Short answer: A nightstand should have its top level with the top of your mattress, or a little below it, so that you can reach it while lying down. It should be narrow enough to leave clear floor beside the bed, and it should fit in the wall space between the bed and the corner or door. In Canada, our Talus nightstand starts from $270 and is 17.1 inches (43.5 cm) wide and 21.7 inches (55 cm) high, and our Polaris nightstand starts from $325 and is 16.7 inches (42.5 cm) wide and 20.5 inches (52 cm) high.
A nightstand is the smallest piece in the bedroom and the one you touch most. If the top is too low you reach down for your glasses, and if it is too wide it narrows the path beside the bed. The sections below cover height, width, drawers, our two nightstands and how to match the style of the bed.
On This Page
- How high should a nightstand be?
- What size nightstand fits next to a bed?
- Drawer, open storage or both?
- Our nightstands: Polaris and Talus
- Matching the nightstand to your bed
- Our recommendation
- Explore our bedroom range
How high should a nightstand be?
A common guideline is a top level with the top of your mattress, or a few inches below it. Then a glass, a phone or a lamp switch is within reach without sitting up. That is general advice, not a product specification, so start by measuring your own bed from the floor to the top of the mattress.
Our mattress heights are 10 inches (25 cm) for the Foam mattress and 12 inches (30.5 cm) for the Hybrid, which our foam vs hybrid guide compares. The Ara bed frame is 14.6 inches (37 cm) tall and its side panels stand 4.9 inches (12.5 cm) above the slats. Worked out from those figures, the sleeping surface on an Ara sits at roughly 19.5 inches (49.5 cm) with the Foam mattress and roughly 21.7 inches (55 cm) with the Hybrid. Treat that as an estimate and check it against your own bed.
How high should a nightstand be?
| Nightstand | Height | Roughly level with the mattress top on an Ara bed with |
|---|---|---|
| Polaris | 20.5 inches (52 cm) | Between the Foam mattress (about 19.5 inches) and the Hybrid (about 21.7 inches) |
| Talus | 21.7 inches (55 cm) | The Hybrid mattress (about 21.7 inches), or a little above the Foam |
Both of our nightstands are therefore close to mattress height on our own bed. If your mattress is thicker or your frame is higher, a lower nightstand will sit below the mattress, which still works. A top well above the mattress is the one to avoid.
What size nightstand fits next to a bed?
Three measurements decide it: the width of the nightstand, the clear floor beside the bed, and the wall space you have. Start with the wall. The headboard of our Ara bed is wider than the frame, so measure from the outside edge of the headboard.
What size nightstand fits next to a bed?
| Bed size | Round or Square headboard width | Pillow headboard width | Wall needed for the Round or Square headboard plus two Talus nightstands | Wall needed for the Pillow headboard plus two Talus nightstands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full | 66.8 inches (169.6 cm) | 63.2 inches (160.6 cm) | 101.0 inches (256.6 cm) | 97.5 inches (247.6 cm) |
| Queen | 73.1 inches (185.6 cm) | 69.5 inches (176.6 cm) | 107.3 inches (272.6 cm) | 103.8 inches (263.6 cm) |
| King | 86.9 inches (220.6 cm) | 83.7 inches (212.6 cm) | 121.1 inches (307.6 cm) | 118.0 inches (299.6 cm) |
The two right-hand columns add two Talus nightstands at 17.1 inches (43.5 cm) each, placed outside the headboard with no gap. The Polaris is 0.4 inches (1 cm) narrower, so the totals shrink slightly. With the Extended headboard, which is far wider, our headboard style guide shows the wall width to plan for.
Then check the floor. As a general guideline, leave 24 to 36 inches (61 to 91 cm) clear on the side where you get out of bed, and keep at least 36 inches (91 cm) for any path through the room. Narrow rooms need those numbers more than they need a bigger nightstand. Our guides to bedroom furniture and to bedroom furniture for tight spaces go through the layout.
If you choose an Ara storage bed, its drawers open outward from the sides. A nightstand close to the headboard can overlap the path of the nearest drawer, so check the position before you buy. Our Ara storage guide lists the clearances.
Drawer, open storage or both?
The choice is about what you keep beside the bed. A drawer hides small items, and open storage keeps a book or a lamp in view. Our small bedroom storage guide explains why drawers keep a small room looking tidier.
- A drawer on top: the Polaris has a top drawer and a diagonal display panel below it for books and magazines.
- Reversible: the Talus has one drawer and can be set with the drawer on top and open storage below, or the other way around.
- No nightstand at all: where the floor is tight, a side table or a wall shelf at mattress height can do the job. Our side table guide lists heights, including the Mensa side table at 16.3 inches (41.5 cm) with a pull-out drawer.
Our nightstands: Polaris and Talus
Both are available in Oak and Walnut, and both are made from ash wood veneer over MDF. The main difference is what each one does with cords.
Our nightstands: Polaris and Talus
| Feature | Polaris | Talus |
|---|---|---|
| Size (W x D x H) | 16.7 x 16.7 x 20.5 inches (42.5 x 42.5 x 52 cm) | 17.1 x 17.1 x 21.7 inches (43.5 x 43.5 x 55 cm) |
| Storage | Top drawer and a diagonal display panel | One reversible drawer, on top or at the bottom |
| Cords and power | Charging panel with 3 outlets plus USB and USB-C ports, remote-controlled LED light bar, cord pass-through at the back of the drawer | Cord pass-through for charging cables or lamp cords |
| Weight capacity | 99 lb (45 kg) | Not listed on the product page |
| Finishes | Oak, Walnut | Oak, Walnut |
| Price | From $325 | From $270 |
The LED light bar on the Polaris has three light qualities, five intensity levels and motion detection. The Talus takes about 30 minutes to assemble. We do not compare our prices with other brands, so use the sizes above and the product pages to judge what suits your bedroom.
Matching the nightstand to your bed
Oak and Walnut are the finishes on both nightstands. On an Ara Wood bed in the same finish they will match closely, and on an upholstered Ara they add a wood tone beside the fabric. Our Ara customization guide covers frames, headboards and fabrics.
A common guideline is to keep to two finishes in a bedroom: for example the bed frame, then the nightstands in a wood tone. Two nightstands do not have to be identical, but they should be close in height so that the two sides of the bed look balanced.
Our recommendation
- Tight room or a narrow wall: the Polaris, at 16.7 inches (42.5 cm) wide, is the narrower of the two, and it holds power and light in the same footprint.
- You want the most flexible layout: the Talus, because the drawer can go on top or at the bottom, and it is the lower-priced of our two.
- Hybrid mattress or a tall bed: the Talus is the taller at 21.7 inches (55 cm).
- Foam mattress on an Ara bed: either works, and the Polaris sits closer to the mattress top.
- Not sure about the space: measure the wall and the floor beside the bed, then book a free design consultation.
Explore our bedroom range
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.