Empire Bedside Tables
Antique 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble, Brass
Antique Early 1800s Italian Night Stands
Nutwood
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Empire Side Tables
Brass
Antique 1810s Italian Side Tables
Walnut
Mid-20th Century European Empire End Tables
Brass
Early 20th Century European Empire End Tables
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble, Breccia Marble
Mid-20th Century Unknown Empire Side Tables
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Console Tables
Marble
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Empire Night Stands
Walnut
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble
Early 20th Century American American Empire Night Stands
Mahogany
Vintage 1920s French Night Stands
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble, Brass
Vintage 1980s American Neoclassical Night Stands
Brass
Recent Sales
Vintage 1970s Belgian Empire Table Lamps
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century French Cabinets
Early 20th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble, Brass
Antique 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Stone, Granite, Metal, Brass
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Mahogany
Antique 1890s European Empire Side Tables
Granite
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Side Tables
Bronze
Antique 1830s French Empire Tables
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Empire Side Tables
Marble
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Nesting Tables and Stacking Tables
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Console Tables
Marble
Early 20th Century French Empire Side Tables
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Empire Night Stands
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Cupboards
Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble
Mid-20th Century Italian Empire Night Stands
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble
20th Century French Night Stands
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century Other Side Tables
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble
Mid-20th Century Italian Art Deco Side Tables
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century French Empire Side Tables
Marble, Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Empire Side Tables
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Empire Night Stands
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Bronze
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Night Stands
Marble
Vintage 1970s Neoclassical Night Stands
Cherry
Late 20th Century American Empire Night Stands
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French First Empire Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
Antique 1810s Italian Empire More Desk Accessories
Nutwood
Early 20th Century Empire Side Tables
Slate, Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire Bedroom Sets
Mahogany
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Early 20th Century French Belle Époque Doors and Gates
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Antique 1840s Danish Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Sheepskin
2010s American Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Night Stands
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Empire Bedside Tables For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Empire Bedside Tables?
A Close Look at Empire Furniture
From 1804–15, Napoléon I reigned as the emperor of France, bringing the country into a new era of opulence after the fall of the monarchy and the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. He declared, “We must have very solid things, made to last 100 years.” Empire-style furniture followed suit, with imposing pieces constructed from mahogany and adorned with gilded ornaments. Expanding on the neoclassicism popularized in the previous century — such as in Louis XVI style — Empire style borrowed from the great civilizations of antiquity, from Egypt to Greece and Rome, to connect this nascent empire to the power of the past.
Napoléon I believed the production of fine furniture would reflect the stature of the republic, with his official architects Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine leading the way with their work on his residences.
Luxurious materials, symmetrical shapes and bold colors characterize antique Empire-style bedroom furniture, armchairs, cabinets and other structures, with frequent motifs including mythological creatures, geometric designs, acanthus leaves, eagles, bees (the imperial emblem) and swans, a favorite of Empress Joséphine.
Flat surfaces, like marble tabletops, were accented with decadent details, such as the bronze furniture mounts made by sculptor Pierre-Philippe Thomire for the French palaces. Martin-Guillaume Biennais, who worked as the imperial goldsmith, crafted intricate luxury objects that mixed wood, fine metal, mother-of-pearl and ivory. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
The style became popular abroad, influencing the American Empire style. Stately pieces carved with sprigs of olives by cabinetmaker Pierre-Antoine Bellange were acquired by American President James Monroe for the White House in 1817.
Find a collection of antique Empire tables, lighting, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021There's no standard height for bedside tables. However, it should typically be the same height as the mattress.
- What is a bedside table called?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021A bedside table is also known as a nightstand. It is a small table or cabinet designed to stand beside a bed, but it can also be placed elsewhere in a bedroom. Find a variety of vintage and antique bedside tables on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023You can replace a bedside table with many things. Some ideas include a desk, metal trunk, bar cart, stool or floating wall shelf. To ensure that you can easily access items, choose something that is as close to the height of your bed as possible. Shop a range of bedroom furniture from some of the world's top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021The most common items to put on a bedside table are lamps, clocks, candles and catch-all trays. What you put on your bedside table is totally up to you. People tend to put items they think they may need throughout the night and in the morning.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2024The best size for a bedside table lamp is between 24 and 27 inches tall. Finding the best table lamp for your nightstand depends on variables such as the shape of your bedside table, the size of your nightstand's tabletop and personal preferences when it comes to styling your nightstand.
Albert Hadley–trained designer Harry Heissmann says this about creating a bedside haven for his clients: “A reading lamp is essential and needs to be on a dedicated outlet. I like to keep clients’ nightstands edited, with a carafe for water and an alarm clock, and sometimes a landline phone for emergencies.”
Find a range of antique and vintage table lamps and other lighting on 1stDibs. - 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023Yes, a chest of drawers can be used as a bedside table, provided that you have enough space beside your bed to accommodate it. If you want to be able to easily reach items on the top of the chest, choose a piece that is about 2 to 4 inches taller than your mattress. Shop a variety of bedroom furniture on 1stDibs.