It was love at first sight. I had been trying to furnish my master bedroom on a budget, not able to find anything that would fit the wide space (16 feet). As luck would have it, one day I was scrolling on Instagram and came across Jennifer Ma’s post @dwellandoak. My heart skipped a beat. In front of a moody accent wall were a canopy bed and a modern nightstand from Crate and Barrel that was the most beautiful furniture piece I had ever seen. It was exactly what I had been looking for all along–an oversized nightstand with an open shelf, two drawers and the perfect design.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
This 32-inch-wide two-drawer nightstand was a best seller on Crate and Barrel. It was a stunning piece and paired well with different aesthetics. The only issue for me though was I couldn’t justify paying over a thousand dollars for a pair of bedside tables.
Back then, I was still a beginner woodworker. But with the nudging from my friends on Instagram, I decided to give it a shot. My estimate came out to be around $400 for a pair. There was enough saving for me to take the plunge, even though I knew I’d be learning through a lot of trial and error (yes, I am a sucker for a good bargain).
In this blog post, I will walk you through key things to consider before building your own nightstands, along with a simple 10-step process for making this high-end design a reality. If you want a deeper dive, you can grab the build plans in my shop. It covers all the measurements, diagrams, cut list, tips…to help you build with confidence.
| Project Difficulty | Cost | Estimated Time |
| Intermediate | $180 each in 2021 (The soft closing, side mount drawer slides and 4×8 plywood have gone up in price since.) | 3-4 weekends (timeline for a beginner) |
Jump to the section you’re most interested in
- Why build my own nightstand?
- How hard is it to build my own nightstand?
- What tools and materials do I need? I don’t have a woodshop.
- 10 simple steps to make the nightstand
- Step 1. Prep the parts
- Step 2. Drill pocket holes
- Step 3. Put together the side panels
- Step 4. Put together the shelves
- Step 5. Put together the entire frame
- Step 6. Add shims to the inside of the nightstand
- Step 7. Build drawer boxes
- Step 8. Install drawer slides
- Step 9. Attach drawer fronts
- Step 10. Stain and seal
- DIY nightstands that blew me away
- Other helpful tutorials
Why build my own nightstand?
If you’re reading this post, you’ve probably given the DIY route some serious thought. You either want to save a few hundred bucks or are eager to learn a new skill.
The most exciting part of choosing the DIY route is how much flexibility it provides. You can customize the piece however your want to, including its size, finish, hardware, material (plywood vs. oak vs. poplar), and turn it into something that is completely unique and works the best for your own taste and space.
A perfect example is even though I set out to recreate the Crate and Barrel Keane nightstand, I was so relieved I dodged a bullet when the wood stain I originally picked clashed with the wall color. The golden brown stain was meant to mimic the “driftwood” look. It’s a beautiful rich tone. But it looked too dark when I held it up against the blue accent wall.
Since I only stained one drawer, I was able to quickly pivot and switched to a much more subtle stain color. It only took 10 minutes to sand off the old stain and start over.
And if you want the nightstand narrower/higher or have a different finish, you can easily adjust the measurements and customize the piece with the finish of your choice. Like these inspirations:
When purchasing premade furniture, it takes time for the piece to be delivered, and more effort if to return it. You’re not always in control of the quality, how it is put together or what materials it used. You take full control of all the details, if you build your own.
That’s a big advantage of DIY.
How hard is it to build my own nightstand?
As someone who always jump right into projects with zero experience, I fully understand the worry of messing up.
Building these nightstands was a steep learning curve for me. I didn’t have a table saw to cut the 4×8 plywood, had never done pocket hole joinery before, never built a drawer, wasn’t even skilled at holding a power drill. I struggled fastening the pocket hole screws (clue: use clamps!). And when I finally managed to put the first panel together, the joints were wonky and misaligned.
But if there is one thing that I learned through years of DIY and home renovation is this: as all things in life, taking the first step is usually the hardest. Once you get through the initial fear of failure, figuring out how to make something work and fixing your own mistakes are actually exhilarating.
Through trial and error, you learn what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly, most mistakes in woodworking are fixable.
There are a couple of steps in this build I had to ask my husband for help (he was also a newbie but had more strength and muscle). But I was able to figure out the whole build piece by piece, with lots of googling and YouTube watching.
