Bedside Table, Chest of Drawers and Dressing Table: What Does Each One Do?
Short answer: a bedside table is the small drawer unit placed next to the bed; bedroom sets contain 2 of them and the typical size is around 67 × 46 × 39 cm. A chest of drawers is the long, multi-drawer storage body placed against the opposite wall; it comes in sizes such as 165 × 46 × 87 cm. A dressing table, meanwhile, is not a separate piece of furniture but a function that arises in most sets from using the chest of drawers together with its mirror and pouffe. So there are not three separate bodies, but two bodies and one way of using them.
What is a bedside table, and what size should it be?
A bedside table is the small body standing at the head of the bed, within arm's reach. Its job is not storage but access: a phone, glasses, a book, medicine, a glass of water. That is why it is shallow and narrow, with few drawers.
The bedside table in the Massimo bedroom set on the site is 67 cm wide, 46 cm deep and 39 cm high, and the set contains 2 of them. Each of those three figures tells you something:
- 67 cm width: with one on each side of the bed, the total wall requirement grows by 134 cm. With a 160 cm bed, the bed wall comes to about 294 cm.
- 46 cm depth: shallower than the bed, so it does not project into the room or narrow the walkway.
- 39 cm height: a measurement set to pair with a low-profile bed.
How does bedside table height match the bed?
There is only one rule here: the top of the bedside table should be level with the top of the mattress, or at most 5-10 cm below it. If the bedside table stands higher than the mattress, reaching for a glass while lying down becomes awkward and the body stands like a wall at your head; if it is much lower, you cannot see it from where you lie.
Take the measurement yourself: add the mattress thickness to the height of the base. If the base is 30 cm and the mattress 25 cm, the top of the mattress is 55 cm; in that case a 39 cm bedside table sits 16 cm below. That difference is a proportion designed within the set, but if you buy a mattress from outside the set, a thick one can upset the balance. That is why it is worth asking about mattress thickness before ordering. For the dimensions of the other pieces, see our article on bedroom set dimensions.
What is a chest of drawers for?
A chest of drawers is where the clothes that do not fit in the wardrobe, or should not be hung, belong. Jumpers, T-shirts, underwear, socks, bed linen — everything stored folded goes here. A wardrobe stores vertically, a chest of drawers horizontally; they are not alternatives but complements.
In the Massimo set the chest of drawers is 165 × 46 × 87 cm. What those measurements mean:
- 165 cm width: you need an uninterrupted 165 cm section on the opposite wall. If a door, radiator or window falls there, the chest will not fit on that wall.
- 46 cm depth: the same depth as the bedside table, so everything lines up within the room.
- 87 cm height: a worktop height for standing use. The top surface works like a display area.
The mirror is a separate piece and is specified in the set: in Massimo it is 87 × 101 cm and only 3 cm thick. Hung on the wall it adds to the chest's 87 cm height, bringing the total to about 188 cm; so if the ceiling is low, work out the space left above the mirror in advance.
What is the difference between a dressing table and a chest of drawers?
The distinction is functional:
| Chest of drawers | Dressing table | |
|---|---|---|
| Use | Standing | Seated |
| Typical height | 85-90 cm | 75-78 cm |
| Mirror | Wall-hung, optional | Essential, usually lit |
| Knee space | None, the body is solid to the floor | An open section is needed in the middle |
| Main function | Storage for folded clothes | A surface for getting ready |
↔ Scroll the table sideways to see all of it.
In bedroom sets these two functions usually come together in a single body: a console with drawers, a mirror hung above it and a pouffe placed in front. Pull the pouffe out and sit down and it is a dressing table; use it standing and it is a chest of drawers. That is exactly why the pouffe is a standard part of the set.
We listed which pieces count as standard in a set, and why the piece count varies from seller to seller, in our article on how many pieces are in a bedroom set.
You will see this combination named differently across models. In the Larin bedroom set the piece is specified directly as a chest of drawers with its mirror; in the Eliza bedroom set the top of the chest is designed as a dressing table with a marble-textured surface and an LED-lit mirror. Both are the same logic applied.
Which is essential for your room, and which is not?
- 9-11 m² rooms: two bedside tables may not fit. Keeping one and leaving the other side clear keeps circulation open. Adding a drawer module to the wardrobe is more efficient than a chest of drawers.
- 12-14 m² rooms: two bedside tables plus a chest and mirror sit comfortably. Put the chest on the wall opposite the wardrobe so the two bodies do not block each other's doors.
- 15 m² and over: you can separate the chest of drawers and the dressing table. The chest then takes on storage and a separate dressing table takes on getting ready.
You need at least 70 cm in front of a chest of drawers to pull a pouffe out; in front of a bedside table, 50 cm is enough for the drawer to open. Put both allowances into the room plan from the start. To compare models, see the bedroom sets category.
We showed which piece to give up in rooms in the 9-11 m² band, with example layouts, in our article on how to fit a bedroom set into a small room.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is a bedside table?
Generally 45-70 cm wide, 40-50 cm deep and 39-60 cm high. In one example on the site the bedside table is 67 × 46 × 39 cm.
Are a chest of drawers and a sideboard the same thing?
No. A chest of drawers is bedroom furniture and stores clothes. A sideboard or console is designed for the hallway and living room, and is a slimmer, more decorative body; the Luna sideboard is one example.
How high should a dressing table be?
75-78 cm if it will be used seated. That height lets your knees fit comfortably under the body with a standard pouffe.
Is the chest mirror hung on the wall or does it rest on the body?
It depends on the model. The mirror in Massimo is a 3 cm thick panel; hung on the wall it sits above the body. Ask about the fixing method when ordering, because the wall's load capacity matters.
