The IKEA BESTÅ sits in millions of British living rooms, and in most of them it looks exactly the same: white, boxy, and unmistakably flat-pack. It does its job - hiding cables, stacking board games, storing the Sky remote - but nobody has ever walked into a room and said, "What a stunning sideboard." That changes the moment you add custom overlay panels.
Why the BESTÅ Is the Perfect Candidate for an Overlay Hack
IKEA designed the BESTÅ system to be modular, which is precisely what makes it so hackable. The frames come in standardised widths (60cm and 120cm) and the doors sit flush against a simple carcase. There are no complicated curves, no integrated handles to work around, and no awkward trim pieces. This means a well-cut overlay panel can be attached directly over the existing door - or over the bare frame if you have removed the doors entirely - with nothing more than strong adhesive or a few discreet screws from the inside.
Unlike a full bespoke sideboard, which can cost upwards of £1,500, a BESTÅ frame with two or three cabinets typically runs between £150 and £300 from IKEA. Add custom overlay fronts and you are looking at a total spend that is still a fraction of the bespoke price, yet the finished result looks anything but mass-produced.
Choosing a Style That Actually Looks Built-In
The trick to making a BESTÅ look expensive is choosing an overlay design that references real joinery. Here are the most popular routes:
- Shaker panels: A routed Shaker profile instantly adds depth and shadow lines. Painted in a heritage shade like sage green or warm grey, this turns a BESTÅ into something that could sit comfortably in a period hallway or a country-style kitchen-diner.
- Fluted or reeded fronts: Vertical fluting is one of the biggest interior trends in the UK right now. Applied to a BESTÅ, it creates a textured media unit or hallway console that looks like it belongs in a boutique hotel.
- Handleless slab fronts with a push-to-open mechanism: If your taste runs minimal, a plain slab panel in a matt finish - think warm oak or soft mushroom - paired with push-to-open hardware gives you clean lines with zero visual clutter.
- Half-panelled designs: Some homeowners leave the top cabinets open for display and only overlay the lower doors. This mixed approach suits living rooms where you want a combination of hidden and styled storage.
Whichever route you take, the key is consistency. Match the panel finish to other woodwork in the room - skirting boards, shelving, or window frames - and the BESTÅ will look like it was planned as part of the scheme rather than bought on a Saturday afternoon in Wembley.
A Step-by-Step Fitting Overview
You do not need a carpenter for this project. Most people complete the full transformation in under two hours with basic tools. Here is the general process:
- Measure your existing doors: Note the exact height, width, and any hinge positions. If you are ordering overlays to sit on top of the current IKEA doors, the overlay will typically be cut to the same dimensions. If you are replacing the doors entirely, you will need to confirm hinge-hole spacing.
- Choose your overlay thickness: Thinner panels (around 3mm to 6mm) can be bonded directly with high-strength adhesive tape. Thicker panels (9mm and above) may benefit from screw fixings through the back of the existing door for extra security, especially on frequently used cabinets.
- Dry-fit before committing: Hold each panel in place, check alignment, and make sure there is clearance for the doors to open and close without catching on the frame or adjacent units.
- Attach and adjust: Apply the panels, press firmly, and allow adhesive to cure if applicable. Reattach handles or swap to new hardware that complements the new fronts.
If you are renting, adhesive-mounted overlays are fully reversible. Remove them when you move out and take your upgrade with you to the next flat - the BESTÅ frame stays behind, unharmed.
What This Hack Actually Saves You
A bespoke joiner-built media unit or sideboard in the UK typically costs between £1,200 and £3,000 depending on size, material, and location. A mid-range furniture retailer might charge £600 to £1,000 for a ready-made piece of similar size, but you lose any ability to customise dimensions or finishes. The BESTÅ-plus-overlay route brings the total to somewhere between £250 and £500 - a saving that is difficult to ignore, particularly for first-time homeowners or anyone furnishing a rental property they do not plan to stay in forever.
Beyond the money, there is the environmental argument. Reusing a perfectly functional IKEA carcase and simply upgrading its face keeps a bulky piece of furniture out of landfill. It is a small act, but a meaningful one when multiplied across thousands of households.
Ready to Upgrade Your BESTÅ?
If you have been staring at a row of plain white BESTÅ doors and wondering whether there is a way to make them look like they belong in an interiors magazine, overlay panels are your answer. The Upscale Collection offers custom-cut overlay panels designed to fit standard IKEA units, available in a range of styles and finishes to suit any room. Browse the full range at theupscalecollection.co.uk and see how a simple surface swap can make flat-pack feel anything but.
