January 2017 - Comfort Works Blog & Sofa Resources

Redecorate your IKEA Ektorp 3-seater sofa for a new look

Posted on January 30, 2017April 28, 2025 by Chris

It’s that time of year again, and we’ve got that old room feel to our office. So a few of us decided to see if we could mix things up easily. Here’s what we tried, without changing the IKEA Ektorp 3-seater’s custom slipcovers (in Nomad Grey). After all, the IKEA Ektorp sofa is a timeless piece with great comfort, let’s make it even better.

First there was this Scandi-minimalist. Plain grey with plain white throws give it a classy look, offset with greenery and a staid black lamp.

And then we thought, what could we do if we just swapped out the throw pillows? Would it change everything?

Well yes. Changing up the throw pillows helped a lot by giving the Ektorp 3-seater sofa a bit more character. We also played around with moving the lamp / tree.

But it wasn’t quite enough. So we tried adding back some greenery and a cute coffee table:

Before above, after below:

We didn’t really like it and felt that coffee table was a bit imbalanced compared to the sofa. Also we had a bit of a colour war here between the Democratic Eclectic / Rave Party and the HEtero-coloured Republic Party. Basically half of us wanted to go back to the mono-coloured white cushions. So we compromised.

And then the Eclectic Party overthrew the Establishment and we ended on this:

All in all, this was a lovely way to spend a Friday afternoon, and we hope that you’ve gotten some inspiration as to how you can re-think your sofa. If you liked our Nomad Grey custom Ektorp sofa cover set, find out what other fabric styles we offer on our website.

Give your Ektorp a new look

Can my sofa be slipcovered?

Posted on January 21, 2017April 28, 2025 by Chuck

A while back we actually wrote an article to determine what’s the best way to re-cover your sofa, which you can find here: https://www.comfort-works.com/news/can-your-sofa-be-slipcovered/

In a nutshell, it comes down to upholstery or slipcovers but let’s face it – slipcovers are always the more affordable and practical option given how:
1) they’re mostly machine washable
2) they’re a lot more affordable than upholstery
3) they can be made snug and look as good as upholstery even

So you’re considering getting slipcovers for your sofa but you’re not sure whether it’s possible? Check out our infographic below and find out :)

Now that you know your sofa is slipcover-able and wish to have one made, you can either check out our:
– Custom Slipcover Process Guide to learn more about custom slipcovers and get a quote or;
– Custom Slipcover Category Page to shop now!

Don’t forget to get some fabric samples if you haven’t, always good to see fabrics (or bycast leather) in person and determine whether it’s suited for your living space, pets and overall well-being.

If you’re still not sure or have further questions about getting a custom slipcover made, drop us an email with a photo of your sofa to info@comfortworks.com.au

We’ll be in touch :)

Replacement sofa slipcovers for IKEA Leather Kramfors series

Posted on January 20, 2017April 28, 2025 by Rachel Yeng

As you know, we have been recovering the IKEA leather Kramfors with fabric covers. This helps those wanting to update their living spaces with our fabulous machine washable slipcovers.

But then we thought.. what about those who just wanted their leather Kramfors to stay exactly the way they bought it? We did our research via our newsletters, and boy, did the emails pour in. There were hundreds of request to fix that tear on the chocolate brown leather Kramfors seat! It is such a beautiful piece and I for one understood why Kramfors owners worldwide would want their leather sofas to be more “permanent”.

So after a long and hard search to find the perfect match for the Frasig Kramfors leather series, we had come up with Urbanskin range.

IKEA Leather Replacement – Urbanskin Kramfors unveiled

More specifically named, our Urbanskin Kramfors brown looks and feel the same as the leather used for the Kramfors Frasig series, at the very least we promise it is 90-95% identical to the color of the original glossy leather Kramfors :)

Special thanks to Lucy for sharing your home and thoughts and working with us to get the perfect fit!

Oh, for those in Europe, it’s good to note that there are 2 different versions of the Kramfors leather series; the Frasig and Marig. The Frasigs are those from the early years of production whereby the leather used are glossy embossed.

