It’s a new year and although we haven’t been getting any IKEA Catalogues since they discontinued in 2022, we are still continuously inspired by IKEA’s digital brochures and never-ending trendy looks, just like how we’re here to guide you on our 10 best IKEA sofas this 2023!
To help us narrow down our top picks for this year, we focused on these criteria in our IKEA sofa reviews:
- Popularity: How long has it been on the market?
- Variety: How many sizes and styles are there to choose from? How does it fit in different rooms and spaces?
- Aesthetics: How pretty is it?
- Comfort: Which is the most comfortable Ikea sofa?
(Dishonourable mention: the Knopparp “sofa”. A little fabric on a frame does not make a sofa. Even an outdoor lounge chair has more integrity this metal monster.)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.Äpplaryd
2.Grönlid
3.Farlov
4.Stockholm
5.Kivik
6.Söderhamn
7.Landskrona
8.Ektorp
9.Friheten
10.Vimle
If you prefer watching a video, take a look at our “10 Best IKEA Sofas Of The Year here:
10. Äpplaryd
The stylish Äpplaryd comes in several variants, colours and fabric material. This sofa does not only look chic in all of its colours, but is also comfortable enough to be sat on for long hours. It’s poofy and bouncy cushions make it nice for you to plop down anytime. And if you’re feeling tired, rest your head on the pillow-like armrest and wander into dreamland.
With a width of 167cm, the loveseat is pretty spacious for 2 people. There’s also the 3-seater and 4-seater with chaise lounge that are as wide as 198cm and 273cm respectively.
The IKEA Äpplaryd comes in suave grey/black and light grey colours, with a material made of cotton, polyester and viscose/rayon. It also comes in classy velvet dark blue and velvet red/brown, which gives any space a touch of personality and sophistication.
Status: Available!
Read the full Äpplaryd sofa review.
9. Grönlid
The Gronlid is all about comfort. It sports thick, overstuffed cushions that make you feel like you’re sitting on square clouds. Thankfully, they are also very supportive to prevent you from being sucked into the couch.
Mixers and matchers would be pleased to hear that the Gronlid has all the footstools, corners, and lounges needed to really grow the sofa. Though it’s size and clunkiness takes up space rather fast.
Compared to its direct rival, the Ektorp, the Grönlid’s deeper seating is well welcomed for a more relaxed sitting session. It goes well with the cushy cushions and makes the Grönlid one of the ultimates in IKEA comfort.
Despite coming in ninth place in this list, we’re still big fans of the Grönlid for how comfy it is, though IKEA US was apparently not as much of a fan as we were. It’s been slightly “adjusted” into a newer model called the Harlanda to better accommodate the western market but the good news is that the Grönlid still remains available pretty much everywhere else.
Status: Replaced by Harlanda in the US. Available elsewhere!
Read the full IKEA Grönlid sofa review.
8. Farlov
Elegant and fancy-looking, the Farlov’s design isn’t what you’d be expecting when walking into an IKEA showroom. Low banana-shaped armrests with generously sized cushions give it a classy yet traditional feel rivalling the looks of some of IKEA’s more upmarket competitors.
The series has a few variants – loveseat, 3-seater, sofa bed and armchair. Deep seating with plush cushions make it very appealing to lounge and sprawl out on. Furthermore, the lumbar cushions help support the back when more upright seating is wanted and can even be propped on the low-sloped armrests for great nap times.
Its yarn-dyed fabric (white) and velvet fabric (olive green and dark grey) are good additions to a simple interior design.
Status: Available!
Read the full IKEA Farlov sofa review.
7. Stockholm
Coming in at seventh place is this stunning sofa from IKEA’s Stockholm collection. Specifically, the Stockholm 2017 version. It looks absolutely beautiful with its contemporary style that visually conveys comfort.
As the IKEA sofa with the deepest seating depth, the Stockholm is practically made for lounging (but not great for those who prefer more upright seating).
