Basically, they help you pull the sofa snags back into the fabric.
So all you have to do is to poke repeatedly at the snag until it is pushed back into the wrong side of the fabric.
2. Razor hack
Another trick that you can use is the razor hack. All you have to do is to run the razor over the snags and frays and voilà! The snags are gone and won’t pull any further. You can also use hair trimmers, clippers or shavers for this hack. This method works best for fabric that fray into thin strands and fluff. It also works with fabric pilling or balling.
3. Needle and thread hack
The needle and thread hack would take some time and patience, but it’s going to be an effective one. Also, we recommend to use this method only when you have a few, noticeable snags. It’s going to take too long for you to thread all the snags individually unless, you know, you really like sewing.
How it works: 1. Thread a needle without tying a knot at the end of the thread. 2. Insert the threaded needle into the hoop of the snag. 3. When you reach the end of the thread, tie a knot on the snag. 4. Insert the needle as close as possible to the base of the snag and pull through. 5. Cut off the excess thread on both sides of the fabric.
You can also cut off the knot if it isn’t too difficult for you, but be sure to not cut the fabric!
Once you get the snags and frays out of the way, here’s what your sofa should look like:
IKEA Farlov sofa in Textured Weave Ash
Do try out these hacks and let us know in the comments which one works best for you!
Until next time, happy DIY-ing!
In case your sofa slipcover has too many snags and frays and is just not worth saving, here’s another simple method to make it beautiful again:
And, to avoid snagging and frays on your sofa the next time, Kirane, the Comfort Works Pattern Specialist, has this advice. “If the surface of the couch is made of softer material like linen or cotton, avoid lounging in jeans or rough clothing,” she says. “Also, remove watches or jewellery when lounging on the couch – that way it won’t catch onto the fabric even if you fall asleep on it.”
Launched in 2017, the Färlöv family consists of 4 models at the time of writing – the armchair, 2-seater sofa, 2-seater sofa bed and 3-seater sofa. The sectional seems to have been discontinued at this moment. As of now, the Färlöv is still available in the US, Great Britain and Australia.
The Färlöv is actually quite a huge sofa, with the 2-seater being 85 ⅞” (218cm) wide and having a deep seating of 25 ¼” (64cm). If you are planning to get it, you’ll have to take into consideration the size of the sofa that may not fit your space. The Färlöv is also a low-sitting sofa, so if your house is one with a low ceiling, the Färlöv should fit right in.
Design and aesthetics
The IKEA Färlöv sofa has been said by many to resemble sofas from high-end brands such as the Pottery Barn York Slope Arm slipcovered sofa collection and Restoration Hardware’s Belgian Classic Slope Arm Slipcovered collection. But, it comes with a price that’s 3 to 4 times cheaper! One feature that makes the Färlöv stand out is its beautifully sloped arms in comparison to many of IKEA’s boxy sofas with straight arms.
The IKEA Färlöv sofa is available in 2 kinds of fabrics and 4 colours. The first fabric is yarn-dyed with natural hints of flax so it gives more texture to the fabric. Although crisp, this material can feel scratchy to the skin for some people. The colours available for the Flodafors fabric are white and grey. The second fabric is velvet that has a soft surface, dense pile and reflective shine. This one comes in dark grey and dark olive-green and is a more comfortable fabric to lounge on.
While the sofa may be firm during your first few “sittings”, the seat cushions eventually soften a little over time. Similar to the Söderhamn, it allows you to sit all the way back while you enjoy a book, but it definitely isn’t as soft as the Söderhamn. Despite that, the Färlöv is still very good for lounging, even if you’re in the taller group.
Rating: 8/10
Price
Currently, the Färlöv 2-seater is priced at GBP329 in Great Britain, starts at AU$449 in IKEA Australia and US$799 for our American friends. Meanwhile, the Färlöv 3-seat sofa starts at US$949 in the US, GBP295 in Great Britain (crazy discount for the Flodafors White cover!) and AU$749 in Australia (only available in Djuparp Dark Grey).
It’s incredibly affordable compared to the Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware sofas mentioned in the previous section. If you’re a fan of the modern farmhouse trend but not about the price of luxurious sofa brands, then pick the Färlöv already!
Slipcoverability and hackability
With the limited slipcovers from IKEA, we bet you’d like more choices. Take a look at how you can transform the plain Färlöv by simply using slipcovers. Whether you want a snug fit or long skirt, the choice is yours. Did we already mention that you can choose from more than 70 fabric styles for your Färlöv (and other IKEA sofas) upgrade?
You could totally put a Pure Linen slipcover with pleated skirts on the Färlöv for a farmhouse look. Additionally, the sofa legs have the same old bolt size that’s used in many of the IKEA sofas, so it’ll be easy-peasy to swap out the sofa legs for something cuter. Done and dusted!
