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April 21, 2015

Living with Ikea Chairs (Real Life Review)

Honest review of Ikea chairs in a house full of kids and pets-www.goldenboysandme.com
I think it's probably clear from our many references to Ikea on this blog that we are huge fans of the store.  We love that we can customize their items to give them our own personal touch (Kitchen Island, Mudroom, Coffee Table), all while staying within our limited home design budget.  Today I want to talk about something I get asked about frequently, the Ikea chairs we have in our home.  Our very first Ikea chair purchase was the Ektorp chair, about 8 years ago.  Truth be told, we didn't have high expectations for the chair.  We had just moved into our current house and we needed an affordable chair for our small family room.


Ikea ektorp chair with white slipcover in master bedroom with diy window seat-www.goldenboysandme.com
Eight years later, that chair is still in our home.  It currently resides in our master bedroom.  Through the years, it started in our family room with a beige cover and made its way upstairs, stopping in both our living room and bedroom.  This chair is comfortable, especially with the ottoman.  When we renovated our master bedroom last year, we purchased a white slipcover for it.  We do need to bleach the white cover often.  It is definitely not easy to keep clean and I learned that I could never live with the bright white Ikea slipcovers in any other part of my house other than the master bedroom.  This chair is my favorite spot to read in our bedroom and my dog's favorite place to sleep at night.
Ikea Ektorp chair with white slipcover-www.goldenboysandme.com
With 3 boys and 2 dogs, I would be washing slipcovers weekly.  No thanks.  The beige slipcover was much easier to keep clean.  Overall, I would recommend this chair, just not the white slipcover for  a busy area.  Fortunately, there are many other options for slipcovers at Ikea.  Our next Ikea chair purchase was the Jennylund chair.
Ikea Jennylund chair with white slipcover-www.goldenboysandme.com
About 4 years ago, I wanted a chair for our living room that was smaller and the Jennylund is definitely a great choice for its size in smaller spaces.  Unfortunately, it is the least comfortable chair in our home.  However, I do still like the look of it and the price can't be beat.  If you need a chair for a room that not a lot of lounging is done, then this chair is great.  I wouldn't recommend it for, say, curling up with a book or napping.  As extra seating for guests, it is perfect.  I love how affordable the slipcovers are for this chair.  We have the white (not easy to keep clean as I discussed above) and the gray check fabric.
Ikea Jennylund chair-www.goldenboysandme.com
Ikea Jennylund chair-www.goldenboysandme.com
Last fall, I spotted the Stocksund chair online, and had high hopes that we could replace our living room Jennylund with it.  After sitting on the chair in store, we knew this chair would be more comfortable than either the Ektorp or Jennylund.  It came home with us that day (which is probably my favorite part of buying furniture at Ikea!).  We put it in the same spot that the Jennylund has been.  It definitely takes up a good bit more space, but the open bottom makes if feel less heavy in the room.
Ikea stocksund chair review-www.goldenboysandme.com
We chose the lightest color cover, which is more of a linen look.  It has been incredibly easy to keep clean.  For some reason with Ikea slipcovers, not getting the bright white cotton slipcovers makes a world of difference in keeping them looking good.  We simply machine wash them.  I have also found that if you remove them from the dryer slightly damp, it makes it much easier to put the slipcover back on.
Ikea stocksund chair review-www.goldenboysandme.com
This has become my favorite spot in the house.  This is, by far, our favorite Ikea chair.  That being said, all of the Ikea chairs we have purchased over the years still have a place in our home.  The simplicity of being able to head over to Ikea and purchase a new slipcover makes them such a great choice for someone who likes to change things as often as I do.  

42 comments :

  1. Thanks for the review and for sharing your pretty photos of them. We have 2 Ektorp chairs in our living room and use an Ektorp sofa slipcover on a custom made heavily patterened couch (it is a pretty close fit and gave new life to an older piece with a pattern that doesn't suit us anymore.) I didn't know about the Stocksund chair and will have to look for it. Thanks for the heads up and have a great week.

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    1. That is great that you were able to make an Ektorp slipcover fit on your sofa. I don’t think you can beat the price (& versatility) of Ikea’s slipcovers. Definitely check out the Stocksund. We love it. Hope you have a great week too!

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  2. I often look at these chairs and wonder how they would do...thanks for the review! I really love the look of the Stocksund...

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  3. My favorite IKEA chair is our dark grey Strandmon wing chair with footstool. It has a lot of character to it, and I fall asleep in it easily. The only downside is that IKEA doesn't make a removable slipcover for it. I may look into third party companies that make slipcovers for IKEA furniture. I don't want to ruin the chair!

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  4. Hi Courtney,
    I agree with you 100% on your review of these three chairs. I have not tried the Stockholm but it looks sweet and comfy. I have had the Jenny Lund and found that not comfortable at all but it was a nice smaller chair for a guest room but not everyday use. I have a ektrop too and it is comfy with the ottoman. I love that Ikea is budget friendly and you can get the furniture right away. Have a great week.
    Kris

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  5. Hello from Sydney Australia

    Thank you Courtney for your amazing site. I'm a newbie follower and really enjoy your photos and ideas - exactly right for my home.

    I hope to purchase the Stocksund chair this weekend - providing the boxes fit in my little car!

    Lucy

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    1. We bought the stocksund chair on Mothers' Day. Absolutely love it in the light grey linen look with black legs. My daughter and I race to the chair when we get home from work to see who will have it for the night!

