TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview
Launched in 2013, the Söderhamn has come a long way since then. However, the fact that it’s still available in various countries in 2022, the IKEA Söderhamn is going strong even after almost 10 years of being in the market.
Does it really have what it takes to pass the Comfort Works’s sofa standards? Here in this IKEA Söderhamn sofa review, we reveal the details since we’ve got our first ever Söderhamns in 2015.
Comfort
First thing I noticed were that the Söderhamns have very, very thin seat cushions, “this can’t be comfortable” I thought. I was wrong.
Here’s how it went: Because the Söderhamn is lower than the average sofa height (only 39cm), I had to lower myself slowly down so as not to add too much pressure to my knees (youngsters nowadays are less healthy). But once I sat on it, I realised: OK this is the end of my work day.
It is that comfy. The fact that it has very deep (70cm) and cushy cushions makes it very easy to change all the plans that you have for the day and just…lay there with a book, your phone or with Netflix turned on the whole day. That’s because they use a netting-like base underneath the seat cushions for that extra softness.
For those with back issues, we do not recommend this sofa because with the soft back cushions AND seat cushions, there really is no way you’re able to sit properly. If you remove the back cushions though, and add a small, firm pillow for your lower back, then it would probably be somewhat better.
Comfort: 8.5/10
Price and durability
Due to how modular this seat is (we’ll talk about this later), we’re just going to display the price for the 1-seat section and 3-seat sofa as there are just too many variations you can fix up with the Söderhamn.
1-seat corner section (with armrests): USD300 – USD350
1-seat section (without the armrests): USD339 – USD379
3-seat sofa (with armrests): USD749 – USD899
Chaise lounge: USD360 – USD470
Wondering why the 1-seat section with armrests is cheaper than the 1-seat section without the armrest? Us, too. But. we’ve got a Söderhamn hack here to help you save a little of that money and get the best bang out of your buck.
So, if we use the price of the pre-constructed 3-seat sofa as a benchmark, the price would be in the low to mid-range category. With this price, what makes it better is that the Söderhamns in our office are still very comfortable to lounge on even after 7 years. Maybe it’s because it’s already so soft since the beginning of time, there’s no way it would become worse, just better and better (for the loungers).
As for how it’s standing at this point of time, it’s great. It’s been 7 years! There are no signs of it breaking down (or anytime soon), its frame is still very sturdy as people plop down daily for a quick break.
We change its slipcovers every now and then, so it’s quite refreshing to see slipcovers of different colours and materials change the kind of look the Söderhamn offers.
Durability: 9/10
Design, aesthetics and hackability
So, as we mentioned earlier, the IKEA Söderhamn looks skinny (from its armrests to the seat cushion and steel legs). It just doesn’t look as reliable as how the IKEA Vimle looks – big, sturdy and secure.
The Söderhamn may look chic and modern, but it really depends on how you dress it up.
For example, if you wanted a Scandinavian design, our Cotton Canvas White slipcovers with a long skirt would be a great fit.
Dress your IKEA Söderhamn in Pure Linen Natural slipcovers and our replacement sofa legs for this boho-chic look.
We make vegan leather slipcovers for the Söderhamn too. You can also swap the legs out for our Bailey Wooden Sofa Legs for a vintage sofa look.
One big selling point of the Söderhamn is that it’s modular. This means you can purchase sofa sections and combine them together to form the ideal size and arrangement that you want. Depending on the size of your family, your home or your lifestyle needs, you can use the IKEA Söderhamn planner to achieve that.
In fact, it’s so easy to modify that we hacked the Söderhamn a few times ourselves. We actually made it into a three-seat section with 2 individual seats and even hacked it entirely into a premium sofa lookalike.
Design: 8.5/10
Hackability: 9.5/10
Verdict
All in all, the Söderhamn is simply modern, affordable, comfortable and so easy to modify. We’re giving it a 9 out of 10.
Maybe we’d give it a 10/10 if they came in our slipcovers…
How did you enjoy our IKEA Söderhamn sofa review? Let us know in the comments below.
42 Comments
by James
Actually a wrench did it right quick
by Danielle
this is by far the most UNCOMFORTABLE piece of furniture we’ve ever owned. We bought it as I made the mistake of choosing sleek slimline design over comfort. Regardless of your height or size this chaise feels hard, ridgey and offers very little support. It gives you back ache due to long/wide & low seating. We’ve had ours for a year and I can’t wait to get rid of it or give it to the dog as his bed instead! Sorry, but that’s the truth peeps. Don’t do it.
by Redd F.
Ok I want to chime in about those bars underneath.
I just got the love seat and the chaise soderhamn. The chase lounge has 1 bar and the love seat has 2. Both instructions show the bar being rotated.
I was baffled by this because they did not budge and I thought maybe Ikea redesigned it and kept old instructions–i say this because I have seen this happen before. I even started to call ikea to inquire about it BUT i ran into this website. The reassurance of several made me try again and this time with more force.
Guess what, they do rotate!! You really really need to put some force into it. At first I thought maybe I unscrew the bar mount and rotate it, but that didnt make sense because holes wouldnt line up and usually ikea instructions would show to use a screwdriver.
So yes, do not unscrew the bars, just grab the bar tight and torque it with a lot of pressure in the rotating motion. It will budge.
I hope my post adds as well as reassurance and knowledge.
by Carmen
I love this sofa and I really whant it but I often have friends sleep over. So do you think one could get a good night sleep on it? and also what combination do you recommend on wich 2 people can sleep?
Thank you!
by Chuck
Hey Carmen!
The Soderhamn would not be the most comfortable sofa to sleep on to be honest, let alone have two people sleep on it. As of now, if you’re able to get your hands on a Friheten corner sofa bed I’d say that makes the best contender for hosting your guests 🙂
Hope this helps!
by Redd F.
I found that when I first finished building my soderhamn that it was not nearly as comfortable as in the store. It looks like this thing really has a break in period.
I did sleep on it an found it to be acceptable. I wouldn’t say its not comfortable. Of course this varies highly from one person to another. I’m 40 years old and not in the best shape of my life.