The IKEA Kivik sofa has been in the market for a little less than 10 years and it’s just been given upgrades and upgrades. I can’t say the modifications were necessary, but it didn’t stop the model from being ever-so-popular globally.
Compared to its 2018 version, the newer versions of the IKEA Kivik which were launched in 2021 and later became firmer. Not everyone can accept this change, because people do already like the original version, so why fix something that isn’t broken?
The cushions should become softer over time and usage, but how long that would take is another question to be answered in the future.
The IKEA Kivik is available in many countries around the world and we’ve found that it’s still available in countries like the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany and Egypt.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Technical details and price
Apart from being widely available in various countries at the point of writing (August 2023), IKEA is also offering so many models for the Kivik sofa series. Take a look at the list below to see what they’ve got, with prices included in USD in their most affordable option – the Tibbleby beige/grey.
- 1-seat sleeper sofa, $549
- 2-seat, $649
- 3-seat, $699
- 3-seat with chaise lounge, $1149
- 4-seat with chaise lounge, $999
- 4-seat corner sofa, $1299
- 5-seat corner sofa, $1349
- 5-seat with chaise lounge, $1649
- 6-seat with chaise lounge, $1699
- 6-seat U-shaped sofa, $1949
- 7-seat U-shaped sofa, $1999
- chaise lounge, $350
- footstool with storage, $199
With so many sizes available, you could imagine the Kivik being suitable for all types of families. Whether you’re solo, coupled up or have a big family, the Kivik fits into every home. There’s even a Kivik planner for you to build the IKEA Kivik sofa according to the size and style that you want.
Design and aesthetics
Now, let’s talk about its overall look and design. It’s cute, I have to say. It’s a modern-looking sofa that would fit into many different types of homes, as long as the interior isn’t too traditional or old-fashioned. I could picture it in a Japanese minimalist home, a modern farmhouse home (with the right sofa slipcovers) and a mid-century modern home.
It’s definitely in the boxy category of sofas, but it looks great. The low armrests may not be the best at its job, but if you’re the type to lay down on your sofa a lot of the time, then the height is perfect to support your head. Another thing to note is that if you ever have a day where there are more guests in the house than you’ve expected, the armrests are wide and even enough to act as extra seats.
Design: 8/10
Comfort
Everytime I sit on the Kivik at my regular dance studio, it makes me feel like I’m sinking a little, although it does feel quite comfortable. As I wait for my class to begin, it’s relaxing to just lounge and scroll through my phone. However, that chair has been there for more than 5 years, and it’s definitely the earlier version of the Kivik model (when the brown corduroy sofa slipcovers were still available).
Returning customers have been comparing the 2018 version of Kivik with the 2021 version, and apparently it’s become so hard now for them. As for new customers, a lot of them feel like the IKEA Kivik sofa is fine, perhaps it’s their preference or they didn’t have a better version to compare to.
On the website, IKEA claims that the Kivik cushions are “made of pocket springs, high-resilience foam and polyester fibres – adding both firm support and relaxing softness”, just like a lot of their other sofa models. I feel like the softness and hardness are applicable in 2 different versions of the IKEA Kivik. So, the best way is to go test it out at the IKEA showroom yourself to see if it suits your preference.
Nonetheless, the firmness of the current version should be able to cater to the sofa sleepers – people who love being horizontal on their sofas.
Comfort: 7/10
Slipcoverability
The slipcovers that are being offered now are easy to clean as they are removable and machine-washable. However, IKEA only offers four colours for the Kivik sofa.
On the other hand, Comfort Works (yes, that’s us) offers more than 70 fabric styles for your Kivik. With various collections like the Starter, Pet-friendly, Hypoallergenic, Performance and Sustainable, there’s a sofa slipcover for everyone. What’s more? They’re guaranteed a perfect fit.
Take a look at some of the Kiviks that have been refreshed with our slipcovers:
Verdict
Overall, we’d give the IKEA Kivik sofa a 7.5/10.
If you’re someone who prefers a sofa with firmer cushions, go for it! It’s also great for people who love lying down on their sofa, be it sideways or facing up.
We also think it’s good enough to last you for many years, even when you have toddlers or children around the house. Plus, its cute design is suited for all sorts of homes, so it’s highly possible that it would work in yours too. If not, dress it up with our Signature Style slipcovers for a look that’s totally different from the Original Style slipcovers.
53 Comments
by Cristina
Hi Henry! I’m looking into getting precisely the two Kivik chaises to put together in front of the TV – but my husband is worried about the no armrest thing… Personally I think the Kivik armrest is so low, we won’t miss it, but I’m wondering what your experience has been?
by Henry
Cristina, why would you need armrests if you can lean over and snuggle up 🙂
The kivik chaises dont really come with armrests though, you might need to get a 2 seater/3 seater if you want them, don’t think they’re sold separately also.
Alternatively, you can get the 1 seater + footstool, i think it might be more versatile(has storage compartment) in case you want to break them apart etc.
Personally though, the only time armrests are useful if they’re on an armchair, we have 3-4 scatter cushions on all over our sofas in our office and i think they make much better armrests compared to the fixed ones (some like it low, some high, some wide etc, so i guess it all comes down to preference also).
Have you seen our colorful photo shoot on the kiviks? http://www.comfort-works.com/news/pipe-up-the-kivik-for-a-crisp-look/
Speak soon!
H
by Brooke
I bought this sofa when i bought my home. It is very bulky and the assembly took forever. I recommend getting it delivered and set up. Also, I agree w/ the above mentioned review… the armrest is simply too low! And i feel like the enitre sofa needs to have feet that way its not so low to the ground. Very uncomfortable
by Henry
Brooke, We get this feeling svery single time we assemble an ikea sofa ourselves, 4 hours later you look back and thought, maybe that $50 assembly fee isn’t too bad after all heh 🙂
by Amy
We just bought the Kivik sectional (chaise + couch) and it is gorgeous. Unfortunately, it is about as soft/cozy as concrete. This is not the couch for you if you’re looking for comfort. I even added a ton of soft throw pillows and still felt too hard for my taste. Now it must go back!
by Paul
My wife and I bought the Kivik sectional couch about 3 years ago. Although a little stiff, we liked the support that this offers when compared to our other high end plush couch that we tend to sink into. Unfortunately, we noticed that the Kivik couch started to sink a bit. Flipping cushions a few times, it was not helping. I finally lifted up the couch to look at the springs underneath, and to my astonishment, many of the individual springs had come undone. After further review, it looks like the springs were connected to a plastic clip, and fastened to the wood frame with some long staples! Obviously, the staples don’t hold up to weight and will continue to be a problem. I am not sure if IKEA would fix them properly, or whether it is worth my time to take it back to the store if repair is not guaranteed. I may have to look at fixing it myself. Anybody else have this issue and know of the proper fix?