Irecently rearranged the seating in my living room and ended up with an awkward, empty space beside the fireplace. That gap bothered me — it’s one of our main spots to sit, especially in the cooler months — so I wanted something in that corner right away. Ideally I hoped to find a new favorite chair or have an existing one reupholstered, but those options felt slow and pricey.
When I decide to change something in my home, I want it done immediately. Waiting eight weeks for custom work or hunting for the perfect expensive piece isn’t my idea of fun. I get impatient and indecisive when presented with too many good choices, and the pressure to make the “right” decision often freezes me.
So when I couldn’t commit to recovering a chair or ordering something custom, I chose a simple, practical solution I could live with for now.
That quick solution was the IKEA Ektorp white slipcovered armchair. I’d never bought furniture from IKEA before and didn’t realize I’d have to assemble the whole chair myself, but the process was straightforward and I managed it on my own. It doesn’t feel as plush as my Pottery Barn Basic sofa — probably because my sofa has down cushions — but it’s comfortable enough and exactly what I needed for the moment.
I plan to live with the chair for a few months and wash the slipcover to see how it holds up. After years of living with my white Pottery Barn sofa, I still prefer white slipcovers in the family room. Yes, they show dirt, but every piece of furniture in a busy room will get messy. The advantage of slipcovers is that they can be washed and, when needed, bleached to look fresh again.
For a little extra coziness I added a small throw I found at Target — it was actually a poncho in the clothing department, but it works well as a throw — and an outdoor pillow from West Elm.
Do you own any IKEA Ektorp chairs or sofas? What has your experience been like?
Also — am I the only one who finds making home-buying decisions so hard, or do you sometimes feel indecisive too? I’d love to know I’m not alone!