ᐅ Adapting IKEA Malm Furniture to Be Child-Friendly – What’s the Best Approach?

Hello everyone, I am planning to modify some IKEA Malm furniture for our children’s rooms to make it as child-friendly and safe as possible. I am considering aspects such as rounded edges, sturdy handles, possibly a different finish, or reinforcing the furniture to prevent tipping. My main focus is on how to best and, above all, durably modify this furniture series without completely ruining its appearance, and with clear instructions for someone with basic DIY skills. Does anyone have experience or tips on how to adapt Malm dressers or bedside tables for child safety? Which materials have proven useful, and which hazards are often underestimated? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hello Darakin,

First of all, your concern is really important, especially when it comes to Malm furniture, as there are several points to consider to safely modify children’s room furniture.

I would recommend rounding off all edges and corners, as these are often quite sharp. You can do this by adding wooden molding or special edge protectors, which are available, for example, at hardware stores. Make sure these are securely attached with screws or strong adhesive.

Furthermore, the most common issue is dressers tipping over. Therefore, I strongly suggest using additional wall anchors that are connected to the furniture. There are special IKEA-safe wall mounts that are also extendable if you want to rearrange the room later.

You could consider replacing the handles with softer, rounded ones that don’t pose an injury risk—such as safety handles made from plastic. Regarding the finish, use non-toxic, low-emission child-safe paints that are washable and durable.

Another point I noticed: use rubber protection mats inside the drawers to prevent pinching hazards and secure the drawers with soft-close dampers or stoppers so fingers cannot get caught.

Could you specify which Malm furniture you want to modify exactly? Dressers, beds, or desks? That would help provide more targeted advice.

I think it’s great that you’re putting so much thought into this, Darakin! 🙂 Especially when children are involved, you really can’t leave anything to chance, and Malm furniture is known for being quite simple and sometimes a bit sharp-edged for the little ones.

I had a similar situation recently and felt a bit overwhelmed, mainly because I didn’t want to damage too much. But as fidasi already mentioned, securing the furniture to the wall is definitely the most important factor to ensure safety.

Have you also considered modifying the inside of the drawers to be more child-friendly? Maybe adding dividers made of foam or wood to prevent pinching or sharp corners inside?

I’m looking forward to hearing about your solution because I want to upgrade my daughter’s furniture as well ;-)

Short and concise: Round off edges, secure furniture with wall anchors, and replace handles if necessary. Use child-safe paints. This way, Malm can be modified relatively safely.

I would like to critically point out in this discussion that simply childproofing Malm furniture does not necessarily address the fundamental safety issues.

Rounding off edges or replacing handles alone does not automatically ensure tipping resistance and overall stability of the furniture piece.

fidasi schrieb:
The most common problem is dressers tipping over. Therefore, I would definitely recommend using additional wall anchors

I fully agree with this; it is indeed the most important point. However, what about the load capacity of these wall anchors when used by children who like to pull themselves up on or climb the furniture? Is the usual anchoring sufficient?

I often see that this type of furniture is less sturdy, and the anchoring should be done at least twice. What are your thoughts?

ONRONA schrieb:
Is the usual anchoring sufficient?

Very good point. I actually recommend using hooks and screws that go deep into the wall, ideally with wall plugs for solid walls, if possible, especially for very active children. The standard kits included by IKEA are often designed only for light loads.

Double or even triple anchoring is better, especially if children pull themselves up on the furniture or climb on it.

Additionally, you can reinforce the furniture from the inside with small brackets to make the entire piece more stable.

Darakin, how old are the children? And how active are they during play?