Give your bedroom a vintage vibe by styling a primary school desk with classic treasures and nighttime necessities. Follow these steps to bring collected character to your bedside.

 

a blank wooden desk

Celebrate the 20th century by turning an old desk into a bi-level nightstand. Each level has just enough space for a few favorite items.

 

vintage wooden desk with a stack of books and clock

Unless you wake naturally, an alarm is a bedside necessity. Keep the cell phone off your nightstand and opt for something low-tech instead. Old alarm clocks were made to last and it’s not unusual to find examples that are still in great working order. Keep this art deco example visible by propping it up on old books or game boxes.

 

vintage desk nightstand with a globe, stack of books and clock with basket lantern hanging from ceiling

Finish the top tier of your nightstand with a vintage globe.

 

vintage desk nightstand top with detail of vintage globe and clock with stack of books on which the clock sits

The globe provides weight on the left side of the table to balance the stacked books and clock on the other. This globe includes a pocket atlas from 1951—unique bedtime reading.

 

wire basket pendant light hanging over vintage nightstand

A wire pendant brings illumination to the space without adding a lot of visual weight, keeping the focus on the nightstand. An old-timey Edison bulb adds to the vintage vibe.

 

vintage nightstand with globe, clock, stack of books on back, a vintage fan on the seat and a basket below, and pendant wire basket light hanging above and a framed Portobello Road sign hung on the wall

Use the desk seat as a base for a vintage electric fan.

 

vintage four blade metal fan

These gorgeous old appliances have a sculptural quality and many still work but they’re not made as safely as fans nowadays so it’s best to admire its good looks and let it rest.

 

framed portobello road london sign

This London road sign has the patina of age but it’s a new piece that brings character to the wall.

 

woven basket filled with yarn and knitting needles

Knitting supplies fill a large basket at ground level. Just in case you want your hobby at hand while watching some late-night telly.

 

vintage wooden desk nightstand with clock, fan, globe and stacks of books with a yarn basket beneath

Finish the styling on your nightstand with another stack of books topped by an accent like these handmade cubes. Covered in Victorian newsprint, they fit right into the look of times past.

 

stack of vintage books and cubes sitting on the wooden desk seat

The art deco design of the book jackets matches the styling of the vintage alarm clock above.

 

vintage nightstand dressing animation

 

© Caruth Studio

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