The style and features of bedroom night stands can vary significantly according to the homeowner's needs. Platform bedroom sets, for example, generally feature a bed frame that is lower to the ground than other types. This means the bedroom night stands included in platform sets will also be lower to the ground to ensure a person sleeping in the bed can comfortably reach the top of the stand. Other night stands will be designed with a particular style of furniture in mind; mission style night stands, for example, will follow the conventions of mission style furniture.
The simplest bedroom night stands will feature a tabletop and supporting legs. Others will have additional features such as drawers and shelves. Drawers are useful for storing commonly used items in the bedroom, such as contact lenses and solution, reading glasses, books, tissues, and other useful items. Shelves can be used to store books or even spare blankets and pillows, allowing easy access of such items in the middle of the night when necessary. Some bedroom night stands will feature more than one drawer for added storage capabilities, while others may feature one drawer and a shelf.
The materials used to construct bedroom night stands can vary as well. Wood is the most commonly used material to construct night stands, though the type of wood used can vary significantly. Hardwoods tend to be frequently used because they are durable and quite beautiful, but they also tend to be more expensive than softwoods like pine. Metal is less commonly used, though some bedroom night stands will combine metal and glass to create an aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture. Plastic and composites are less commonly used for night stands, though some children's furniture may be made from plastic. Particle board is the least expensive option for materials, but it is also the weakest and most likely to degrade quickly. It tends to be one of the least attractive options as well.
The size of the night stand can vary according to the homeowner's needs, though most are fairly small. A homeowner in need of a larger unit, or a specially designed one, may consider consulting a furniture maker to have a custom unit built. Custom night stands will be the most expensive, as the furniture maker will build the unit from scratch according to the customer's specifications, and it may take longer for completion and delivery of the unit.
