ᐅ How can I make IKEA BESTA units feel more cozy and homely when used as room dividers?

Hello everyone, I’m considering using the IKEA Besta system as a room divider in my living room, but I want to make it as cozy and inviting as possible. My apartment has an open floor plan, so a room divider would be useful to visually separate the work and living areas, for example. Does anyone have tips on how to design the BESTA as a room divider without making the space feel too bare or overly functional? What design options are there to give the divider a warm appearance? I would appreciate suggestions regarding colors, decoration, lighting, or other refinements. Thanks in advance!

Use open shelves from the BESTA series to make the room feel more spacious. Arrange a combination of closed and open compartments to incorporate both storage and decoration. Plants and warm lighting help create a cozy atmosphere.

I think the advice to view IKEA BESTA simply as a functional room divider is somewhat limited. Why not take advantage of creating a cozy atmosphere by combining contrasting materials? A plain white front often feels dull. Adding a few wooden elements or colored inserts in trendy shades could not only break up the look but also visually enrich the space. Of course, you still need some liveliness: lamps, rugs, plants, no question. But the essential point is to see the room divider itself as an independent piece of furniture with personality, not just as a space blocker.

libar49 schrieb:
I think the advice to consider IKEA BESTA purely as a functional room divider is somewhat narrow-minded.

Yes, that's exactly my point. I don’t want a simple partition wall but rather an element that brings life to the space. That’s why I’m specifically looking for inspiration for a cozy design that also looks good on its own, perhaps through a mix of materials or suitable lighting, and not just serving as practical storage.

A few months ago, I used BESTA as a room divider myself and had similar concerns at first. My advice: go for different textures, for example, open shelves combined with glass doors instead of full fronts. This makes the furniture look lighter and allows you to display attractive decorations.

Lighting is also crucial: small LED strips on the top of the BESTA highlight the room divider and create a pleasant atmosphere. And last but not least, a few well-placed plants greatly help to make the space feel more vibrant and homely.

In my opinion, it is also important not to make the room divider too tall. If it appears too massive and bulky, no decoration can fix that. Finding a middle ground is best, perhaps choosing a height that doesn’t reach all the way to the ceiling. This way, the space remains divided but still feels open and airy.