Side tables with storage can do far more than hold a lamp. Five of the most useful ways to put them to work at home are as a compact bedside table in a guest room, a tidy station for remotes and chargers in the living room, a drop zone for keys and post in the hallway, a kit table for reading or hobbies beside a favourite chair, and a quiet overflow for paperwork in a home office corner. In each case, the drawer or shelf takes the clutter so the top can stay calm.
Storage is one of the most valuable things a small piece of furniture can offer in a UK home, where many rooms are compact and cupboards are rarely plentiful. Our modern side tables UK include designs with drawers, open shelves and enclosed cabinets, and each type suits a slightly different job.
Before deciding where a storage side table should go, it helps to know what kind of storage it offers, because each one behaves differently day to day.
Many tables combine two of these, such as a drawer above an open shelf, which gives you both hidden and visible space.
Spare rooms often double as offices, playrooms or storage, which leaves little space for a full bedside cabinet. A side table with a drawer makes an excellent stand in. Guests get a place for a lamp, a glass of water and a phone, while the drawer can hold spare chargers, a small torch and a few toiletries for visitors.
When the room is not in use, the same table can move beside a chair or desk. That flexibility is useful in homes where the spare room has several jobs. If the space is very tight, measure the gap between the bed and the wall before choosing, and make sure the door can still swing open fully.
Keep the styling light here. A lamp with a soft shade, a small dish for jewellery and perhaps a few fresh stems make a guest room feel welcoming without taking up the whole top.
The modern living room has a lot of small, untidy items: remote controls, games controllers, phone chargers, earphones and the odd stray coaster. Left out, they make even a well furnished room look cluttered. A side table with a drawer at the end of the sofa gives them a home within arm's reach.
A little organisation inside the drawer makes a big difference. A shallow tray or divider keeps remotes in one section and cables in another. If the table sits near a socket, a short extension lead tucked behind it lets you charge devices without cables running across the floor.
This approach works best when the storage side table relates to the rest of the room. Our wider living room furniture UK sale range includes tables, cabinets and TV units in related finishes, so the side table can echo the materials around it.
Many UK hallways are narrow, particularly in terraced houses and flats, and there is rarely room for a full console or cabinet. A slim side table with a drawer can act as a landing point for keys, post, sunglasses and dog leads. Tucked against the wall near the front door, it gives everyone a habit to follow when they come in.
A small bowl on top catches keys, while the drawer holds items that do not need to be on show, such as spare keys, takeaway menus and pens. If the table has a lower shelf, a basket there can take gloves and hats in winter.
Check the depth carefully before choosing a hallway table. You need to keep a clear route through, so a table of around 30cm deep or less usually works better than a standard living room piece.
A favourite chair often becomes the base for a particular pastime, whether that is reading, knitting, sketching or puzzles. A side table with storage beside that chair keeps everything you need together. Books and magazines can sit on an open shelf, while a drawer holds needles, pencils, reading glasses or a bookmark collection.
The benefit is as much about routine as tidiness. When the kit is always in the same place, it is easier to sit down for twenty minutes without hunting for anything. When you have finished, it all goes back out of sight.
If your hobby involves bulkier items, a side table with a cabinet door or a deeper lower shelf is worth considering. Woven baskets on an open shelf also look attractive and keep loose items together.
Working from home often means making space in a living room or bedroom rather than a dedicated study. A side table with a drawer or cabinet can sit next to a compact desk and hold paperwork, notebooks, a spare mouse and chargers. Because it looks like a living room piece rather than office furniture, it helps the space switch back to home life at the end of the day.
For larger amounts of paperwork or equipment, a side table may not be enough on its own. Our modern storage furniture UK range offers cabinets, cubes and shelving that can work alongside it.
Storage side tables are not only for spare rooms. In a main bedroom, a side table with a drawer can sit beside a reading chair or at the end of a dressing area to hold jewellery, hair accessories or a book. Some people prefer a side table to a traditional cabinet beside the bed, because the lighter frame makes a small room feel more open.
If you would rather have deeper storage beside the bed, our bedside cabinets UK offer more drawers and enclosed space while keeping a similar footprint. Our guide to bedside cabinets in small UK bedrooms covers how to measure and position pieces where every centimetre counts.
A storage side table still needs to fit its setting comfortably. Beside a sofa or chair, the top should sit level with the arm or a little lower. Beside a bed, it should sit roughly level with the top of the mattress. In a hallway, depth matters most.
Drawer size is easy to overlook. A very shallow drawer suits remotes and stationery but not chargers with bulky plugs. If you know what you plan to store, measure the largest item and check the internal drawer dimensions before choosing.
The point of a storage side table is that the clutter goes inside, so resist the urge to fill the top as well. A few rules help:
Wood is the most common material for storage side tables and suits most rooms. It feels warm, wears well and works in both traditional and modern homes. High gloss finishes give a clean, contemporary look and make drawers almost disappear into the frame. Painted finishes in soft colours work nicely in bedrooms and hallways. Metal frames with wooden drawers combine an industrial edge with practical storage.
Think about where the table will live. Hallways see a lot of passing traffic, so a durable surface is sensible. Bedrooms are calmer, so softer finishes and lighter colours are easy to look after.
A side table with storage is one of the most adaptable pieces you can own. It can move from guest room to hallway to living room as your needs change, and it keeps the everyday clutter of modern life out of sight. When you are ready to find one that suits your home, you can explore our full range at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Yes, particularly in guest rooms and smaller bedrooms. Choose one that sits roughly level with the top of the mattress.
A drawer is better for small, untidy items such as chargers and remotes. An open shelf suits books and baskets you are happy to see.
Around 30cm or less usually leaves enough room to pass comfortably in a typical UK hallway.
Keep the top simple, use baskets on open shelves and give each drawer a clear purpose.
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