It’s going on a year of having my Ikea Ektorp sofas, chair, and slipcover, so I thought it would be fun to do a very honest review on them. I get asked all the time what I think about them and the usual response is that I love them….but. Yes, there is a “but” and I will get to that very soon. Let me start with saying I did my research on them before heading out on a little road trip to pick them up. Everyone that had them told me to go for it and honestly, I’m so glad I did because I do love them. The pros for sure outweigh the cons, but I thought it would be helpful to share with you what I wish I would have known before purchasing them.
I’m going to break it down as much as I can so that it will help you see what I love and what I wish I would have know.
Ektorp Sofa and Chair
Before I get to the slipcover, I’m going to begin with the couch and chair. We chose the Ektorp style sofa and chair. We purchased two sofas and one chair for our living room. We have a pretty large living room so we wanted sofas that were large enough to fill the space. That was very important to us. We didn’t want a puny couch, and honestly, the size and style were perfect! It’s exactly what I wanted and looks so great in our living room.
The next test was comfort. Let’s be honest, no one wants to sit on a hard couch. Since we do not have an Ikea close by, I couldn’t just pop in and sit on one. That part was pretty scary not exactly knowing if it was going to be soft enough for our family. After we got there and was able to sit on it, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t the softest couch I’ve ever sat on, but it was comfortable. I also knew that it would soften up over time so that wasn’t at all a concern for me. One year later I am happy to report that they have gotten softer. I also want to add that the fullness is still in tact. It still looks like the day we brought them home.
The last piece of information that is very important is cost. These couches are super affordable. The shape and style of them remind me of Pottery Barn couches but at a fraction of the price. You get so much bang for your buck with these couches.
Ektorp Slipcover
So, one of the most popular questions that I get is about my slipcover. We wanted a lighter color but white wasn’t an option for my family. I love white couches, but I just couldn’t bare the thought of washing my slipcovers weekly and constantly seeing my dog’s black hair on them. So my fist instinct was an off-white. We decided on Nordvalla Dark Beige. I loved it because it had a linen look to it and the color was exactly what I was looking for. I love this color!!
Ready to hear the best part about these slipcovers? You can wash them! I know, I know, that is the purpose of a slipcover, but I will never go back to a regular couch. I’m officially hooked on slipcovers. We have two adults, three children (one being a baby), and two black dogs. In other words, something is always going down on these couches. I’ve cleaned up dog throw up and urine (ewwww, I know), soot from the fireplace, and food stains and have successfully washed and gotten out all of the stains with zero fading. They are so simple to wash. In fact, I’m washing one right now from a mystery stain that I found today. I wash them exactly how the directions say and then air dry them. Another pro is that after you wash them, getting the slipcover back on is pretty simple, especially if they are still a little damp. The most difficult part was the first time, but now that I know what I am doing it is super simple and quick.
Now for the cons. This slipcover has a pretty big con. So, after we had these couches for about 3 months, I started noticing that the fabric was balling up. Not at all what you want to see on your new couches. It looked so bad. I was just so upset that my new couches looked like they were old and worn out. I got on Ikea’s website and looked at the slipcover reviews and didn’t see any that told about this problem. I was ready to return them ASAP. Since we would have to wait until we had time to take another road trip to the closest Ikea, I decided to search for a tool that could possible help with this problem. Guys, allow me to introduce you to my new favorite gadget….
It’s this guy right here. It is a fabric shaver , and it was a solution to my huge problem. Warning, it’s also super addictive. It literally got off almost every single ball. Now, I realize that isn’t ideal at all. You should not have to work this hard to have a pretty couch. The good news is that after I did it really good that first time, I rarely have to use it. I just get it out at the same time I lent roll the dog hairs off of my couch. It was my lifesaver. I highly recommend getting this product even if you don’t buy this slipcover. It is AMAZING!!
Alright guys, that sums up my review. Here is a quick breakdown.
Ektorp Sofa Pros– Size, Shape, Fullness, Style, Comfort, and Cost
Ektorp Sofa Cons– No cons to report
Nordvalla Dark Beige Slipcover Pros– Easy to wash, Easy to cover, Cost, Color, and Style
Nordvalla Dark Beige Slipcover Cons– Durability
I hope I answered all of your questions. I can honestly say that I would recommend these couches, but it is important to know all of the facts before you go all in with a big purchase like this. As always, please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you so much for stopping by the blog!
