The Top 10 Bedside Tables

Rest assured—designers Shawn Henderson and Marie Turner Carson have taken the measure of these nighttime essentials that are crucial for any bedroom.

The Experts
MARIE TURNER CARSON

The decorator joins her mother and sister in running the California firm M. Elle Design. The family's Idaho retreat graced our December 2010/January 2011 cover.

SHAWN HENDERSON

Based in New York, this designer infuses his interiors and furniture line, Amalgam, with modern sophistication. Current projects include a Mississippi estate and a home in Aspen, Colorado.

In 18th-century France, the latest bedroom accessory, the chamber pot, prompted the invention of a new piece of furniture. Early bedside tables--some with legs styled after classical columns--kept the vessels from view by way of a hidden cabinet. Today, nightstands fulfill a different purpose, but one no less important, providing a place for a lamp, reading material, and more.

For designer Shawn Henderson, a drawer or shelf is a plus. "The more storage, the better," he says. Another key element is size: His rule of thumb is to have the nightstand no more than two inches taller than the mattress. If using a mixed set, he says, make sure the heights are consistent. "It's important for lamps to sit at the same level."

Decorator Marie Turner Carson uses both table lamps and wall-mounted ones, which can offer better reading light and free up space for books, flowers, and other objects. "Accessorizing," she says, "makes the bedroom feel finished."

The designers with bedside tables by Rose Tarlow Melrose House and Pacific Connections.

ANGLESEY END TABLE BY RALPH LAUREN HOME

With its candlestick-shaped base and mahogany veneer, this American Empire--style table has a traditional bent, says Shawn Henderson. "This has an amazing sculptural quality," he says, and pictures it topped with a chinoiserie lamp; "It would also be handsome in a masculine room dressed in suiting fabrics." But it does lack a drawer, he points out. To Marie Turner Carson, the round top "can loosen up a space that's too angular--plus, there are no sharp corners." She suggests placing an elegant box on top to hold everyday essentials. 24" dia. x 28" h.; $3,435; ralphlaurenhome.com.

 MANNING SIDE TABLE BY MITCHELL GOLD + BOB WILLIAMS

"I like how the drawer floats," says Carson, praising the table's ultramodern stainless steel frame. The dark ash veneer and opaque glass top create a striking palette, she says, adding, "I'd warm this up with photography books and fresh flowers." The clear glass shelf catches Henderson's eye: "It's light but adds function." A narrower version is also offered. 26" w. x 19" d. x 28" h.; $995;mgbwhome.com.

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