These are the ones that do something with light. Shagreen is the texture I keep coming back to, and both options here are embossed rather than actual stingray, which is the norm now and fine by me: TOV's Pesce Shagreen Nightstand in Grey at $659, and the Sarreid shagreen solid wood version at $903. Michael Amini's La Marisia in Creamy Pearl at $1,319 is the most expensive piece in this edit and it looks it. Pasargad's Pearl 2-Drawer in Silver at $761 sits just underneath. If those numbers are not happening, mirrored glass gets you most of the way there for a quarter of the money: House of Hampton's Adelais at $285, or the Twillery Co. Yerington at $280. And the two high-gloss options, Ivy Bronx at $130 and Wrought Studio's Dulane at $126, are the cheapest things in the whole edit and still catch the light.

Wood is the safe answer and I mean that as a compliment. The Birch Lane Meliora Nova Reeded 2-Drawer at $399 is the one I would buy, because reeding gives a plain box a reason to exist. AllModern's Collins in Natural Walnut at $339 is the quieter version of the same decision. Burl has been having a long moment and Loon Peak's Manish Farmhouse Burl Finish at $210 is a cheap way to test whether you like it. For woven, the Breakwater Bay Pomodoro Rattan at $214 and Bayou Breeze's Ameer at $193 both break up a bedroom that has gone too solid. Two white options round it out at $134 and $235, and I would put those in a small room, because white furniture takes up less visual space than it does actual space.

Stone tops are the practical splurge. Joss & Main's Isa with a marble top at $599 and the Orren Ellis Paxter Marble Top at $600 both give you a surface that does not mind a wet glass, which is more than most nightstands can claim. Dark wood is the other end of the range: Latitude Run's Clara in black at $135 and Red Barrel Studio's black 2-drawer at $167 are both under $200 and disappear against a dark wall. Metal is where the detail lives, and Lark Manor's 3-drawer with gold leaf handles at $145 is the best value in the edit. Everly Quinn's Jawahir iron nightstand at $154 is the more restrained take. Etta Avenue's mirrored Toby at $185 closes the section out.

Measure your mattress height before you fall for any of these. A nightstand that sits below the top of your mattress is annoying every single night, and no finish fixes it. Two drawers beat one if you keep anything you would rather not have on display. I would spend the money on a stone top if you drink water in bed, and save it everywhere else, because at this size the gap between $126 and $600 is mostly material and hardware rather than build quality. Buy the pair if you have room for a pair. One nightstand on a two-sided bed always looks like a decision you have not finished making.