Updated 6 November 2026 · By the 10Grains team
The short answer: a small bedside table is 30 to 45 cm wide and 30 to 40 cm deep, and its top should sit within about 5 cm of your mattress top. Tight gap? Go down to 20 to 25 cm wide. No floor to spare? Choose a wall-mounted floating table.
- Narrowest: Slim Drawer & Shelf Pair (20 cm wide, set of 2)
- Shallowest: Slim Tower Table (25 cm deep)
- Best with charging: Slim Charging Pair (25 cm wide, set of 2)
- Most drawers: 3-Drawer Table (three drawers, 40 cm wide)
- Best for a high bed: Tall Narrow Pair (75 cm tall, set of 2)
- Best with no floor space: Fluted Floating Pair (wall-mounted, set of 2)
Small bedrooms have a habit of ending about 30 cm before your furniture does. The bed goes in, and your phone, glasses, water and book spend the night on the floor, where you will find them with your foot.
A small bedside table fixes that, as long as it fits the gap and sits at the right height. Slide the finder to the width you have, and the gallery shows only the tables that fit. Every photo is a real product photo, and every price is live.
Find a small bedside table that fits your gap
Sizes come from each product's listing, and for sets they are per table. Sets show the price for the pair. Photos are shown at the same size, not to scale, so check the measurements under each photo.
What size counts as a small bedside table?
A small bedside table is usually 30 to 45 cm wide and 30 to 40 cm deep. Below 30 cm you are in slim territory, where the top holds a phone, a glass and very little else. Here is how those footprints compare with a sheet of A4.
Seen from above, to scale at 3 px per cm. Width × depth, in cm. A dashed sheet of A4 is there for comparison, and it is also a decent way to judge the slim ones at home.
Depth matters too. In a narrow bedroom, a 40 cm deep table can be the difference between walking past it and shuffling past it.
How tall should a bedside table be?
Aim for a table within about 5 cm of your mattress top. At that height, you can reach your water without sitting up or knocking it off with your elbow. It's a rule of thumb, not a law.
Drawn to scale at 2 px per cm. The green band is 5 cm either side of the mattress top, the zone to aim for. Your mattress top will be somewhere else, so measure it.
Measure your own mattress top, then slide this to the same number. It lists the freestanding tables in this guide that land in the zone.
Wall-mounted tables are left out, because you choose their height when you fit them.
How do you measure for a small bedside table?
Measure the gap at floor level, from the bed frame to the wall or the wardrobe. Take the frame, not the mattress, since frames are often wider.
Allow a little breathing space. Take off a few centimetres so the table isn't wedged in and you can still tuck in the sheets.
Measure the mattress top from the floor, and add a topper if you use one.
Check what opens nearby. Bedroom doors, wardrobe doors and bed-storage drawers all need room to swing or slide.
Find your socket. If it's behind the table, check that the plug still fits. Listings with a charging station may state a cable length, so check that too.
How wide does a room need to be for two bedside tables?
Add the bed width, the width of both tables and around 5 cm of space beside each table. For a double bed, that's about 195 cm with 25 cm wide tables, or 225 cm with 40 cm wide tables.
| Bed | Mattress width | Room width, 25 cm tables | Room width, 40 cm tables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small double | 120 cm | 180 cm | 210 cm |
| Double | 135 cm | 195 cm | 225 cm |
| King | 150 cm | 210 cm | 240 cm |
| Super king | 180 cm | 240 cm | 270 cm |
These figures use standard UK mattress widths, and bed frames are often wider, so use your frame's real width if you have it. They also leave no walkway down either side.
Which small bedside table suits which bedroom?
Box room
Up to 30 cm gapWith the bed against one wall, you only need one table, or even half a pair. A slim table takes the phone and the book.
See:
Tight double
30–40 cm gap each sideLook for a shallow table, so you can still walk round it. A drawer keeps the top from turning into a shelf of odds and ends.
See:
Low or platform bed
Mattress top under 50 cmMost standard tables will tower over a low bed. Pick something around 47 to 50 cm, or hang a floating one low.
See:
High divan or ottoman bed
Mattress top over 65 cmA tall table saves the downward stretch.
See:
Guest room
Keep it simpleGuests need a lamp, a glass and somewhere to charge a phone. A charging table saves them crawling behind the bed.
