Let’s just hop right to it, shall we?
Why the IKEA KIVIK?
If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember that Corey and I are big fans of IKEA couches. We had a KARLSTAD sectional in our living room for 6 years in our first house (and only sold it because we couldn’t fit it in our second house), and after having a Crate & Barrel sofa in our second home, we’ve gone back to trusty old IKEA.
What keeps bringing us back to IKEA sofas? A few things…
- They’re incredibly affordable, especially when you get into the world of sectionals. Plus, the quality for the price you’re paying is absolutely unmatched anywhere else.
- They’re comfortable, and only get more comfy cozy with time.
- The cushion covers are almost always washable. In your washing machine! At home! And, I’m not just talking about the cushion covers. You can remove the whole shebang if you need to, and it’s all machine washable. That’s a huge plus for us, and it really makes me worry a lot less about the general messes that come with life. I wasn’t even nervous about it being a light color, because I knew it would hold up great over time.
- And finally, they’re durable and can really stand up to the chaos of a family with young kids. We found out from our first time owning one that they hold up great to kids, dogs, messes, and just life in general. The sofa in our first home looked pretty fantastic after 6 years of chaos. That’s including two large dogs who slept on it all the time! Plus, it only got more and more comfortable over time.
In the end, it just felt right to go with an IKEA sofa again – we knew we could trust it to last!
When we were first shopping for a sofa, we debated for a long time about which IKEA sectional would be right for us. We narrowed it down to the VIMLE sofa (which doesn’t seem to be available anymore) or the KIVIK.
IKEA Kivik Sofa Review
The IKEA KIVIK series comes in a lot of different configurations and with lots of different options. They also have a really handy tool on their website that allows you to design the perfect sofa for your space. So, you can play around with different styles before you make your purchase.
Which KIVIK Did We Get?
We got the 5 seater corner sectional in Hillared Beige. It looks like our exact fabric isn’t available any longer, but the Tresund Light Beige looks to be more or less the same. The fabric is a polyester and cotton blend, and it’s really durable and easy to clean.
I’ll also note – it’s called a 5-seat sofa, but it can fit than 5 adults. Depending on how comfortable you are sitting close to your friends and family, it’s easy to fit 6-7 adults, plus a kid or two. We regularly jam a ton of people onto this sofa without issue.
What Are the Other Options?
Here’s a rundown of the other readily available KIVIK sofa styles and sizes:
- A regular 3-seat sofa
- Loveseat
- Sofa with chaise
- 4-seat corner sectional (available with or without a chaise)
- 5-seat corner sectional (available with or without a chaise)
- 6-seat U-shaped sectional
- 1-seat sleeper sofa
- Standalone chaise
And, of course, since you can customize what you want, there are about a million other combinations you could go with. They even have a matching ottoman with storage!
Let’s touch on some of the features of the IKEA KIVIK that really make it the right choice for us.
- We sat in just about every sofa in the IKEA showroom when we were shopping. We found that the KIVIK was our favorite in terms of comfort. The seat depth is perfect for lounging!
- We love the low armrests that are nice and wide. They’re flat so it’s easy to set a drink or a plate there if you’re eating on the couch. Our dogs even like to nap on them! Plus, if you prop a throw pillow up on them to lay down, it basically feels like a bed. The coziest!
- There are great color and texture options for the cushion covers! We love the thicker weave of the fabric slipcovers, and while they don’t have quite as many options today as they did back then, we loved the colors. Our cream sofa is exactly the color we were looking for, and the fabric is durable enough that we don’t have to worry.
- And, again, the price point is hard to beat! It feels like a high end sofa, but the price range is from $1,500-$1,600 for our exact sofa, depending on which fabric you choose.
- We initially worried a little about back support with the back cushions. They look pretty low and Corey was worried they wouldn’t be optimal for relaxation while watching television. But, they’re really the perfect height!
Is it Hard to Assemble?
If you’ve ever bought an IKEA couch, you’ll know that it does not come pre-assembled like many sofas do. As with most stuff from IKEA, you get to do it aaaaall yourself.
I took care of the vast majority of the sofa assembly by myself on moving day. The only thing I wasn’t able to do on my own was connect the sectional pieces. It’s really a two-person job. It wasn’t a fast process – it took several hour. But, overall I’d say it wasn’t terribly difficult. And for me, it’s worth it to assemble it myself when I’m paying such a great price for such a big sectional!
Is the IKEA KIVIK Comfortable?
We find it very comfortable, yes!
As with most couches, when it first comes out of the box it will be on the firm side – it’ll take a few weeks for things to soften up and get really cozy. But, we spend a lot of time lounging on this couch and have absolutely zero complaints. The cushions are all made with memory foam so it quickly adapts to your body and is very supportive. There have been many nights that I’ve almost ended up just sleeping there because I was too comfortable to move!
I love that we can easily fit 6 (or more) grown adults on our sofa and no one feels squished. I love that the arms are nice and low and wide so people can comfortable rest an arm, a head, or even a drink on it.
Is It Easy to Clean?
Yes, yes, yes!!!!
A small part of me started to hesitate about getting a light-colored sofa, but I knew that our last IKEA KIVIK held up really well so I figured it would be fine. Thankfully, I was right. This sofa has seen so many spills, dog pee accidents, crumbs, dog hair, and about a zillion other things. It always cleans right up!
I have good luck using Folex to remove most small stains. Then, once every couple of months I pull the cushions covers off and toss them in the washer! The kids love couch washing day because the seat cushions get tossed all over the living room and they turn it into their own set of Ninja Warrior.
I’ve never pulled the cover from the back and arms to wash them, but there is one spot on one of the arms that’s been bothering me, and it might be time to finally tackle it! It’s a simple process – just need to pull the sectional pieces apart and un-velcro it!
Will it Hold Up Over Time?
We’ve only had this particular couch for three years now, but based on our past experience with IKEA sofas, I feel really confident giving a resounding yes.
The interior of the sofa is well-constructed and very solid, and while not all IKEA products are known for their durability, their sofas are generally very well-reviewed and tend to hold up extremely well over long periods of time.
Our KARLSTAD sectional looked like a practically brand-new sofa when we moved and sold it, and we had it for 6 years. This one is three years in and it really still looks like it could be a new couch too!
Our first KIVIK sofa saw tons of use and abuse in our media room – there were movie nights, video game marathons, and even a pee accident or two, and we loved it enough to come back to it all these years later.
The Bottom Line
I think it’s clear that this IKEA sofa review is a positive one. In our experience, we’ve found IKEA sofas to be of really good quality, they are comfortable, easy to clean, and durable. Plus, all of their sofas come with a 10-year warranty, which should give some peace of mind when you’re shopping!
I have zero complaints about our sofa, and I’d buy it again in a heartbeat!