Imagine, what can you do with a Soderhamn Corner? More than you’d think; this is how we ‘hacked’ the Soderhamn Corner piece! Turns out, it’s a transformer in disguise 🙂
Take a minute here, the Soderhamn corner piece looks pretty much like this:
Square and sturdy, it comes with 2 lumbar cushions, 1 throw pillow, a side rest and a back rest. Unfortunately, the side rest and back rest are not quite symmetrical as IKEA believes the corner piece will only be used in the corner of a sectional. Little do they know.
1. One-seat section
Versatile? Not really, this piece isn’t so much a hack as a simple step of logic – a corner piece and 1 seat section share the same dimensions. The corner piece is $200, and the 1 seat is $229. The covers for the 1 seat section are $29. Simply purchase a single corner piece and the cover for the 1 seat section. Replace the frame cover of the corner piece with the frame cover from the 1 seat section, and do not attach side rest. You now have a 1-seat section. With spare side rest, and bonus back pillow!
2. Soderhamn Chair
Easy! Remember the previous one-seat section? Let’s say you want a chair to go with this. Purchase another corner piece for $200, and attach the spare side rest to this new corner piece. You will have to poke holes through the frame slipcover to do this, though, but it’s pretty easy as the frame comes with pre-drilled holes. Now you have an easy armchair as well as a one-seat section! And another bonus back pillow for you too 🙂
*the normal Soderhamn armrests will not cover the full length of the armchair like the side rests do, so if you’re after the same look, it would cost another US$100 for 1 pair of armrests.
3. Three-seat section
Right, just take 2 Soderhamn corner pieces. Press them together. Rotate the one on the right clockwise 90 degrees. Attach side and backrests appropriately. Clamp in the centre. Alternatively, you could simply swap the side rest from the middle to the right side. You may have to pierce through the fabric in this case. The only difference in approaches is how you would like the side rests to work, and where you’d like the gap between side rest and backrest to be.
Yes, this is what we did for the Herringbone Pebble slipcovered IKEA Soderhamn sofa pictured here:
4. A Soderhamn Sectional!
Don’t panic! Yes, you could make a whole sectional out of the corner piece if you wanted to. I ran the numbers on the 4 seat corner sectional, and the hacked together corner pieces would total $1000, compared to $1198 from IKEA. And you’d get all the extra back pillows as well 🙂
Anyway, this is but a small hint of the possibilities you could explore. Plus, if you like the modular sectional, you could finish your hack with a custom slipcover by Comfort Works! Long skirt Soderhamn, anyone?
Imagine that! Who on earth would do such a thing, that’s rubbish. Only some madman would play God like that, a madman by the name of Felicia perhaps 😉
43 Comments
by Lauren
Hi! Just wondering where you purchased the legs from? This is perfection! I have been searching for legs, but I’m nervous. I was so happy to see someone else had the same idea.
by Chuck
Glad you asked Lauren!
You can get the legs from us too: http://comfort-works.com/en/replacement-ikea-sofa-legs-29
Hope this helps!
by Janisha
Hi there, I am considering getting two of the corner units, and doing what you’ve done here: attach them. but I have a question: Why did you replace the slipcovers with the slipcover for the 1 section? Are the slipcovers different?
by Chuck
Hey Janisha!
The corner slipcovers and the 1 seat section would indeed be different – the corner section would have “holes” or exposed parts to connect them to other sections as it’s a modular piece. In order to hide all that, we needed a 1 seat section slipcover (and some DIY to secure the velcro underneath) to make it look nice 🙂
Hope that answers your question!
by Alfie
Hi,
I’m thinking about doing the same as you guys and putting two corner sections together as a 3 seater.
If you purchase two corner sections, does it come with the clamp needed to secure them in the box?
by Chuck
Hey Alfie!
It actually comes with two clamps per corner section if I’m not wrong, so you should probably end up with 4 clamps 🙂
Hope this helps!
by Marieke
The corner pieces put together look great! Can you tell me how and where you put the middle front leg in?
by Chuck
Let’s just say it was done very precariously 😉
For practicality, it’s recommended to use all the legs provided with the original set!
by Marieke
Ok, thank you Chuck…I might have to rethink then…I don’t think I like the idea of two legs next to each other in the middle.
by Chuck
No worries Marieke,
There is an alternative if you’re up for a bit of DIY; What could happen is that you get this mounting plate: http://www.celticwoods.co.uk/new-strong-screw-or-bolt-on-plate-with-m8-threaded-hole-for-adjustable-foot-520-p.asp
Basically you’ll need to drill holes underneath both corner sections and secure/connect them with this mounting plate. In the middle is a threaded hole for an m8 screw, which is what these legs use.
So all you have to do is purchase 2 of these mounting plates, drill them in and screw on the legs 🙂
This will give you both aesthetics, as well as functionality with the sofa leg in the middle.
Hope this helps!