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  6. This is a great review...I didn't know Ikea had so many styles of chairs. I like the Stocksund, in fact I have really been seeing a lot of chairs in this shape...sort of low and deep. They look so comfy! We looked at the Extorp sofa a few years ago, sat on it and everything. My husband was more worried about warranties than anything else, he's just like that. I'm all about looks and comfort! lol! We eventually did get slipcovered furniture and like you, I sort of regret getting white. It makes me nervous!! But 4 years and no stains and we have a 10 year warranty on fabric and cushions. I would definitely look at Ikea if we were looking for something for our bedroom or den. Such great prices! Thanks for such an honest review! :)

    Jane x

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  7. Thanks for the real life review! I headed to ikea today and bought 2 with the beige gray fabric. They are perfect! I plan on switching out the legs for something beefy-er. I love that the covers are washable, key element with little children around! Thanks again!!

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  8. Just wanted to say I really appreciate this review! I'm considering the Stocksund chair from Ikea and I'm glad to know it's comfortable!

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  9. Love your reviews of the Ikea Living Room Furniture! Quick question....we are a large family...football players. i love the Stocksund sofa but worry that those 4 legs might not be able to be sturdy enough for the boys. What do you think?

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    1. Hi Caryn, I worried about those legs too. The Stocksund chair is very sturdy, but I wasn't so sure about the legs on the sofa. My boys are rough on our furniture. Wish I could be of more help.

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  11. Thanks for the review, it helps a lot. I want to buy the stucksund in a light color like yours but don't see anything similar online. Do you remember the name of the color? Thanks.

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  12. Great review- super helpful, thanks! I'm looking into the Stocksund chair and was wondering if you could tell me- does the price for the chair $379 right now online include one slipcover or do you need to purchase a slipcover in addition to that price (for an additional $79)?? Its hard to tell from the listings online! Thanks in advance!

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    1. Hi Kimberly, Thanks for letting me know this was helpful! I know the website can be confusing. I just looked and the price online includes one slipcover. You choose which slipcover you want and the price of the chair will change according to your slipcover selection. Hope that helps!

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    2. Awesome- thanks! That's what I thought too when looking on the site but I just figured I'd check with you to see if you knew for sure! ;) Unfortunately the closest IKEA to us is a bit of a drive so I have learned to make sure to really do my research before making the trip for something in particular!

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    3. Awesome- thanks! That's what I thought too when looking on the site but I just figured I'd check with you to see if you knew for sure! ;) Unfortunately the closest IKEA to us is a bit of a drive so I have learned to make sure to really do my research before making the trip for something in particular!

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  13. So happy I found your review of these chairs! I was just looking into getting the Stocksund in the light color and now I don't think they have that color anymore! So sad!! Your homes looks beautiful, too!

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  14. I was wondering, do the legs on these chairs/sofas get wobbly? My husband and boys are all around 6'3" and I worry that the "girth" in our family would make these pieces of furniture topple like a cheap card table. Thanks for your review of these items- if your response comes back positive, I am going to place an order!!!

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    1. Hi Tracey, I hear what you are saying as we are not small people by any means and my kids are rough on furniture. This chair still feels very solid. Hope that helps!

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  15. Does the Stocksund bottom cushion hold up to daily use?

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  16. Is there any way to get stains off Ikea furniture fabric other that pulling them all apart and machine washing them!? I'm talking about spot stains, of course. NOTHING works. ???

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  17. does anyone have the stocksund sofa?

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  18. does anyone have the stocksund sofa?

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    1. I just purchased the small one. It has a low profile and takes up very little visual space, which is something for me to get use to. But it really is pretty!

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  20. Glad I found this post, Courtney! Just purchased the Stocksund 2 chairs and smaller sofa. I love how deep it sits! And how you staged the chair, that flour pillow and blanket are decadent!

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  21. Do you machine wash and dry the gingham Jennylund cover? I just bought this chair and cover used and it says dry clean only on label.

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    1. Yes, I machine wash all of my slipcovers and then let them air dry. I have never had a problem.

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  22. What color is your Stocksund chair??

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    1. Unfortunately, my chair cover has been discontinued by Ikea. They currently do not have the light beige color.

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  23. Hello. Arel the slipcovers still be available when the sofas are not? If I buy the Stocksund range, will I find covers in 10 years time? Thanks!

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    1. There are several places online where you can buy slipcovers for older Ikea furniture and I think they will be around for a long time to come. ComfortWorks.com is a great source! They made a cover for an older Ikea sofa I have.

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  24. I love the Stocksund chairs I purchased, but having trouble getting the back zipped up. Can anyone offer any hints? Thanks!

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    1. Hi! I remember my cover being very snug in the beginning too but I was able to get it zipped. The zipper is pretty strong so don't be afraid to pull hard. After you wash the slipcover, put it on while it is still damp and it will be easier to stretch to zip up. Good luck!

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  25. Flash Furniture features amazing variety, offering not just office chairs, but also tables, sofas, and even computer desks!laywayback.com/recliners/best-pet-waterproof-ottoman-slipcovers/

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  26. Thanks for your photos and honest assessment. Almost a year and a half with my Stocksund loveseat and chairs. No regrets! Deep seats meant that I had to get fluffy pillows for shorty folk like myself. A hardship i could live with!

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  27. I love the new larger sized Ektorp sofa but not sure what chairs to put with it. The original Ektorps are so short at 34 5/8". The new is 38' high and deeper, wider, and seat ht is 22". Think the Stocksund chairs would work with the new 3.5 Ektorp? They are 35"h. Anyone have suggestions. TY!

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