The Marigs on the other hand are the newer batch where Matte leathers are being used (below). If you’re looking to replace the seat cushion covers only, our Modena Black might be a good match but it’s always recommended to

These leathers are essentially split leather with protective coatings on the surface, more commonly known as bycast leather. Some IKEA sofas are also upholstered with bycast leather and you can get the

This should work for many of the IKEA leather sofa variants, namely the IKEA Leather Karlstad, Kivik, Klippan, Stockholm, Vimle, Vallentuna, Landskrona, Timsfors.

IKEA Leather sofa owners out there will be happy to know that Comfort Works is now producing covers for the 3 seaters and the 2 seater sofas, the 2 seater with right or let armrest, as well as the left and right chaise lounge, the footstool and the corner piece. That’s right folks. Our Kramfors cover series is completed.

Some of the other models mentioned above are also slipcoverable, but the skirted, fabric slipcover is the recommended option as:
1) Leather IKEA sofas don’t come with slipcovers to begin with, so its construction is different from typical fabric versions and will not allow for slipcovers (unless you hack it)
2) It’s rare that we put leather slipcovers on a leather slipcover simply because it is difficult to put over; However once you manage to get the covers on you almost never have to take it off

These IKEA sofas include Klippan, Karlstad, Kivik, Stockholm, Vimle and Landskrona.

Check out how a fabric slipcover looks like on a leather sofa here.

Full review (by make+haus)on the Kramfors Fabric cover on the IKEA Leather Kramfors here.

Till next time, happy designing!

What exactly is the Minimalist style?

Posted on January 14, 2017April 29, 2025 by Felicia

Minimalism seems to be a word that is used mostly in relation to visual arts and aesthetics, but is also frequently (and increasingly?) being used in relation to simple living, a.k.a. trimming down your life, simplifying things and removing clutter. A quick Google search for minimalism will result in pages and pages of various blogs and news sites talking about minimalism in some way or other, be it about the aesthetic (minimalist style/art) or the lifestyle.

At Comfort Works, we’re a little more focused on the visual aspect of things, being in the slipcover business and all. That being said –

What is minimalism in terms of interior design and home decor?

1. White, white and also white.

nov1614-1

Sources: 1 | 2 | 3

2. Decorations with clean lines

Sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

3. Wabi Sabi

Sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

4. Black and grey industrial

Sources: 1 | 2 | 3

So what exactly is the Minimalist style? It’s probably about maximising beauty and space with the fewest things possible – or at least that’s my take on it. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Interesting articles about minimalism for further reading:

A Guide to Creating a Minimalist Home – Zen Habits
The Oppressive Gospel of ‘Minimalism’ – The New York Times
Minimalism – Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Konmari – Marie Kondo’s organizing philosophy

Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2017 – Greenery

Posted on January 6, 2017April 29, 2025 by Chris

A year after breaking the rules with Rose Quartz and Serenity, Pantone have settled for a more traditional single colour this year. Introducing:

PANTONE 15-0343 TCX GREENERY

Color values:
RGB: 136 176 75
HEX/HTML: 88B04B

And as we all know, Pantone chooses their colours for a reason. One of which they’ll be more than happy to inform us of in the following quote:

“Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment. Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate and revitalize, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose”

– Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute

Greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.

What is the PANTONE Color of the Year?
A symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.

A rather apt statement, considering the travails we’ve gone through in 2016, both politically and ecologically. Pantone is clearly hoping for a better 2017.

Greenery has actually been popping up all over the summer/spring fashion shows in 2016, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see plenty of great fashion pieces featuring these colours this year.

Gucci Spring/Summer 2017 show

Pantone also has a neat colour palette showing off how you could pair this neutral green shade, check it out here.

But what about Decor?

Well, this green is an energetic colour that’s better suited for a room where there’s activity rather than a room meant for relaxing or sleeping. You’ll have to really get a feel for your room and define what you want it to be.

Look for ways to coordinate. From the floor to furnishings, what other colours are in the room? Use Greenery to add interest and grab attention, especially if you have neutral furniture. It works nicely with whites, beiges, and grays. For a retro vibe, pair it with orange; one is warm, the other cool.

