New Sofa

There’s quite a bit happening in the living room right now. I guess after almost 18 months of staying here I’m at the stage where the major renovations are done and I’m starting to figure out what we want and need in the rooms. Right after we moved in it was more a matter of filling the space with things we had.

 

As you can see something’s missing under the window.

 

I bought this old sofa on a whim at the local charity shop just after moving in. We needed extra seating and I thought it was kind of fun to mix in with the more contemporary furnishings. Turned out it was just too uncomfortable. While Wille and I do watch TV in the den upstairs we like to hang out downstairs too and also I always felt bad for guests who ended up on that 200+ year old thing. So I sold it for exactly what I paid for it a year ago.

 

Enter a new purchase. Because I‘m splurging on another item (or two actually) the sofa’s a cheapo IKEA one. It has great reviews though from my BFF Anne who sleeps on one just like it every night so I knew it would be comfy.

 

 

It’s MUCH bigger than what was previously there and the shape is so different so it takes a little bit of getting used to but I like it. I don’t like that the cover for the frame’s too big though so I’ll be tossing that in the washer and dryer so it’ll hopefully shrink it to fit better.

 

Mini has enjoyed it from day one.

 

And Wille also has no complaints.

 

So I’m happy.

Comments

[pierre.battistini]

sofa without armrest are more nice looking then the classic sectional but less confortable then with...

[Katharina]

Haha :-)
Does Wille mind being caught snooring on www?

[Maja]

The new sofa is way better than the old one. Well done!

[Leena]

I liked the look of the old one and this does look a bit odd, maybe because of the lack of the arm rests, but it still does look good and very comfortable.
Love the candle holders(?) on the sofa table.

Wille's sleeping position is hilarious! Sorry Wille.

[the spectator]

OOOH YEAH!. Tres nice.

[Carlos]

Yes, those are candle holders. From Åhléns.

[Shift Ctrl ART]

It looks really comfy. Love a good Kivik :) I really like the green pillow. Looks fabulous!

[Lotta]

Ooh. I have the same sofa as a one-seat + chaise lounge(?) combination. With dark grey covers. Dreaming about trying the white ones too... just haven´t had the courage yet. :D

[Andrea]

Do tell us more about Anne's sleeping arrangements, if she doesn't mind. I'm picturing a daybed sort of affair in a studio apartment.

[Carlos]

I think I'll let her comment here if she reads this post :)

[high house then radio]

The new sofa looks super comfy. Love your living room, so white and light.

[Marta]

Dear Benita:
I love the little window shelf there is behind the sofa. I've been meaning to place one in my living room. Could you please tell me how deep is it so that a little lamp and plants fit in there?
All the best.

[Andrea]

That photo of sleeping Wille is too adorable :D I really like the KIVIK series. Did you somehow mount them together?

[Nicola]

Love the photo of Wille! My boys are growing up too, but there's something about a sleeping boy that takes me right back...*sigh* x

[CASA E COSE]

Love the colorcombo of off white, light wood and green. Those are from Svenskt tenn that print right? Love Svenskt Tenn but a bit too prizy...but love it!

[nicolezh]

Great new addition to your lovely LR! I never liked the old sofa to be honest...
The pic with Wille is priceless- I don't have kids and I am happy with it, but I like to see others kids growing up. Thanks for sharing and all the best to you and your boy!

[Carlos]

They come with clamps so you can mount them together or keep as two separate slipper chairs. There are also armrests (don't like the thickness of them though), corner sections, chaise longue sections etc.

[Carlos]

Will try to remember to measure when I get home tonight!

[Carlos]

The green ones are made from fabrics from Svenskt Tenn. Crazy expensive but I love them :)

[Anne]

Hi Andrea! I used to sleep in a regular sofa bed of the folding out type. However when we moved to a new smaller apartment I was looking for antother type of daybed. I wanted it to look good, be comfy and not to comlicated to make up in the evening. I've been sleeping in my Kivik for over a year now and I sleep very well. I just take away the back cusions, spread out a thin overlay mattress and I'm ready for bed :). However I don't think it will work if you are to tall, I am 167 cm so for me it's perfect. If you are taller you will probably need an additional section.

During the day I keep the overlay mattress with a "slip-on-sheet" rolled up in a closet and places my cover and pillow on one of the kids beds.

Works just fine for me.

[Hxx]

Brilliant choice x

[Zosia]

Your green accents in the living room (cushions, stamp poster, etc) match perfectly with the greenery outside.

[April]

Me likey. :)

[celia]

I love the way you always pull off making your home look stylish and comfy! The room looks great now, and I bet it will be amazing when you add your candles and wintery things.

How would you compare the kivik to ektorp??

[Martina]

As I can see you have the same plastic cat bed like us. Do your cats use it? It is an eyecatcher, but our cat prefers the couch ;) Love your home and your perfect thingy organisation. Greets Martina

[Carlos]

Similar in comfort but still quite different because the Kivik combo I chose doesn't have arm rests.

[Carlos]

They do use it but not daily. It took almost a year for them to start using it at all. It's so cute though so it stayed regardless and like I said now it does get some use :).

