We love simplicity in our furniture at home, it allows us to customise however we like. The Ikea BESTA units are as simple as it gets, so they are obviously ripe for upgrading with some great Ikea BESTA hacks!
The BESTA range comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so you’ll be able to find the perfect unit for your needs. They also have a large selection of choices for door finishes already.
But at the end of the day, they are simple boxes.
Let’s have a look at how we can turn them into something a little more exciting. We found a huge range of ideas for Ikea BESTA hacks that range from quirky and colourful to sleek and luxurious.
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Modern Boho Cabinet with Textured Front
This Besta hack from ArtVoom elevates the cabinet into a stunning centerpiece with a sleek, ribbed front that adds texture and depth. It feels effortlessly modern while nodding to boho and earthy aesthetics.
Take inspiration from the curated and fresh styling they’ve used to show off this Besta hack. Love that mirror! 😍
The cabinet itself blends functionality with high design, offering storage that doesn’t compromise on style.
This is a prime example of how IKEA pieces can be transformed into bespoke furniture. It’s proof that the Besta system can shine in both minimalist and eclectic interiors with the right creative vision.
Luxury Dark Besta Sideboard
We love the interplay of dark and light surfaces, as well as different textures. So this stunning Ikea Besta Hack from Our Home Interiors is right up our street!
They have added half round dowels to the front of the Besta doors to completely change the feel of the unit. At the same time, painting the whole thing a dark, moody grey gives it real presence in the room.
Don’t let your beautiful furniture pale into the background. Let it stand out!
Scandinavian-Inspired Besta with Fluted Design
This Besta hack from @studio_adash is all about warm, natural textures and sleek Scandinavian vibes. The fluted wood detailing transforms the cabinet into a statement piece that feels custom-made and effortlessly stylish. Subtle brass hardware adds a touch of elegance without overpowering the clean, minimalist design.
The addition of tapered legs gives the cabinet a mid-century modern flair while elevating the overall look—literally and figuratively.
The styling is spot-on, with framed artwork and a simple vase balancing practicality and personality. It’s a great example of how you can take a simple IKEA Besta and turn it into a bespoke piece with timeless appeal. 👏
Japanese Style Besta Cabinet
How to make a real statement piece: Stack some Besta units, get a company like Fronteriors to supply some fabric-lined doors, create some gorgeous slimline legs and voila!
Ok, this is quite a detailed project, but it should inspire you to create something that looks hugely expensive on a bit of a lower budget.
You can find great looking legs at places like Pretty Pegs or find a local metal fabricator to create something like you see above. It’ll still work out much cheaper than buying a piece of furniture like this!
Floating Sideboard Besta Hack
We really enjoy seeing beautiful, Instagram-worthy homes using Ikea hacks for some of their stunning furnishings.
It shows the world that you can create something amazing on an Ikea budget!
These fantastic floating units are based around simple Besta cupboards with wood effect doors and sides added. A thin, white marble top and some brass handles finish the look perfectly.
Colour Block Besta Units
Sometimes you just need a bit of colour… or a shed load of colour!!
These colour-block Besta units are a fantastic way to inject a bit of fun into any space that needs it. And why not!?
All you need to do is go down to your local DIY store and pick up a range of your favourite colours in tester pots (no need for a whole paint tin!). Then go nuts having a grand old time painting your Besta doors.
Elegant Besta Bench with Classic Touches
This Besta hack from @katjanordkvist transforms the modular cabinet into a chic, built-in bench that feels perfectly at home in a high-end setting. The addition of panelled moulding on the front blends beautifully with the wall’s wainscoting, creating a seamless, custom-built aesthetic.
It’s a smart way to merge storage and seating without sacrificing style. The little details, like the matching trim and clean lines, make this piece feel far from its flat-pack origins.
Overall, it’s a great example of how the Besta can be hacked to fit into a sophisticated, minimalist home. It’s stylish, practical, and blends in so well that you’d never guess it started as an IKEA staple.
