Brighton 2-Drawer Nightstand — In Chestnut

Faux bamboo is one of the oldest and best tricks in decorating. When Europe fell hard for all things Chinese a couple of centuries ago, around the time the Prince Regent built his bamboo-mad pavilion in Brighton, cabinetmakers began turning ordinary wood to mimic the ringed, segmented look of real bamboo. It caught on and never quite left, because it does something clever: it brings a little wit and a little of the exotic to a piece without ever tipping into costume.

This two-drawer bedside table carries that tradition lightly. It's built from solid wood in a warm chestnut finish, with softly turned framing that reads as bamboo from across the room and as beautifully grained timber up close. Two proportioned drawers give you real, everyday storage: the kind of piece that looks like a decorating decision but works like a workhorse.

It's a natural at a bedside, the drawers right where a reaching hand expects them. It's just as good in an entry holding gloves and keys, or in a bathroom stacked with towels, anywhere a plain bedside table would do the job but a slightly charming one would do it better.