See:
Floor is at a premium
Clear floor belowFloating tables let you see more floor, which helps a small room feel bigger. A raised base is the freestanding alternative.
See:
Drawer, cupboard or open shelf?
- Drawers hide the clutter and need room in front to pull out. Check the drawer's inner size in the listing, because slim tables have slim drawers. The narrowest here has a drawer just 11.5 cm wide inside.
- Cupboards hold taller things, like a box of tissues or a stack of books. Hinged doors need swing room. The doesn't, because its doors slide.
- Open shelves are good for books and a basket, and they make a small table look lighter. Everything on them stays on show.
Are floating bedside tables a good idea?
They are a good idea if you need the floor space and have a wall that can take the fixings. The trade-off is load: the Compact Floating Pair is rated 8 kg overall per table and the Fluted Floating Pair 11 kg, so go easy on the hardbacks. Check your wall first with our guide to wall fixings and what your wall can take.
Small bedside tables compared
| Bedside table | Size (W × D × H, cm) | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Slim Drawer & Shelf Pair | 20 × 30 × 50 | drawers, open shelf, set of 2 |
| Slim Cupboard Pair | 25 × 30 × 60 | cupboard, open shelf, set of 2 |
| Slim Charging Pair | 25 × 30 × 60 | cupboard, open shelf, charging, set of 2 |
| Slim Tower Table | 30 × 25 × 65 | drawers, open shelf |
| Tall Narrow Pair | 30 × 30 × 75 | drawers, open shelf, set of 2 |
| Compact Floating Pair | 35 × 32 × 22.5 | wall-mounted, drawers, open shelf, set of 2 |
| Narrow Rattan Table | 39 × 35 × 60 | cupboard, open shelf |
| Fluted Floating Pair | 40 × 34 × 29 | wall-mounted, drawers, open shelf, set of 2 |
| Cubby Table | 40 × 30 × 60 | drawers, open shelf |
| Charging Table with Side Pocket | 40 × 30 × 60 | drawers, open shelf, charging |
| Fluted Charging Pair | 40 × 30 × 60 | drawers, open shelf, charging, set of 2 |
| 3-Drawer Table | 40 × 35 × 58 | drawers |
| Fluted Hairpin Table | 40 × 40 × 47 | drawers |
| LED Gloss Table | 45 × 35 × 52 | drawers |
| Reed Bedside Cabinet | 45 × 33 × 58 | drawers, open shelf |
| Raised Ridged Table | 48 × 30.8 × 60 | drawers |
| Sliding-Door Table | 48 × 40 × 48 | cupboard |
Want to see more? Browse all bedside tables. For what those load ratings really mean, see how to read a furniture load rating.
Small bedside tables: your questions answered
What size is a small bedside table?
A small bedside table is usually 30 to 45 cm wide and 30 to 40 cm deep. Anything 20 to 25 cm wide is a slim table for tight gaps. The tables in this guide run from 20 to 48 cm wide.
How tall should a bedside table be?
Aim for a table within about 5 cm of the top of your mattress, so measure the mattress top first. Most mattress tops are somewhere around 50 to 65 cm from the floor, but low platform beds and high divans fall outside that.
Can you fit a bedside table in a small bedroom?
Usually, yes. A 20 or 25 cm wide table fits gaps that a standard table will not, and a floating table frees up the floor altogether. Check that doors and drawers can still open before you buy.
Should bedside tables match?
No. They can match, or you can use two different tables of a similar height. Sets of two make matching simple, and a pair also makes sense when each side of the bed has its own lamp, phone and book.
Can you wall-mount a bedside table on plasterboard?
Sometimes, but it depends on the wall and the fixings. Find out what your wall is made of first, use fixings rated for it, and remember the load limit too: the two floating pairs in this guide are rated 8 kg and 11 kg overall per table.
Is a bedside table with a charging station worth it?
It is worth it if your nearest socket is hidden behind the bed. The Slim Charging Pair and Fluted Charging Pair each have 2 AC outlets, 1 USB port and 1 USB-C port per table. Plug the table straight into a wall socket. Our cable management ideas will help with the rest.
Got an awkward gap? Tell us the measurements and we'll try to help. Leave a comment below.
