IKEA Holmsund sleeper sofa bed review

Today we’re taking a look at the IKEA Holmsund, which is one of the current sofa beds or sleeper sofas available in IKEA stores worldwide.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Basics
2. How does it sit?
3. What about sleep?
4. Conclusion
5. Assembly guide

Basics

It’s essentially an updated Friheten, with extra throw pillows, wedged armrests, and a higher price tag. Just like the Friheten sofa bed, the Holmsund comes in two different configurations – a 3-seater sleeper sofa and a sectional sofa bed that comes with a chaise.

The 3-seater starts from US$949, while the sectional sleeper starts from US$999.

As for cover choice, you’re quite limited if you prefer the original IKEA covers as you only have a choice of 4 colours:

• Orrsta light white-grey
• Orrsta light blue
• Nordvalla medium grey (reminds me of our Textured Weave Charcoal)
• Nordvalla beige (Everyday Linen Cream!)

Each configuration comes with hidden storage space as well. For the 3-seater, that’s under the seats. For the sectional sleeper, that’s under the chaise.

The fun thing about the chaise is that you can put it on either the left or right of the sofa, and switch it up at any time. The covers allow for this as well :)

Its sofa legs are quite short, almost making it feel like you’re sitting on the floor. This is unlike the Friheten sofa bed, which proudly shows its legs off.

How does it sit?

The Holmsund is really deep. With throw pillows for a back rest, you could make a nest out of the sofa, and my 6’2″ frame sat comfortably all the way back. The armrests are well-placed and comfortable, although you aren’t going to be able to sit on them like a Kivik’s armrest.

Comfort-wise though, the Holmsund is an acquired taste. The padding is firm, without being hard. If you like sitting IN your sofa, this is probably not for you. I personally liked it though, but then again I value strong support (over being swallowed whole).

My friend says that loads of extra pillows can make the Holmsund really comfy, but I find that more than 5 are an issue for clumsy me.

What about sleep?

You should expect the same firm rest on the bed as well. However, on the 3-seater sofa bed, the seat portion moves forward, while the backrest folds down to join the seat and form a bed. I didn’t quite like this gap and found it rather irritating on occasion.

With the sectional sleeper (with chaise), the bed part pulls up from underneath the seat. Same as with IKEA’s Friheten and Manstad sofa beds. I preferred this as it was a lot easier to pull out, though some may fear that the mechanism might not last the test of time.

The bed is a double or full size, not quite a queen size bed. Source your sheets with care if you use them.

Comfort Works tip: I bought a cheap memory foam topper and this improved sleep immensely. If you still get complaints from your friend, pass them a couple more beers before they head to sleep.

Conclusion

Pricier, classy looking, a really deep seat, and a firm supportive padding. Also has slipcovers or sofa covers, but I didn’t quite like the polyester from IKEA  – they were a little rough and uncomfortable.

I’d still get it as I entertain on occasion, but if you’re a bachelor on the high end of the height scale, go for the Friheten instead.

Aesthetics: 7/10
Comfort: 7/10
Durability: 8/10
Price: 6/10

Luckily, we now make slipcovers for the Holmsund sofabed with chaise and the 3-seater too!

Slipcovers for your Holmsund

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