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11 Guides on How-To Upscale your IKEA Malm

May 17, 2024

Prettypegs

Sometimes the IKEA malm just doesn’t cut it out for us and we want something more. That is why we gathered all the malm diy’s that our talented and creative customers have created as well as scoured the internet to find different designs and inspiring hacks that will help personalize your malm furniture and home. 

The Malm series from IKEA is one of their iconic line of furniture, all from dresser, wardrobe and beds, there are many different varieties and sizes. When you think about IKEA, the malm dresser is one thing that pops into your mind. (and Swedish meatballs of course)


IKEA Malm Hacks

1. Sleek & Modern take on the Malm dresser

Scandinaviangrey created a sleek design with her Malm furniture creating a one-color matte look. You can either choose a color to make your furniture stand out or in this case you can choose the same/similar color as your wall to make it blend in and make your space look bigger. By adding our Bodil knobs it helped give the dresser an elegant and sophisticated look as well as a subtle contrast to the whole look.

Bodil 18Ø Shiny Chrome

Bodil 18Ø

119.00 SEK

2. IKEA Malm Dresser with a Natural Touch

If you want something more of a calming effect in your home then this design by @maja.interiors could be something for you. With this Malm design there is no bright colors or anything that pops out, this Malm take is more for those who wants their home to be simple and calming a place to destress. Keeping it natural with a wooden theme and our Bill 40Ø knobs that blends in beautifully with the Malm dresser.

IKEA Malm Hack
Bill 40Ø Ash natural

Bill 40Ø

89.00 SEK

3. Elevating your Malm dresser with a Contemporary Bohemian Design

Gold and wooden brown is a beautiful combination when you want a contemporary look to your furniture. Jodi's design to her Malm dresser is a classic to have in your home. By putting half circles as handles to give the dresser not only some color but also dimension and the golden metallic legs brings a different contrast to the materials. This Malm piece gives you a rustic, laminated and a metallic look which pairs off nicely together. Unfortunately the legs that is used in this DIY is discontinued, but for a similar look we have for example our Ture 180 legs or our Ester 60. Check out her account here!

Ture 180 Shiny Brass

Ture 180

295.00 SEK

Felix 200 Walnut finish

Felix 200

155.00 SEK

4. Minimalistic Malm dresser for your kids room

If you like the classical white but want to add something more to it, then this simple upgrade might be just for you. With this hack all you must do is add knobs, our customer used our Bill 30Ø for the classic, natural look. All that is needed to do is drill a hole on the drawers and attach the knobs by screwing them in place. What makes this adorable for a kids room is that the knobs matches the teddy bear.

Bill 30Ø Ash natural

Bill 30Ø

79.00 SEK

Hacks on How-To Apply Legs on Malm Dressers

There has been a small slight issue when it comes to the series Malm, more specifically their dressers. There is no basis which means there is no stable place to apply legs on a Malm dresser, luckily here are a few projects where they have created stability to attach our legs on their malm.

5. Whimsical changing table with a Scandinavian touch

Pasitoapasitodecorando decided to put two Malm dressers to create a changing table that also holds everything needed for your child in the drawers. This is a genius hack that can makes life easier when changing clothes on your little ones. Putting legs on IKEA Malm dresser are quite difficult since they don't have a sturdy bottom, pasitoapasitodecorando shows a way to add a sturdy bottom that creates stability to apply our legs, by just adding a wooden plank at the bottom of the dresser.

Bill 30Ø Teak finish

Bill 30Ø

79.00 SEK

Universal Fitting Plate

Universal fitting plate

35.00 SEK

Carl 170 Ash natural

Carl 170

175.00 SEK

6. Money Saving DIY Designer Piece - Malm Edition

When you find a furniture that you absolutely love but then check the price and see that its way over your budget, DIY will be your best friend in these kinds of situations. Haquesathome did just that, she upgraded her Malm dresser to be similar to another furniture she wanted and by doing so saved a lot of money. To attach our legs to her Malm dresser she added a frame at the bottom to be able to attach the legs. She goes more in-depth on how she created the dresser in her highlights on Instagram.

Fluted Ivar Panels

Fluted Ivar Panels

849.00 SEK

Britta 70 Shiny Brass

Britta 70

79.00 SEK

Hedvig Little 160 Shiny Brass

Hedvig Little 160

175.00 SEK

7. Malm - Elegant & chic hallway piece

If you want some elegance to your dresser transforming it to white with a touch of gold is always a way to go if you want your furniture to look more expensive than it is. Kacee painted her dresser from black to white but she also lifted it up from the ground with our Estelle Slim 220 giving it a completely different feel.

8. Malm Vanity Upgrade

beigehimedecor2024 on TikTok gave her Malm dresser table a touch up and a new life with our Felix 200 handles. When adding just one extra piece you can completely transform your old furniture to look & feel completely different.

Felix 200 Walnut finish

Felix 200

155.00 SEK

9. Transforming your Malm dressers into a desk

With this rendition you can take two Malm dressers and create a whole new table! Charisathome created this beautiful desk with just three pieces and added our Frida 80 handles to add more character and for it to blend in better with her room's aesthetic.

Frida 80 Ash natural

Frida 80

115.00 SEK

IKEA Malm Inspiration

10. A Fanciful & Simple Malm Renewal

If you don’t have the energy to repaint your furniture, an idea you can do is put wallpaper on your furniture. This is a great hack if you are wanting a detailed design on your furniture or if you have a theme in your home that you want to follow. Using a wallpaper can really expand the spectrum of creativity, the sky is the limit. There are also wallpaper that is renter friendly, there are so many wallpapers where you can stick it on and peel it off without damaging your furniture or wall.

11. Malm - Elegant Transformation

A total makeover to your Malm furniture might be something you are looking for especially if you don't want your furniture to look anything like its past self . This design by @jennasuedesign completely changes the look to the point it doesn't look like an IKEA Malm. And oh how we love it!

Wrapping Up: Malm Hacks to Elevate Your Space

We hope you found inspiration for your next Malm project! Whether you're adding stylish knobs, swapping out legs for a Scandinavian flair with PrettyPegs, or giving your furniture a fresh coat of paint, the possibilities are endless. These simple yet effective hacks can transform your Malm pieces into unique, personalized creations that perfectly suit your style. Check out all our knobs and handles for IKEA Malm.

Don't forget to share your DIY transformations with us – we love seeing your creativity in action!

Happy Hacking!

Prettypegs

We are proud to be in the forefront with a fresh design element in home decor styling – furniture feet! This grounding detail has been cast aside for too long and is now getting it's deserved attention. At Prettypegs we are passionate about details and design, and we all know that a unique accessory, like stunning jewelry or shoes will lift a personality. The same goes with furniture.