The nightstand is the most personal piece of furniture in the house. It’s the first thing you reach for in the morning and the last surface you see at night – home to a lamp, a book, a glass of water and whatever you’d rather keep close. It’s small, but it works hard, and because it sits right beside where you sleep, getting it right matters more than its size suggests.
This guide covers how to choose a mid-century plywood nightstand: what to call it, what makes it mid-century (and Japandi), how to get the height and storage right, how to fit one into a small bedroom, and why birch plywood suits a bedside table so well.
Nightstand or bedside table?
They’re the same thing. “Nightstand” is the common North-American term; “bedside table” is the usual British and European one, and “bedside cabinet” simply emphasises a version with a drawer or door. Whichever word you use, it means the low table that stands beside a bed – so don’t get hung up on the label. Decide the height, the amount of storage and the footprint, and the name takes care of itself.
What makes a nightstand mid-century – and Japandi?
A mid-century modern nightstand reads that way for the same reasons the rest of the era does: clean lines, low and unfussy proportions, slim legs – often tapered or set at a slight angle – and warm, honest wood rather than paint or gloss. Because it sits so close to the eye at bedside height, the details matter: the fine layered birch edge and the grain of the wood become the decoration.
Japandi takes the same restraint somewhere calmer – soft forms, natural material, nothing shouting. Our Nokori bedside table is made in exactly that spirit: a quiet, pared-back shape in birch ply that suits a serene bedroom. If you’ve been searching for a Japandi side table for the bedroom, that’s the one to look at.
Getting the height right
Height is the measurement people get wrong most often. A nightstand should sit close to the top of your mattress – ideally within about 5–8 cm of it, level or just below – so the lamp, your phone and a glass of water are easy to reach without sitting up. Beds vary a lot (a high divan and a low platform can differ by 20 cm or more), so measure your mattress top from the floor before you choose. Because ours are made to order, we can build to your exact bed height if a standard size doesn’t line up.
How much storage do you need?
The right amount of storage depends on what ends up beside your bed – and how much of it you’d rather not see:
- An open shelf keeps a book and a small stack of things within reach and feels airy – the lightest option, and the best for a small or minimalist room.
- A drawer hides the clutter: chargers, medication, a notebook, the things that shouldn’t be on show. It’s the tidy, hotel-style choice, and it keeps the surface clear for just a lamp.
- A combination – a drawer with an open shelf below – gives you both: hidden storage up top, a reachable niche beneath.
Our Mid-Century Nightstand and the taller Nightstand 74 cover the open and drawer options, while the Nokori bedside table keeps things soft and minimal.
Fitting a nightstand into a small bedroom
Bedrooms are often the tightest room in the home, and the nightstand has to squeeze in beside the bed without blocking the walkway or the wardrobe door. A few things help: choose a narrow footprint, keep it no wider than it needs to be, and let a slim, leggy design show floor underneath so the corner feels less crowded. If you have space either side of a double bed, a matching pair frames the bed and balances the room – and because each is made to order, the two can be built to the exact width your gap allows.
Why plywood makes a good bedside table
Up close, at bedside height, material quality shows – which is where birch plywood earns its place. The cross-laminated panel stays flat and won’t warp, it’s strong enough for a slim, light design, and the layered birch edge turns the construction into a detail worth seeing. Every piece is hand-finished with a non-toxic, matte hard-wax oil – worth knowing for a piece you sleep beside – in the colour of your choice, a surface that wipes clean and can be refreshed over the years. (More on the material in our guide to what furniture is made of plywood.)
Styling your nightstand
A few small moves keep the bedside calm rather than cluttered:
- Keep the surface to essentials: a lamp, one book, a small object. The clear top is what makes the corner feel restful.
- Use the drawer for everything that shouldn’t be seen, so the top can stay sparse.
- Match the pair if the bed has space on both sides – symmetry settles a bedroom.
- Echo the wood elsewhere – a coffee table or shelf in the same finish, like the Nokori round table, ties the home together.
Our nightstand range
Each is made to order from Finnish birch plywood, hand-oiled in the finish of your choice, and adjustable in size and height:
- Mid-Century Nightstand – the classic low bedside table, open or with a drawer.
- Nightstand 74 – a taller option for higher beds or a little more storage.
- Nokori Bedside Table – the Japandi shape, soft and minimal in birch ply.
See them together in the nightstand collection.
FAQ
What height should a nightstand be?
Aim to sit within about 5–8 cm of the top of your mattress – level or just below – so everything is easy to reach from lying down. Beds vary, so measure your mattress top from the floor first. Ours are made to order, so we can match your exact bed height.
What’s the difference between a nightstand and a bedside table?
None – they’re the same piece. “Nightstand” is the North-American term, “bedside table” the British and European one, and “bedside cabinet” usually implies a drawer or door.
What size nightstand works in a small bedroom?
Choose a narrow footprint and a slim, leggy design that shows floor underneath – it keeps a tight corner from feeling crowded. Since ours are made to order, we can build one to the exact width your space allows.
Is plywood good for a bedside table?
Yes. Birch plywood stays flat, is strong enough for a slim design, and shows a beautiful layered edge at close range. Finished with a non-toxic oil, it’s a sound choice for a piece you sleep beside.
Can I order a matching pair or a custom size?
Yes. A pair frames a double bed nicely, and because every piece is made to order, both can be built to your exact width, height and finish. Note your choice when ordering, or message us first to confirm.
What is a Japandi bedside table?
Japandi blends Scandinavian warmth with Japanese simplicity – soft forms, natural material and a calm palette. Our Nokori bedside table in birch ply is made in that spirit: understated and serene.
The short answer
Get the height right for your bed, choose the storage that suits what you keep close, and keep the footprint slim in a small room – then let the material do the rest. A birch-plywood nightstand is a small piece that quietly shapes how a bedroom feels, built to last and made to your bed.
Browse the nightstand collection to start, or message Kasia if you’d like a matching pair or a custom size.
