No space for bedside tables. Alternatives?

[minta]

We have a massive bedroom but sleep the baby in with us so our bed (king-sized) can only go in one place as the remaining walls are taken up with: BIR, door + ensuite, and crib + change table + dresser.

So between my side of the bed and baby's crib is about 2 feet of space (underneath a window) and between DH's side of the bed and the BIR is about 2 feet as well (also underneath a window).

I can't fit normal, square bedside tables as they just take up too much space and we bang our legs on them when we open the windows / get baby in and out of crib / access BIR.

I should add that our bed is this huge carved mahogany thing that I love (and intend to paint white at some point for a sort of French Provincial look) and the baby's side of the room is all Ikea Malm stuff in oak (which I also hope to paint white to achieve some level of cohesion with the bed).

I just want something very simple, possibly round in shape, where I can put a glass of water and maybe a pot of lip balm. And that's about it. We don't read in bed, or eat, or anything like that, and I don't need storage space. Just a glass-of-water space will do.

Any suggestions?

[chely7425]

What about some sort of floating shelf? It sounds like there might be room for a small one on each side of the bed

[Oliver's Mama]

not sure if child-proofing is an issue yet for you, but if it will be, a floating shelf that's low enough to fit under a window could be an issue if your kid tries to pull up on it, climb on it, or use it to access the window. I might hang a little bucket or basket- something you can easily remove from the wall if you have to, and just hang it at bedtime.
or, some sort of decorative shelf to hang up above your bed (perhaps it can house a picture frame/art and then just for nighttime you can tuck your cup up there.

[BarefootScientist]

What about a TV tray? Or a stool or small chair? I used a folding stool for a bedside table for a while. It was a cute one, but if it wasn't cute enough you could put a towel or even just a handkerchief over it as a tablecloth or something.

[mumkimum]

Something like a plant stand (which would be very slim) might work well. We have some we once got at ikea, sometimes I see them at Pier 1 - or check out a large garden center maybe.

[mkksmom]

I can't use my bedside table any more either, so I just use a water bottle with a lid. I keep my glasses and a flashlight in bed with me as well. It may not be long until the baby will reach out of the crib and try to get whatever is on the table, so I'd try not to spend much.

[zoebird]

plant stand.

[seim.ge]

We bought brackets at IKEA and found two small matching shelves in the "As Is" department and made our own short shelves. They are bolted into the wall and can hold up to 75 pounds in case DS tries to climb on them someday, but they are only about 5 inches by 7 inches so they stay out of the way. Everything in our room is unfinished pine, so IKEA was a natural first place to look for the supplies. I really love them. They are just the right size for a candle and a glass of water. =]

[ParisApril]

My DH built us a mantle wall shelf about 2.5 feet over the bed slightly longer than the width of the bed. Similar to this one http://www.mantleshelvesoflapeer.com.../Shopping.html only our shelf is wider.

It is great because my king size bed barely fits into my tiny bedroom and my side of the bed is against the wall. DH has a small nightstand. We have some books, pictures and a clock on it. I also put drinks and bowls on it. I have a small light clipped to the end of it for reading.

I really like it.

[Tjej]

You could possibly combine the changtable/dresser - we did that. Just a changing pad on top of our dresser.

I get you on the no room thing - is your bed up really high? A little step stool that will work for the LO to climb into your bed later - it could be the kid that opens so you could put stuff in it.

Tjej

[lindalu]

I don't have much room between my side of the bed and dh chest of drawers - I use a "file cabinet type table". It is for hanging files but has a lid. It is narrow - the width of file folder. The bonus is that I can store seldom used or special items under the lid (in the space where files should go) and access them on occasion.

[minta]

Hm, I'm liking the plant stand idea. That might work, and would go with my style. A shelf over the bed wouldn't work as the headboard comes up too high, and sits sort of overlapping the 2 windows so the wall space is just big enough for a little mirror. And I don't know about little shelves on the wall beside the beds as I don't think they'd stick out far enough IYKWIM?

Someone on another forum suggested I consider a little drop-down table that I could pull up when I wanted it and fold against the wall otherwise. What do you think of that idea?

[minta]

Back to add Tjej, our change table is actually a dresser with a change pad on top. But then we have another dresser next to that as we're a family of 6 and store everybody's clothes in the master bedroom. I did look into moving the dressers elsewhere in the house but it doesn't impact on my bedside table issue given the limited options I have with the bed and the windows and crib.