Featured item: Pedestal and Bedside Tables

Decorating Tips to Complete your Bedroom Look

If there’s one piece of bedroom furniture that’s really underrated, it’s the bedside pedestal. In most bedrooms, there isn’t space for much furniture besides the essentials. And one of those has to be the bedroom pedestal, or nightstand. Not only is this little night-time companion a must-have for functional reasons (how else are you going to hit the snooze button in your sleep?), but without it, it’ll feel like something’s missing from the room. As well as playing a key aesthetic role by visually ‘anchoring’ the bed, nightstands also give you a great opportunity to bring some unique personality and design flair to the bedroom – the one place where you want it to feel most you. 

The one catch is, it’s really easy for your pedestal to become a catch-all for all those random not-quite-collectibles you don’t have energy to deal with when you just want to flop into bed. So, the trick is to style it so beautifully that you’ll never want to (or need to) spoil it with a stray hankie or half-empty gum pack again! Allow us to set you on your way with some tips to take this bedroom essential from zero to bedside hero. 

Mix or match?

Depending on personal tastes and available space, bedside pedestals can take any form, from a simple shelf or table, to a small desk, cabinet or chest of drawers, to a stack of re-purposed crates or old suitcases. With so many choices, the question you might be left with is, do twin pedestals need to be a matching pair? While this remains the common look, there’s nothing to stop you mixing things up. Keeping to a similar height, and having at least one key matching piece, such as the lamps, on each side will help tie the look together.

Featured Products: Peyton Pedestal

Keep it simple with these bedside essentials

When it comes to decorating your pedestal, there’s just one rule you should try to follow: keep it simple. Of course that doesn’t mean bland or boring – it’s just about avoiding the clutter which can quickly take this small decorating surface from awesome to awkward. The simpler your pedestal design, the less you’ll want to load it with.

Stick to a few basics – a lamp and a couple of well balanced personal décor items (more on these below), leaving you with some clutter-free space to rest your night-time beverage and put your phone (aka alarm clock) on charge. If you’re short on a dressing table or just want access to more of your personal items at your bedside, then opt for a pedestal with drawers or other storage solutions to keep all those extra knick-knacks out of sight but still within arm’s reach.

Lighten up

Unless you have sconces or hanging lamps, a bedside lamp will be the first essential for your bedside pedestal – so it’s a good idea to start with this as your anchoring piece to work around. From more traditional lamp designs, to the wacky and wonderful, feel free to let your creative light shine, as this is an important visual accent that can add some real funk or flair to the room.

The one important thing is the lamp height, especially if you’re one to read in bed. A good rule of thumb for functionality and visual balance is to go for a lamp that measures about the same height as the pedestal itself.

And if you’re keen to lighten things up even more, acrylic and mirrored pedestals have become quite the trend to add some extra shimmer and shine.

Be a book thief

Books are a staple for bedside pedestals – especially unread ones. There’s no need to keep making excuses or pretending you’re going to get to them eventually, just own the fact and use them as a great piece of décor! If you love a more old-style, rustic look, nab a few canvas-bound classics out of your bookcase (or your dad’s). It’s a cheap and cool way to add some colour – plus, stacking two or three books horizontally will give you a handy little shelf to add some height for displaying one or two of the other items we’re about to get to…

Go organic

Nature-inspired elements really help to bring some life and vitality to a tired space (puns always intended). Flowers are always a treat for the senses, but if floral isn’t your thing, or you want a nice balance for his & hers, you could go with something more leafy, some miniature succulents, a bonsai tree, or perhaps an unusual piece of driftwood or large shell to get you dreaming of the sea.

Art piece or heart piece: the personal touch

To wrap up this little personality piece, it’s time to add something you really love staring at – and we’re not talking about your phone. Many people like to have a favourite framed photo at their bedside, but it might be a canvas print, quote, a treasured note, or a piece of art you love.

There’s no reason you can’t simply lean the frame against the wall – it’s a great use of space and will help make your pedestal décor really stand out.  Plus, no need to drill holes or risk bumping the frame over every time you reach for the Kleenex!

Designer pro tips

By mixing and matching your choice of these basic design elements, your bedroom pedestal will definitely start coming to life. And you can always judge whether there’s still space for a couple of practical or eye-catching extras to finish off the look. To help you bring it all together, here’s a few designer pro tips to keep in mind:

1. Colour in and outside the lines

If you like a laid-back, uniform look, it’s a good rule to stick to colours that are in the same family as the rest of your bedroom décor. On the other hand, if you want to bring a burst of interest to an otherwise uniform look, you can go crazy with colour on a smaller-size pedestal – it will make a big statement without overwhelming the space.

2. Add interest with shapes & layers

Vary the look with a mix of hard, straight edges, smooth lines and organic textures. Layering with different heights is also key to keeping things interesting, and don’t be afraid to let items overlap to add depth.

Featured item: Carlisle Pedestal

3. Don’t lose your balance

Overall, the key is creating a balanced look between your different décor items. Stand back and see if your eye comes to rest at a natural focal point – if things feel a bit confused or cluttered, make a few tweaks until you get that ‘aha’ feeling.

Of course, the perfect pedestal décor begins with finding the perfect pedestal! For a beautiful range of rustic, quirky and modern designs, view our full pedestal and beside table collection here for a dose of dreamy bedside inspiration.