Bedside Table Buying Guide: Sizes, Height & Storage

A standard bedside table in Australia measures roughly 40 to 60 cm wide, 35 to 50 cm deep and 50 to 70 cm tall, with the ideal height sitting within 5 to 8 cm of the top of your mattress so you can reach essentials without stretching. The right size depends on your bed (single through king), your storage needs (drawers versus open shelving) and how much floor space sits between the bed and the wall. Below we break down the standard dimensions, match them to bed sizes, and cover the storage, material and style choices worth thinking about before you buy.

Key Takeaways

• Standard bedside table dimensions are roughly 40 to 60 cm wide, 35 to 50 cm deep and 50 to 70 cm tall, with height being the most important measurement because it should sit near the top of your mattress.

• The ideal bedside table height is within 5 to 8 cm of the top of your mattress, so a lamp, water glass or phone is easy to reach without straining.

• Match table width to bed size: compact tables (35 to 45 cm wide) suit single and king single beds, while larger tables (50 to 60 cm wide) balance visually next to double, queen and king beds.

• Drawers hide clutter, open shelves display and access faster: the best choice depends on whether you want your bedside to look tidy or to grab things quickly.

• Bedside tables don't have to match each other in modern styling, though matching pairs still deliver the calmest, most symmetrical look for shared bedrooms.

Standard Bedside Table Dimensions (Comparison Table)

Standard Australian bedside tables generally fall within 40 to 60 cm wide, 35 to 50 cm deep and 50 to 70 cm tall, though the "right" size for your room depends on your bed dimensions and available floor space. The table below gives you a quick reference for compact, standard and larger options, plus how each one maps to Koala's current range so you can see real product dimensions alongside industry norms.

Width & Depth

Bedside table width usually sits between 40 and 60 cm, and depth between 35 and 50 cm, because that's the range that fits comfortably next to a bed frame without crowding the walkway. Wider tables (55 to 60 cm) can hold a lamp, phone, water glass, book and a small plant without feeling cramped, while narrower tables (40 to 45 cm) suit tighter rooms where every centimetre of floor space matters. Depth matters less for what sits on top, but it does affect how much drawer storage you get: a 40 cm depth typically fits a paperback book flat inside a drawer, while 30 cm depth is closer to a wireless charger and small tray.

Leave at least 60 cm between the side of your bed frame and the wall so you can pull drawers open or walk past comfortably. In smaller rooms, a floating or wall-mount bedside skips the footprint entirely and gives you the surface area without eating floor space.

Height

Bedside table height should sit within 5 to 8 cm of the top of your mattress, which for most Australian setups lands between 50 and 70 cm off the floor. This "arm's reach" rule means you can lift a water glass or hit snooze without leaning down or stretching up, and it keeps the visual line of the bedroom balanced rather than lopsided. If your mattress is a taller pocket spring or hybrid on a platform base, aim for a taller bedside; if your mattress sits lower on a bed base with a shallow frame, a shorter bedside fits better.

Measure from the floor to the top of your made bed (mattress plus any topper) before you buy. If the number lands between 55 and 65 cm, most standard bedside tables (roughly 50 cm tall) will feel just right, because you want the tabletop to sit slightly below or level with the mattress surface. Anything more than 10 cm above or below the mattress top starts to feel awkward.

What Size Bedside Table Do I Need for My Bed

The right bedside table size depends on your bed's width: compact tables (35 to 45 cm wide) suit single and king single beds where floor space is tight, and larger tables (50 to 60 cm wide) balance visually next to double, queen and king beds. As a rule of thumb, the bedside table should be no wider than about one-third of the bed width so it looks proportional. Match the height to your mattress top (within 5 to 8 cm) regardless of bed size.

Single & King Single Beds

For single beds (92 × 188 cm) and king single beds (107 × 203 cm), a bedside table between 35 and 45 cm wide keeps the room feeling open. These beds are often in kids' rooms, guest rooms or studios where floor space is limited, so a compact table with one drawer or a round table without drawers usually works better than a full storage unit. If the bed sits against a wall on one side, only one bedside is needed, freeing up more floor for a desk or wardrobe.

