IKEA Has a Space-Saving Nightstand for Under $40, and It’s Perfect for Kids’ Bedrooms

College students Gaby Neira and Chris Yera live in a super-stylish 450-square-foot studio on the Upper West Side of New York City with their cat, Moon. While the young couple has certainly honed their aesthetic, their budget did present a bit of a challenge. “We resorted to buying as much furniture as we could online through IKEA, Wayfair, and Facebook Marketplace, and getting most of them delivered straight to our apartment,” says Neira of their sourcing strategy.

One of the smartest, most budget-friendly space savers the duo brought into their home, though, just might be their “floating nightstands” from IKEA, which would also be great for a kid’s room!

Since their entire studio’s footprint comes in under 500 square feet, floor space is valuable. Instead of buying pricey, bulky nightstands that take up space on the floor, the couple mounted two square EKET cubbies from IKEA on both sides of the bed (shown above). Available in eight different colors, the light gray version was chosen to keep the space bright and airy. In that shade, these pieces also contrast nicely with the blue geometric shape painted behind the bed.

Just under 14 inches square, the EKET cubby provides just enough tabletop space for a small lamp, a glass of water, and maybe an alarm clock or frame — basically all you really need bedside for a little bit of decor and extra comfort while you sleep or rest. Neira and Yera saved additional space by using wall sconces for illumination, and the cube’s interior is the perfect place for books or other objects that you can easily keep tidy, since this doorless area is always on display. (White and dark gray EKET cabinets are also available with doors for the same price, if you want closed storage and don’t have your heart set on a poppy hue).

This smart little cubby is also the perfect nightstand solution for a kid’s bedroom because it’s inexpensive, sturdy, and can be mounted at a height best suited for your kid’s bed. So if you’re struggling with a lack of square footage in your child’s bedroom, this may save you some floor space and a few bucks bedside!

One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to hang the EKET, you do need to purchase suspension rails for safe mounting separately. Even then, they’re only $5 each, so that brings these floating nightstands’ price up to roughly $38 pre-tax. Not a bad deal! If you can’t hang a cubby in your place, you can set yours up directly on the floor instead. In this case, adding feet or legs (also sold separately) will provide additional stability and height for easy access to your things from bed.

This post was originally published on Apartment Therapy. Read it there: IKEA Has a Space-Saving Nightstand for Under $40 and It’s Perfect for Small Bedrooms