Think about the lighting. For a room that doesn’t get much light, this shade of green adds energy. Otherwise, keep in mind that the natural light changes throughout the day in a room, and the light cast by bulbs affects how you’ll perceive colour. So paint large test patches on your walls, and look at them at different times of the day.

For inspiration, we’ve added some of our favourite decor shots from Houzz below, click the link to get more info about how they did it!

Something that people tend to miss, is that Pantone doesn’t decide or pick a colour of the year randomly. The reason why so many products are so easily marketable after a colour of the year announcement is that Pantone is merely selecting something from the fashion gestalt.

The process, which takes about nine months, is highly subjective, as Pantone admits, and more about instinct than science. Essentially, the team fans out across the globe and explores industries, to collect what they refer to as “proof points” — from car shows, on the runways, in decorator showcases and so on. At a certain stage they begin to notice meaningful overlap and narrow down the choices. Then one shade achieves critical mass.

In closing, here’s my thoughts on everything that’s happened in 2016, and what we have to look forward to in 2017, from our Pantone Colour of the Year Mascot.

It ain’t easy being greenery

How to keep cats away from your sofa

Posted on January 4, 2017April 29, 2025 by Chris

Is your cat constantly sinking its claws into your favourite sofa? Cats usually do this as a sign of affection, or they’re just being territorial (according to cat experts).

Rest easy as this post will teach you how to prevent this from ever happening again, and making sure your living place looks neat and livable.

Here are some easy ways to give your sofa a few extra years:

1. Conditioning your cat

Putting a scratching board by the sofa

There are a couple of ways to do this:

Placing “sticky paws” tape on the area where your little feline friend loves to scratch
Putting a scratching board or post beside the frequently scratched area

With these protective sticky tape (any tape works actually), it might not be the most aesthetic but it works well as the cats don’t like that icky feeling on their claws.

According to many though (myself included), putting scratching posts or boards are fairly effective as these cats would basically get used to the new “scratching station” and forget about the sofa.

If you’re not a fan of the scratching post being seen, these can gradually be moved into another room simply by increasing the distance between the sofa and the scratching post/board.

The concept is pretty simple, just like potty-training the kitty.

2. Bitter apple spray

Bitter apple spray for bad cats

Cats have high sensitivity to scent! 40 times that of a human’s to be exact, so using bitter apple spray on your sofa in the area where your cat loves hanging around the most ;)

Using a little will help, but that’s provided you do it daily which can be quite a hassle. Some say vinegar (mixed with water) or citrus works too, but I prefer to opt for the latter since it smells a lot better.

3. Trim your cat’s claws

Trimming kitty’s claws

For most people this might be the least favourite choice as these cats need their claws to protect themselves and it can be quite a hassle calming them down before actually getting to trimming their claws.

Most of the time it’s actually good practice to do this once a month or so, especially if they’re indoor cats – then there really isn’t any need for their claws to protect themselves. Sometimes you just gotta show kitty who’s boss and they wouldn’t struggle as much*.

*Pro Tip: Getting a friend to hold them by the neck usually leaves them somewhat powerless, so that’s the best time to cut their nails or bathe them.

4. Armrest covers for your favourite sofa (Comfort Works’ Recommendation)

Klippan 2 Seater Armrest Cover in Kino Green

If your cats like to scratch the top of your armrests, then you might want to consider getting some armrest protectors.

These arm caps act as a second layer of defense so if possible, have it made in highly durable fabrics so cats are less likely to destroy your sofa and if kids spill their rainbow coloured drinks, you can send it to the wash quite easily.

The best part is that you can easily get these custom made (from Comfort Works) with a slipcover so that it blends in well together.

Pretty and practical. If you have an IKEA sofa, order your armrest protectors here. For other sofa models, order them here.

Take home

Yes, we do love our cat companions and giving them up is not going to be an option – but neither is spending too much on a new sofa.

Now that you’re equipped with some alternative solutions, it’ll definitely be lot easier to save your sofa while the cat remains in your good books.

Good luck cat lovers and miaw!

Photo credits:
– Cat scratchng board photo: http://www.catster.com/
– Bitter Apple Spray photo: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/
– Cat trimming photo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99PtaOQbBIY