It comes with original velvet slipcovers in dark blue and dark grey, which offers a look of comfort and masculinity to the room. That’s not all – the Stockholm also has aniline leather covers in dark brown and “natural”, a beautiful orange-brown that adds a pop of colour and luxury to your living space.
Read the full IKEA Stockholm sofa review.
6. Kivik
We love the Kivik in all its various incarnations. It used to score higher in our IKEA sofa reviews, but recently we’ve found that the seat cushions have been updated to be a lot firmer.
Subjectively, we’re not big fans of the comfort – which is why it’s dropped in the rankings.
Comfort aside, it’s a pretty and practical sofa: wide with deep seating, and a modular configuration so you can switch up your look whenever you want.
Washable slipcovers make keeping it clean easy, and the wide armrests balance out the look. You can even sit on the armrests in case you run out of seating space.
Status: Available!
Read the full IKEA Kivik sofa review.
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5. Söderhamn
We’ve written about the Söderhamn quite a bit on our Söderhamn resource page and IKEA sofa reviews, and we’ve even hacked it to resemble a designer piece.
This collection is modular, so you can just go with the regular 3-seater (armrests optional) and build up to a larger sectional if you have a big space. With just the chair/one-seat, sofa, corner and chaise pieces, you can mix and match to build the sectional of your dreams in your space.
It certainly comes close to being one of the most comfortable IKEA sofas (by comfortable we also mean “sleep-inducing”), that’s why it’s earned its spot in our 10 Best IKEA Sofas In 2023. It’s a lot more suitable for a casual family room rather than a formal living room due to its deep seating depth and low height, but a major plus point for this range is how it looks – quite a departure from the traditional sofa styles we see from IKEA.
Status: Available!
Read the full IKEA Söderhamn sofa review.
4. Landskrona
As the couch that ended the Karlstad in 2015, the Landskrona had big shoes to fill. We say it did a pretty good job at it too!
While not as affordable as the Karlstad, one look at this couch will let you know it conveys some visual punch – especially in golden brown leather. A clean silhouette with sharp lines and beautiful tufted cushions seal the deal as one of IKEA’s classiest couches.
With comfort on par and an included chaise to sink into for nap time, it’s easy to see why the Landskrona has won the hearts of so many IKEA fans – us included.
Those looking for the Landskrona in the US will find it better known as the Morabo, which has ever so slightly different dimensions but is practically the same thing.
Status: Replaced by Morabo in the US. Available elsewhere!
Read the full IKEA Landskrona sofa review.
3. Ektorp
Where do we begin with IKEA’s cult favourite? The classic round armed design makes the Ektorp a hit among those who want a traditional style, and it’s clearly popular with the relaxed, modern farmhouse homes.
The slipcovered style with the long skirt and corner pleats play a big part in how the sofa is perceived as a more classic sofa, but once upon a time IKEA did sell leather Ektorps, complete with exposed legs and a skirtless, upholstered look.
We’ve also hacked the Ektorp, and aside from its timeless style and versatility, the comfort factor puts the Ektorp amongst the top for most comfortable IKEA sofas out there.
Status: Replaced by Uppland in the US. Available elsewhere.
Read the full IKEA Ektorp sofa review.
2. Friheten
After the massively popular Manstad sofa bed was discontinued, a few models with similar mechanisms rose up to fill the void in our hearts. The one that has lasted through the years and came out on top was the Friheten, an L-shaped sofa bed with storage under the chaise and a hidden bed compartment.
Even though it’s not the most comfortable IKEA sofa, it definitely earns its points for its versatility as a sectional sofa, the roomy storage compartment, and the pull-out bed that can transform your sofa into a double bed for guests.
The Friheten series consists of a 3-seat sofa bed (sans chaise and storage), corner-sofa bed with storage and armchair.
Status: Available!
Read our IKEA Friheten sofa bed review to know more.
Find custom slipcovers for your Friheten here!
1. Vimle
The Vimle deserves top spot on the 10 Best IKEA Sofas list for many good reasons.
Firstly it looks great. There’s a good reason why square arm sofas do well – the look is timeless and never gets old, so it works well for almost any living space.
