Whatever you call it a night stand or bedside table, that piece of bedroom furniture is conveniently located close to your head in bed for several reasons. A night stand is a convenient piece of furniture to hold items while we sleep, like eye glasses, rings or a watch. It may also hold a lamp, alarm clock, book or decorative items, or even have drawers for additional storage. The top of a night stand may need a facelift to cover wear. Or, you may choose to make changes to a night stand while decorating your bedroom. Consider one of these six decorating ideas, from budget-friendly paint to exquisite granite to refinish or replace the top of a night stand. Estimated pricing is included.
Paint
Paint is a versatile decorating tool with endless possibilities for color. Sand and prime the night stand top and then apply a coat or two of paint. Get creative and choose a color that complements other design choices such as drapes, bedspread or wall color. Consider using more than one color to paint stripes or a checkerboard pattern. The cost of this project may be as little as $5 for a can of spray paint or half-pint of paint.
Decoupage
Bring back old-fashioned decoupage to display pictures under a protective seal of decoupage paste covered with lacquer. The best source of pictures? Magazines! Clip pictures in any shape–square, round, heart, circle–whatever looks good. Choose pictures that match your interest such as pets, flowers, travel, country scenes or sports. You may want to extend this project to cover drawer fronts too. You can make your own paste with ordinary white glue or buy pre-made decoupage paste at a craft store for around $5 for eight ounces. Use a sponge brush as an applicator.
Mirror
Visit your local home center for mirror tiles to apply with double-sided sticky tape. The tiles are available with varying reflective qualities, from a true mirror to lightweight and flexible mirror-like surface. True mirror tiles require a glass cutting tool to size while the flexible mirror-like tiles are trimmed to fit with scissors. Mirror tiles cost less that $2 per square foot.
Tile
Tile is advantageous if you like placing beverages on your bedside night stand without having to fuss with a coaster. Tile is easy to wipe clean. Glass tile, which is pricier than ceramic, provides a rich appearance. Available in sheets with square or rectangular tiles, there are color options to meet the most discriminating designers. The cost of tile varies greatly from as little as $1 per square foot for glazed ceramic tile up to over $200 per square foot custom tile.
Marble
Marble adds a touch of Victorian charm to a bedroom night stand. You may choose to remove the top from the night stand to have an exact size cut to then adhere to the furniture. Another option is to take a measurement of the top of the night stand and have a piece cut to match (or slightly extend beyond) the measurements. The pricing of marble depends on the quality and purchase location, but can range for $50 to $100 per square foot. Edging and polishing are extra.
Granite
After a homeowner chooses a granite slab to make a kitchen countertop or bathroom countertop, a specialist will cut the granite to specific dimensions. Remnants from the cutting process may be available for sale at a reduced price, including the cut-out for the sink that might be a suitable size for a night stand top. Check the internet for businesses specializing in selling and cutting granite (entering “granite” in your search engine should yield results for your area). The price of granite tile ranges from $4 to $19 per square foot while a slab of granite costs $60 to $100 per square foot. Edging and polishing are extra.
More from this contributor:
Do-It-Yourself Kitchen Remodel: Choosing Colors for Flooring, Cabinet and Countertop
How to Create Rich Looking Bedroom Without Spending Much Money
Tips to Make a Very Small Bathroom Seem Bigger
Sources: “How to: Decoupage Furniture and other Items,” Re-Nest; “How Much Does a Tile Countertop Cost?,” “How Much Does a Stone [Marble] Countertop Cost?” and “How Much Does a Granite Countertop Cost?,” Cost Helper