Things are moving along just swimmingly in my master bedroom redesign. I’ve spent nap times and evenings sanding away out in my garage on a secret project that I hope to be able to reveal in the next week or so.
Because I’ve figured out that project, my mind starts wandering to the next project. This week’s newest obsession is our nightstands. I currently have two very nice nightstands that I bought a while back to refinish. Of course, I never got around to doing that before I moved on to something else. I’m glad I didn’t, though, because now I’m obsessed with having two mismatched nightstands instead of a pair of matching pieces.
Emily Henderson discussed it in a recent episode of Secrets From a Stylist (are this summer’s season of design shows so much better than in years past, or is it just me?), so I feel confident that I’m heading in the right direction.
It seems to me there are a few keys if you are looking to find a good looking mismatched pair. The nightstands should either be the same general shape and different colors/finishes (as above) -or- they should be different shapes and the same general color/finish. Regardless, I think they should have the same weight to them. There are occasions that those “rules” don’t apply (as below, where I believe the bench balances out the weight and color differential), but those are easy guidelines to remember when you are out shopping and/or thrifting.
Now for the dilemma – do I refinish our current nightstands in different colors? Or, do I find another nightstand or occasional table to replace one of the ones we are currently using. Decisions, decisions. I guess I should sleep on it.
What about you? Do you have matching nightstands or are yours mismatched?
Photo credits: Domino Magazine, Apartment Therapy, Decorpad, Domino Magazine.
Mismatched – but they are both raw wood and similar in height and width. Thanks for posting!
we’ve had mismatched ones for years (same finish, but one is more masculine and one more feminine) glad to hear that its in style 😉
Mine are mismatched and different heights but the lamps also do not match and are different sizes. The lamps make the nightstands appear to be the same height. I am not crazy about matchy-matchy so I like the differences.
Love the mismatched nightstands. My hubby and I have very different needs out of a nightstand so we pick out what we really want while making the room still match.
Mismatched but same color and height.
I have been asking myself the same design questions lately! I cannot start on our master bedroom until several other projects are complete, but I am already gathering my ideas! One dilemma I am having is that our bedroom furniture is really fantastic, solid, beautiful wood, but I think I want to paint it! I paint furniture all the time, but it is usually furniture that needed a severe upgrade! I have never taken a perfectly good (and very expensive!) piece of furniture and painted it! What do you think? To paint, or not to paint?
Our nightstands are the same color (satin black) and similar weight. One has legs while the other has two drawers. The lamps are a similar color, but different shapes. The shades do match. I’m a blendy-blendy girl not so much a matchy-matchy girl.
Mismatched. My hubby uses our oak dresser and I have a turquoise 2 drawer nightstand. I’d like to paint the dresser some day but that will be a project for waaaay in the future.
I am the same way — once I have a project figured out, I start planning the next one. I rarely complete one before starting the next lol it drives my husband crazy =)
I love mismatched, not a fan of matchy matchy furniture 🙂
I have two small but different dressers of the same height and scale , I unified them by painting them with the same wide stripes in white and aqua
I love the eclectic look of mismatched nightstands. I’ve got a low, mid-century nightstand painted blue on one side and a small decorator’s table with a vintage blue patterned tablecloth on the other.
Ours are matched, but I am on the search for something more ecclectic to break up our boring cherry bedroom suite. I have a question for you…I love the bedding on the picture with the turquoise walls. Do you have a source for that photo? Thanks.
Love that you mentioned Secrets from a Stylist as I just noticed this same thing yesterday on an episode I had on the DVR. I have seen the mismatched before, but she brings it together so well. Can’t wait to see what you decide! It made me too think that I wanted to go out and get something different. On the particular episode I watched she had different lamps too, it was so pretty!!
I’m supposed to have side tables? CRAP!!! LOL
I’ve wanted side tables for years, but i can never find one that the husband I agree on, so this might be a perfect solution! One for him, and one for me!
In both my bedroom and the guest bedroom I have mismatched nightstands. I have a 108-year-old house and live by myself, so budget is part of that. But I’ve actually grown to love picking out pieces here and there. The guest bedroom nighstands are my favorite. They are same weight but different. One is rectangular; the other is a demilune. I painted them both a light gray and love the way they look.
Good luck!
I have matching night stands because they were free and the right height. I LOVE miss matched stands though. But I like it better when they are painted similar colours. If you have 2 matching stands then just replace 1.
Mine are mismatched and wouldn’t have it any other way. Unmatched is so much more interesting.
My nightstands are matching, but now that seems so boring. Ha!
i will absolutely be forcing my husband to read this one so he can quit thinkin i’m just NUTS.
I want matching nightstands and cannot find any. Ofcourse, I am frugal and only looking in thrift stores lol !