ᐅ Adapting IKEA Malm Furniture to Be Child-Friendly – What’s the Best Approach?
Created on: 20 Jul 2016 18:14
D
Darakin
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!
Thanks in advance for the quick and detailed responses!
My children are 3 and 5 years old, very lively and curious – so the safety issue is really important.
My idea was to make the Malm dresser and nightstand more childproof since we already have them in the kids’ room. I was thinking of a combination of edge protectors, wall anchors, softer handles, and maybe some kind of “bump guard” around the furniture in case the little ones accidentally bump into them.
The main pieces are the dresser with 6 drawers and a Malm nightstand. I have no experience modifying beds, so I’m leaving those out for now.
I hadn’t thought about using drawer dividers to prevent pinching, that’s very helpful, thanks @TuLaurent!
What would be the best way to create those compartments? Foam, wood, or another solution?
My children are 3 and 5 years old, very lively and curious – so the safety issue is really important.
My idea was to make the Malm dresser and nightstand more childproof since we already have them in the kids’ room. I was thinking of a combination of edge protectors, wall anchors, softer handles, and maybe some kind of “bump guard” around the furniture in case the little ones accidentally bump into them.
fidasi schrieb:
Can you say exactly which Malm furniture pieces you want to modify?
The main pieces are the dresser with 6 drawers and a Malm nightstand. I have no experience modifying beds, so I’m leaving those out for now.
I hadn’t thought about using drawer dividers to prevent pinching, that’s very helpful, thanks @TuLaurent!
What would be the best way to create those compartments? Foam, wood, or another solution?
T
TuLaurent20 Jul 2016 22:56Darakin schrieb:
How could these compartments be best implemented? Foam, wood, or another solution?For our drawers, we simply used small wooden inserts that can be arranged as desired. There are also self-adhesive foam liners that provide some additional cushioning.
If you want to make the setup a bit quieter, felt is an option at the dividing surfaces.
It is important that the materials are free of harmful substances. Sometimes simple plastic boxes or drawer dividers made of bamboo are also practical and easy to clean.
B
BASTIANTI21 Jul 2016 07:33Hey Darakin, this topic is really great and so important!!!
I implemented something just like this in our room and I can tell you: such a makeover is really fun and very satisfying when you see that the kids are safer and the furniture still looks cool!
My tip: Use colorful, soft furniture glides and corner bumpers so it doesn’t look too boring! And don’t forget to secure the furniture to the wall to prevent tipping.
If you want to replace the handles with child-friendly ones, make sure they have no sharp edges—round wooden knobs work really well!
Very important: Involve your kids if they are a bit older; this makes them feel really comfortable :-) Good luck!
I implemented something just like this in our room and I can tell you: such a makeover is really fun and very satisfying when you see that the kids are safer and the furniture still looks cool!
My tip: Use colorful, soft furniture glides and corner bumpers so it doesn’t look too boring! And don’t forget to secure the furniture to the wall to prevent tipping.
If you want to replace the handles with child-friendly ones, make sure they have no sharp edges—round wooden knobs work really well!
Very important: Involve your kids if they are a bit older; this makes them feel really comfortable :-) Good luck!
Good morning everyone 🙂
I think a beautiful kids’ room renovation sounds wonderful! I would recommend not completely rebuilding the furniture, but rather focusing on cushioning and securing the typical “hazard spots.”
With stylish colored edge guards, which are sometimes even self-adhesive, you can effectively soften sharp corners without turning the furniture into a building block.
And if it’s about nightstands—tall furniture can also be a challenge. You could use small non-slip mats underneath to prevent them from sliding or tipping over easily.
I also like the tip from fidasi regarding finishes: non-toxic paint or a natural soap solution finish makes the furniture cozier and safer.
In the end, it’s the combination of small details and attention to detail that really makes the difference ;-)
I think a beautiful kids’ room renovation sounds wonderful! I would recommend not completely rebuilding the furniture, but rather focusing on cushioning and securing the typical “hazard spots.”
With stylish colored edge guards, which are sometimes even self-adhesive, you can effectively soften sharp corners without turning the furniture into a building block.
And if it’s about nightstands—tall furniture can also be a challenge. You could use small non-slip mats underneath to prevent them from sliding or tipping over easily.
I also like the tip from fidasi regarding finishes: non-toxic paint or a natural soap solution finish makes the furniture cozier and safer.
In the end, it’s the combination of small details and attention to detail that really makes the difference ;-)
Back to the topic of tipping safety:
The issue of “pull-out drawers acting as levers” should not be underestimated. Dressers often become unstable when multiple drawers are open at the same time. Therefore, it would be sensible to equip the drawers with soft stoppers or to allow only one drawer to be opened at a time, especially when small children are nearby.
In this case, I would primarily focus on long-term stability through proper anchoring combined with cushioning elements inside the drawers.
Are there any ideas on how to make drawers “childproof” against uncontrolled simultaneous opening without damaging the piece of furniture?
The issue of “pull-out drawers acting as levers” should not be underestimated. Dressers often become unstable when multiple drawers are open at the same time. Therefore, it would be sensible to equip the drawers with soft stoppers or to allow only one drawer to be opened at a time, especially when small children are nearby.
Darakin schrieb:
My children are 3 and 5 years old, very lively and curious
In this case, I would primarily focus on long-term stability through proper anchoring combined with cushioning elements inside the drawers.
Are there any ideas on how to make drawers “childproof” against uncontrolled simultaneous opening without damaging the piece of furniture?
ONRONA schrieb:
Are there any ideas on how to make drawers “childproof” against uncontrolled simultaneous opening?A DIY or purchased drawer lock could help here. This can be done mechanically with a small wooden latch mounted on the side, or by using magnetic catches.
Another option is to equip the drawers with built-in dampers that slow down fast opening and reduce accidental tipping caused by leverage.
A small tip: These stoppers and dampers often come with good instructions from IKEA or other suppliers, making them easy to install even for beginners.
Also, it’s important not to overfill the drawers to avoid them jamming.
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