Mid century nightstand: A bed stand in mid century modern style

A nightstand, also known as bed stand or night table is a highly practical piece of furniture. As a cabinet-style night table, it has been present in various cultures at least since the medieval period. Commonly used for the storage and support of the most essential items during the night (bedroom lamp, alarm clock, cell-phone, books, eyeglasses, drink, medications and similar), nightstands are often considered to be an essential element of a stylish and modern bedroom. Their especially prominent role in supporting bedside table lamps make them indispensable for a balanced and perfectly rounded up aesthetic of your bedroom. But, don’t let the practicality of nightstands get you on the wrong track – these elements can be highly aesthetically pleasing by themselves and this is most prominent in those models designed and manufactured in vintage mid century modern style.

What are mid century style nightstands?

Mid century furniture design is marked by a stark contrast to the previous eras. Instead of massive, dark and heavy, usually mahogany furniture, the designers working in 1950s and 1960s offered a completely new vision, much more suitable for the emerging 20^th century society. Affordable, practical, without excess ornamentation, but with great attention to shape, form, lines and angle, mid century modern style furniture signaled the onset of the new era marked by comfort and enjoyment in everyday environment, and all that in a new, optimistic and democratic society looking towards the future.

Mid century style nightstands also follow this design philosophy and its core postulates with simple form, streamlined silhouette and functionality unimpeded by unnecessary ornaments. Usually narrow, with one or more drawers with simple knobs, they are intended to provide you enough storage space for everything you might need.  Clean top surface allows for the placement of alarm clock, cellphone or a stylish bedroom table lamp while the overall appeal and style of the nightstand excels at bringing a subtle and vintage touch to the overall décor of the room.

Vintage mid century nightstand in wood

Wood is well-known as the material of choice for the majority of mid century furniture designers and it is also the traditional material used in the production of the bedside stands from the era, so it comes as no surprise that almost all of vintage style mid century modern nightstands are made completely out of wood. Of course, the choice of different types of wood will largely influence the overall aesthetic of the final product. Lighter types of wood such as ash and beech will ensure a bright, airy and sometimes even rustic appeal, while walnut mid century nightstands, arguably somewhat more common than the others, come with a much more classic and elegant aesthetic that is sure to bring a touch of sophistication. On top of that, the darker shade of walnut, especially with a wood finish will ensure a lovely interplay of light and shadow with the nightstand lamp from the same era.

Colored mid century nightstands

With importance of wood as the main material in mid century modern furniture design, its natural texture and color (although oftentimes emphasized with the use of various types of finish) defined the era in the significant amount. However, that is not to say that the colored models weren’t popular (and aren’t still). On the contrary, one can easily find colored models, with white mid century nightstands being arguably the most common. They can easily fit in bright and ethereal aesthetic commonly pursued for the bedroom according to many experts in interior design. In a similar way, mid century nightstands in other bright, neutral or pastel colors can also be found with the same aesthetical touch and stylistic character.

Mid century modern nightstands for sale

Many would argue that nightstands haven’t changed much from the mid century era, but this is not necessarily the case. While it does seem that even the most contemporary designs borrow to a significant degree from the classics from the 1950s, they do tend to experiment with extreme minimalism, a different use of color and modern materials. Still, mid century style nightstands can be easily found – with their timeless elegance ensuring their unwavering popularity during the decades. Retailers, shops and even online auctions and websites specializing in mid century era furniture can be good places to start the search for your ideal mid century modern nightstand in a truly timeless style.