My Honest Review of Ikea’s Ektorp Sofa and Slipcover- One Year Later

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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