Aim for a bedroom side table top level with your mattress or up to 2 inches above it. For most standard beds, that means a height of 24 to 28 inches.
For the full breakdown, see our best Bedroom Side Table guide.
Get the height wrong, and every glass of water sits just out of comfortable reach — which is why bedroom side tables live or die on one number: the distance from the floor to your mattress top.
The typical range is 24 to 28 inches high, 18 to 24 inches wide, and 14 to 18 inches deep. But those numbers only work if they line up with your actual bed. Here’s how to measure, what to look for at each bed type, and where most shoppers go wrong.
What Height Should A Bedside Table Be?
The tabletop should sit level with the top of your mattress, or up to 2 inches higher. Measuring is a two-minute job and it beats guessing every time.
Measure from the floor to the top of the mattress — not the bed frame, not the box spring. Write that number down.
- Platform beds with an 18–22 in mattress height pair with a 20–24 in table.
- Standard beds at 23–26 in call for a 24–28 in table.
- Pillow-top or box spring beds at 27–32 in need a 28–32 in table.
A table a couple inches high still works; one that sits noticeably below the mattress turns reaching for a lamp into a stretch. A mattress topper or a new foundation changes your mattress height — and with it, the ideal table height.
How Wide And Deep Should It Be?
Most bedrooms work with a table 18 to 24 inches wide and 14 to 18 inches deep. Width is the easier call: aim for about half to three-quarters of your mattress width, and larger beds can carry wider tables without looking crowded.
Depth matters more than people expect. A 14–18 inch depth keeps walkways clear and lets drawers open without banging into the bed or the wall. Oversized tables are the quiet cause of cramped bedrooms — the room shrinks before you notice why.
| Bed Type | Mattress Height | Table Height |
|---|---|---|
| Platform bed | 18–22 in | 20–24 in |
| Standard bed | 23–26 in | 24–28 in |
| Pillow-top or box spring | 27–32 in | 28–32 in |
| Average across types | — | About 25 in |
| Common width range | — | 18–24 in wide |
| Common depth range | — | 14–18 in deep |
| Proportional width rule | — | ½ to ¾ of mattress width |
Height guidance for bedside tables follows the same logic Ideal Home and Feather & Black use in their sizing writeups: match the mattress, not the aesthetic. Bedsizes.com’s bedside table size reference lands on the same 24–28 inch band for standard setups.
Living Room Side Table Vs Bedroom Nightstand
A side table and a nightstand are not the same piece, and sizing them by the same rule causes mismatches. Living-room side tables are measured against chair or sofa arms; bedroom tables are measured against the mattress top.
That’s the whole distinction, and it matters when you shop a multi-purpose table online. A gorgeous accent table sized for a sofa arm will likely sit too low beside a pillow-top bed, even if its footprint looks right in photos.
If a lamp is going on top, the height alignment matters even more — matching the tabletop to your mattress keeps the shade at a comfortable viewing angle and the switch within easy reach. If you’d rather skip the measuring work, a tested roundup of bedroom side tables takes the guesswork out of the shortlist.
What Are The Most Common Mistakes?
The biggest one is buying a table that sits clearly below mattress height. It looks fine in the store and feels wrong every night.
The second is treating width as the only constraint. A table that’s the right height but 26 inches deep can block a closet door or leave no room to pull out a drawer. Measure your walkway before you commit, not after delivery.
Third is ignoring future changes. Swap in a thicker mattress or add a topper, and the table you matched last year now sits an inch or two low. Buying slightly taller than your current mattress gives you room to adjust later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a nightstand be higher or lower than the mattress?
Level or slightly higher is the goal — no more than about 2 inches above the mattress top. A table that sits noticeably lower makes everyday items like lamps and phones harder to reach, and it’s the most common sizing mistake shoppers make.
How do I measure for a bedside table?
Run a tape measure from the floor straight up to the top surface of your mattress. That number is your target table height. Measure once with the bedding removed if you want the most accurate reading, then add 1 to 2 inches if you prefer a slightly taller table.
Is 24 inches too tall for a nightstand?
Not usually. A 24-inch table is the low end of the standard range and pairs well with platform beds and lower mattress setups. Against a pillow-top bed sitting at 27 inches or higher, it will read as too short.
References & Sources
- Ideal Home. “How Tall Should a Bedside Table Be?” Covers recommended bedside table height relative to mattress height.
- Feather & Black. “Bedside Table Height Guide.” Provides height ranges matched to bed and mattress types.
- BedSizes.com. “Bedside Table Size.” Lists typical bedside table dimensions for height, width, and depth.