Neither — nightstands should sit within 2–3 inches of your mattress surface height, either slightly above or below, so you're not reaching up or dropping your arm down awkwardly in the dark.

The goal is a level surface relative to where you actually sleep, not the floor. Your mattress surface height is the number that matters: a platform bed plus a 10-inch mattress puts the sleep surface around 18–22 inches off the floor. A nightstand surface landing anywhere in the 20–25 inch range works for most setups. Go too low and your phone and glass of water feel like they're on the floor; go too high and reaching over becomes a shoulder problem.

  • Ideal nightstand height: within 2–3 inches above or below the mattress surface.
  • Typical mattress surface height on a platform bed: 18–25 inches depending on mattress thickness.
  • Standard nightstand height range: 24–28 inches, designed to pair with mid-height bed frames.
  • Einhomn rattan nightstand adjustable height: extends from 22 to 31.5 inches to match different bed setups.