I don't have one, but I know someone who has 3 Ektorps in her home. She has a small child and pets, and says they are wonderful because the slipcovers are washable. I don't know how long she's had them, though.

You often get what you pay for and IMO that is certainly the case with the Ektorp. A few years ago when we were shopping for new LR upholstered furniture and I had seen this popular Ikea sofa on many blogs we checked it out. Prior to going to Ikea we had looked at several other sofas. I almost could not believe how uncomfortable the Ektorp was in comparison to other sofas. The cushions are not as thick and overall it just did not have the same comfort factor.

I still love much about Ikea and do love the style, the washable covers, and most of all the price of the Ektorp. We paid more than twice the price at 50% off for ours but they are very comfy. I'd consider the Ikea sofa in a cottage if I had a comfortable chair for myself and let the Grands sit and play on the Ektorp!

I just bought the Ektorp 2+2 a few months ago so I can't attest to the wear and tear of it. It is extremely comfortable compared to my old sofa. I haven't had any problems the cushions popping out like some of the reviews I read. I have two young kids, 6 and 7, and I have been extremely happy with it.

I have the Ektorp sectional. I have washed the slipcover and it came very clean. The couch is not the most comfortable though. It should be deeper.

I have had my Ektorp sofa, loveseat and chair for approximately two years. I love the durability and with a little fluffing and washing of the covers they look like new. We have a messy DH, five year old daughter and dog who likes to roll on the furniture in our household and the furniture still looks great in my opinion.

It is not as comfy as the average "bubbly" Lazy-Boy sofa or recliner, but it hasn't stopped anyone in my house from lounging on it all day on a Saturday! I do remember the first time I sat on it in the showroom I was surprised on how low to the ground it felt, but we have adapted to that without a problem and DH is 6'2" and not a small man!

Here are some recent shots of our set.

This is very helpful! It seems like the comfort thing might be an issue-- I guess I have to go try myself! Comfort is probably the ONLY thing DH cares about, so may be a problem.

westiegirl, I love your photos!

Here is the only pic I have of my LR-- sorry for so many people in it, but it gives you an idea of my current sofas. They are so heavy looking, but I do like the softness and comfort of them:

As you can see, our LR is small (there is also a loveseat in there) so it seems like it would be good to lighten it up w/white. I have put white slipcovers (NOT custom) and on the current sofas but they were way to messy to deal with since they did not fit right.

If your husband cares that much about comfort, then I would pass on the Ektorp. In my opinion, I find they look best in that cottagey environment where everything is a little worn.

I believe that jcpenney has a slipcovered sofa that you might want to check out.

Funny, I've been test sitting on loads of sofas recently and find the Ektorp one of the most comfortable ones. It's actually more of a European feel, i.e. quite a bit firmer and the seat is less deep. So, for my old back, this feels a lot better. My question: Does it keep the firmness? And to westiegirl, do you bleach the slip cover when you wash them, or how do you get them clean?

I considered the Ektorp but with 3 young kids and a dog, I've decided my best option is to look for a higher end but used leather couch in excellent condition. That way if something happens to it, I won't be devastated, and I can eventually replace it as the kids mature without feeling I wasted a ton of money.
I've seen higher end couches listed for 500-600.

I, honestly, like your sofa more than the ikea. But I have just retired a loose slipcovered white sofa with pillowed back for a tighter look so I am not a fair judge. I find the slip cover ikea and potterybarn loose sofas to look messy if not constantly fluffed and i became very tired of that process. It is bad enough to make multiple beds every day so I did not like making the sofas too. Have you looked into the cost of custom slipcovers, fabric stores can sometimes provide names, for you present sofa? It might cost a little more but last a little longer than ikea. You have a lovely room!

I LOVE my 2+2!!! I bought it plus the ottoman and armchair off CL for $300 and replaced the slipcovers. I didn't like how the skirting drooped across the front but fixed it since this pic was taken using bedskirt pins and also tucked some batting into the back cushions to make them more puffier. The covers wash beautifully - make sure you pull them out of the dryer slightly damp, easier to put them back on without fear of ripping the zippers. I have two teenage boys as well as two huge black German shepherds and two black cats that sneak up there (I zip my Dyson hard floor extension across the cushions and sides and ALL pet hair comes right off!) and it still looks brand new after two years. I find it to be very comfortable :)

Nosoccermom,

I don't bleach the covers when I wash them, but I do add a healthy amount of oxyclean to the wash instead. In the past I thought it would be nice to have a color/fabric that hid the dirt better, but I have since changed my mind and decided that I prefer to see the dirt, wash it, and get rid of it. When I now see how dirty our upholstry can get in such a short time, it kind of grosses me out to think about how bad our sofa must have been when I could only spot clean it!

