Still going strong — the IKEA Vimle, a timeless living room hero

The IKEA Vimle has long been a fan favourite — and honestly, it’s easy to see why. It’s comfy, modular, and surprisingly stylish for something that comes flat-packed.

Whether your vibe is Scandi minimalism, cosy cottagecore or clean modern lines, the Vimle fits right in. It’s simple enough to work with any living room style, but has just enough personality to stand on its own.

Plus, with its flexible modular design, you can completely change the shape of your Vimle over time — or just refresh the look with new covers (spoiler alert: we’ve got you covered on that front).

Note: In the US and Canada, this sofa is now called Finnala (and we’ve got a separate review for it). Same vibe, slightly updated build. In this review, though, we’re sticking with the Vimle.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. First look at the IKEA Vimle sofa
2. Comfort
3. Aesthetics
4. Price
5. Durability
6. Verdict

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First look at the IKEA Vimle sofa

The Vimle sofa comes in a few different sizes and combinations. Here are a few options to choose from:

• 2-seater
• 3-seater
• 4-seater
• 4-seat sofa with chaise lounge
• 3-seat corner sofa
• 4-seat corner sofa
• 5-seat corner sofa with/without chaise lounge
• 6-seat U-shaped sofa
• Footstool with storage
• Armchair
• 2-seat sofa bed
• 3-seat sofa bed with/without chaise lounge
• 3-seat sofa, with chaise longue with headrest

As you can tell, there’s quite a lot you can do with the Vimle. And since it’s modular, you can buy each piece individually and combine them to achieve the exact look you’re going for in your living room. There’s even a Vimle planner on IKEA for you to customise your Vimle from scratch.

Comfort: 7/10

Have you ever sat on the IKEA Karlstad sofa? Well, the Vimle is very similar to the Karlstad in its depth and height but the Vimle is noticeably wider.

The Vimle might not look like the most comfortable or inviting sofa to rest on, but those assumptions go away the moment you take a seat.

It’s big enough to comfortably fit people who are almost 6-feet tall, and the 3-seater Vimle is wide enough for a good nap.

Although we were initially quite surprised by the quality and build of the Vimle, one of the only drawbacks might be their armrests. They are tall and thin, making them a little difficult to sit on when you’re having a party with more people than cushion seats.

And since they’re thin and tall, resting your head on these armrests might not be the most comfortable thing to do. A quick fix would be to add a few throw pillows, we feel that these armrests are the only drawback from this otherwise perfect sofa.

2022 update: There is the “wide-arm” option for the Vimle sofas now! The original armrests are still available, but the newer option has lower and wider armrests that measure at 54cm in height and 22cm in width. The first version of IKEA Vimle has armrests that are 65cm/68cm in height and 15cm in width. IKEA must have heard us and other people! Who doesn’t love improvements, AND options?

Aesthetics: 8/10

One word: versatile. The Vimle’s clean, unfussy design works with almost anything — which means you can change up your look without replacing your sofa.

Want a spring refresh? Go light and linen-y. Cosy for winter? Add rich textures or earthy tones. The only real limitation is the fabric selection at IKEA.

That’s where CW’s custom sofa covers come in. You’ll find dozens of durable, beautiful fabrics to choose from, including linen blends, velvets and pet-friendly options. So you can make your IKEA Vimle sofa feel uniquely you. Explore our sofa cover fabrics here.

Price: 7/10

The prices of the IKEA Vimle sofas are relatively standard. It’s certainly not one of IKEA’s most expensive ranges of sofas, and we think that the quality-price ratio is acceptable.

A 2-seater IKEA Vimle sofa Saxemara light blue costs 499 € and a corner sofa-bed, 5-seater with chaise and wide armrests in Hillared dark blue fabric costs 2,599 € (these are new lowered prices for 2025).

For the average family the 3-seat sofa, with chaise lounge (from 749 €) or the versatile 3-seat sofa-bed with wide armrests (from 1,129 €) are the most cost effective options.

The price of your IKEA Vimle also depends on the sofa cover you go with. The Gunnared beige is the most basic, while the Djuparp cover in dark grey, dark green or dark green-blue, can tack up to 450 € to your price tag.

If you’re not happy with IKEA’s options, you can check out our selection of performance sofa covers that are suited to your lifestyle.

Durability: 7.5/10

Just like any other IKEA sofa, the Vimle has a 10-year guarantee. But just because it has that 10-year guarantee, doesn’t mean that we didn’t put it to the test.

That’s why we went to IKEA and tried in every way possible. We sat on it, laid on it, open and shut the chaise lounge and footstool over and over again, and even tested the unions between different modules.

We tested it to our heart’s content, and we have to admit that once you actually sit on the Vimle, you can’t help but to trust in its comfort and support.

The Vimle does indeed have a solid structure, even when it’s combined with other pieces. The unions between the individual modules and legs of the Vimle are also strong and reliable.

It never fails to retain its solid and stable structure. It ensures a consistent level of comfort, making the Vimle an all-time favourite in our books.

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Verdict: 7.5/10

We’ve been having a lot of discussions among the Comfort Works team, and this is our overall score on the IKEA Vimle sofa:

• Comfort: 7/10
• Aesthetics: 8/10
• Price: 7/10
• Durability: 7.5/10 
• Final verdict: 7.5/10

The Vimle is a well-rounded sofa with a great design. It checks all the boxes and has scored well in all the things we consider crucial in a good sofa.

And guess what? We loved the Vimle so much that we went ahead to include it in our roster of customisable slipcovers. 

Add a personal touch to your Vimle sofa. Browse through our wide selection of fabrics and styling options that can help take your living room to the next level.