What if you have a nightstand that is not high enough - but you love it and would not want to replace it with something else? In this article, we’ll show you some practical ways to make your nightstand taller.
How high should a nightstand be?
First of all: is there an ideal height for a nightstand? Well, it depends on the height of your bed.
Tip: As a general rule of thumb, the top of your nightstand and the top of your mattress should have the same height, or optionally, your nightstand can be a bit taller (like 2-4” taller).
Of course, there are a lot of other arrangements that work fine - and as always, the most important is that you should feel comfortable with it.
If you feel that your nightstand is not tall enough, you do not need to make a compromise. There are several ideas that you can use to make it taller - let’s see them one-by-one.
5+1 ways to make your nightstand taller
Add / replace legs
The easiest way to make your nightstands taller is replacing their legs. If the legs are dismountable, you are lucky, but if not, you can still select the classic (bit brutal, but efficient) way: the handsaw. When adding the new legs, make sure the style matches your nightstand style.
Add leg extenders (nightstand risers)
Leg extenders, sometimes referred to as furniture risers, can be added to the bottom of the legs, increasing the height by a few inches. Usually, the height is adjustable so you can set the exact height you need and also you can overcome the unevenness of the floor.
Create a base platform
In this case, the nightstand is not modified. Instead, you can create a rectangular (or circular - depending on the shape of your nightstand) platform and place your nightstands on it. Such platforms can be made of wood, but also using sheetrock.
Add an extra shelf
You can mount an extra shelf on top of your nightstand or simply install a floating shelf above your nightstand, to the wall, but close enough to it so it looks as a coherent unit. Some examples below.
Mount it to the wall
By mounting your nightstand to the wall, you are not limited to its height - you can mount it as high or as low as you prefer to have it. As a wall-mounted nightstand with legs would look awkward, we recommend disassembling the legs so you can create a look that suggests it is a wall-mounted nightstand by purpose.
The variable height is actually a great advantage of wall-mounted and floating nightstands. We at mybettershelf are specialized in designing and making floating nightstands. Our customers love the flexibility these furniture offer, as they can precisely set their mounting height.
Bonus tip: increase the height optically
In some cases it is enough just to have something on your nightstand that creates a higher look, while the physical height of the furniture remains the same. You can use a lamp, a vase with flower or other natural decoration, maybe a large artwork to increase the height optically. If you are interested in nightstand styling, make sure to read our recent article for details: Nightstand decor ideas according to pros
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