Sofa Swap

In my opinion, couches are one of the most difficult pieces of furniture to purchase. Why?

• You want something of good quality, but you don't want to take out a second mortgage on your house to get it.
• You want something that is pretty on its own, but neutral enough to be able to pull off a variety of different of accents and colors.
• You need something comfortable, but you want it to look nice, too.

I've been considering a new sofa for a while. Our couch was really good quality, and was given to us by Ryan's very generous parents. (See all our hand-me-downs here.) They actually gave it to me my senior year of college, so I've had it since 2005.

However, we ended up with a slipcover on it because the pattern was a lot for our Living Room. It also helped protect the furniture from the dogs.

However, the slipcover was not perfect, and the stretchiness of it was starting to bug me. Lola's hair was like a fur coat for the dark slipcover. Plus, there were several holes in it from the Pugs. So, it was either find a new slipcover or a new sofa (I know I didn't have the patience or skill to make a slipcover as beautiful as Robin's.)

And, after I convinced Ryan we discussed it, we finally decided to go for a new sofa. Here were my criteria:

• Passes the Ryan comfort test
• About the same length as our sofa, around 83 inches (This is comfortable for 3 people and long enough to lay down.)
• Slipcovered to keep it clean and dog-smell free
• Some neutral color - probably tan
• Under $700

This is really the first new piece of furniture we've purchased on our own, so I was a little nervous. (We've been handed down, thrifted or built everything else.) And, I really didn't want to spend very much, because... well, because I'm cheap. And, when you've never really purchased furniture, you don't realize or understand how much it costs.

And, then entered Emily and her slipcovered IKEA Ektorp sofa. This isn't the first time anyone (myself included) has blatantly copied Emily. She's like that cool girl that everyone wants to be. So, from the moment I knew she was getting the sofa, I began stalking her by email, asking her about it, what she thought about it, if she'd be wierded out if I flew to Colorado to see it in person? (Maybe that last one was in my head.)

I also found out from her that the reviews of the sofa were comparable to those from Pottery Barn. (Why would I do my own research on the subject?) And, just like that, I was leaning towards the Ektorp. I did look at a couple more, in case you think I'm ridiculous and a complete follower (although I am). I looked at JCPenney, American (Rowe furniture) and Furniture Row. Nothing really worked for us.

Then, we made had to make three separate trips to Ikea to score the couch. The Chicago stores are only about 2 1/2 hours away. (With a Cheesecake Factory next door.) 

1. First we ensured it met the Ryan comfort test. (It did.)
2. Then, we had a rain-out day. We still had to go, of course. It is IKEA. But, we couldn't bring it home because of the rain. I did buy the slipcovers on this trip, because the color I wanted was being discontinued and on clearance (Ektorp beige). 
3. And, finally on the third trip, we brought home a new member of the family.

So, would you like to meet her?

Isn't she pretty? I love the contrasting piping. Very Ballard Designs, right?

As you can see, I decided to pick up the ottoman, too. We used our old ottoman all the time, so it was worth the little extra money. Plus, they had the same color slipcover clearanced on the third IKEA trip.

And, because the post isn't long enough...
Evolution of the Living Room

We're still trying to decide what to do for additional seating. Ideally, I'd like to put a few smaller chairs on the right wall. But, we can't decide on the type of chair to choose, and don't really want to spend any more money on furniture at the time.

For now, we're just enjoying the new look. And, the fact that it met all of our criteria makes it a success. (It even came in right at our budget, with an extra slipcover and the ottoman. Score!)

Franco and Lola approved.

What do you think?