Rustic Wood-Topped Ikea Besta Hack
I think this is my favourite Ikea Besta Hack. It’s such a simple way to completely transform the look of some simple Besta units from Atmosphere Et Sens.
They have found a lovely piece of live-edged timber (go to your local timber yard, saw mill or ask at your local timber merchant).
You can have it finished by the timber yard or take home a raw piece and sand and oil it yourself.
It’s a really great way to add a wow-factor easily.
Rust-Fronted Besta Door Decals
Behang Fabriek have a huge range of decals for all sorts of Ikea products. You can transform your Besta doors with an exciting, unique finish that simply sticks onto the front.
These rust-effect stickers are one of my favourites and help turn your Besta units into an industrial inspired statement piece.
If you want to go a step further, you could add some stick-on rivet decals around the edge to give it a more realistic look. Find these at model shops.
Ikea Besta Bathroom Cabinet Hack
We have created many bathroom cabinets over the years, some of which have been Ikea hacks. This great bathroom cabinet from @9burcu0 is a fantastic example of what is possible.
They have a used some Ikea Besta units with some hairpin legs and a thin marble top. The basin and tap have been fitted on top (you might need a plumber to do this bit).
It’s a great way to customise exactly what you want in your bathroom without having to choose from the bathroom cabinets that are out there.
Functional Storage Wall with Wood Accents
Here, @plumandplay brilliantly turn modular Ikea Besta cabinets into a stunning, built-in storage solution with a modern twist. The fluted wood backing inside the open cubbies adds texture and warmth, contrasting beautifully with the smooth, matte white fronts. It’s a perfect balance of clean lines and cozy details.
The design feels both practical and decorative, offering plenty of concealed storage while showcasing curated pieces in the open sections. The pop of greenery and minimalist decor only enhance the overall look.
This is a fantastic way to take the Besta from simple utility to a fully integrated storage wall that feels stylish and personal. It’s versatile enough for any space, from living room to nursery.
Cane Door Panel Hack
Adding cane to Ikea products is a great way to easily enhance the looks and we have a post dedicated to Ikea cane hacks.
This Besta cane hack from Lygge is so simple and beautifully done.
Simply get some cane sheet, cut to size and stick to the front of a panelled Besta door.
Easy Peasy!
Minimalist TV Unit with Wooden Top
This Besta hack upgrades the standard cabinet into a sleek and functional TV console with a touch of natural charm. The thick wooden countertop from StylingathomeUK brings warmth and contrast to the glossy white fronts, making the piece feel modern yet inviting.
The addition of stylish decor items, like the vase of vibrant flowers, softens the overall look while adding personality. It’s a clever way to balance practicality with aesthetics in a living room.
This hack demonstrates how a simple addition, like a wooden top, can transform the Besta into a bespoke and polished piece. It’s versatile, easy to replicate, and works perfectly for those who love minimalist interiors with a hint of warmth.
Curvy Custom Ikea Besta Hacks Sideboard
Add a unique top to your Besta units and you’ve got yourself a hack!
The simple addition of a curvy top panel by Our Bears Home has created a sideboard with attitude!
If you want to jazz up your boring Besta units, take some inspiration from this!
Colour Matched Built-In Besta Units
A wonderful way to add storage to a room without it looking like it’s taking up too much space is to colour match it to the walls.
This stunning Besta sideboard hack from Our Rustic Home Renovation, embellished with some wooden strips at the front, has been painted in the same colour os the walls around it to fit in beautifully.
Add some stylish accessories on top and the look is complete!
Custom Built-In Storage
If you really want to hide the fact that you’re using Ikea Besta units, then take a leaf out of this beautiful project shown on My Domaine.
They have built Besta units into a wall space and added custom wooden boxes to create a completely unique look.
We love the wooden slats added at the back of the wooden boxes for a textural detail.
Fretwork Door Panels
A bit of texture or pattern instantly changes the look of a piece of furniture and this Besta sideboard hack from Front Cover uses a stunning fretwork panel to do just this.
