What Size Side Table Do You Need for a Bedroom?

For most bedrooms, a side table should sit roughly level with the top of your mattress, give or take 5cm, and have a surface of at least 40cm by 30cm. Under a double or king size bed, a width of 40cm to 55cm tends to look balanced. In a small room, you can go as narrow as 30cm, provided the top still fits a lamp, a phone and a glass of water. Leave at least 50cm to 60cm of floor between the table and any wardrobe, door or wall you need to walk past.

Those figures cover the majority of rooms, but beds and bedrooms vary a great deal. The rest of this guide explains how to adjust them for your own space, whether you are working with a box room or a generous principal bedroom. If you want to see a range of sizes side by side as you read, our modern bedside cabinets UK collection lists dimensions for every design, and our full range of modern bedroom furniture UK sale lets you plan the table alongside the bed, chest and wardrobe.

Start With the Mattress, Not the Bed Frame

The single most useful measurement is the height from the floor to the top of your mattress. This is what determines whether reaching for your alarm or your book feels easy or awkward. Bed frames vary a lot: an ottoman bed or a divan with a thick mattress can sit noticeably higher than a low platform frame with a slim mattress.

Measure from the floor to the top of the mattress, including any topper. Then aim for a side table whose top sits within about 5cm of that figure. A table slightly lower than the mattress feels natural when you are lying down. A table noticeably higher can feel like a wall beside your head, and anything much lower means leaning over the edge of the bed in the dark.

Typical Heights to Expect

Many bedside tables sit somewhere between 45cm and 65cm tall. Lower designs suit platform beds and floor level mattresses. Taller designs are a better match for ottoman beds, bed frames with deep mattresses or beds with high headboards that would otherwise dwarf a small table.

Width: Matching the Table to the Bed

Width is where proportion comes in. A tiny table beside a large upholstered king size bed can look lost, while a broad chest beside a single bed can feel overbearing.

• Single beds: a table 30cm to 40cm wide usually looks right, particularly in children's rooms or guest rooms.
• Small double and double beds: 40cm to 50cm is a comfortable range for most rooms.
• King and super king beds: 45cm to 60cm keeps the table in scale with the bed and headboard.

These are guides rather than rules. If your bedroom is narrow, it is better to choose a slim table that leaves a clear path than a wide one that blocks it.

Depth: The Measurement Most People Forget

Depth decides how far the table projects into the room. Most bedside tables are between 30cm and 45cm deep. In a small bedroom, depth often matters more than width, because the space beside the bed is usually limited by a wall, a radiator or a wardrobe door.

A practical approach is to stand at the side of the bed and imagine getting in and out. You should be able to swing your legs out without hitting the table, and a door or drawer opposite should still open fully. If either is a problem, look for a shallower design or one with a rounded front edge.

Clearance Around the Table

Bedrooms in British homes are often compact, especially in terraced houses, flats and new builds where the second and third bedrooms can be tight. Clearance makes the difference between a room that feels comfortable and one that feels crowded.

• Leave around 50cm to 60cm of walkway beside the bed if you can, measured from the edge of the table.
• Check radiator positions. A side table pushed against a radiator can trap heat and may affect some finishes over time.
• Check the swing of the bedroom door, wardrobe doors and any chest of drawers opposite.
• Allow a few centimetres between the table and the headboard so bedding can tuck in and the headboard is not scuffed.

How Much Surface Do You Actually Need?

Before you settle on dimensions, list what lives on your bedside table every night. For most people that is a lamp, a phone, a glass of water and something to read. Some add glasses, a watch, hand cream or a small plant.

A top of around 40cm by 30cm is generally enough for a lamp and two or three small items. If you read in bed with a hardback, wear glasses and keep a water bottle rather than a glass, you may want a little more. If you use a wall light or a clip on reading lamp instead of a table lamp, you can get away with considerably less.

Choosing the right lamp also changes the equation. A tall, slim lamp takes up very little surface. A wide ceramic base can fill half the table on its own. Our modern table lamps UK include compact designs that suit smaller bedside tops.

Storage: Drawers, Shelves or Open Space

The size of a side table is not just about its outer dimensions. The way the space inside is used matters too.

Drawers

One or two drawers keep the top clear and hide chargers, medication and the general clutter that gathers beside a bed. A three drawer bedside chest gives more storage but is taller and heavier looking, so it suits larger rooms or higher beds.

Open Shelves

An open shelf beneath the top is useful for books and baskets and keeps the piece looking lighter. It is a sensible option in small rooms where a solid cabinet might feel bulky.

Leggy Designs

Tables on slim legs show more floor, which makes a small bedroom feel larger. They are also easier to clean around. The trade off is that you lose some storage, so they work best if you already have a chest of drawers or wardrobe nearby.

Matching or Mismatched Pairs

In a double bedroom, two matching side tables create symmetry and a calm, hotel like feel. That works well when the bed is centred on a wall with equal space each side.

Many bedrooms are not symmetrical, though. A door or window may sit close to one side of the bed, leaving less room. In that case it is entirely reasonable to choose two different tables: a fuller cabinet on the roomier side and a slim table or wall shelf on the tighter side. Keeping the heights similar ties them together.

Small Bedrooms and Box Rooms

In a box room or a narrow second bedroom, every centimetre counts. A few approaches help:

• Choose a table no wider than 35cm and no deeper than 30cm.
• Consider a floating wall shelf or a wall mounted bedside unit if floor space is very limited, checking first whether your walls can take fixings.
• Use a wall light so the table does not need to hold a lamp.
• Pick a table with a drawer rather than a lower shelf, which keeps visual clutter down.

For more ideas specific to tight spaces, our article on fitting a bedside cabinet in a small UK bedroom goes into layout options in more detail.

Large Bedrooms

In a generous bedroom, the risk is the opposite: tables that look undersized. Here you can go wider, choose a deeper cabinet or use a small chest of drawers in place of a traditional bedside table. Scale up the lamp as well, so the whole arrangement feels in proportion with a large headboard.

If you have a statement bed with a tall headboard, the tables can sit a little higher than the mattress without looking odd, because the headboard sets a taller frame for the whole wall.

Putting It All Together

Once you have the key measurements, it helps to mark the footprint on the floor with masking tape and leave it for a day. Walk past it, get in and out of bed, open the doors and drawers nearby. This quick test shows you whether the size works in real life before you commit.

It is also worth planning the whole room together, so the bedside tables relate to the chest, wardrobe and bed rather than being chosen in isolation. If you want a straightforward reference for standard dimensions, our guide to bedside table measurements for UK bedrooms sets out the common sizes in one place.

You can explore every style we stock at Furniture in Fashion, from compact designs for box rooms to broader cabinets for larger bedrooms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should a bedside table be higher or lower than the bed?

Ideally level with the top of the mattress or slightly lower, within around 5cm. That makes it easy to reach from a lying or sitting position.

What is a good width for a bedside table next to a double bed?

Between 40cm and 50cm suits most double beds. Go a little wider beside a king size bed with a tall headboard.

How deep should a bedside table be in a small room?

Around 30cm is a sensible maximum in a tight room, as long as the top still holds what you need each night.

Do bedside tables have to match?

No. Matching pairs suit symmetrical rooms, but different tables on each side work well when one side of the bed has less space. Keeping the heights similar helps them look intentional.

Can I use a chest of drawers as a bedside table?

Yes, in a larger room a small chest of drawers can be a practical choice. Check that its height is close to your mattress height so it remains comfortable to use.