One of the things I am always look for on Pinterest are beautiful nightstand images. I love getting a glimpse at a person’s lifestyle and seeing how they style and decorate different areas of their home.

As a designer, I recognize that accessorizing a small, compact area like a nightstand can be more challenging than a larger living area for some people. So today I’m sharing the ingredients for styling your bedside table like pro.

Your bedroom is the most private space in your home and the items you put on your nightstand should be a mix of personal and decorative decor.

♦♦♦

When it comes to pulling your items together, keep these style tips in mind:

♦ Layers! Unless you take a minimalist approach to decorating, you want to position items to create a layered look. Layers will add the visual interest and help create a dynamic statement with you collection of items. Vary the placement of items on the table surface, front to back and side to side and keep the scale of your lamp in mind when positioning items.

♦ The Mix! This is where style and function meet. Accessorize with items you use on a daily basis (alarm clock, journal/book) along with items that are decorative. Decorative items like small trinket trays, lidded boxes and containers can work as storage AND as a design statement. And personal items like books and picture frames will add a personal feel to the decor on your nightstand.

♦ The Background! Even if you have a wall decor piece hanging over your bed, don’t forget about the wall space directly behind the nightstand. Hanging a mirror or piece of artwork over your bedside table is a great to build up the impact for the overall vignette. You can even lean pieces of art or other flat decor against the wall like I did at Christmas one year to enhance the layered look of your decor.

♦ Softness! A soft element like flowers or greenery can add an air of energy and life to the vignette.

♦ Keep it Fun! And finally, as you go about decorating your nightstand, throw in an unexpected object to add personality and flair.

♦♦♦

Nightstand Styling Inspiration

In addition to the tips above, I also wanted to serve up some visual inspiration for you. I went virtual shopping at Z Gallerie and put together two inspiration boards that pull all the elements together.

It’s no secret that I one of my favorite color combinations is black, white and gold and Z Gallerie as some beautiful decorative pieces that will work great in a bedroom. This look is bold, dramatic and super chic!

♦♦♦

Shop the Black & Gold Nightstand Vignette:

Devon Table Lamp // Rey Mirror // Allium Sphere

Camille Tray // Acropolis Frame // Sawyer Nightstand // Emila Canisters // Chanel Book

♦♦♦

My current bedroom decor is a black and white theme and I’m working on a summer refresh to incorporate more blue and white. This look is classic, elegant and has a calming feel.

♦♦♦

Shop the Blue & White Nightstand Vignette:

Let Me Go Artwork // Addison Table Lamp // York 3-Drawer Nightstand //Acropolis Bookends // Charles Table Clock

Gold Elephant Jewelry Dish //Glow Candle // Potted Phalaenopsis

Surround yourself with things you love!

Seeing what’s on someones nightstand is always interesting to me. Books tell a lot about what a person’s interest, decorative accessories say a lot about a person’s style and photos capture a moment in a person’s life.

The other evening I did a little rearranging of my nightstand, updated my reading stack and added a couple of new decorative elements to give is a bit of a fall feel.

Here’s what’s on my nightstand and a little glimpse into my life….

I always have books on my nightstand and it’s usually a design book or inspirational read. I just got purchased the Elements of Style book and it is sitting on top of the stack. The cover image of the book is just stunning and I can’t wait to flip through the pages.

This polka dot dish is a simple DIY project I made using a white ceramic plate from Homegoods and gold adhesive dots from Wallternatives!

The SUCCESS stone was a gift and it stays on my nightstand to remind me that I am in charge of my success.

I love flowers on my nightstand and filled a small brass container with a few fall colored faux flower stems.

The white lacquered box holds my journal, old-school Ipod and some lavender sheet spray. If you haven’t tried lavender sheet spray, I highly recommend it. You’ll sleep like a baby.