10 Double-Duty Nightstands

"In a small space it's critical to maximize every square inch," says designer Frances Herrera. "To make a space feel grand and luxurious, we love using multipurpose furniture. For example, a beautiful desk can become a nightstand that offers storage, a chic place to put on your makeup and a cozy work area."

In this basement family room, a storage wall transforms into a welcoming guest room in a snap thanks to a built-in Murphy bed. "We designed the room to accommodate the family and their guests," says designer Laura Stein. "Night-table trays pull out of the custom built-ins to hold a lamp and small essentials, like a glass of water, leaving plenty of floor space."

In tight quarters, everything should be useful and beautiful — even the bedside table. "This nightstand is actually an accordion case sitting on top of a stool," says designer Killy Scheer. "We lived in a tiny apartment, so storage was limited. We needed to keep my husband's accordion safe but accessible. The case was handsome, so rather than purchase a nightstand, I plopped the case on the stool and dressed it up with the lamp, tray and fresh flowers, which were easy to remove when we needed to access the accordion."

When the bed commands the only wall available for storage, you have to make careful decisions. "I designed these nightstands and had them custom-made for my client," says designer Lana Lounsbury. "The upper sections hold books, and the lower cabinets have drawers and cupboards — a great way to add storage in a room with limited closet space."