The top of a dresser fills up quickly. It collects keys, receipts, perfume and laundry, and turns into a catch-all. With a few simple rules it can become the best-looking spot in the bedroom: start with a focal point, layer three heights, and keep a zone for everyday things. Here's how to style a dresser, with ideas for mirrors, two dressers side by side and every kind of room.
Start With a Focal Point
Every styled dresser needs one large piece above or on it:
- A mirror: classic, and it reflects light around the room.
- Art: one large piece, or two to three leaning frames.
- A TV: on a low, wide dresser in a guest room or main bedroom.
- Wall sconces on either side, which free the top from lamps.
How high should a mirror be above a dresser?
Hang the bottom edge about 4–8 in above the dresser top. Make the mirror about two-thirds of the dresser's width, or slightly narrower, so it looks anchored to the dresser rather than floating. Leaning a large mirror against the wall on the dresser top looks relaxed and modern. Dressers with mirrors are still in style. Round and arched mirrors in particular suit today's soft, curved furniture.
Layer Three Heights
Designers often use the 3-5-7 rule: group objects in odd numbers (3, 5 or 7) at different heights. On a dresser, that usually means:
- Tall: a lamp, a vase with branches, or a tall candle holder.
- Medium: a stack of books, a framed photo, a sculptural object.
- Low: a tray, a dish or a small bowl.
Put the tallest piece toward one end, not dead center, and balance it on the other side with a lower, wider group.
Create a Functional Zone
Real life needs space for everyday things. Give them one tray or bowl for keys, rings, a watch and sunglasses. Keep perfume on a small mirrored or marble tray. Charging cables can go inside the top drawer. Everything else goes in the drawers. On a 60 in or wider dresser such as the Curva 8-Drawer Double Dresser, you can keep one end for the everyday tray and style the other end.
Dresser Decor Ideas
- Modern organic: a ceramic lamp, a linen-covered book stack, a wooden bowl, a single stem in a vase.
- Glam: a marble-look tray, a crystal or brass lamp, perfume bottles and a large arched mirror. This suits pieces like the Nacre 6-Drawer Dresser with its marble-look top.
- Warm traditional: family photos in matching frames, a pair of candlesticks, a vintage jewelry box.
- Minimal: one lamp, one object and nothing else.
Two Dressers Side by Side
Yes, you can put two dressers side by side. It's an easy way to get a long built-in look. Choose two identical dressers, or two pieces of the same height and depth from one collection. Leave either no gap or a 4–6 in gap, then style them as one long surface: one large mirror or art piece centered across both, or matching lamps at the outer ends. Don't stack dressers on top of each other unless the manufacturer designed them for it, as it's a tip-over risk.
Match the Style to the Room and Dresser
- Small bedrooms and narrow chests: one lamp and one small object; hang art above instead of filling the top.
- Dressers near doors or closets: keep the top flat and practical. A tray and a catch-all bowl are enough.
- Dressers under a TV: keep décor low so it doesn't block the screen.
- Wide dressers: on 70 in pieces like the Orbis Soft Curve Drawer Dresser, style two groups, one at each end, under one wide mirror or artwork.
- Dressers outside the bedroom: in a dining room or hallway, a dresser can be a coffee bar or entry console, as with the Orbis 9-Drawer Curved Dresser.
Protect the Dresser Top
Use trays under perfume, plants and candles to avoid rings and spills. Put felt pads under lamps and decor. Wipe the top with a soft, slightly damp cloth and dry it straight away.
Styling Checklist
- One focal point above or on the dresser
- Tall, medium and low objects in odd-numbered groups
- One tray for everyday items
- Leave about 30% of the top empty
- Swap one or two pieces each season
FAQ
What should go on top of a dresser?
A lamp or mirror, a tray for everyday items, and one or two decorative pieces such as books, a vase or a framed photo.
Should you put a mirror over a dresser?
Usually yes. It adds light and a focal point. Hang it 4–8 in above the top, at about two-thirds of the dresser's width.
What can I use to cover a dresser top?
A glass or acrylic top cut to size, a fabric runner, or simply trays where you put things down most.
Still choosing a dresser? See dresser vs. chest of drawers and our dresser size guide, or browse dressers and chests.