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Hi Carissa,
Thanks so much for all of this information. I myself have been thinking about getting this couch so this is very helpful in making my decision. I do have one question though. How about putting the slipcover on the couch, do you have a hard time with that?
Hey, Marisela!! I’m so glad I could help with your decision. That is a great question and I should have included that. I think it is super simple to get on and off. No problems there. Hope that helps! Thank you for stopping by! Have a great day!
Hi Carissa! Thank you for doing this review. It has been so helpful. We will be replacing sofas soon! I love your blog!!
Hi Pam! I’m so glad it could help you with your decision. Thank you so much! So glad you are enjoying the blog. Thanks for stopping by!
Just found your acct on IG and sooooo glad I did! And I learned you have a blog too – Oh my golly! Can hardly wait to start reading. We have the white Ektorp loveseat and chairs because our room is super tiny. Love them and after a year no tiny balls. Must be the fabric of the dark beige 🙁. Never thought to use the shaver on other things. Definitely need to get that after our dining chairs! Great post. 😀
Hi Cindy! That is so nice! Thank you so much! Yes, it’s for sure the fabric. I guess next time I need to choose something that’s not linen. You will seriously love that fabric shaver! Thanks so for stopping by my blog. It means so much that you like it!
Looks great I bought one myself!! What color is your wall?
Hey Natalie! They wall color is called Lenox Tan by BM
I just bought the sofa, chair and ottoman. Got the dark gray covers and the same beige you have for the summer months. Nice to see yours look so great after a year. I love mine so far. And my dog loves the ottoman!
Looking forward to red covers at the holidays!
Was going to purchase Pottery Barn but read so many great reviews like yours and after sitting on them at IKEA decided to forego the PB sofa! Read too many bad reviews on PB delivery and got the IKEA Ektorps delivered the next day!
Thank you for helping me make a wise choice!
Hey Diane! That is such a great idea changing the slipcovers out with seasons and holidays! I may need to try that! I am so glad this post helped you with your decision. Thank you so much for letting me know!!
How do you spot clean your slipcover? I just purchased the sectional in this color two months ago and one cushion has a milk stain from my little boy. I read with the white cover to use peroxide but I don’t know if that’s a good idea for this dark beige cover.
Hi Shelby! I usually just wash the slipcovers about once a month or so. I just follow the directions on the tag and they always do great.
Hi Carissa,
I’m looking into purchasing the Ektorp and I was just looking at the colours available on the IKEA website, and the same dark beige looks beige on IKEA, but in your pics I find it looks greyish… do you find the colour may have changed a bit after regular washing? Or is just the pics and lighting that may it look that way?
Hi Josee! No, the colors have not changed. It still looks beige in person. They still look exactly the same after washing. I’m sure the way I edited my photos made it appear a different color.
Hi Carissa,
Well, I took the plunge and ordered the sofa, loveseat, chair and ottoman today. I got them in Lofalet Beige and ordered an extra set of slipcovers in the same color. I can’t wait to get them! Thank you for your review. Your living room is gorgeous.
Hi Rose! I am so glad my review could help you with your decision! I’m so excited for you to get them. I really hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Thanks so much for letting me know and for stopping by the blog! Have a great day!
Love your room…simply beautiful. Can i ask where did you get your throw pillows from? .
Thank you so much, Alice! I got most of them at Kirkland’s.
Love your living room. Thank you for the review it helped me to make up my mind about purchasing the sofa and chair. Can I ask where did you get your throw pillows from? Thanks!
Looks lovely. I am interested in this couch with slipcovers. But question, are the the seat and back cushions also slipcovered? Thanks for your review. It was very helpful.
Hello, I love your blog and happy that you did a review on the sofas. I have the sectional and two chairs. I am wondering if it has something to do with the fabric because i have the gray version and have 4 cats, but have never had a problem with the fabric 3 years later except that I have to vaccumn often because of the cats. So happy with them because my last sofa was pottery barn and decided it would be much more cost effective to buy my next set from Ikea because of the cost and the fact that you can buy new covers if you want to change the color if needed, which is what I just did at a reasonable price. Very happy with them. Thanks again for the review. Regards
Hi Cindy!! I am so happy you love the blog! That means so much to hear! I am not sure what the deal is with mine. After the initial problem, I haven’t seen much since then. So weird! I appreciate you letting me know that you liked my review! Thanks for stopping by!