# 7 designers on what belongs on your nightstand > Seven interior designers share the small rules that turn a cluttered bedside surface into something you actually like waking up to. - Title: 7 designers on what belongs on your nightstand · domino - Summary: Seven interior designers share the small rules that turn a cluttered bedside surface into something you actually like waking up to. Start with a good lamp, a… - Keywords: interior design, bedroom, styling, nightstand, home decor, designers, belongs, domino - Source: domino — https://domino.com/design-by-room/nightstand-styling-designer-advice - Author: Zoë Sessums - Published: 2026-09-07T06:08:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: interior design, bedroom, styling, nightstand, home decor ## The surface you see twice a day Your nightstand greets you at wake-up and keeps you company at lights-out. It holds the necessities, hides the ugly ones, and still has to look decent doing it. ## Collected, not overly styled Holly Freres of JHL Design starts with task lighting and your current book, then adds one thing with a story. A trip find, a small work of art, a seasonal bud vase. > Leave some breathing room. At the end of the day, you still need somewhere to put your water and phone. ## Give the little things a home Christina Cruz works in three moves: something sculptural or vintage for personality, a lamp or sconce warm enough to read by, and a tray to corral the nightly routine. > A chic tray instantly makes practical items feel intentional. ## The rule of exactly three Michelle Murphy of Demi Ryan stops at a lamp, something with texture like a dish or a book stack, and one genuinely useful object such as a candle or carafe. > The moment a nightstand looks too styled, it stops looking like someone actually sleeps in that room. ## Function first, then fun Corey Damen Jenkins wants a lamp within reach, an outlet for charging, and water an arm's length away. Only after that come the vintage glass, the aromatic stems, the framed photo. > Nothing sits there without earning its place. ## Pared back, but pretty Selena Reif keeps the count low and the standard high: a good carafe, a lamp with a small footprint, a dish for jewelry, and a few flowers to start the day on. > Bonus points if it's a wall mount sconce or a pendant. ## Less from the get-go Jen Levy of Surrounded by Color argues a nightstand needs almost nothing. A sconce frees the whole surface for a book, phone, reading glasses, and water. A drawer swallows the rest. > It's a space that naturally gets cluttered so less is more from the get go! ## Light, flowers, and room to live Elana Tenenbaum Cline of Carta Creatives gets the lamp or sconce right first, adds a few stems clipped from the yard, then leaves space for the book and a catchall tray. > The goal is for it to feel considered, but still practical. ## Key takeaway Start with a good lamp, a carafe, and the book you're actually reading, then add one personal thing and stop before it looks staged.