mattress width. That's 40 to 45 cm next to a 140 cm bed, 45 to 55 cm next to a 160 cm bed, 50 to 60 cm next to a 180 x 200 cm bed. Below 35 cm, the top no longer holds a lamp, a glass and a phone at the same time. Beyond 60 cm, the bedside table becomes a small chest of drawers and takes up walkway space.

Bedside table size

In a small bedroom, the size is worked out from the space between the bed and the wall. With 60 cm free, a 40 cm wide bedside table still leaves decent access to the bed. With 45 cm or less, switch to a wall-mounted model 17 to 25 cm deep (Metallbude's Nelio, 47 x 17 x 25 cm) or a small round one, like Resistub's Armand at 32 cm diameter. The table below summarises the dimensions by bed type.

A wall-mounted bedside table frees up floor space, adjusts to the centimetre to suit the bed and gains 15 to 20 cm of passageway compared to a bedside table on legs. It's the solution for small bedrooms and beds whose height matches no standard model.

Height of a wall-mounted bedside table

Same rule as for a bedside table on legs: the top level with the top of the mattress, or up to 5 cm above. For a standard bed, this places the top between 50 and 65 cm from the floor. The surest method: make the bed, place a ruler on the mattress, draw a line on the wall at this height, then fix the unit so that its top aligns with the line. For a model with a box or drawer, the fixing sits lower than the top: mark the height of the box below the line.

Size of a wall-mounted bedside table

The wall-mounted models in the catalogue have shallow depths: 17 cm for the Nelio by Metallbude (47 x 17 x 25 cm), 20 cm for the Open by Hübsch (40 x 20 x 20 cm) and the AtHand (30 x 20 x 15 cm), 20.5 cm for the steel wall-mounted bedside table by Nobodinoz (40 x 20.5 x 25 cm). The Fläpps Box by Ambivalenz (40 x 40 x 40 cm) is an exception: a 40 cm wall-mounted cube that stores as much as a small bedside table on legs. Allow at least 30 cm width to place a lamp and a phone side by side.

Height of a wall-mounted bedside table

The advantage of wall-mounting is that it suits any bed: fixed at 35 cm from the floor beside a futon, at 70 cm beside a storage bed. Check the wall type before drilling: a plasterboard partition requires suitable plugs, and a bedside table loaded with books, a lamp and a glass of water quickly weighs several kilos. The same rule applies to a niche carved into a plasterboard headboard: its back sits level with the top of the mattress. Wall-mounted and suspended models are brought together in the bedside table collection.

The bedside table also sets the position of the light and electricity. The following measurements are guidelines used by interior designers; for any electrical work, have the position validated by an electrician, who will apply the BS 7671 standard.

Height of bedside reading light

A wall reading light is mounted approximately 20 cm above the mattress, i.e. around 75 to 80 cm from the floor for a bed at 55 or 60 cm, on the outer side of the pillow. Its arm or adjustable head must be able to bring the light above the shoulder of a reader sitting against the headboard, without illuminating the neighbouring pillow. The catalogue offers reading lights with arms, such as the Link by CVL Luminaires in brass (58 cm) or the Flexiled by Contardi in leather and bronze with switch (60 cm). They are gathered in the reading lights collection.

Height of bedside table socket

A socket hidden behind the bedside table means having to move it for each connection. The guideline: place the socket 10 to 20 cm above the top, i.e. 65 to 80 cm from the floor for a bedside table at 55 to 60 cm. The lamp and charger can be plugged in without moving the furniture, and the cable remains short. The BS 7671 standard sets a minimum height for sockets at floor level, not their height above a bedside table: this is a matter of use. Allow for two sockets per side, one for the lamp, one for the phone.

Distance of socket from headboard

Centre the socket on the bedside table: for a bedside table of 40 to 60 cm placed against the bed, this positions it 20 to 30 cm from the edge of the frame. Too close to the headboard, it disappears behind the mattress or frame; too far, the cable crosses the top.

Height of bedside table switch

The ceiling light switch, in two-way configuration with the entrance one, is placed where the hand finds it when lying down: 70 to 90 cm from the floor, i.e. 10 to 30 cm above the mattress, above the bedside table. A table lamp with a switch on the cable or touch dimmer avoids this work. Bedside lamps are in the table lamps collection, adjustable wall lights in the wall lights collection.

Wood

Oak, ash, birch or walnut, solid or veneered: wood provides a bedside table that's warm to the touch and can be repaired. The oak of Normann Copenhagen's Rib and Hartô's Marius, the birch of FRAMA's Ratio, Hübsch's black ash or Versmissen's Mika in mindi will mark from a glass of water placed without a coaster, but can be sanded and re-oiled. See wooden bedside tables.

Metal

Powder-coated steel (Metallbude's Nelio and Damio, Matière Grise's Ankara, Mustard Made's The Shorty) and aluminium (FRAMA's Rivet) create slim, lightweight bedside tables that are unaffected by water. They mark from impacts and resonate when an object is placed on them; a felt pad under the lamp solves the issue. The Shorty unit, with its door, provides as much storage as a small wardrobe. See black bedside tables.

Plastic and recycled plastic

Kartell's Componibili, stackable round units, come in two, three or four elements: the height is chosen by stacking. HAY's Facet, in faceted recycled plastic, comes in 49 and 66 cm heights to suit two bed heights. Both wipe clean with a sponge, an advantage in a child's bedroom. See Kartell bedside tables and HAY plastic bedside tables.

Rattan and caning

ORCHID EDITION's Tambourin in rattan (50 cm) or Bloomingville's Manon in caning bring a texture that complements rattan headboards. Their woven top requires a coaster and dusts with a soft brush.

