Short answer: Our Talus nightstand is 17.1 inches (43.5 cm) wide, 17.1 inches (43.5 cm) deep and 21.7 inches (55 cm) high, and it starts from $270. It has one drawer that sits on top or at the bottom, and it comes in Oak or Walnut.
The drawer can sit on top with open storage below, or at the bottom with open storage above. It is made from ash wood veneer over MDF, and it has a cord pass-through for charging cables and lamp cords. Talus is a small square piece with one clear idea: you decide which way up it goes.
That makes it easy to fit to your mattress height and to the way you reach for things at night. This guide covers the sizes, the layout options, the finishes, what the top and the drawer can hold, and who the Talus suits. For the general rules on nightstand height and width, see our guide on how to pick a nightstand.
On This Page
- How big is the Talus nightstand?
- How does the reversible drawer work?
- What finishes and materials does it come in?
- What fits on top of a Talus, and what about weight?
- How wide a wall does a Talus need next to a bed?
- How is the Talus assembled?
- Who is the Talus for, and who is it not for?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our nightstands
How big is the Talus nightstand?
The assembled Talus nightstand measures:
- Width: 17.1 inches (43.5 cm)
- Depth: 17.1 inches (43.5 cm)
- Height: 21.7 inches (55 cm)
The footprint is square, so the width you take beside the bed is the same as the depth you take toward the room. The nightstand ships flat in one box that measures 23.6 x 19.5 x 9.1 inches (59.9 x 49.5 x 23 cm) and weighs 42.1 lb (19.1 kg), which is useful to know if you are planning a route up a narrow stairwell.
Height is the figure most people check first. Our Foam mattress is 10 inches (25 cm) thick and our Hybrid is 12 inches (30.5 cm). On our Ara bed, that puts the sleeping surface at roughly 19.5 inches (49.5 cm) with the Foam mattress and roughly 21.7 inches (55 cm) with the Hybrid. At 21.7 inches (55 cm), the Talus sits level with the Hybrid surface and a little above the Foam. Treat those numbers as estimates and measure your own bed, as the height guide in our nightstand article explains.
How does the reversible drawer work?
The Talus has one drawer and two ways to set it up. The nightstand is vertically reversible, which means you can build it with either end facing up.
How does the reversible drawer work?
| Layout | Top | Below or above the drawer |
|---|---|---|
| Drawer up top | A tabletop with raised edges and a cord pass-through | Open storage below the drawer |
| Drawer at the bottom | Open storage above | The drawer at the base |
Drawer up top keeps small items out of sight within easy reach of your hand. Drawer at the bottom leaves a shelf at hand height for a book, a glass or a lamp, and it puts the closed storage low down. You make the choice when you assemble it, and a sticker on the panels shows the orientation to follow.
Our product page describes the drawer as smooth and easy to open in either position. We do not publish the interior dimensions of the drawer. The drawer front panel measures 5.9 x 14.4 inches (15 x 36.6 cm), the drawer floor panel is 13.5 x 13.1 inches (34.3 x 33.2 cm), and the drawer sides are 5.6 inches (14.2 cm) high. Treat those as panel sizes rather than usable space, and expect the inside to be slightly smaller.
What finishes and materials does it come in?
You can choose Oak or Walnut. Both are ash wood veneer over MDF: the veneer is a thin sheet of real wood, 0.3 mm thick, laid over 15 mm MDF panels and finished with lacquer. The MDF is listed as compliant with TSCA Title VI for formaldehyde.
- Oak: a lighter, warmer wood tone that keeps a bedroom looking open.
- Walnut: a deeper brown that adds contrast beside pale bedding.
Our Ara bed frame has Oak and Walnut versions as well, and the upholstered frames pair with either finish. Our guide to customizing your Ara bed covers frames, headboards and fabrics. A common guideline is to keep a bedroom to two finishes, such as the bed, then one wood tone on the nightstands. That is general advice, not a product specification.
What fits on top of a Talus, and what about weight?
The top is 17.1 inches (43.5 cm) square, with extended side panels that help keep things from slipping off the surface. That is enough for a lamp with a small base, a phone, a glass of water and a book. If you want a larger lamp and a stack of books, check the base of the lamp against the width before you order.
The cord pass-through is a discreet opening that keeps cables tidy for charging devices or hiding lamp cords. It is a cable opening, not a power source. The Talus has no built-in outlets or USB ports, so you will still need a socket within reach. Leave a few inches behind the nightstand so the cords are not pinched against the wall.
We do not list a weight capacity for the Talus on its product page, so we do not give one. If you plan to put something heavy on it, contact our team first.
How wide a wall does a Talus need next to a bed?
Two Talus nightstands, one on each side of an Ara bed with a Round or Square headboard, need this much wall:
How wide a wall does a Talus need next to a bed?
| Ara bed size | Round or Square headboard width | Wall for the headboard plus two Talus |
|---|---|---|
| Full | 66.8 inches (169.6 cm) | 101.0 inches (256.6 cm) |
| Queen | 73.1 inches (185.6 cm) | 107.3 inches (272.6 cm) |
| King | 86.9 inches (220.6 cm) | 121.1 inches (307.6 cm) |
The totals place each nightstand outside the headboard with no gap. For the Pillow and Extended headboards, read our guide to headboard styles. As a general guideline, leave 24 to 36 inches (61 to 91 cm) clear on the side where you get out of bed. If you chose the Ara Storage frame, the side drawers open outward, so check the position of the nightstand against our Ara storage guide. Our guide to bedroom furniture for tight spaces shows worked examples.
How is the Talus assembled?
Assembly is mostly tool-free, and the panels connect with plastic clips. The hardware box also holds four 20 mm screws, four adhesive floor protectors and an Allen key, so keep it close when you build the drawer. Assembly takes about 30 minutes.
The order is simple. You connect the panels to the side panels at an angle, slide them into place, and then build the drawer and fit it. You decide the orientation as you place the nightstand upright. Build it on a protected surface, and fit the adhesive floor protectors to the base.
Who is the Talus for, and who is it not for?
The Talus suits:
- Small bedrooms: it takes about 17 inches (43 cm) of wall beside the bed.
- Anyone who wants the choice: drawer up top or at the bottom, decided at assembly.
- Beds with a Hybrid or tall mattress: at 21.7 inches (55 cm) it reaches the sleeping surface.
It may not suit:
- Heavy loads: we publish no weight capacity.
- Built-in charging: the Talus has a cord opening but no outlets. In Canada, our Polaris nightstand has a charging panel and an LED light bar, and you can read the details on its product page.
- A lot of closed storage: there is one drawer. A small bedroom storage plan shows other options.
Our recommendation
Choose the Talus when you want a compact nightstand with a drawer that can face either way, in a wood tone that matches the bed. Pick Oak for a light room and Walnut for contrast. Set the drawer up top if you want a tidy surface, or at the bottom if you want a shelf at hand height.
Explore our nightstands
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.