Round side tables like the Kirribilli style (45 × 45 cm) are a good pick here because they soften the visual weight of a smaller bed and give you a rounded corner that's safer if kids are climbing in and out. Floating bedside tables also shine in king single setups where you want to preserve every bit of floor space.

Double, Queen & King Beds

For double beds (137 × 188 cm), queen beds (153 × 203 cm) and king beds (183 × 203 cm), a bedside table between 45 and 60 cm wide holds its own visually against the larger bed frame. These bed sizes usually anchor the main bedroom, so most people want two matching bedside tables (one each side) with drawers for storage, plus enough tabletop room for a lamp, phone, water glass and a book.

For queen and king setups, a wider table (55 to 60 cm) with two drawers gives you meaningful storage without dominating the room. A wireless-charging tabletop, hidden cable management or push-to-open drawers all add convenience in a bedroom where you're likely to have multiple devices charging overnight. Height still matters most: with a queen or king mattress on a bed base, the ideal bedside sits 50 to 55 cm tall so the surface lines up with the top of your bedding.

Choosing Storage, Material & Style

Choosing a bedside table comes down to three decisions: how much storage you need (drawers versus open shelves), what material and finish suit your bedroom (timber, floating, round or square) and whether you want a matching pair or a mismatched contemporary look. The best bedside table is the one that fits your bed height, your bedroom footprint and how you actually use the surface every day.

Drawers vs Open Shelving

Drawers hide clutter and give you privacy for small items like medications, jewellery, chargers and personal notes, while open shelving gives you faster access and lets you display books, plants or lamps. Drawer-based bedside tables suit sleepers who want the room to look tidy at all times and who like their nighttime essentials out of sight. Open-shelf designs suit readers who reach for a stack of books every night, or minimalist rooms where a curated shelf styles better than a closed cabinet.

A bedside table with one drawer plus one open shelf (like the standard Koala Bedside Table format) is a good middle-ground: drawer for the private stuff, shelf for the pile of books you're actually reading. Look for soft-close drawers if partner disturbance matters, and built-in cable management if you charge multiple devices overnight.

Timber, Floating & Round Styles

Timber bedside tables in warm ash, oak or walnut suit most Australian bedroom styles because they pair with both light and dark bed frames, layer well with linen bedding and hold their look for years without going out of fashion. Floating bedside tables (wall-mounted or clip-on) work best in small bedrooms and rentals where you want the surface without the footprint, and they can be positioned at exactly the mattress height. Round side tables suit minimalist and coastal rooms because the softer silhouette breaks up the boxy lines of a bed frame and headboard.

If you want a matching pair, look at bedside tables sold as part of a wider range so the finish, hardware and proportions line up. If you're comfortable with a mismatched contemporary look, one timber drawer unit paired with one round side table or a floating shelf can add character while still feeling considered. Whichever material you choose, FSC® certified timber signals responsibly managed forests, which matters for long-term durability as well as sustainability.

Explore Our Bedroom Range for a Complete Setup

The right bedside is only one part of a good bedroom. Explore our range:

• Full bedside table collection: compact round, standard drawer, larger two-drawer and clip-on floating options in FSC® certified ash.

• Round side table with lip design: the Kirribilli Side Table (W45 × L45 × H52 cm), suited to single beds and minimalist rooms.

• Standard bedside table with drawer and shelf: compact 44 × 40 × 50 cm drawer plus open shelf, with soft-close drawer and internal cable management.

• Two-drawer bedside table with wireless charging: the Balmain (W55 × D40 × H49.8 cm), with push-to-open drawers and inbuilt Qi charging tabletop.

• Clip-on floating bedside table: the Balmain Floating (W40 × D30 × H4 cm), designed to attach to the Balmain Bed Base for small-space setups.

• Full bedroom range: the complete collection of bedroom products designed to work together, all backed by our 120-night trial.