About the firmness issue...It is hard to remember exactly what it felt like two years ago, but I think that they are still quite firm when I sit on them now and I don't think they have changed considerably over time.

Also, remember when you try things out at Ikea, the pieces should be relatively "broken in" already. If you think about how many people are sitting in them and getting in and out of them all day long, a sofa that has been on the floor there for one month probably has had almost as much wear on it as one in a family home for a year.

WE bought the Ecktorp sofa a few months ago and I'm regretting it big time. We sat down on the couch in the show room and it felt very good, firm but not hard, looks nice and the price is right so why do I hate it so much now? This is not a comfortable sofa. If you are 5 years old and you don't care, it's OK, but most adults or adult size people will not like the feeling of this couch. It's not a sofa to be lounged upon in comfort - it is hard and without "give" and pushes on pressure points to the point of extremities going numb. And that's just after sitting on it for about 20 minuts. Trying to find a comfortable position is difficult, to say the least.

Also, the seat cushions poke out from the edge of the bench a bit too much and I think the overall design is only for "looks" and for the occasional use such as in an extra room, a vacation home or if you need a couch you don't mind sacrificing to small children and pets. I'm very disappointed and wished we had gone with another model.

I think the biggest problem is that this couch doesn't have the kind of 'foam' and springs in it other more comfortable seating has. But it looks nice and is a good space saver - just don't count on it for anything else!

westie, I was thinking about this-- the ones at IKEA should be broken in!

Gia, this is so disappointing! I agree that many people use them for cottages or other occasional places. This would be our one and only couch, and like I said, the ones we have now are comfy.

I really like the fact that other slipcovers are so cheap for this . . .it is a big part of the draw for me.

Ugh!

Hmmm... we have the same one that tournant posted and we love it. I think it is really comfy. We aren't the biggest people out there, I am only five feet tall, so maybe that is why I am not bothered by the depth. We have two small kids, so I like being able to swap out slip covers and wash them. For the price I give it a two thumbs up!

Tinny-- this makes me feel better. We are all very small, too. I am only 5' 1" (and a half-- always have to mention the half, hahahaha) and my husband 5'8". All of the kids are on the small side, too.

Wonder if somehow the sectional is better?

My opinion is that everything is a trade off. My Ikea pieces are definitely not as comfortable as our old Lazy Boy reclining sofa, but they work for us and our lifestyle.

My old sofa always looked so dirty that I was embarrassed if I had friends unexpectedly drop by and I felt like I needed to steam/spot clean it before I knew someone was coming over. With these new pieces, it is honestly very easy to keep them looking good all of the time.

In the future, I might purchase another oversized, leather sectional for our basement family room, but for our public spaces I wanted something prettier, but still affordable. The price point was what made me finally make a decision when I was reading all of the reviews on the Ektorp. At the time, I purchased all three pieces, plus the slipcovers for each piece for just over $900.00. The good quality, much more expensive, Broyhill furniture I had in family room prior to this only lasted five years before the covers started to look really tattered and dated.

I decided that for a fraction of the price, if I could be happy with the Ikea for just five years, I would be ahead. Most of my furniture is antiques that I love and will never get rid of, but I do like to switch my upholstered pieces out more frequently and the price on these keeps me from feeling guilty about it. We are currently building a new home and after two years of having the Ektorp, I am still excited about moving them to their new spots and changing my decorating around them because they are so versatile.

When I purchased them, I hoped for five years of use, but at this point, I think I could easily keep them for another ten.

Westie, I am only thinking about the next 5 yrs, too. I am not at a point in my life where I want to invest a lot into furniture, but I still want it to look nice without having to babysit it.