IKEA Farlov in Pure Linen White slipcovers
Overall conclusion
The Färlöv series from IKEA is for those who want to graduate from the basic Ektorp. While it’s a little pricier than many other IKEA options, its traditional shape is timeless and slipcovered style makes it easy to keep clean and really go the distance.
Having a sofa at home is a necessity for almost every household because it’s a spot where you can sit, chill, lounge, watch Netflix and oh, scroll through TikTok. The fact that you’re always on the couch can also mean that there could sometimes be accidents that could cause a tear in your couch.
Now, how to repair your torn couch fabric?
Here’s a quick fix that you can do. First, prepare these 3 items:
Scissors
Fusible interfacing
Iron
Check your fabric
Is it merely a small torn or the damage goes further than that? If it’s mendable, that’s great!
Depending on the colour of your fabric, purchase a white or black fusible interfacing so that it doesn’t show through. The fusible interfacing could be picked up online or at your local sewing store.
Check the tear
Measure and iron
Determine the length of the tear, then cut a piece of interfacing that’s slightly larger than the tear. Then, place the glossy side of the interfacing against the underside of the fabric and iron until the interfacing has completely stuck to the fabric.
The glossy side of the fusible interfacing is actually glue. When heat is applied, it melts the glue which would then hold the tear together.
And that’s an easy way to repair your torn couch fabric.
If, after all that, you still feel your tear is beyond repair, the best solution may be a brand new set of slipcovers custom-made for your sofa. And, you could be loving the new slipcovers more than the current one!
On a beautiful summer’s day, imagine walking towards your garden and seeing a nice patio furniture set under the sun – that’s what the IKEA Äpplarӧ outdoor patio furniture could offer you. Continue on to read the IKEA Äpplarӧ sofa review and learn more about it.
The Äpplarӧ range of outdoor furniture is made with responsibly sourced acacia wood. IKEA has partnered with various businesses and organisations for years to ensure that they only obtain wood from sustainable sources – peace of mind if you intend to purchase the Äpplarӧ series from IKEA.
Released around 2012, the Äpplarӧ range has so many different pieces of furniture in its range. There are sofas, tables (gateleg, coffee, drop-leaf etc), benches (with or without backrest, with storage etc), chairs (armchair, reclining, folding, with or without armrests etc) , table/stool sections, sun lounger, wall panel, shelving units etc…that is all I can list out for now.
For the sofa models, there is the 2-seat modular sofa, 3-seat modular sofa, 3-seat modular corner sofa, corner section, 1-seat section and chaise. They’re also sold in “4-seat conversation sets” where a table, a 2-seat sofa and 2 chairs are included.
Design & aesthetics
The IKEA Äpplarӧ comes in a very nice shade of wood that fits perfectly in the outdoors. The construction is simple, with a lot of wooden bars and neat lines. One look at it and you get the feeling of relaxing outdoors.
Without much cushions going on for the Äpplarӧ, there are only boxy seat cushions and back cushions that come in 7 different colours. Most of them are neutral colours like grey, white and beige except for 1 with a greenish tone to it – I think it’s very foresty and probably makes you feel closer to nature. The back cushions come in 2 styles too – normal and tufted.
Without the cushions, sitting on the Äpplarӧ sofa is definitely uncomfortable. It’s not meant to be a sofa for lounging if it does not come with cushions. Sitting on the hard seat and backrest for long hours sounds like it will give you a backache once you’re ready to get up. When the cushions are in though, you’ll be able to lie comfortably there for a few hours under the warm summer sun, reading a book, watching Netflix or just taking a nap. The Äpplarӧ chaise is at an angle that felt just perfect, and together with the Kuddarna chaise pad, here’s a reminder to apply sunscreen before you decide to lounge on it.
Some sets come with the Frӧsӧn or Duvholmen cushions, which are made with recycled polyester and polyurethane foam as its core filling and this can make them quite firm and good for sitting. They’ll go perfectly with the IKEA Äpplarӧ once you fit them in there. If you think they don’t, contact us for customised Äpplarӧ cushion covers with a ton of fabric choices that we offer at Comfort Works.
Price
A 2-seat modular sofa is priced from $350 – $490 in the US depending on the type of cushion it comes with. The longest 3-seat modular corner sofa with white cushions is about $970. We think the price is above average, but because it’s made from acacia hardwood that is sturdy and suitable for outdoor use, it’s worth it.
Verdict
The stain that is already on the Äpplarӧ furniture does not last long, especially if you don’t care for it regularly. By care, we mean trying to keep it inside during the rainy season and storing them indoors during the winter months. Furthermore, regular maintenance such as restaining, painting or varnishing is required. These coatings would allow the wooden furniture to last longer because they act as layers of protection from the sun and water, hence keeping the wood shiny and also retaining its natural wood colour.
