Perhaps the most overlooked - and at the same time, very useful and handy - furniture in your home is the pair of bedside tables. Usually overused, overstuffed and unnoticed, it is often a dumping ground for all sorts of things - books, alarm clock, money receipts, money and wallet, mobile phones, a glass of water and so on - a refuge for an array of things.

But jazzing up your nightstand could just be the big difference between a drab and messy bedroom and one that is tasteful. 

Only the essentials, please

But that does not mean that you do not keep anything useful. Instead of randomly putting things there and making a pile of things-you-will-need-sooner-or-later, make proper use of it. Your nightstand should offer you those things that you will need after you have retired for the night, such as an alarm clock, a glass of water, reading lamp, the book that you are currently reading, etc.

Harmony or chaos?

Both work, really. If you have a teeny tiny bit of OCD, symmetry is of course your way to go. Get an identical pair of bedside tables, and have similar contents on both: candles, clocks and artworks of similar shapes, colours and sizes. The balance and uniformity provides a sense of harmony and relaxation for many.

On the other hand, you might want to mix it all up. For example, as long as the tables are of the same height and have similar finishes or have the same kind of lamps, you can have the nightstands in different colours or styles.

Which way you will go of course depends on the overall style of your room.

Something living and growing

You might consider putting fresh flowers, plants or perhaps even a fish bowl on your bedside table. Having something organic and natural does not just add to the visual appeal but also helps soothe your nerves while you are trying to sleep. But first do make sure that your hand does not punch through one of them while you're asleep!

Keep the nightstand at a slight distance and not attached to the bed, if you are a feisty sleeper, that is.

Customise

Everyone is different, and so should every pair of bedside tables. When buying a bed, you might have a range of options from which you can select the nightstand from. And if you are making a customised one instead of simply buying it off the 'shelf', the range is much bigger.

So, carefully consider your needs. Do you want your bedside table to have drawers so that they host a range of stuff? What are the space constraints and how big or small do you want it to be? Which theme, colour and style complement your bedroom?

Sleep on it before you come to a conclusion!

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed