It seems like only yesterday we were crying over the Karlstad being discontinued and replaced with the Landskrona. And just as we’ve just gotten used to it, here we are six years later saying hello to the Morabo!
Does this mean that the Landskrona is being replaced completely by the Morabo?
Well, let’s see. IKEA has discontinued the Landskrona in the US and Canada, but not in Spain, France, the UK or the Netherlands.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview
It seems the Morabo has pulled a Finnala on us! The only difference between the Morabo and its predecessor, the Landskrona, is that it is about 3 cm wider, deeper and taller.
Yep, that’s about it folks!
Here is a measurement comparison:
We think the motivation behind the Morabo was to create a version of the Landskrona that is better catered to the American market. From the measurements, it looks like the Morabo was meant to be a taller sofa (for taller people), and with added width and depth. Does 3cm (a little more than an inch) make such a difference though?
Aesthetics
It isn’t difficult to recognise a timeless classic when you see one. This design is an oldie and a goodie, so there’s no doubt why IKEA decided to keep this similar design throughout the Karlstad, Landskrona – and now finally the Morabo.
If you were thinking of getting a Morabo, your options would be between five leather colours and two fabric colours.
We think that the Morabo was designed for a certain look in the living room; it seems to be leather-centric as most of its neutral colours only come in leather options.
Perhaps the Morabo was designed to be a more affordable and practical alternative to the classic leather tufted sofa? Think CB2’s Savile leather tufted sofa, or Crate and Barrel’s Rollins leather button tufted sofa – but with removable back and seat cushions.
While the leather-tufted look is a classic and can work in many living rooms, we do think that the colour and material combinations could be more balanced.
See how we can change the look of your Morabo in an instant:
Aesthetics score: 6.50/10
Comfort
Just like the Landskrona, the Morabo isn’t that comfortable – but it isn’t exactly uncomfortable, either. In fact, there are only two notable differences between the Landskrona and the Morabo.
Firstly, the Morabo is slightly taller: 3cm taller to be exact. Secondly, the back cushions are considerably thicker as they are apparently filled with a high-resilience foam and polyester wadding for added comfort.
In any case, the cushions on the Morabo have maintained their firmness which is always great for back support.
Two things that stayed the same; the arms and the tufting. The arms still remain way too high to nap against! The tufting also looks like it’s here to stay. We feel like it is pretty much the same sofa but slightly bigger and thicker.
Comfort score: 6/10
Practicality
It’s got exactly the same structure and leg placements (which we think is the best upgrade since the Karlstad). It’s even got the same velcro attached behind the back cushions keeping them propped up against the backrest.
We were even pleased to know that a portion of the leather surface is made from actual leather – which shouldn’t be a surprise since the Landskrona leather options were the same. This definitely prolongs the life of the couch as top-grain leather is far less prone to tearing and cracking compared to PU.
It’s also very easy to clean; a simple wipe with a damp cloth or even spot-cleaning with some dilute soap water should do the trick.
If we had one qualm here, it would be that the Morabo isn’t exactly made to be slipcovered (what with the tufting and all!). If it were slipcoverable, it would still have to be disassembled first in order to get each slipcover component installed. We do believe there is a way to work around this with custom slipcovers, so all is not lost.
The Morabo seems to have inherited its predecessor’s trusty practicality and quality. It seems almost like a rigid sofa – but then again, that’s exactly where this legacy (Karlanda-Karlstad-Landskrona-Morabo) gets its respect from.
Practicality score: 7/10
Price
The Morabo seems to be a tad pricier than the Landskrona was. Going at US$849 for the leather options, the Morabo is around US$70 more than the Landskrona was. The non-leather options are available for much less: US$649
Is it worth the extra few bucks?
Pros: Thicker back cushions, taller seats and overall height (cushions may take longer to compress)
Cons: Colour/material options are rather limited to mostly leather.
I guess it all boils down to whether you’re looking for a leather couch. If so, then paying a little more for these long-term upgrades may very well be worth it.
Price score: 6/10
Final verdict
Overall, we give the Morabo a 6.5/10. Still a pretty alright sofa, with the same great sturdiness and support. We do wish that the colour and material options were better balanced.
Aesthetics: 6.5/10
Comfort: 6/10
Practicality: 7/10
Price: 6/10
Overall: 6.5/10
Looking for more variety of the IKEA Morabo sofa covers? More than 70 fabric styles and colours are available on our website:
5 Comments
by Marvin8
As a smaller American male, I much prefer the seating depth, arm, and back height of the Landskrona to the Morabo. Sure wish Ikea felt the same way. I wanted to replace my Landskrona with an identical, but alas….
by Naomi
We hear ya, Marvin 🙁
We may not be able to help with the depth of the sofa, but if you’re looking to decrease the height of the a little, you could get some replacement sofa legs that are compatible with the Morabo sofa and are shorter than their originals. This may take away some of the height if the sofa is too high for your liking.
Just an idea! Let us know if you do try this – we love a good hack! x
by Marvin8
I forgot to mention that I totally agree with your assessment that arm height is entirely too high for resting your head to nap on. For that matter, I think it’s also a tiny bit high to comfortably rest your arms on.
by Naomi
You’re on to something here, Marvin!
Come to think of it, I reckon when lounging on the sofa (and especially if you’ve already completely sunken into the couch), it might feel awkward to rest your arms on the sofa armrest. Right? As you said, the armrests are a tad high, so it would be like having your arms flop upwards while your body sinks into the sofa. Haha!
I suppose if I had the Morabo sofa, I would need a tonne of throw pillows to prop against the armrest to allow for a comfy lie-down/nap position.
Personal note: I have the IKEA Friheten at home and it is my favorite couch from IKEA as it allows very comfortable lying down and lounging positions when I am in complete couch-potato mode. The arms are just the right height – not too high, not too low. The cushions are soft enough and with our covers, they become reversible so I can always fluff them up. 🙂
by Daftar
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?