This week I met a client in an apartment in the Melbourne CBD. It was a two bedroom apartment. The larger bedroom didn’t have room for a queen sized bed and two bedside tables. My client wants a queen sized bed so I shared some ideas for bedside table alternatives.
Key functionality for bedside table
While each client needs a bedside table for different reasons there are three key reasons to want a bedside table.
I think the first reason clients like or need a bedside table is for low ambient light. As the bedroom’s main function is rest and relaxation, it makes to get ready for bed in low light.
Low light signals the body that it’s time to wind down and relax. Visual cues such as low light, pyjamas and a bedroom all tell the body it’s time to sleep.
Another reason clients want a bedside table is for storage. To keep glasses, a glass of water, books and other bits and pieces. Personally I keep a journal in my bedside table.
The final reason clients want a bedside table is to extend the interior design story or style.
Shelf in bedhead
In an apartment the vertical space is a viable option for various storage solutions. Essentially the bedhead can be used to store some bits and pieces.
You can find a bedhead with a shelf in the front or the sides. Which you prefer is personal but it also depends on the space you have on either side of the bed.
In this scenario you can add dimmable lights to the walls, instead of having a traditional bedside table lamps.
A variation of this idea is a simple floating shelf. This works well with just a mattress and bedbase and a feature wall. Not everybody will be comfortable with the notion of something above your head that could fall but it works for some people.
Baskets
Another bedside table alternative would be baskets under the bed. This means the bed base will need to be elevated.
Your base could also have pigeon hole type compartments that could store baskets. Again you would need some space around the bed (negative space) to ensure you can pull these in and out.
Apartments which are on the smaller side require a different mindset. A clutter free, minimal approach to furniture and furnishings.
My client is an academic moving from a family county house to an inner city apartment. This is not just a move, it’s a lifestyle change.
So the pieces in the apartment need to reflect this change in lifestyle. She acknowledged she need to cull and cull some more as there was simply not enough room for all their stuff.
I reminded my client that they will use their apartment differently to a house, possibly spend more time exploring the Melbourne CBD, visiting their sons who live in Toorak or taking advantage of the amenities in the apartment building.
My point being that less is more in an apartment setting and these bedside table alternatives provide a good solution when space is tight.