If you like rearranging, the many types of chairs, tables, stools and corner sections in the Äpplarӧ range give you the flexibility to place them in any position you like.
Ratings: Comfort: 6.5/10 Design: 8/10 Price: $$$ (out of 5)
Not the outdoor sofa for you? Check out our complete IKEA outdoor sofa review and see if there are other IKEA outdoor furniture that you may be interested in.
So you want a sofa from IKEA. Who can blame you? IKEA sofas can offer great value for money, are usually highly convenient to purchase, and often combine solid construction and good design.
But how do you decide which IKEA sofa is the best for you?
Need to make a decision on your new IKEA sofa, quickly? We got you. The Comfort Works team have tried and tested hundreds of IKEA sofas ourselves, over the years. We’ve broken down the top 10 IKEA sofa series for you, based on several important criteria: comfort, aesthetic appeal, variety of sizes and models available and its history.
Best IKEA sectionals Great for families and those who love entertaining
IKEA Soderhamn sofa
Is a standard 3-seater not quite enough to accommodate your family, but you don’t want to have to purchase multiple sofas? Sectional sofas to the rescue. Sectionals are made up of two or more different modular parts, which can be arranged to best suit your home and family. Add a chaise module or extra storage, turn your sofa into an L-shaped or U-shaped style – the options are nearly limitless.
Read all about how to choose the right sectional sofa for your family here.
Sectional sofas are great for bigger families or those who love entertaining large groups of people. Truly the most sociable kind of sofa, sectionals encourage group chats and movie nights.
Nobody works harder than a sofa bed, or sleeper sofa. Sofas during the day, they transform into fully functional beds for houseguests. There is no denying the practicality of a sofa bed, and this is a category IKEA does very well in. But not all sofa beds are created equal – and some don’t even look like sofas. We’ve narrowed down the list to sofa beds that are comfortable to sleep on and still look great when they’re in sofa mode.
Naps are an integral part of life. A lot of us tend to fall asleep on the couch more than falling asleep in our beds – and that’s what chaise lounges are for. A chaise lounge (originally chaise longue) means “long chair”, which I think is a perfect term for a napping couch. If you often sleep on your sofa, all you need is a chaise lounge so that you can fall into a sweet dream always, even if it isn’t on the bed.
“The more the merrier” was said for a reason. When there’s no longer just two people in the house, it probably means it’s time to get a 3-seater sofa. What’s the width of a 3-seater couch compared to your current loveseat? Would it fit the space in your house? Get your questions answered by reading this list of the best IKEA 3-seater sofas.
Best IKEA sofas under $1000 Keep it on the down low
IKEA Friheten sofa
IKEA has a range of lower-priced sofas, but that doesn’t mean they’re lower-quality. If you do your research, you’d be able to find something that is within $1000, and comfy enough for your preference. We don’t choose them based on categories, but based solely on the price. This way, you have more options to pick the sofa type whether it is a 2-seater, 3-seater with a chaise lounge or a sofa bed in just under $1000. Read this list of the best IKEA sofas under $1000 so that you can make an informed decision when looking for the next big thing for your living room!
IKEA outdoor sofas Something for the outdoor area
IKEA Äpplarö outdoor sofa
Be it just for aesthetic reasons or for family gatherings at the patio, outdoor sofas are the way to go. Materials like plastic, natural rattan and hardwood, when combined with the right design, can make very beautiful outdoor sofas for the warmer weather. Read the complete IKEA outdoor sofa review to see which one is right for you. And if the cushions aren’t to your liking, let us know because we customise cushion slipcovers with our beautiful and functional fabrics of more than 70 styles.
Discontinued IKEA sofas Can I still get their slipcovers?
IKEA Vimle sofa
Throughout the years, IKEA has released so many sofa series, and also discontinued a lot of them. It’s unfortunate that consumers cannot find the exact model to replace their current one especially if they really liked it. However, if you do still own one of their discontinued models and are in need of sofa replacement covers, come take a look at this post – “Replacement IKEA Sofa Covers For Discontinued IKEA Couch Models”. With customised slipcovers that come in so many designs and colours, you’ll love your sofa even more after an awesome transformation!
Announcement: Comfort Works has recently launched a new line of sustainable fabrics under our Sustainable Collection: the Eco Fabrics! There are 4 new eco-friendly fabrics under this line: Eco Weave, Eco Twill, Eco Basketweave and Eco Chenille.
The Eco Weave is soft, light and breathable, with natural slubs that are similar to what you can usually find on natural linen. Slubs are raised lumps caused by “imperfections” of the woven fabric which give our Eco Weave a more textured look and some character. It’s common to see slubs on denim, T-shirts and sweatpants nowadays. Even though the Eco Weave is made from 60% recycled material, the texture is great and so natural-looking that you wouldn’t even know that it’s made out of recycled plastic.
