Bedside Cabinets Buying Guide
In the days before flushing toilets, the main purpose of
having a bedside table was to store a chamber pot for use during
the night. In Victorian times, another name for such a bedside
cabinet was a “commode”, which comes from the French word for
“convenient” or “suitable”. As well as an enclosed area below
for the chamber pot, a commode would also have a wash hand basin
and a water pitcher on top. Thankfully the bedside table is no
longer needed exclusively for a chamber pot!Functions of a
bedside cabinetThe functions of a bedside table, or nightstand
as it is also known, have changed significantly since the days
when they were used as chamber pot storage! Now, most people use
their bedside table or bedside cabinet to store anything they
might need during the night. Reading glasses, a glass of water,
an alarm clock, books and a lamp are commonly found on top of or
inside bedside tables these days.
The name rather gives it away – most are placed right next to
a bed. Occasionally they are found in other parts of the
bedroom, and they can sometimes be used in other rooms too, as
small tables.
There isn’t a lot of space on top of a nightstand, but
there’s plenty room for all the essentials. Many people keep
framed photos of their family and friends or ornaments on there
too.
Most bedside tables have drawers or a small cupboard or both.
These can be used to store things you need close to you during
the night, like medication or an extra blanket. You can also use
your bedside table to store clothes, cosmetics and other items
you keep in your bedroom.
Bedside tables, especially one at either side of a double
bed, can add balance and real elegance to a bedroom.
Bedside tables come in many different forms. PineSolutions
has cabinets made out of everything from oak to mirrored glass.
Our bedside tables have anything from one to six drawers. Some
have just drawers, some have just a cupboard, and some have a
mix of a cupboard and drawers.
There are four steps to choosing a great bedside
table:
Look at the current decor in your bedroom.
If you have wooden furniture, pay special
attention to its type and colour. You’ll want to
pick out a bedside cabinet that matches or
complements your existing furniture.
Do you want a modern or traditional bedside
cabinet? We have both: take a look at our
contemporary oak bedside chest or the
traditional Belgravia.
How much do you want to store in it? Our
bedside cabinets range from having one small
drawer to having six.
Think about whether you want to assemble the
cabinet yourself or not. PineSolutions stocks
both fully
assembled and
flat pack
bedside cabinets.
The best way to keep your new bedside table in good condition
is to clean and protect it with good-quality beeswax. You should
also keep your bedside cabinet away from strong sunlight and
take care not to place it in front of, or next to, a radiator.
The heat might cause shrinkage and loosen joints and veneers.
If you choose a flat pack bedside table, here are our top tips
for assembling it yourself:
Lay a blanket down on the surface you’re going to use to
assemble your bedside cabinet to prevent scratching and damage
to both the surface and the cabinet.
Take all the pieces out of the packaging carefully and lay
them out. Make sure you have everything you need before you
start.
Lay out your tools – hammer, screwdriver, etc.
Lay out the various panels and identify each panel with a
post it note, indicating left/right/top/bottom.
Get to work!
If you don’t want to, or are unable to, assemble your flat
pack furniture yourself, we recommend Flat Pack Amigos
(www.flatpackamigos.com), who have furniture assemblers
nationwide.