Seeking a better sleep? Try elevating your nightstand decor

Bedrooms are often described as a sanctuary, but our reliance on the digital realm and the multipurposing of every living space can actually make a room meant for rest feel fraught. A well-assembled bedside table vignette, however, can take the sting out of rising in the morning or falling asleep in a frenzied world – and even play a role in your wellness routine.
Adding an element of fragrance to your nightstand, for example, can invigorate the start of your day or end it on a soothing note. “I love incorporating scent as part of an evening routine,” says Tanya Tessier, owner of Mararamiro, a home design shop in Toronto’s west end. “And I’m an advocate for writing down what’s on your mind before going to bed so you don’t have a to-do list running through your head – and you won’t forget anything in the morning.” It’s tempting to do this on a phone’s note-taking app, but a handsome notebook and pen propped beside your bed takes the activity in a more tranquil direction.
Ideally, vignettes of decor objects create a moment of delight for anyone who observes them, especially if you incorporate details such as a hand-painted lamp or artisanal vessel here and there. Tessier says that having an item that consolidates clutter, such as a dish or tray, makes all the difference. “I use a beautiful dish to place any jewellery that I take off, and to store a tube of lip balm that I like to put on right before I sleep,” she says.
If you share a bedroom, Tessier says that crafting bedside scenes that emphasize asymmetry keeps the look personal. “Matching lamps work,” she says, “but then adding something like a piece of art behind one bedside table and not the other makes it special.” Incorporating different textures, and even mixed metal pieces, as part of the vignette further lends to the interest and sense of individuality.
After all, Tessier says, “it’s about how the vignette makes you feel, and how those items you’re using make you feel. What’s most important is that you choose things that make you happy to use or happy to look at – it all adds up to tell the story of who lives in this space.”
SCENE STEAL
By replacing a digital clock with Braun’s iconic timekeeper and heightening the mood with a footed dish like Ichendorf Milano’s humorous vegetally inspired vessel, a beside becomes both practical and pleasant to look at.
SWEET SURRENDER
Earthy hues, tactility and a mix of textures make for a tabletop that evokes a calming beach vista in the comfort of your home. A natty leather tray for essentials, such as Paradise Row’s trinket catcher, further elevates the assemblage.
CHARM SCHOOLED
Anchored by a hand-painted lamp in the Bloomsbury style created for Toronto boutique Baa Baazaar, an appealing bedside vignette placed atop a stately nightstand is at once smile- and serenity-inducing.
Styling by Odessa Paloma Parker. Sets and prop styling by Dani Reynolds at Cadre Artists. Photo assistant: Ness DeVos. Styling assistant: Leah Gust.