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You’re the BESTA Around: Ideas for Hacking & Customizing IKEA’s BESTA Cabinets

Carrie McBride
Carrie McBride
Carrie is a former Apartment Therapy editor and the original editor of Apartment Therapy Media's first site for kids: Ohdeedoh. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two kids..
published Jun 29, 2015
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Is your BESTA the best it can be? BESTÅ cabinets are a much-loved IKEA product because they are just so versatile. We love seeing the different combinations of frames and doors people use to create storage large and small. But the downside to being so versatile is that the BESTAs are rather plain. But this plainness can be a virtue as it opens up so many possibilities for aesthetic upgrades. See how these BESTA-owners have customized their pieces so they stand out from the crowd:

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Brittany of Brittany Makes transformed two BESTAS into a bar. She added new hardware and legs and gave the inside a luxe feel with gold faux bois wrapping paper. Finally, she mounted glass holders to the top to hold her wine glasses.

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Place of My Taste‘s Aniko used leftover wood from a place that makes pallets to front her four BESTAS. She screwed the wood in from the back and stained the planks for a richer, rustic look.

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For a similar look with different materials, this BESTA, featured on IKEA Hackers, was covered with leftover oak flooring with steel edging.

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Ashley of Sugar & Cloth made a floating credenza from two BESTA cabinets. She attached them to the wall and added a wood top for a more finished look.

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Tanya of Dans le Lakehouse added a plywood top and sides to her three BESTAS which she trimmed with veneer edge tape and stained a light greenish-grey. One other notable detail: she cut out holes (and added gromets) for her lamp cords so the top has a clean, cordless look.

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For a more industrial look, this BESTA owner, shown on IKEA Hackers, covered the top and sides of three BESTAs with inexpensive OSB (oriented strand board).

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The star of this BESTA upgrade by Sarah of Very Sarie is not the walnut wood top (which is a lovely addition) or the slim mid century modern-style legs, but the vintage hardware pulls which she scored for $3 each.

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Creating a pattern with nail head trim on the fronts of these BESTAS, by Signed by Tina, gives them a distinct upholstery-inspired look. See IKEA Hackers for her instructions.

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Kata of Kicsihaz drilled small holes all over the fronts of these BESTAs and wove colorful silk ribbons through them for a unique look.

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