The colours that are currently available are “White” and “Dark Denim”. Due to its linen-like texture and white-coloured fabric, the Eco Weave White reminds you of the casual, relaxed times in life – great when you’re going for the Farmhouse style sofa slipcovers for your home. Furthermore, using a white sofa as the centrepiece of the living room helps to brighten up small spaces.
On the other hand, “Dark Denim” is a colour that reminds you of your favourite pair of denim jeans that you just want to wear over and over again. Slip it on your sofa and we promise you’d never want to leave.
The Eco Twill is made from 50% recycled material but its looks say otherwise – premium quality. Soft to the touch, this fabric is richly textured and very comfortable to lounge and sleep on for the whole day. Each batch of fabric has subtle tonal variations and a slight luxurious sheen that elevates its look. This fabric is also wrinkle-resistant, so there’s no need to regularly iron it.
The colour, “Amber” is now available for Eco Twill. It has a sharp mustard-orangey colour that’s bound to make your living room look warmer in an instant. Perfect for the summer.
Also another wrinkle-free fabric, the Eco Basketweave is densely woven, resembling a classic understated basket weave look. This fabric stands out with its clear, grid-like weave and a slight sheen when the light hits on it.
The colour “Oatmeal” is a classic warm beige, with hints of white and cream running through its weave. Subtle tonal nuances are expected to be seen on the Eco Basketweave. This neutral colour suits any style of home and decoration as it gives off a sophisticated yet warm feel to the space.
The Eco Chenille is soft and plush with a subtle heathered effect, so you can see little specks of lighter tones on the cool grey-toned fabric pebble. Thanks to its colour, the Eco Chenille Pebble fits in any home regardless of your house having a modern, industrial or rustic interior design. You could further style this luxurious-looking sofa with pillows, blankets or throws of any colour because the light grey helps to create a balance among the colours.
It also has a good drape, so if you’re thinking of getting a long-skirted sofa slipcover, the Eco Chenille would be ideal as the material just falls beautifully against the floor.
Super breathable and made from 50% recycled material isn’t exactly common, but we’ve made it work with Eco Chenille. And because it’s breathable, the Eco Chenille works for any season. It keeps you warm during the colder seasons and keeps you cool during summer days. It’s the best of both worlds, especially for those of you who don’t like changing slipcovers often.
There are several good reasons as to why we’ve chosen and decided to launch this series of Eco Fabric.
Better for the environment
Part of the reason why we named this collection the “Sustainable Collection” is because all these fabrics are partially made out of recycled materials, specifically recycled plastic bottles.
The process is actually pretty interesting – after the plastic bottles are collected, they are compressed and shipped to the processing factory. The bottles are then shredded into chips, melted and sieved to produce threads to be used as fabric. And that’s how they become fabrics used in our Sustainable Collection. This process requires 30% less energy than regular clothing made from polyester, which also means less carbon footprint, so that’s better for the environment. We call them our Sustainable Collection for a good reason.
Furthermore, our Eco Fabrics are Global Recycled Standard(GRS)-certified, which is a voluntary product standard used to track and verify content of recycled materials in a final product. It applies to the whole supply chain for products that contain at least 20% of recycled materials.
It’s good to know that the plastic bottles that we heavily use and throw away are turned into gorgeous fabrics for sofa slipcovers. And, come on, their being beautiful is a bonus!
Skin-friendly
Apart from the fabric texture being really soft and breathable, almost all our Eco Fabrics are sourced from suppliers with the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, which means that they have been tested for harmful substances, so they’re safe for human health.
For those who are concerned about the fabrics coming in contact with sensitive skin, especially children, can now obtain sofa slipcovers from our Sustainable Collection with peace of mind.
Withstands high traffic
As soft as the fabrics are, they are equally durable to hold out against high traffic and active households, such as those with little kids who’re always climbing up and down the sofa. With our Sustainable Collection, you can enjoy every moment with your family and not be concerned of their ruining the sofa slipcovers easily. The Sustainable Collection is definitely made with sustainability in mind.
Machine-washable
Comfort Works’ Eco Fabrics
Whenever it comes to sofa slipcovers, we expect them to get dirty one way or the other, because we know, life happens. Therefore, our Eco Fabrics are machine-washable just in case any sort of accident happens on your couch. After washing, just drip dry them in the shade until they’re almost completely dry, then slip them back on to your couch again.
These beautiful fabrics aren’t only transforming your sofa, but they’re transforming the world as well with our sustainability efforts. The launch of Eco Fabrics is Comfort Works’ first step towards being more sustainable, and it’s just the beginning because there’s more to come! If you’d like to give our new eco-friendly fabrics a try, order free samples now.