Drawer, door or niche

A drawer conceals medicines and chargers, but requires 70 cm of clearance in front. An open niche holds two or three novels. A door (The Shorty unit, HAY's Facet with doors) provides storage without a drawer to pull out. A single shelf suits small bedrooms. White models, more discreet in a light bedroom, can be found in white bedside tables.

What is the height of a headboard?

The standard guideline: a headboard rises to 100 to 130 cm from the floor, i.e. 40 to 70 cm above a mattress positioned at 55 or 60 cm. Around fifty centimetres is enough to support a pillow; 70 cm and above allows for reading whilst sitting up. In the catalogue, the Cassiopée by Madura measures 160 × 120 cm and the Rilo by Bloomingville, in reclaimed wood, 180 × 122 cm. The bedside table always remains noticeably lower than the headboard: it's the mattress that determines this, not the headboard.

What width of headboard with bedside tables

A headboard the width of the mattress (Cassiopée, 160 cm for a 160 cm bed) leaves the bedside tables free. Wider, it runs behind them and unifies the wall: the Feng by Bolia measures 200 cm, i.e. 20 cm on each side of a 160 cm bed.

How to decorate a headboard

Above, a frame or poster centred on the bed, with the bottom placed 20 to 30 cm above the headboard; on each side, a reading light or an identical lamp for symmetry; in front, two or three cushions of different sizes. A cover changes the colour of an upholstered headboard without replacing it: see headboard covers. For frame sizes, our poster and frame guide gives the dimensions.

Which wood for a headboard

Oak and walnut for a solid and durable headboard, reclaimed wood (Rilo by Bloomingville) for a textured surface, rattan (Passage by ORCHID EDITION, Volutes by KOK, Phai by Nordal) for a lightweight headboard that allows air and light to pass through. Match the wood of the bedside table to that of the headboard, or take a completely opposite approach: lacquered bedside table in front of a rattan headboard. See headboards.

Kartell (Italy) produces the Componibili, stackable round plastic modules in two, three or four elements and in numerous colours, including a version in recycled material. See the brand Kartell.

HAY (Denmark) offers the Facet in faceted recycled plastic, in 49 and 66 cm heights, with or without doors. See the brand HAY.

Hübsch (Denmark) covers both families: bedside tables on legs in ash or oak (60 and 70 cm) and wall-mounted bedside tables in oak (Open, AtHand). See the brand Hübsch.

Normann Copenhagen (Denmark) designs the Rib, a bedside table in natural or black oak measuring 42 x 40 x 52 cm, in the most common format. See the brand Normann Copenhagen.

FRAMA (Denmark) combines the Ratio in birch and the Rivet in aluminium, two compact bedside tables 37 and 32.8 cm wide. See the brand FRAMA.

Metallbude offers bedside tables in powder-coated steel in numerous colours, including the wall-mounted Nelio 17 cm deep. See the brand Metallbude.

A 9 m² bedroom with a 140 cm bed against the wall

There are 45 cm between the bed and the window on one side, 70 cm on the other. On the narrow side, a bedside table with legs would block the passage: the Nelio by Metallbude, wall-mounted at mattress level, protrudes only 17 cm. On the wide side, a 40 to 45 cm bedside table, such as the Rib by Normann Copenhagen (42 x 40 x 52 cm), next to a sleeping surface at 52 or 55 cm.

A 160 x 200 cm ottoman bed, mattress at 68 cm

A standard 52 cm bedside table would be 16 cm too low. You need to aim for 63 to 73 cm: the large Facet by HAY (66 cm), the Merge by Hübsch (70 cm) or The Shorty by Mustard Made (72 cm), which adds a door to store what the ottoman doesn't hold.

A 140 x 200 cm futon placed on tatami, mattress at 30 cm

No standard bedside table with legs goes that low. The Fläpps Box by Ambivalenz, wall-mounted at 30 to 35 cm from the floor, stores the reading lamp and alarm clock at mattress level; alternatively, a tray placed on the floor or a firm pouf serves as a bedside table. Low sleeping surfaces are in the bed collection and our bed size guide gives sleeping surface heights by family.

Oiled wood: damp cloth, oil once a year. Lacquered wood or veneer: soapy water, without abrasive. Metal: damp cloth, touch up paint on a scratch. Plastic: sponge. Rattan: soft brush. For cables, a power strip fixed under the top avoids tangles behind the furniture. Find bedside tables by colour in black bedside tables and white bedside tables.

What orders placed on The Cool Republic between January and September 2026 show in the Bedside tables collection. Shares are counted by number of orders, not quantities, so that a large purchase does not weigh more than another.

What is ordered most in 2026

• Colours: white (23%), green (17%), blue (15%).

The most ordered models since January

• White 3-drawer Componibili bedside table, Kartell
• Matt black 3-drawer Componibili Recycled bedside table, Kartell

• Choosing the bedside table before measuring the bed: a 52 cm bedside table next to a 68 cm mattress means lifting your arm for every drink.
• Taking the measurement from the bed frame instead of the top of the mattress: the difference often reaches 20 to 30 cm.
• Installing a 45 cm deep bedside table in a 60 cm passage: only 15 cm remains to get up.
• Choosing a bedside table with a drawer against a wall or wardrobe: without 70 cm in front of it, the drawer only opens halfway.
• Fixing a wall-mounted bedside table without checking the partition: a plasterboard requires plugs suitable for the load.
• Leaving the only socket behind the bedside table: placed 10 to 20 cm above the top, it avoids moving the furniture with each plug-in.