Furniture with a cable opening solves a specific modern problem: phones, tablets, lamps, speakers and televisions all need power, and bedrooms were not designed for any of it. A cable cut out is simply a hole or a notch in the back panel that lets a lead pass through without the furniture sitting proud of the wall. It sounds minor. In practice it is the difference between a tidy bedside cabinet and one with a cable draped over the front of it.<\/p>\n
Below are fifteen types of bedroom furniture where the feature genuinely earns its place, along with what to look for in each. The principle throughout is the same: the opening should sit low on the back panel, be large enough for a plug where needed, and allow the piece to stand flush against the wall.<\/p>\n
1. Bedside cabinets with a rear notch.<\/strong> The most useful application of all. A notch cut into the bottom of the back panel lets a charger lead reach a socket while the cabinet sits tight to the skirting. Look for a cut out at least 40mm across so a moulded plug head can pass through during installation.<\/p>\n 2. Bedside cabinets with an internal charging drawer.<\/strong> A step further: the cable enters at the back and terminates inside a drawer, so a phone charges out of sight. This keeps the surface clear and stops the cable being pulled when the drawer opens, provided there is a service loop inside.<\/p>\n 3. Floating bedside shelves.<\/strong> Wall mounted units with a rear channel keep the floor clear and hide the lead behind the unit. They suit narrow gaps between a bed and a wall where a full cabinet will not fit.<\/p>\n 4. Ottoman and storage beds with a headboard opening.<\/strong> Some frames include a cable route through or behind the headboard for a reading light or a phone. Check that the opening is positioned where your sockets actually are before assuming it will help.<\/p>\n 5. Bedside tables with a top surface grommet.<\/strong> A circular grommet in the top lets a short cable rise to a lamp or a charging stand without lying across the surface. It works best when the lamp position is fixed.<\/p>\n Across our modern bedside cabinets UK sale<\/a> range the cable detail is listed in the specification, which is worth checking since two visually identical cabinets can differ on this alone.<\/p>\n 6. Dressing tables with a rear cable opening.<\/strong> Essential if you use hair tools. The opening lets an extension or a plug sit behind the table, keeping the top clear and avoiding a cable running over the edge where it can be caught.<\/p>\n 7. Dressing tables with lit mirrors.<\/strong> Where a mirror includes integrated lighting, the cable route is usually built into the frame and exits at the back. Confirm whether the unit is plug in or requires wiring, since the two suit very different rooms.<\/p>\n 8. Chests of drawers with a rear notch.<\/strong> Useful when the chest carries a television, a speaker or a lamp. The notch allows the unit to sit flush while still reaching a socket behind it.<\/p>\n 9. Tall narrow chests used as media units.<\/strong> In smaller bedrooms a tall chest often doubles as a stand for a television. A cable opening at the top rear of the back panel is more useful here than one at the bottom, since it keeps the lead run short.<\/p>\n 10. Wardrobes with an internal cable route.<\/strong> Less common but very practical where a wardrobe houses a router, a safe with a light or an internal LED strip. Look for a small grommet in the base or the rear panel.<\/p>\n Our modern chest of drawers UK sale<\/a> and modern dressing tables UK<\/a> ranges include several designs with these details built in rather than added afterwards.<\/p>\n 11. Television stands sized for a bedroom.<\/strong> Bedroom televisions usually sit on a lower and narrower stand than a living room equivalent. A full width cable channel across the back, rather than a single hole, makes managing several leads far easier.<\/p>\n 12. Entertainment units with rear ventilation and cable access.<\/strong> Where a set top box or a games console lives in the bedroom, airflow matters as much as cable routing. An open back or a large rear cut out handles both.<\/p>\n 13. Wall mounted television panels.<\/strong> These conceal the cable run entirely behind a panel, which is the tidiest solution where the television is mounted rather than stood. Our modern TV stands UK sale<\/a> selection shows both stand and panel formats side by side.<\/p>\n 14. Compact desks used as dressing or work surfaces.<\/strong> A desk in a bedroom needs the same cable discipline as one in an office. A grommet in the top plus a notch at the back keeps a laptop charger and a lamp lead from tangling.<\/p>\n 15. Bedside and bedroom cabinets with integrated sockets.<\/strong> The most complete version of the idea: a unit with a socket or a USB point built into the carcass, fed by a single lead to the wall. It removes the need for a socket beside the bed entirely, though it does require the single feed cable to be routed neatly.<\/p>\n Position is more important than presence. A cut out at the top of a back panel is useless if your socket sits at skirting level, and one at the bottom is awkward for a lamp standing on top. Look at the photographs of the rear panel, not just the specification line.<\/p>\n Size determines whether you can fit the plug through. Many openings are sized for a bare cable rather than a moulded three pin plug, which means threading the lead before fitting the plug is not an option. An opening of 50mm or more is comfortable. Anything under 30mm will only take slim leads.<\/p>\n Check the back panel construction as well. A thin hardboard back with a punched hole can tear over time if the cable is repeatedly pulled. A solid panel with a finished grommet ring will not.<\/p>\nStorage and dressing pieces<\/h3>\n
Media and desk furniture in the bedroom<\/h3>\n
What to check before you buy<\/h3>\n