ᐅ Is there a child-friendly way to modify the Ikea Besta system?

Hello everyone,

I am currently planning to modify an Ikea Besta shelf unit to make it more child-friendly. I am focusing on safety, edge protection, and easy handling so that small children can use it without risk of injury or frustration caused by heavy doors and drawers.

Does anyone know of practical and proven solutions or modification ideas to make the Besta furniture suitable for children? Are there specific retrofit parts or modification guides that work well for this, perhaps with child-proof locks or soft-closing mechanisms?

I would appreciate it if you could share your experiences or tips. Thank you in advance!

Besta can be equipped with soft-close hinges, which are available as spare parts. Edge protection can be added using flexible foam strips. Child safety can be ensured with simple magnetic locks.

Hello fifure,

your question is very sensible and addresses an important aspect of child safety. I would recommend not only focusing on soft-close mechanisms but also on sturdy edge protection profiles that fit well with the Besta design. For small children, handle strips with rounded edges are also ideal.

Regarding safety, it is also advisable to observe the situation: How much does your child interact with doors and drawers? Depending on that, a child-friendly lock or a removal and opening guard might be useful.

If you are handy, you can also cover the fronts with plexiglass or transparent protective panels to keep sharp edges hidden while maintaining the appearance.

Your question about making an Ikea Besta shelf unit more child-friendly is interesting and quite technically challenging, as the furniture is not originally designed primarily with child safety in mind.

Here is a detailed approach with some suggestions:

- First, you should check which Besta version you have: wooden or glass doors require different measures.
- Silicone edge protectors with softener profiles can be retrofitted, are easy to attach with double-sided tape, and reduce the risk of injury from corners.
- Replaceable soft-close hinges are not complicated but must be compatible with your existing furniture – you can usually find replacements in the Ikea accessories.
- Child safety: magnetic locks are discreetly installed and visually appealing but require a magnetic key to open.
- Handle strips can be replaced with softer, rounded versions, or you can install recessed handles.
- If the drawers are difficult for small hands to pull, targeted cleaning and lubricating of the tracks can help, or you can use stoppers to prevent drawers from falling out.

One more question: Do you want to place the shelf in a playroom or make it child-friendly throughout the entire home? For example, different requirements apply in children’s rooms compared to kitchens.

Laukau5 schrieb:
One more question: Do you want to place the shelving unit in a playroom, or should it be child-friendly throughout the entire home? For example, different requirements apply in children’s rooms than in the kitchen.

Thank you for the detailed response and the follow-up question! The Besta will mainly be used in the living room as a combination piece of furniture, where younger children often play. The children are between 2 and 4 years old. Besides preventing injuries, I also want to avoid them pulling doors or drawers open completely, which could cause heavy items to fall out. So maybe some kind of safety mechanism to prevent accidental opening would be useful.

Are there simple solutions that can be retrofitted and later removed when the children are older?

Magnetic child safety locks are highly recommended for small children. They are easy to install and can be removed after use. This prevents the furniture from being opened easily unless you have the corresponding key.