They custom make panels to fit a variety of Ikea products and these diamond pattern panels are simply gorgeous.
Add some brass legs to the bottom and you have a stylish piece of furniture without the high-end price.
Mid-Century Sideboard Hack
This image from Our House In Wrigley is a beautiful example of how well wood and dark walls go together to create a sumptuous look.
The wood is in the form of custom made doors for their Besta units which have been given a dark stain. They have then added some mid-century tapered brass legs to easily give the sideboard a mid-century look.
Simply add some stylish accessories and a plant and you have a gorgeous focal point in any room.
Ornate Besta Sideboard Hack
Sometimes there are Ikea hacks that you just have to sit back and applaud while admiring the beauty of it. This incredible sideboard from Hokus Pokus Home is one of those!
You can’t quite believe this is a Besta hack, but I’m taking them at their word!
Actually I can see how it’s been done and it has taken a lot of hard work and talent. Bravo! Check out some of their other creations for inspiration!
Plywood Surrounded Besta Units
Now this project hasn’t taken quite as much work as the previous one, but I’m not holding that against them. It’s still a fantastic hack from Dirksdotter and much more accessible to everyone.
They have simply cut (or get the timber merchant to cut it if you don’t have the tools) plywood sheets to fit around the outside of their Besta cupboards.
It’s a simple, yet transformative hack that gives a great, industrial look to the room.
Tile-Topped Besta Hack
As you’ve seen, sometimes all you need to do is add a unique and stylish top surface to your Besta units. This gorgeous sideboard from Binti Home does something a little bit different.
They have used tiles to create a lovely and hard-wearing top to their Besta sideboard.
If you’ve wanted to have a go at tiling but don’t want your first time to be in a big bathroom project, why not have a go at creating a tiled surface for a piece of furniture like this!?
Three-Dimensional Door Fronts
I’ve talked about adding texture and pattern before, but this awesome project takes it to another level. This is extreme texture!
This great Besta hack from Ikeahackers uses stick-on geometric panels to create a futuristic, sci-fi sideboard.
This looks like it’s straight out of Lost in Space!
Minimalist Marble Besta Hack
Another simple addition of a top surface has made this Besta unit into a luxury piece of furniture.
This project, shown on Little Design Corner, was all about minimalist and expensive-looking materials.
You don’t even have to spend a lot doing this if you can find a reclaimed marble kitchen work surface and get it chopped down. There are also marble-effect acrylic worktops that you can use for this.
Ribbed Besta Unit
These fluted or ribbed finishes are very much on trend. They add that elusive bit of texture to a room that has a super-transformative effect.
This Ikea Besta hack from A Beautiful Mess uses half-round mouldings that you can pick up from your local DIY store or order online.
Stick them to your Besta doors and then paint to create a rather unique, textural piece of furniture.
Under Stairs Cupboard Hack
We love a bit of well-used space and under the stairs is always a tricky one to get right. This fantastic Ikea Besta hack from Bouwnummer 29 does it really well.
They have gone for the rib-fronted look and created a completely custom-made look for these storage units.
It’s so simple, but looks so utterly timeless.
Colourful Rattan Besta Hack
Let’s finish with a bang and one of the most colourful Ikea Besta hacks from Studio DIY.
The colour is awesome, the knobs are big and bold, the rattan/hessian inserts work perfectly and the little tapered feet with their brass finish are utterly adorable!
Have some fun with your Ikea hacks, as these guys evidently did!
There is only one outcome when you combine a simple, practical, well made box with some out-of-the-box creativity and imagination… A stunning, unique Ikea Besta hack that you can be proud of.
The Besta units are the perfect base for your Ikea hacks and if you have some that you don’t know what to do with, I hop you do now!
Have fun creating some stylish additions to your home and share them with us!
This post was super informative!! My husband is super talented and I know we can create a Besta of our own. Good work in creating this!!