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After almost 20 years, my husband and I decided it was time to upgrade from a queen- to a king-size bed in our summer home. We were accustomed to a larger mattress in our primary residence and were struggling to get a solid night’s sleep lying closer together in a tighter space. However, we hit several roadblocks during this project. By walking you through our journey to expand our sleep space, I hope it will help you solve similar challenges in your own home.
Once we decided that having a king-size bed was non-negotiable, we measured the only wall in the room designed for a bed. Unfortunately, the bedroom layout was such that the other walls in the room had either windows or doors, preventing a bed from fitting there. We quickly discovered that there was no way for us to place a king size bed, plus the two existing nightstands that matched our dresser, along the wall where our current queen-size bed sat.
How We Overcame Our Space Constraints
For months we brainstormed, argued, and researched our options. Should one of us give up a nightstand? Should we start over with all new furniture? Was there any other possible way to rearrange the furniture in the room?
We searched endlessly online for nightstands that would fit but couldn’t find anything that would work. We became more and more frustrated as we kept running into obstacles, given our goals and constraints. There was even a period in which we punted and almost gave up on the mattress upgrade dream altogether. Eventually, we found a creative solution: custom nightstands to match our existing dresser.
By hiring a woodworking expert, we were able to fit two skinny nightstands on each side of the larger bed. This meant sacrificing some surface and storage space, but kept two useful drawers in each nightstand. The old nightstands were 22 inches wide and 18.5 inches deep. Our new ones are only 14 inches wide, but 20 inches deep to recoup some size.
I’m also proud to say that our old nightstands didn’t go to waste; we revamped them with a fun DIY project. We painted them white and moved them to our daughter’s bedroom since she needed a new dresser anyway. We purchased a dresser with the same general design, including the handles, and then matched the paint hue for the nightstands.
Choosing the Best Lighting
The next big challenge was lighting. Since the custom nightstands were not as wide as typical ones, it wasn’t feasible to use our table lamps. Fortunately, after some shopping around, we discovered that we could easily hang light fixtures from the ceiling to save space. We purchased two Henveton Modern Integrated LED Pendant fixtures from The Home Depot. We chose the brushed nickel finish, but they also come in black and gold.
We love these reasonably priced modern pendants with their distinctive spiral design. They add a special artistic element to the room in addition to dimmable light. These LED lights are both fashionable and eco-friendly and they save energy. They were fairly easy to install, and the height is adjustable for a variety of spaces and purposes. With our new nightstands reaching 22.5 inches tall, the bottom of the fixture ends up hanging 2 feet above the nightstand.
Other Possible Solutions That Might Work for You
While we are thrilled with how we tackled this home improvement challenge, it’s valuable to review some of the other possible solutions we pondered in case one of them works better for your specific situation.
Use a single nightstand.
While neither my husband nor I was willing to give up our own nightstand, this is a possible solution to save space (and money) if one partner is willing to make the sacrifice. With this arrangement, you will still have bedside storage for items like phones, water, and books that both people can access.
However, a single nightstand can create an imbalance in the bedroom layout aesthetically. It also causes imbalance because one person acts as the gatekeeper of items stored in and on the nightstand. This can quickly become annoying if one person is constantly reaching over the other to turn off the alarm clock, for example. Also, the single surface can easily become cluttered since two people share the space.
Install floating shelves.
Floating shelves mounted on the wall next to or above a bed offer an alternative when space is too limited for traditional nightstands. They free up valuable floor space while still providing essential bedside storage. You can customize shelves to accommodate different mattress heights and personal preferences. They also create a clean modern aesthetic that can make a small room feel more spacious. Plus, installing floating shelves is typically less expensive than purchasing nightstands.
The drawbacks are that the shelves aren’t as stable for supporting heavy items and don’t provide enclosed storage, which can make the room look cluttered. And, of course, you’ll want to be careful not to bump your head.
Choose a headboard with storage.
Another possibility is to purchase a headboard with built-in storage and/or shelving or have one custom designed. This will eliminate the need for separate nightstands entirely. These headboards typically feature integrated shelves, cubbies, drawers, or compartments within arm’s reach of both partners. Modern storage headboards might even include built-in charging ports and LED lights. This a sleek look, and you’ll probably enjoy more storage than you would find with a regular nightstand.
The biggest drawback is that these pieces of furniture tend to be expensive and often require professional installation. They might also feel too bulky depending on the design and how large your bedroom measures.
Buy a storage bench or ottoman.
While we don’t have the space at the foot of our bed, a possible solution is to forgo nightstands and add a bench, ottoman, or chest with plenty of storage for both people to use. The main advantage is that this piece of furniture provides substantial enclosed storage space for items typically kept in a nightstand, in addition to extra bedding, pillows, and clothing. The flat top surface can handle shared items like a lamp, books, or decorative objects. It also doubles as a seating area for watching television or putting on shoes.
The main problem with this option is how far the bench sits is from the head of the bed, which makes it difficult to reach items you might want while resting in bed. It also means you have no space to place a book, water bottle, or glasses when you are ready to turn over and fall asleep. You might still need floating shelves and/or wall-mounted charging stations for this to work.
Move.
Just kidding! (Although, we definitely talked about it.)
