[sg_popup id=”3″ event=”onload”][/sg_popup]Whether you live in a student apartment or simply just trying to save up some money for that trip you’ve been planning for ages, there are times when you have to live small.

I should know – I moved into this nice little apartment in West Melbourne and finally got to do some interior design on my own. I never regretted getting the Sivik Dark Grey Karlstad 2 seater for about A$569. As students, that was definitely expensive and basically took up a third of our total “interior design” costs. We were definitely happy with it, but now we know that there are always alternatives to getting a new sofa – that would be to get an old sofa and re-cover it with a new slipcover.

 

IKEA Klobo

I wished I had discovered this sofa earlier but I guess it was really, really difficult to notice this petite number and boy was the colour (cream beige) just off-putting.

With a 78 cm depth and 146 cm width, the Klobo sofa is a perfect fit for a small apartment owner. And if you test it out, this tiny match box sofa feels pretty okay, but then again I’m only 165cm (5’5) tall and am constantly sleeping in the fetal position so I guess this isn’t a sofa for people who need their space.

The back seat is firm, even though not very high, which is fairly annoying for those who like the support for their backs but I guess it serves its identity as a loveseat pretty well, allowing you to easily wrap your arm around your significant for a comfortable snug.

However, the Klobo has been discontinued so you won’t ever find it at IKEA again, but if you hop around places like Gumtree or Craigslist – you can definitely get it for around a 80 bucks or less.

Here’s our overall verdict:

Pros:

• Pretty comfortable for two people
• Affordable on the second-hand market
• Slipcovers available

Cons:

• Comes in only one color – cream
• Pretty small

Price: 8/10
Aesthetics: 6/10
Comfort: 6/10

 

IKEA Knopparp

Next up, the Knopparp – one of the newer sofa models in IKEA which did catch my attention sometime this year in 2014. It’s not big – with a depth of 76 cm and width of 119 cm, this adorable sofa fits even in the smallest apartments but what made it stand out was its bright yellow cover which seem to make it work for a contemporary living space. It comes in grey as well, but I’m more attracted to the bright yellow model even though I hate yellow.

What surprised me even more was that it had a more competitive price point compared to the already super affordable Klobo – $99! I had to take a closer look at the price tag to make sure I wasn’t missing a digit!

The design of this sofa is pretty basic, sleek and clean, no extras, but the fabric doesn’t look very premium though. It does feel like a comfy blanket because it’s padded but the slipcover seems a little annoying to remove and put on if I wanted to wash it.

Overall, it’s very light and easy to transport and should fit in most small cars, but I guess it’s not something I’d put in my living room for myself or guests to sit on. I do somehow find it pretty suitable for offices, most likely because of the metal leg frames it has.

So in terms of comfort, you can sort of sit through a whole movie without getting up with a back pain, but it’s still a sofa that I wouldn’t recommend spending an entire day on.

I don’t know about you guys, but currently it doesn’t make sense to get slipcovers for the IKEA Knopparp especially since it’s already a steal at 99 bucks. But hey, if you guys want something different don’t hesitate to contact us 😉

Overall verdict:

Pros:

• Light weight, no heavy compartments
• Contemporary design
• Super low price

Cons:

• Hardly fits two people
• Can’t lounge on sofa

Price: 9/10
Aesthetics: 8/10
Comfort: 6/10

 

IKEA Solsta Sofa Bed

Now if you’re thinking, I occasionally have guests that sleep over and I need an affordable sofa bed, what are my options? Will the Knopparp and Klobo work?

The Solsta Sofa bed is still available at IKEA, with a depth of 78 cm and a width of 137 cm width. In a way, the Solsta is a pretty smart solution for those on a tight budget and small spaces. It’s arguably the cheapest sofa bed available from IKEA – a new one would cost you $169, but you can get a used Solsta on eBay, Gumtree or Kijiji for around $90.

It’s definitely more comfortable than the Knopparp and the Klobo in sofa mode, and its price is still fairly reasonable. The largest problem is just that it comes come in 1 dark grey colour and is upholstered. But you know what, you can always get IKEA Solsta sofa bed slipcovers from us if you aren’t a fan of the original upholstery.

As comfortable as it might seem, the Solsta in sofa bed mode is pretty disappointing.

The Solsta should come with a warning sign:

WARNING: BACKACHE ALERT.

Essentially, a third of the mattress has no padding and one third of your body is expected to rest on the timber base, so it will not offer you the most dormant sleep of your life, and honestly I wouldn’t want my guests to sleep on that either.

Pros:

• Pretty cheap for a sofa bed
• Can make a good piece in a den or a kid’s room.

Cons:

• Not as comfortable as it looks.
• Freakishly uncomfortable bed
• Comes in only one color.

Price: 8/10
Aesthetics: 5/10
Comfort: 5/10

 

Bonus Review: IKEA Beddinge Sofa Bed

If you’re looking for a sofa bed that will actually work as a bed, it would be worth to invest a little more and get the Beddinge Sofa Bed, especially when it’s 200cm wide and 104cm deep.

The Beddinge Sofa Bed is still available in IKEA stores, and it’s similar with the Lycksele with no armrests but it only folds into half. Current store price is $249 from IKEA, a used Beddinge from eBay or Gumtree would go about $100-$150.

At the moment, slipcovers are available in dark grey for $49 from IKEA, but don’t worry if it’s not to your liking, because we have more Beddinge slipcovers for you to choose from our website.

There is a downside though, according to some Beddinge owners online, you might come across some mechanical issues with the reclining mechanism if you’ve had the Beddinge sofabed for a while but I guess that’s something everyone experiences from time to time over the years.

Overall Verdict:

Pros:

• Sturdy
• Spacious and comfortable bed
• Can recline/adjusted to a bed

Cons:

• No armrests
• Recline mechanism might have problems

Price: 6/10
Aesthetics: 7/10
Comfort: 7/10

Personally, out of the choices above, I would pick the Knopparp over the Klobo just because it wins in terms of price and style hands down, but if I have a Klobo or manage to get one cheaply I’m sure a slipcover would make it look pretty awesome.

Even though the Solsta sofa bed is much cheaper than the Beddinge, the bed form is just off-putting. Sleep is crucial to me and I don’t see why I should wake up cranky on a Solsta. So as a good hostess, I would definitely recommend the Beddinge as I wouldn’t want my guest to wake up with a backache after a night on my couch.

What are your thoughts?