How2Day: Alternatives to Bedroom Furniture

Look for alternative furniture for your bedroom. George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
If your sweater collection is better suited for an armoire than a shallow drawer dresser, or your water bottle and book need more space than offered by the top of a small side table, seek furniture for your bedroom that fits your lifestyle. Re-purpose furniture pieces from other rooms in the house that may be more functional in the bedroom--alternatives to the typical bedside table, dresser and bed.

Move a kitchen hutch into the bedroom for storage. Welsh Dresser image by Hedgehog from Fotolia.com
A free-standing armoire is a practical alternative to a dresser; shallow dresser drawers make finding clothes a chore. Some armoires have built-in drawers for small items and large cubbies for folded clothing, as well as additional hanging space. A kitchen hutch makes a great bookshelf with a surface for a jewelry box and other trinkets. Choose storage that accommodates your belongings, not standard furniture pieces marketed by stores.

Beds are for sleeping, snuggling with the kids or even watching television. Consider a fold-up futon as a bed alternative that saves space by transforming into a couch. If a traditional bed suits your style, decorate it luxuriously with linens. Create a space that takes you away from reality. "If you love green but are afraid to dedicate an entire room to it, add a punch of color with a tufted headboard or pillows," suggests Darice Case on Good Housekeeping.com. Beds made of fabrics instead of wood are decorator alternatives that add interest and room for creativity.

Ottomans are useful in any room. contemporary style ottoman image by James Phelps from Fotolia.com
Ottomans are not just for resting feet. Use a bedside ottoman to hold your next tray of breakfast. Some styles come beautifully upholstered with flip-up lids that reveal large storage bays inside. Bring a couple of wheeled ottomans into your bedroom for extra storage and seating. "Messes vanish with lidded ottomans," states Good Housekeeping.com.

Antique wardrobes are not only sturdy but increase in value. Antique Wardrobe with Wood Carvings image by Yali Shi from Fotolia.com
Instead of visiting a new furniture showroom and buying the suite on display, shop for coordinating antique furniture pieces like wardrobes, desks and vanities. New furniture is designed with a high end look. Low price is often the result of inferior materials including machine made plastic parts, glue and staple construction. "In the 1890s, American furniture began to be mass produced, with interchangeable parts and speedy production for the growing and affluent middle class," according to art historian Ken Melchert. Quality antiques are solid wood construction with dovetailed joints, a sturdy interlocking method of assembly that has proven to stand the test of time.

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