We have a dining room set I got for $50. It's a set from the 30s . . .it needs a lot of work, but with a tablecloth on and telling the kids not to rock the chairs, it's great for me. (I sold a much nicer one that just was not my style anymore-- teak and modern.) We could get a set that is in much better condition for $300, but I don't WANT one . . .my kids are not rough on furniture, but they are still kids-- they spill things a lot! I like not having to babysit it. Someday I'll either refinish it or buy a new (antique) set, but not now.

RE: Broyhill- did you have slipcovered furniture?

I think I need to go to IKEA soon and test these pieces out!

I'm an Ektorp convert. In the late '90's I purchased some Thomasville furniture - a plush two-seater for the formal front room and a compact sectional for the family room. Both pieces were so disappointing! And so expensive! We ordered them with the exact specs as the showroom models but they weren't nearly as comfy. After three years of use the sectional lost a good portion of its seat & back support. The fancy formal piece was impossible to sit in without being attacked by the loose-back cushions. Grrr! The manufacturer had warranty service but the sectional was found to be within "normal wear limits".

Fast forward to 2009...I've downsized and want a new look on a much smaller budget. Ektorp to the rescue. Yes the seat is firm but I actually prefer firmness over the squishy, sinking feeling of plush sofas - feels better for my back. The slipcovers wash up beautifully. I have a white set and tan set - love them!

I don't know...I do love to decorate my home, make it look warm and inviting - and maybe it's my age but I'm so "over" spending thousands for furniture pieces.

Linda

If I might make another suggestion, while you are at Ikea, check out the Karlstad sofa as well. It doesn't have the same look as the Ektorp, but it seems well built and holds up very well -- the Ektorp models in our store always look kind of slouchy and beat up (the back cushions especially seem to get squashed down and misshapen), but the Karlstad floor models always look good. And personally, I think the Karlstad is comfier as well. It is available in all kinds of configurations and has the same cheap and washable slipcovers as the Ektorp. I don't like the standard legs of the Karlstad (they are light birch and kind of cheap looking) but you can buy brushed silver metal legs from Ikea for like $20 or (as the bloggers did on Young House Love) paint the birch legs to a dark brown/black which makes them look much more chic.

We have the Karlstad sectional and loveseat in our basement and they are holding up great -- they always look crisp, not slouchy, and our kids definitely beat them up -- they've even had pillow fights with the cushions and the sofas still look great.

My broyhill was not slipcovered. It was a reclining sofa, ottoman and oversized chair set. Within three years, the fabric looked horrible and there were rips where the attached back cushions had separated from the frame on the sofa. If even a little water was spilled on the sofa, it showed a water spot ring that was impossible to remove without steam cleaning the entire sofa.

The oversized chair also developed a rip/tear on the seat cushion that was not repairable. This chair was usually only used by occasional guests. We lived on the sofa (and still do)so I really expected the chair to wear better as well. Overall I paid three times more for the Broyhill furniture and it looked awful much sooner. I do occasionally miss the reclining option of the sofa, but not enough to offset the cost and appearance differences.

I honestly think that any slipcovered piece by any manufacturer would give you the same benefits that I love about my Ektorp pieces. It is the slipcovers that make all the difference in my opinion. However, Ikea was able to give me the option of having all of the slipcovered pieces at a much lower cost and replacement slipcovers are very reasonable as well. I have an extra set of white slipcovers for all three pieces, just "in case", but I can't see the need to open those packages for a very long time. I think my original white covers will easily last as long as I keep the furniture. If I knew how well the slipcovers would come clean, I would have purchased another set of more "wild" pattern for an occasional change instead.

Anele - one thing I found out from haunting IKEA is that they change out their floor models on a fairly regular basis when they do a 'new room'. If the sofa feels stiff when you sit on it that may be because they are brand new to the floor.

Some posters here also told me about Bemz slipcovers made for IKEA furniture. Check them out too for additional options.

The Karlstad as mentioned by lkplatow is my favorite sofa of all of the IKEA sofa's and last Fall I picked up 4 white slipcovers that reach the floor in anticipation of buying 2 Karlstad sofas. I got them on clearance for $10 each. Turns out though that my kids had their hearts set on a sectional so that the family could all sit together on 1 sofa. Can't turn that request down so I have been patiently saving for the Ektorp sectional instead.