Lucky for you, you can access all my lessons-learned and detailed instructions in the build plans. Different from some of the DIY plans I’ve purchased, this 18-page-long document is based on real life experience and speaks from the angle of someone relatively new to woodworking. Regardless of how much experience you have in woodworking, you will be able to follow along.
So even though this DIY nightstand project is at an intermediate level, with the plans and a willingness to learn, it’s completely doable.
What tools and materials do I need? I don’t have a woodshop.
If you’re ready to give this DIY project a try, the next question you may have is how to get all the tools and materials ready.
You don’t have to buy brand new tools to start this project. A few ways to save are to search in second-hand marketplace online, borrow from friends, or rent. During Black Friday or holiday sales, you can also get the tools at a great discount price.
- Circular Saw (A table saw or a track saw also works to cut large sheets of plywood.)
- Miter Saw
- Rip-cut Guide
- Pocket Hole Jig (I bought the 520PRO model, 320 and 720 also work)
- Right Angle Clamp
- Bar Clamp
- Speed Square
- Tape Measure
- Countersink Drill Bit
- Power Drill
- Orbital Sander
Having a spacious woodshop that pros on YouTube have is great. On the other hand, it’s perfectly fine to have a simple setup and cutting boards on the floor. We all gotta start somewhere.
The shopping list in the build plans is for building one nightstand. However, you can make a second one with less materials, because there of leftovers.
- 16″ Drawer Slides (1/2″ thick)
- Brass Drawer Knobs
- Edge Banding
- Gel Stain
- Polyurethane
- 1 ¼” coarse-thread pocket hole screws
- 2 ½” coarse-thread pocket hole screws
- 2 in. x 2 in. x 8 ft. Select Pine
- 1 in. x 2 in. x 8 ft. Select Pine
- ¾ in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. Plywood
- 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft. Pine
- Wood Glue
- Sandpaper
- Tack Cloth
- Staining Pad
Recently I came across some nightstands online that look similar to the Crate and Barrel model but are less expensive (in the $350 range per nightstand). In terms of time and effort, it may make sense to buy vs. build. However, it’s worthwhile to take on this project, because it opens up more money saving opportunities in the long run (like making your own framed art, creating an accent wall, or even building a deck). Plus it’s fun to build your own furniture.
10 simple steps to make the nightstand
These are the measurements of the nightstand. It should give you a good idea to get started. If you like build plans with clear and easy-to-follow instructions, purchase the printable here. It includes the cut list, all the materials including wood stains, steps with 3D images, and helpful tips and tricks. I made a few mistakes myself tackling this project. If I had known what I know now, I could have avoided a lot of headaches and frustrations. Get the plans, if you want to save time and do it right the first time.
Step 1. Prep the parts
Following the cut list, cut all pieces to length.
Use a miter saw to cut the 2x boards. Use a circular saw with guide to cut the plywood.
Step 2. Drill pocket holes
Use a pocket-hole jig to drill holes on each end of the legs and the cross pieces. Drill additional pocket holes along all the edges of the plywood shelves and sides. Sand all the parts before assembly.
Step 3. Put together the side panels
First attach the 12″x16″ plywood with the 1×2 and the 2×2 cross pieces. Create a 1/4″ inset if you want to. Line up the assembled side plywood with the 2×2 cross piece and the 2×2 legs. Attach everything with wood glue and pocket-hole screws. Use clamps to keep the pieces in place when drilling.
Repeat for the opposite side.
Step 4. Put together the shelves
With a cross piece lying flat, inside face up, glue and pocket-hole-screw the shelf flush with the top edge of the cross piece. Repeat on the other side. Create a 1/4″ inset for the top shelf if you want to. Note that the middle shelf uses 1x2s as cross pieces, while the top and bottom shelves use 2x2s.
Step 5. Put together the entire frame
Start with attaching the top shelf with the two side panels. Then add the middle shelf, the back, finally the bottom shelf. Corner clamps and a second pair of hands are especially handy in this step.
Step 6. Add shims to the inside of the nightstand
Add shims made of 1x trims to each side of the nightstand, one for each drawer slide. Use a countersink drill bit and flat head screws to make sure the screws won’t interfere with the drawer slides.
Step 7. Build drawer boxes
Cut 1×6 pine boards and plywood to length and build 2 drawer boxes using pocket hole screws and wood glue to attach the pieces, including the bottom.
