Notes About this DIY One Drawer Nightstand Project:

The plans and materials list below are for ONE nightstand/bedside table. To make a pair, simply double up on the lumber and hardware.

The overall dimensions of this DIY one drawer nightstand with storage cubby are 25 ½″ tall, 18 ¼″ deep and 26″ wide.

This was a fairly simple build, but you may find these posts and guides helpful throughout the build process:

• How to cut plywood sheets
• How to apply iron on edge banding
• How to cut your own 2x2s
• How to install furniture feet
• How to use a pocket hole jig
• How to build and install drawers and drawer slides
• 5 secrets to professional looking DIY furniture

This bedside table is the second piece of the DIY Guest Bedroom Matching Furniture Series. Check out the other matching pieces here:

• Arched Headboard Bed Frame Plans
• 3 Drawer Dresser Plans

Tools & Materials

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If you enjoyed the overview video and want to see it more in depth, you can check out the full length video on YouTube at the bottom of this post!

Grab the printable building plans for this one drawer nightstand with all the dimensions, cut list, and diagrams here:

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Then, I drilled ¾″ pocket holes along the edges of the plywood panels.

So that the pocket holes don’t show in the final product, I was careful to drill the top two pocket holes within 7 ½” of the top and the bottom pocket hole within 1 ½” of the bottom. These holes will all be covered later.

I assembled the sides using 1 ¼” pocket hole screws so that the panels were all flush across the inside.

Step 2: Assemble Bottom Panel

The bottom panel is cut from a piece of ¾″ plywood, but to make the front appear thicker and to give somewhere to install the threaded inserts for the feet later, glue a piece of 1×3 on the bottom flush to the front edge.

To hide the seam on the front, you can either apply 1 ½″ iron on edge banding, or glue/brad nail a piece of 1×2 or lattice trim across the front.

Step 3: Assemble Nightstand Body

I cut three 1x3s for the top supports and to add below the drawer and drilled ¾″ pocket holes into the ends of each piece and into the ends of the bottom panel from step 2.

Then, I used 1 ¼″ pocket holes to assemble the main nightstand body.

Two of the 1x3s go at the top–one at the front and one at the back. And the third is installed 6″ below the top support at the front.

The bottom panel is flush to the bottom at the front, but I made sure the back side was ¾” up from the bottom.

I made sure to keep the side panels correctly oriented so the top two pocket holes stay toward the top.

Step 4: Install Drawer Slides

I used 16” ball bearing drawer slides in these nightstands and installed them in the top section so that they were about 1 ¼” inset from the front edge. 

I’ve got a detailed guide on how I install drawer slides that will explain how exactly to attach these.

Step 5: Install Feet

The feet I used came with a threaded rod installed in the top. These will screw into a threaded insert.

I cut the remaining 1×3 in half and glued them into the back corners. You can screw and nail these as well, but I recommend letting the glue dry before installing the inserts.

I marked 2” in from each edge at each corner and drilled a hole larger than the shank of the insert, but smaller than the threads—just like predrilling for a screw.

Then, I used the included wrench to screw these into the holes until they were flat to the surface of the wood.

Then, I simply screwed these feet in. 

Helpful Tip: If they don’t seem to bite into the threads, take some pliers and back out the threaded rod in the foot so it sticks out longer.  Some of mine were pretty short.

I cut the drawer box pieces from the leftover ¾″ plywood according to the cut list in the plans.

Then, I set up my table saw to cut dadoes in the drawer box sides to install the drawer bottom panel.

Then, I drilled ¾” pocket holes into the front and back pieces of the drawer boxes, then assembled using 1 ¼” pocket hole screws.

I cut and installed a ¼” plywood bottom panel to slide into these dadoes before adding the fourth side.

Step 7: Install Drawer Box

I installed the drawer box onto the slides in each nightstand so that it was 1 ¼” inset from the front edge to allow for the inset drawer front.

Step 8: Install Drawer Front

I cut the drawer front from ¾” plywood, but to dress it up a little, I added some half round molding along the front edges. 

This is totally optional and you could use a different type of molding if you’d rather.

So I used the little tabs on the slides to slide the drawer box out, then flipped the top upside down and the nightstand on top of it.

I centered it side to side and made sure the back edges were flush, then used 1 ¼” screws to secure it through the top supports.

I used ¼” thick lattice trim for this because it added another dimension since it was thinner, but you could certainly use 1x2s here instead if you’d rather.

Again, I used fast dry wood glue to attach these, but regular wood glue would work as well with a few clamps to hold until it’s dry.

Step 11: Add Back Panel

I actually hadn’t originally planned on adding a back panel here, but after I finished building it, I decided to add one. 

Well…there are probably worse things.  But that’s pretty bad. 

So stained these nightstands with Minwax Early American, then stapled this back panel in place. You can also glue and screw/nail this panel in place.

Step 12: Finish Nightstand with Drawer

The next day, I added a clear coat poly, and the handles, and that completed part 2 of this matching guest bedroom furniture series–the nightstands!

Looking for More Matching Furniture?

I’ve got at least one more piece in this matching set, so if you’re enjoying it, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter to receive priority access to new posts and plans so you don’t miss the rest of the series!

But, if you’d like to check out some other DIY matching furniture sets, I’ve got a few to pick from!

Don’t forget to grab the plans to build your own DIY one drawer nightstand and check out the full video tutorial on YouTube here: