A top below the mattress is the common mistake next to a box spring. You reach down for the glass, and the lamp sits too low to read by.
How high should a nightstand be for a box-spring bed?
The same rule as for any bed: the top level with the mattress, or up to about 2 in above. What changes is the number. A box spring sits higher, so the table has to as well.
How do I measure a box-spring bed?
Make the bed as you sleep in it, with the topper and the duvet. Measure from the floor to the top of the mattress at the edge where you lie. That number is your target, and the table may be up to about 2 in higher.
Measure the headboard too, from the floor to its top edge. A tall headboard decides how much lamp you can fit above the table.
Which table for which height?
For a lower bed, Affe at 23.2 in is the option. Our nightstand height guide covers every type of bed.
| Made bed height | Iris, 25.2 in | Lisa, on the wall |
|---|---|---|
| Under 23.2 in | More than 2 in above the mattress: too high | Mount it level with the mattress |
| 23.2 to 25.2 in | Fits: level with the mattress or up to 2 in above | Fits |
| Over 25.2 in | Below the mattress: you reach down | Mount it at your height |
Why does a floating table suit a high bed?
Because you choose its height, once, with a drill. Lisa is screwed to the wall, so its top can sit exactly at your mattress, however high the box spring and topper make it.
It also keeps the floor clear next to a base that often reaches the floor, which makes hoovering easier. Lisa is 12 x 12.2 in: room for a small lamp, a phone and a glass, with two vegan leather straps for a book. Mark both sides at the same height from the floor before drilling. More in the floating nightstand guide.
How far from the headboard?
Box-spring beds often come with a wide, tall headboard. Keep about 2 to 4 in between the headboard and each table, and about 2 in between the mattress and the table so the duvet does not catch.
Keep the table top under the headboard edge, and choose a lamp whose shade clears it. If the headboard is very tall, a wall light above the table keeps the whole top free.
What about a bed with a built-in nightstand?
Some box-spring beds come with tables fixed to the headboard. They sit at the right height, but they go when the bed goes, and the bed decides their size.
We do not make beds. A nightstand of your own outlives the bed: Iris if the height fits and you want a drawer, Lisa on the wall if you want the built-in look at exactly your height.
Measure with the topper on
- Measure
- with topper and duvet
- Headboard gap
- 2 to 4 in
- Bed gap
- about 2 in