A quick test of this sofa will make you realise it’s super comfy (not as comfy as the reviewed Gronlid sofa but very close). The frames are exactly the same, only the arms (and seemingly cushions) are different.
To top it off, it’s very practical because the ottoman and chaise come with storage AND each part can be easily combined together to form a giant sectional, just like the Norsborg. You can even get it as a sofa bed or expand it with a sofa bed module. Talk about functional.
What’s there not to love about the Vimle? It can do everything!
Status: Replaced by Finnala in the US. Available elsewhere!
Read the full IKEA Vimle sofa review.
Love the sofas but not the limited sofa covers? Come take a look at how we can customise your sofa to your style with our sofa covers:
Turn your IKEA couch into a designer piece
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457 Comments
by Marie-Michele Blouin
Could you please comment on the Finnala sectional sofa-bed? I am wondering if it’s comfy enough?
by Naomi
Hey Marie-Michele,
This would totally depend on what you would consider comfy! Personally, I have a tonne of back pain (Sciatica) so I would prefer something a little more solid as opposed to something that would “sink” in when I sit or lie down. I have not personally sat on the Finnala sofa bed, but from what I’ve heard, it has got a foldable foam mattress that is around 5-inches thick. There is a video on it here – https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/finnala-sleeper-sofa-with-chaise-gunnared-medium-gray-s89319194/
Hope this helps 🙂
by 1 Seater Chair
This is a great blog and very inspiring! Thank you for sharing this Seater Chair. I am glad that I read this and looking forward for more article about it.
by Naomi
Heya,
Thanks for the kind words! We always strive to keep up to date, so you can definitely expect more articles to come 🙂
by 2 Seater Chair
Very ideal! I love this blog and I love the sofas that you pick thanks a lot for sharing this, looking forward for more blogs of yours.
by Naomi
Thanks again for the kind words 🙂
by Julia
A note/caveat on the #1 pick: as noted here, the Finnala has replaced the Vimle in North America. While they look identical, they’re not, quite. The cushions appear to have exactly the same dimensions, but the back/arms are 1in (3cm) higher. Since the Vimle has only been discontinued in North America, and most companies making covers are outside of the US, it is, unfortunately, nearly impossible to find reputable sellers offering new covers for the Finnala at this time, since the rest of the world is still able to get the Vimle. So North American shoppers, don’t buy the Finnala unless you’re completely happy with the default IKEA covers, or are willing to pay for a custom-made cover (or make one yourself/buy a Vimle cover and alter it yourself, I suppose).
by Naomi
Spot-on, Julia!
The Finnala is indeed a successor to the Vimle – in fact, we have been following the IKEA legacy models to try and come up with working slipcovers for each generation as in this case altering the Vimle covers would not work since they are after all, smaller than the Finnala in general.
Looking at our options for the IKEA original Finnala fabric: Dalstorp and Gunnared fabric covers are 100% polyester while the Orrsta and Tallmyra fabric covers are a polyester-cotton blend. I feel it may be the general consensus that natural fibers are preferred over polyester, but then again I could be wrong!
I personally prefer natural fibers, in spite of their tendency to stretch and become worn over time. A small price to pay for comfort.
What does everyone else think? 🙂
by Svetlana
Does anyone know what Ikea replaced my beloved Nockeby with?
by Naomi
Heya Svetlana,
It seems the Nockeby is still being sold in some parts of Europe, but it isn’t selling in the States, for some reason. The Nockeby doesn’t seem to have a legacy model, either –so we really don’t think they’re replaced it with another model.
But hey, if you are ever looking for an alternative (and enjoy sinking into a mass of pillows), I would personally recommend the Stockholm 2017. The arms are also square-shaped, though it does not have those side cushions like the Nockeby does. However I do reckon it is actually rather comfortable and for me, it induces an feeling of instant relaxation. It’s also still selling in Europe and the States 🙂
I hope this helps, somehow. If anyone here has insight about the Nockeby (or its potential legacies), please let us know!