We went more than a year without suitable nightstands, and I’m so excited to finally show our bedroom the care it deserves. Until now, Adam and I had been relying on small, mismatched side tables that we “borrowed” from our children’s rooms, so these new DIY Gustavian Nightstands make a remarkable difference!
Watch the Video!
You may remember that I’ve been especially interested in French design lately, ever since we purchased our French colonial home nearly two years ago. Strictly speaking, these DIY nightstands are closer to the Swedish Gustavian style, a simpler and more restrained variation of the French Louis XVI aesthetic. Fluted and beaded accents were common in French Neoclassicist and Gustavian design, and I’m absolutely delighted that I was able to create my own beaded drawer fronts!
Many thanks to 84 Lumber for supporting this project. Partnering with them has been such a wonderful experience! You may recall that we worked together last year on the built-in bunk bed project for our children. 84 Lumber is a family- and woman-owned company, and as an Air Force kid turned Army wife, I appreciate that they give back to our military through veteran career opportunities, military charities, and appreciation events.
I obtained this gorgeous white oak hardwood from 84 Lumber. They offer nearly every wood species you could need, with more than 250 locations throughout the US. Visit 84 Lumber to locate the store closest to you.
What is Gustavian style?
Gustavian style takes its name from Swedish King Gustav III during the late 1700s. A devoted Francophile, King Gustav drew strong inspiration from French design after visiting the Palace of Versailles, the residence of his close friend and ally, King Louis XVI. Under King Louis’ rule, French design transitioned from the elaborate, lavish baroque and rococo eras toward Neoclassicism, a style centered on crisp lines, traditional forms, and symmetry. It emerged as a reaction against the extravagance and magnificence of the rococo period. Moldings became slimmer and more refined, while fluted and beaded details appeared frequently. The result is less decorative but still formal—“opulence with restraint”—giving it an appeal that feels both contemporary and classic.
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Alexander Roslin: Gustav III, 1746-1792, konung av Sverige.
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Here’s a fun fact for those who enjoy history: King Gustav was the first neutral head of state to acknowledge the United States while it fought for independence from Great Britain. King Gus admired Benjamin Franklin, and even today, Swedes take pride in having been the first nation to willingly extend their friendship to the Americans. In other words, I’m fascinated that French Neoclassicism and Swedish Gustavian style remain popular nearly 250 years later—a true reflection of enduring design.
Download the Project Plans
As usual, I’ve prepared the complete plans for you to download, making it possible to build these DIY Gustavian Nightstands in your own home. I also created the suggested plywood cutting diagram, taking the wood grain direction and the way each individual piece will come together into account. One 4×8 sheet of plywood should provide enough material for two nightstands. Before cutting the parts for each nightstand, simply divide the plywood sheet in half.
Building with White Oak Hardwood
This project marked my first time using white oak. Since I’m accustomed to working with pine, spruce, maple, poplar, and black walnut, I expected white oak to behave similarly. I was mistaken. It became a valuable learning opportunity and, honestly, proved fairly difficult. I selected white oak because of its stunning natural color, but working with it introduced an entirely new set of challenges for me.
White oak has very dense, tight-grained fibers, giving it impressive strength, but I discovered that it is far less forgiving than softer woods such as pine or spruce. In softer lumber, the fibers are more pliable and move aside when a screw is driven in, while white oak is stiffer and resists movement. Nearly every time I drove in a screw—even
after pre-drilling), the wood would crack! It was discouraging to stop, fix the damage, clamp everything, apply glue, and wait before continuing. Since the grain is so dense, it resists water and moisture, making the glue-up more difficult because the adhesive can’t soak deeply into the wood fibers and create a strong bond.
If you plan to work with white oak, keep in mind that it may demand extra precision and plenty of patience. Work slowly and be kind to yourself – mistakes will happen, and that’s perfectly fine. Use them as chances to learn and improve. One major reason I enjoy woodworking so much is that wood is such a versatile material!
DIY Beaded Drawer Front
I spent a lot of time trying to determine how to duplicate a beaded pattern on the drawer fronts. One idea was to attach several half-round moldings to the drawer face, but I didn’t want to hide this gorgeous, costly white oak beneath pine trim. After all, wouldn’t that defeat the whole point? Triple-bead and fluted router bits are sold commercially, but I needed the beads to cross the grain rather than follow it, so those bits wouldn’t work on my router table. Following plenty of research, I eventually discovered this router bit, which lets me cut a beaded profile in whichever direction I choose. Doing this manually would take an enormous amount of time and effort, so I assigned the job to my CNC machine. Whenever a robot is an option, I’m picking the robot! Naturally, I realize that not everyone owns a CNC machine, and this beaded feature can also be made with a handheld router, though it will take considerably more time and work. You could also skip this step entirely and still end up with a lovely piece of furniture.
Once the drawer fronts had been routed, I ripped and crosscut them to their final dimensions. These DIY nightstands are taking shape beautifully! I planned them with ample storage, including two spacious drawers and a slim upper shelf. I added full-extension ball-bearing soft-close drawer slides (very fancy, I know) before fastening my gorgeous beaded drawer fronts. Honestly, I’m amazed by how this uncomplicated beaded accent elevates the entire design!
As with my original Woodhouse nightstand design, I added the slim shelf that we’ve enjoyed so much. It keeps the nightstand surface open and tidy while providing a convenient spot for a laptop, tablet, or evening book. Another clever improvement would be installing a concealed power outlet for discreetly charging electronic devices.
Take a look at those full-extension drawer slides! You won’t have to fret about items disappearing at the back of the drawers. They also feature soft-close functionality, which feels wonderfully extra. When making drawers, I always suggest choosing higher-quality slides because they’re far easier to install than inexpensive, flimsy alternatives.
I really like the way the warm natural white oak finish stands out against our black iron bed. These nightstands were designed slightly taller than typical bedside tables. Their increased height lines up with our bed (the mattress is ridiculously thick), and I’m thrilled with the final result.
What’s your opinion? Do French Neoclassicist or Swedish Gustavian designs appeal to you? If you make this project, I’d be delighted to see it! Remember to tag me @jenwoodhouse on social media or submit your project directly through my site here. I’m excited to see your interpretations of these DIY Gustavian Nightstands!