This is an interesting discussion. I think it's all in the eye (or the butt) of the beholder. We have had the Ektorp sectional for 3 yrs now. We find them very comfortable to sit on because we aren't large people either--5'3 and 5'9. My hubby and I often nap at either end. I find that the navy cover stays much crisper looking than the white. I also have had the zipper pulls break off on the white but not the navy. They replaced several cushion covers when the couch was new, but more continue to break each time I change them out. I do wash them at home, but that sectional cover is huge, and the white was quite wrinkled and hard to iron. For the money, we're well pleased.

I'm a long-time lurker but have to come on and agree w/ Giaden. Ektorp is long on looks and price, very short on comfort. We (2 young boys and a dog plus DH and I)are hard on furniture, so I didn't want to spend a lot to replace our old comfy couch. I got the dark brown which looks great, but can't be washed and dry-cleaning runs around $15 a cushion. My 6 y/o thinks the cover is scratchy (which it is).

We have a small open floorplan living area and the sofa fits perfectly. I'd buy it again based on looks and price, but if I were shopping solely for comfort, I'd definitely pass. I probably wouldn't buy the chaise again, though, since the cushion always sticks out and drives me crazy. Oh, and the ottoman--again, looks better than it functions. The top comes off very easily but has to be lined up exactly to replace which is almost impossible for little kids. However, I love the way it looks and we use it like a coffee table.

When we were couch shopping my DH only cared about comfort, but he accepted the Ektorp b/c it was 1/2 the price of the comfy couches he liked. So basically, I give it high marks for looks, but can't see having it more than 5 yrs. Hopefully my boys will be over jumping on the furniture by then, lol.

We have an ektorp leather sofa, loveseat, armchair and ottoman. We've been enjoying them for a couple of months.

Previously, we had a lazyboy 'L' shape recliner sofa which served us very well for 9 years. Because of the room shape and windows on 3 sides that sofa didn't sit well in the room...we needed separate pieces to be spaced out better and provide plenty of seating. With 3 cats, we were done with cleaning carpet and fabric opting for easy to clean surfaces. After installing new oak floors and having work in other parts of the house we needed to find a good price. The leather ektorp met all these requirements with a 10 year warranty.

This is a daily used family room, and so far its meeting the needs and I don't have to freak out over protecting the furniture. Its sturdy, people sit on the arms, the ottoman is huge and provides a bench seat for overflow, and its easy to clean. Also, the set up of the room works so much bettr than with the 'L' shape old sofa, it looks like a new room.

JC Penney does have a Slip Covered sofa. They also have a sectional. I have checked it out in person, and it is not as deep as the Pottery Barn ones (Which personally as a short person, are too deep for me.) but it still has plenty of room and seems good for the price.

Check out the Linden Street Friday Sectional Group and the Linden Street Sofa.

I have the Ektorp corner sofa and 4 Ektorp chairs and the ottoman. I am so surprised people find it uncomfortable! I think mine is so comfy! I have 3 kids, 2 dogs and a very messy husband..I love that I can pull the cover off whenever,throw it in the wash and it looks brand new. We cuddle on it all the time. My sofa takes a beating literally every day and still looks good. I think its the perfect family couch, love that I can change the covers with the seaons.

Lauren674 I am wondering how well a leather Ektorp couch will cover. I have been searching craigslist for this couch and I finally found a decent leather one. THe posting says you can recover it.. but do you think the cloth slip covers will work well on the leather one??

Sorry I haven't been to these boards in a long while!
The leather Ektorp will not cover with the Ektorp fabric covers because the seat cushions are attached.

We are still loving our sturdy Ektorp Leather family room. I cleaned the leather with leather cleaner and it still looks like new. We stretch out on the sofa and the huge ottoman brought up against any of the pieces makes a 'chaise'. When people pile in the room, there's plenty of seats. Total cost was $2K.

We’ve had our Ektorp sectional for 3 years and love it! My husband and I both take naps on it, and our 4 preschool age grandchildren have used and abused it, but the covers wash beautifully. Even crayon marks come out. It’s our only sofa so it gets daily use. We think it’s pretty comfortable and we don’t have any issues with adjusting or fluffing as some have mentioned. It’s well worth the price. It still looks almost new and we get a lot of compliments on it.