I’m a girl who likes symmetry. I always attempt to style my bookcases and walls (and even arrange my rooms) in an asymmetrical, mis-matched-but-it-still-works way, but often find myself eventually re-arranging said asymmetrical designs so there is a hint of symmetry to calm my eyes down (and stop me from twitching 😉 Knowing this about myself, I was surprised when I was gravitating toward mis-matched bedside tables in our evolving Master Bedroom makeover. A firm believer in the power of paint, I knew I could update almost any two different bedside tables so that they appeared to match. But what I didn’t know, was that finding two beside options that were different yet provided that symmetry my eyes crave would prove very, very, very challenging!

 I mentioned last week that due to the size and layout of our Master Bedroom, our old (attached) beside tables weren’t the ideal solution for our current house. I set out to find new bedside tables that 1) provided a surface next to our bedsides for lamps, glasses, books, clocks etc – duh! 2) would soften and de-modernize the room , and 3) were relatively inexpensive, ideally less than $100 each. Additionally, I had really fallen in love with the idea of a dresser as a side table. Our room is small and the added storage would really help, and I loved the visual bulk of a mini dresser. Kate’s Master Bedroom was my primary inspiration:

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Also loved John and Sherry’s master layout:

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So when I found this little dresser, I knew she was the right pick. At $100, she was the right balance of size, function and style…and a fresh coat of paint gave her new life…and we officially love her.

The second-hand furniture store where I found her didn’t have a second dresser; and even if they did, three dressers in one tiny room would have been too much – too crowded, too matchy-matchy, too wrong. They did have a smaller side table with similar lines that I thought might work. Although my gut told me otherwise (deep down, I knew it wasn’t right), I bought this little guy anyway. As soon as it was in the room, I knew it was all, all, all wrong!

After re-visiting my inspiration photos, I realized that although they all feature mis-matched side tables, the reason they work is because each has a similar profile – similar size, shape, and most importantly, height. In my mind, lamps HAVE to be at the same height, or at least very, very close!

 AH HA! Okay – so all I need to do is find a side table the same size and height as my dresser – easy! NOT easy my friends. My dresser measures just over 30″ high. In case you’re wondering, all most side tables measure 28″ high or less. And to make it more difficult on myself, I also decided we needed a rounded shape to balance out all the hard edges in the room. And I didn’t want it to be painted wood – too many painted pieces in one room already. Oh – and I didn’t want to spend a ton of money, remember? So, I had pretty strict criteria for finding a matching but not matching side table. Sheesh!

Well friends, it took me 5 months. Yes, 5 months of searching every website I could think of and every store in a 50 mile radius of our house, weekly trips to Marshalls and monthly treks to HomeGoods and  still nothing. Then, just a few weeks ago, over Memorial Day weekend, I.found.it. The perfect size, the perfect shape, the perfect finish and with a 30% off Memorial Day special – finally, the right price! And would you believe I found it at Target?!?!?

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I had looked at it a million times before but just didn’t want to pay close to $200 for it. At $130 (with free shipping), it was the right solution in every way. Within minutes of it arriving, I had it assembled and in place and I couldn’t be happier.

In the end, I was right about the round shape and the non-painted wood finish; but mostly, I was right about the same size. Although the half moon table is about a 1/2″ shorter than the dresser – I’ll take it, knowing that 30″+ high tables are hard to find! Now the bedroom feels more balanced. It has the collected feeling I was aiming for while still providing that symmetry my eyes need.

 Besides the lamp and my jewelry dish I’ve had since I was born, I haven’t quite decided what I want to go on this table. It might stay blank as it is here, or I might add some frames, books, flowers, who knows! (Oh, and if you’re wondering what that huge wooden thing is? It’s a big tree-stump-type vase/bowl from HomeGoods [$75!!] – just found it for $5 at a yard sale. Not sure where it’s permanent home will be, for now, it’s holding my pajamas 🙂

For now, I am oh-so-happy to have a bedside table that works oh-so-perfectly in this room! After a lot of searching, I am thrilled with our final solution. Now to keep all those baby finger prints off of it 😉

What about you? Do  you like matching side tables or the mis-matched look? Did you have as much trouble as I did finding two that went together just right?

I’ll be back here Friday with a fun family room update!

See You Soon!
Megan