Step 8. Install drawer slides
Install the side-mount drawer slides to the frame, 1″ away from the front of the nightstand. Secure the drawer slides to the drawer box.
Step 9. Attach drawer fronts
Insert playing cards around the four sides drawer front to adjust its position before attaching from the inside of the drawer box. Add edge banding.
DIY nightstands that would blow you away
Since I wrote this blog post in 2023, many people have bought the build plans. Some of them were so kind to share pictures of their finished nightstands with me.
I was genuinely blown away by how stunning the finished pieces turned out!
“Your plan was really easy to follow. And I love how they turned out!! I learned a lot during this process and gained so much more confidence! My friends have been telling me to start a business and sell furniture haha. We will see. Anyways thank you for creating the step by step plan!” – Sue
“I used plans from @funhomebuilding and they couldn’t be more perfect!” Mik of @mikmade
I love how the brass drawer knobs pop in front of the dark gray paint. This nightstand is gorgeous!
“I’m really grateful I came across your site and purchased your plans. If I hadn’t I wouldn’t have had the courage to attempt this kind of build. I did pare the build down by scaling it to a one drawer, smaller end table. The plan was to go through this build and see how it goes. My next build will be to follow your plans again for a two drawer nightstand!
A lot of bloggers that I came across aren’t as thorough as your site is and I appreciate that you do things the right way, and not take shortcuts or do things cheaply.
Thanks again for sharing your skills and talent with others and making woodworking accessible by inspiring others.” -Kristy
I’m so thankful for these kind words. There is no better feeling than knowing my blog has actually helped someone. If you’re still on the fence, I hope these examples give you the little push you need to get started.
Other helpful tutorials
How to Build a Modern DIY Floating Nightstand With Drawer
DIY Modern Nightstand By: Bitter Root DIY
DIY Nightstand with Drawer By: Angela Marie Made
Modern Nightstands By: Nick and Alicia
How to make a modern nightstand with a drawer By: Simply Aligned Home
How to build drawers-everything you need to know By: Woodshop Diaries
Mobile Shop Cabinet By: Mat Makin’ Things (Highly recommend his approach for installing drawer slides.)
Where do I download this file that I purchased? I paid for it now the site disappeared.
Hi Ruth, the build plans are sent to your email automatically after you make the purchase. If you didn’t see it, check the spam folder. Hope it works out for you!
Hi Sherry, no I haven’t received it. I check my email thoroughly.
I sent a copy to your email this morning. Hope you got it.
Yes I received it, thank you!!
Did you just use sanded plywood for this?
Hi Aubrey, you can use any plywood that is 3/4″ thick for this project, these are sturdier than 1/2″. I used maple plywood and stained them to have a subtle white wash finish. Sanded is a more economical option, could work just fine if you’re painting your nightstands. It depends on the look you’re going for.
Hi! What is the wood veneer for? I see it on the PDF but not sure where it goes?
Hi Abbey, if you use plywood to build the drawer fronts like what’s mentioned in the plans, the wood veneer is used to cover the rough edges of the plywood. It’s part of the edge banding process. Not required. But gives a more finished look. It’s totally up to you whether to use it or not.
Hi, I purchased the plans for this build. Is the shopping list for one or two nightstands?
Hi Marie, thanks for buying the plans. The shopping list and cut list are for one nightstand. However, if you’re building a pair, you can use the leftover materials from the shopping list and get the second one built with less money.
How have these held up with the pine? I have read that pine can scratch sometimes.
The nightstands are still like brand new after 2 years. I wouldn’t use pine to build outdoor furniture. But these nightstands are placed in the corners of our bedroom and are mainly used to put books/cellphone/table lamp. They’ve held up quite well, no stains or scratches. But you raised a good question about pine. Pine IS softer than poplar, oak or other types of hardwood. I made a couple of dents when screwing the pieces together. So although pine is a beginner friendly material, easy to cut and cheap, it definitely needs a bit more care during woodworking.
Hi! Do you happen to have a pdf with matching dresser plans? I LOVE these nightstands, but need a whole bedroom set 😩
Hi Kayla, I just looked up the Keane dresser, it’s BEAUTIFUL! Although I don’t have build plans for this dresser, Houseful of Handmade has something very close. Search “Classic 6 Drawer Dresser Build Plans”. Woodshop Diaries also has plans for a 6 drawer dresser. You can tweak the measurements and use the same wood finishes to make a set for your bedroom. Good luck!