What's the Ideal Bedside Table Height?

What's the Ideal Bedside Table Height?

The ideal bedside table height in Australia is 50 to 70 cm off the floor, with the tabletop sitting within 5 to 8 cm of your mattress top. This "arm's reach" height means a lamp, water glass or phone is easy to grab without stretching up or leaning down, and it keeps the visual line of the bedroom balanced. Below we cover the exact cm range, how to measure your mattress top, when to go higher or lower, and what to do if your bedside table is the wrong height.

Key Takeaways

  • The ideal bedside table height in Australia is 50 to 70 cm off the floor, matching the typical mattress-top height range on a standard bed base.

  • The tabletop should sit within 5 to 8 cm of your mattress top, so it's within arm's reach without straining up or reaching down.

  • Measure from the floor to the top of your made bed (mattress plus topper) before buying to work out the target bedside table height.

  • A bedside table level with the mattress top is the most flexible option, working for reading, phone charging and reaching a water glass equally well.

  • A mismatched bedside table can be raised or lowered with furniture risers, longer legs, or a slim additional shelf; sometimes swapping to a different table is easier.

Standard Bedside Table Height in cm

The standard bedside table height in Australia is 50 to 70 cm off the floor. Most bedside tables sold at Australian retailers sit inside this range, with 50 cm being common for compact and modern designs, and 60 to 65 cm being common for traditional or upholstered pieces. Round side tables tend to run 50 to 55 cm, while drawer-based bedside tables run 50 to 60 cm on average.

Height matters more than width or depth because a wrong-height bedside table is a daily annoyance in a way that a wrong-width isn't. Get the height right first, then choose the width, depth and storage that suit your bedroom.

How to Match a Bedside Table Height to Your Bed

Match your bedside table height to your bed by measuring from the floor to the top of your made bed (mattress plus any topper), then aim for a bedside tabletop that sits within 5 to 8 cm of that mattress top height. The goal is arm's reach without leaning up or down, and it depends more on your bed setup than on the bedside table's own dimensions.

Measuring Your Mattress Top Height

Measure from the floor to the top of your made bed, not just the top of the bed base or the top of the mattress alone. A queen bed base at 40 cm plus a 25 cm mattress plus a 3 cm topper equals 68 cm of total made-bed height, which suits a bedside tabletop around 60 to 65 cm. Made-bed height varies more than most people expect because it stacks four factors: bed base height, mattress thickness, topper thickness, and bedding volume.

Practical measurement steps:

  • Make the bed fully. Fitted sheet, flat sheet, doona or coverlet, cushions removed (measure the mattress-top level, not the peak of the pile).

  • Measure from the floor to the top of the mattress. Use a rigid measuring tape or ruler perpendicular to the floor, not the corner of the bed which has fabric slack.

  • Do this at the side of the bed, where the bedside table will sit, not at the head or foot where the frame may sit differently.

  • Note the number. This is your "target zone" for the bedside table top; aim within 5 to 8 cm of it.

Standard AU mattress-top heights across common setups:

  • Slim bed base (10 to 15 cm) + standard mattress (20 to 25 cm) + no topper: 30 to 40 cm total → bedside tabletop 45 to 50 cm

  • Standard bed base (25 to 35 cm) + standard mattress (25 cm) + optional topper: 50 to 63 cm total → bedside tabletop 55 to 65 cm

  • Tall platform bed base (35 to 45 cm) + thick hybrid mattress (30 cm) + topper (3 cm): 68 to 78 cm total → bedside tabletop 65 to 75 cm

Higher, Lower or Level, What Works Best (Comparison Table)

A bedside tabletop that sits level with the mattress top is the most flexible option, but slightly higher or lower can also work depending on your habits. The table below covers the trade-offs.

Bedside table height vs mattress top

Pros

Cons

Best for

Higher (5 to 10 cm above mattress top)

Easier to see and reach the phone or a lamp switch from a seated position

Harder to reach items while lying down; can look "top-heavy"

Sleepers who sit up in bed for reading, work or coffee

Level (within 3 cm of mattress top)

Most flexible; works for reading, phone charging, water glass

None significant

Most sleepers; the safe default

Lower (5 to 10 cm below mattress top)

Easier to reach items when lying down; less visual bulk

Harder to see items from a seated position; tabletop can catch bedding

Very tall beds where a matched-height table would be visually oversized

If in doubt, pick a bedside table that sits at or just below your mattress top (within 3 cm below). This works for everyone; too far above or below starts to be annoying.

What to Do If Your Bedside Table Is the Wrong Height

If your bedside table is the wrong height for your bed, you have three options: raise it, lower it, or replace it. The right fix depends on how much of a gap there is and how attached you are to the current piece.

If the bedside table is too low (more than 10 cm below mattress top):

  • Add furniture risers. Available in 2 to 15 cm heights, they slot under table legs to raise the whole piece. Best for solid-leg tables; check load rating before use.

  • Swap the legs. Some bedside tables use standard-thread legs that can be replaced with longer ones from a hardware store or online furniture-parts supplier.

  • Add a slim tray or riser on top. A 5 to 10 cm decorative tray or wooden riser lifts your essentials up without touching the table.

If the bedside table is too high (more than 10 cm above mattress top):

  • Shorten the legs. Only feasible on solid-timber legs; requires a saw and a level surface. Not recommended on veneer or MDF legs.

  • Swap to a lower design. Round side tables or floating designs often sit lower than drawer-based bedside tables.

  • Add a lower mattress or bed base. More radical, but if the mattress is the wrong height for your bedroom generally, this is the real fix.

Neither of those working? Replace with a bedside table sized for your bed. Our full bedside table collection covers 50 to 52 cm heights across the range, and the Balmain Floating Bedside Table clips to the Balmain Bed Base at any height along the frame, so you can match the tabletop to your exact mattress top position.

Explore Our Bedside Table Range

Our bedside tables sit in the 50 to 52 cm height range that suits most Australian bed setups, with a floating option that matches any mattress top. 

Explore our range:

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should a bedside table be higher or lower than the bed?

A bedside table should be within 5 to 8 cm of the mattress top, ideally level with the mattress or slightly below. Level works for the widest range of uses (reading in bed, phone charging, reaching a water glass). Slightly higher (5 to 10 cm above) suits sleepers who sit up in bed to read or work; slightly lower (5 to 10 cm below) suits very tall beds where a matched-height table would look visually oversized.

What is the standard height of a bedside table?

The standard bedside table height in Australia is 50 to 70 cm, with most bedside tables sold at retailers falling inside this range. Our bedside table range specifically covers 50 to 52 cm heights (the Bedside Table at 50 cm, the Balmain Bedside Table at 49.8 cm, and the Kirribilli Side Table at 52 cm). The right height for you depends on your mattress top height; measure from the floor to the top of your made bed and aim for a bedside tabletop within 5 to 8 cm of that number.

How do I raise or lower a bedside table?

Raise a bedside table with furniture risers (2 to 15 cm slotted under the legs) or by swapping in longer legs if the piece uses standard-thread fittings. Lower a bedside table by shortening solid-timber legs with a saw (only feasible on real timber, not veneer or MDF), or by swapping to a lower design like a round side table or floating shelf. If the gap is more than 10 cm in either direction, replacing the table with a better-sized model is usually easier than modifying the existing one.

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