[Carlos]

Oh, I should point out that "where did you get that cat bed" is one of my most frequently asked questions so if you ever want to sell it just place an ad on Ebay (which is where I got mine), tell me about it and I'll post a link!

[Andrea]

That's perfect! I checked their website earlier but didn't find any information on that matter. And I agree, I really dislike the armrests

[Marta]

Ok! That'll would be great. Thanks

[Shelly]

Love your new sofa! I've been thinking of buying that exact one but my husband thinks the no arms situation will be uncomfortable. I had an armless chair for years and it was so comfortable. I had to give it up when we moved. It was my cheap armless chair or my Hans Olson chairs...Hans won, but I miss my armless chair. In retrospect I should have kept the cheap chair. The Olson chairs are black leather and I hate black leather. Can't wait to see what else you're doing! Love the pic of Wille, maybe I'll show my husband how comfortable Wille is ;-)

[Account Deleted]

The room is just great! I love it!It is comfortable, beautiful, lovely.

[Michelle of Montreal]

Great inside info! I was considering creating such an arrangement in my spare room and now I know it works, and is comfy. Thanks Anne!

[-M]

He's already had his sleeping butt featured! LOL!

[-M]

Hi Benita.

That photo with the Galaxy's included is just gorgeous. Really really lovely. The pillows match the green outside perfectly and it looks like outside and inside go together with no window between in some way. The couch is lovely!

The only query, confusion? I have is that for me, watching the TV, I would want to lay on the sofa and have my head on a pillow against an arm rest. You do not want to lay down and watch TV? I do that bc that's how I cross stitch.

Your blog has been inspiring me in unusual ways lately. I want to write you a detailed message about it but I am not sure how to phrase it right. But it is very very good.

[Carlos]

I usually sit in one of the armchairs when I watch TV, even now with the new sofa. I did lie on it and watched tv/took a nap just after getting it and just bunched a couple of pillows up under my head. Worked perfectly :).

[Carlos]

The window sill is 6 inches/15 cm deep and then there's an inch/2.5 cm gap so air can circulate.

[Marta]

Thank you so much! I hadn't thought of leaving a gap for air to circulate. That's a great tip.

[Yvonne]

Fantastiskt snyggt och så lämpligt att jag fick se detta just nu. Vi bygger hus och behöver bl.a. en ny soffa då vi flyttar in. Vi har sett på Kivik och funderat på just dessa en-sitsare. Tänkte köpa 3 st + fotpall så kan man ha dem i olika kombinationer bredvid varandra, mittemot varandra osv. Dessutom har jag föreställt mig dem med mina röda elefant-dynor (Svenskt tenn) till jul och något i grönt från samma tillverkare under vår och sommar. Jag blev än mer övertygad om att Kivik är rätt beslut, tack för din blogg och för att du delar med dig av din utsökta smak!

[-M]

I think you might have spent more on a meter of the fabric than on a whole sofa section!

[Karen]

I'm so happy you are happy. Because you always make us happy!

[Martina]

Yes I saw it somewhere in a blog and got it from ebay too! Maybe if I make it more cosy inside for the winter my cat will try it.

[jja]

Such a pitty for an old sofa, it looked amazing. No pillows could make it feel comfortabler?
The new one look somehow bulky.
I could see something like this instead: http://imageshack.us/a/img818/6834/64836189.jpg
only in grey.

http://i-cdn.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/chicago/4-1-08eitheror2.jpg

http://www.thrivefurniture.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/nixonsofa.jpg

http://retrorenovatio.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/younger-sofa-mid-century-modern.jpg

http://cdn.freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/scandinavian-apartment-12.jpg

Basically something with legs would give more airy feeling of the room...

[Luna]

Mini sleeps like a baby... at least that's how my 2yo boy sleeps. I think that would have to be one of my fave Mini photos.

[Shelly]

The mid century modern ones remind me of the the desk Benita tried but realized was not really her style. I have to say I disagree with the idea of a sofa with legs, it would fight with the look of her coffee table and the galaxy chairs. I think that was the problem with the old sofa...it was a beautiful sofa but it was fighting for attention with the chairs. It was just to fussy.

I'm in love with that last link you put in there of the scandinavian apartment! I'd like to move right in!!! :-)

[minna]

Sofa is nice but so are all your green details.
Fall arrives and all the falling leaves... Have a nice gardening ; )

[YipYip]

Hey Benita,

I have a Kivik sofa myself and it's suuuuuuuuuuuuuuper-soft-comfy. Have slept on it as well some nights, while hubby was snorrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiing soundly. Uh-oh. But I did not have any backaches or stuff. :)
We love it and the cats do, too. But as they're not even 10 weeks old and still make some fine mess in our appartment, we have to cover it up. Hopefully this period will be over soon, i love my white couch! :)
xoxo
Yip

[Kath]

That owl figure on the window sill- what is it made from? Where can I get one? they're so beutiful :)
btw, totally envy the new couch:)

[Carlos]

It's a vintage Italian piece that I got from my mom who in turn got it from my aunt back in the 70s.