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One of my favorite home decor finds to achieve a Nancy Meyers living room is the Ikea Ektorp sofa - here's how to find it for cheap.
When I moved into my first apartment after graduating college, I pretty much pooled together all the money I had at that point to buy some basic furniture so I could reasonably survive on my own. Over the years, I just never put too much thought into making my space cozy because I never wanted to spend too much money on furniture.
Recently, I decided I was way overdue for a space refresh and I started looking into what I might want my apartment to look like. I know I'm not alone in loving the Nancy Meyers aesthetic. I love how her movie sets feel real, cozy, lived-in, and pretty timeless. I don't really love when a space looks too curated or matchy-matchy. I love when it looks like a place is really a reflection of the people living there.
So over the past few weeks, I've been thrifting like crazy and stalking Facebook Marketplace, watching listings like a hawk. At first, I wanted something vintage but I didn't want to commit to something that I couldn't really wash well.
We originally had a couch that was so comfy, but was ultimately a little bit too large for the space in which we put it. So I set out to find the perfect Nancy Meyers-esque sofa. What I found was ultimately such a pleasant surprise that I wanted to share it with you guys!
Something I noticed while looking at several set photos from Nancy Meyers movies is the existence of fluffy, comfy, slipcovered couches. You can spot them in Something's Gotta Give, The Holiday, Father of the Bride, etc. Who doesn't love a good slipcovered couch? They are functional, versatile, and they virtually never go out of style.
My previous couch was not slipcovered and honestly, I just always disliked not being able to wash the covers. I never felt like it was fully clean even when I would try to wipe it down and use baking soda to deodorize. So I started to look for the perfect slipcovered sofa for my apartment.
We looked at Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, etc. but slipcovered sofas aren't cheap. So my mom told me to look up the Ikea Ektorp series. She had some Ektorp armchairs that she absolutely loved and felt like they held up really well over the years.
The problem was, Ikea no longer sells the Ektorp series. On their website, they sell beige slipcovers for the couch, but that's it. I was super bummed and found out that they stopped making the Ektorps and moved onto making the Uppland series instead. It's virtually the same couch, with a few minor adjustments. This article has a great comparison of the two couches if you want to explore more about the differences between them. It seems like Ikea took a lot of feedback from the Ektorp series and improved things, but if you read the reviews, there are some mixed opinions.
Some people say the Uppland is an improvement from the Ektorp, but some diehard Ektorp fans feel as though the quality isn't as good and that they wish Ikea would just bring back the Ektorp.
Everything for me pointed in the direction of the Uppland, but my hesitations on purchasing the Uppland sofa were:
I wasn't sure how well the Uppland would hold up over time considering it's a fairly new style.
The slipcover availability currently seems more limited for the Uppland. For example, I really liked how since the Ektorp was around for so long, they had come out with several slipcover options for it. I'm sure as time goes on Uppland will have several cool slipcover options, but I didn't want to wait for that to happen.
The Ektorp slipcover resale market is pretty good with eBay sellers selling lightly used covers and with aftermarket companies selling slipcovers to fit the Ektorps for reasonable prices.
I honestly didn't want to buy a brand new sofa (price point wise), and Upplands are less common on Facebook Marketplace currently.
So naturally, I turned to Facebook Marketplace to look for an Ektorp.
Facebook Marketplace kind of used to intimidate me, even though I'm such a big thrifter. I remember I used to love Swip Swap and all those other Facebook groups, but I wasn't sure exactly how to navigate FB Marketplace. I did get really into it this year since I decided to do an apartment refresh. It's so fun - I would love to make a post with all of my Facebook Marketplace tips sometime in the near future.
Anyways, the more you "heart" listings on Facebook Marketplace, the more the algorithm shows you similar listings on your homepage. I had looked up "Ikea Ektorp sofa" and found some listings for $100, $50, $500. I just never pulled the trigger because I wasn't sure if I wanted the 2 seater, loveseat, or the armchair!
I was looking for an Ektorp in good condition, maybe with extra slipcovers, and for as cheap as possible! Ikea is already pretty affordable, but compared to finding Ikea secondhand, secondhand is always so much cheaper! The Uppland 3 seater sofa for example is currently $849 on the Ikea website. That includes a brand new sofa and one set of slipcovers. Very affordable relative to the market, but I honestly didn't even want to spend over $100!
I decided to keep looking when one morning I was scrolling on FB Marketplace and I saw a listing for "FREE IKEA sofa & chair" for free! It was the three seater and the armchair, both for free for whoever could come pick up that day. I messaged her and asked if this was the Ektorp sofa (since she didn't put it in the listing) and she told me she didn't know. I asked if she could check the inside of the slipcovers and she ended up sending me a photo that said "Ektorp" on the label. I was so excited!
She also sent me some photos of extra slipcovers they were including with the couches for free. I couldn't believe it, I was so happy! She also let me know that the couches were in great condition, that they had been up in their loft and barely used. They were moving and just needed them gone.
My Dad and I drove to pick them up and I was not disappointed. We set them up in my apartment and I immediately washed the covers and put them on. They are so soft and they smelled like heaven after I used my own detergent mixed with my favorite Diva Wash!
"This detergent is wonderful, and it is a wonderful price on Amazon! It smells good and cleans great."
This is one of my favorite detergents for when I want to get something super clean. It smells fresh and like clean linen.
"Love this product! Doesn’t take a lot to wash your clothes and leave them clean and smelling amazing!"
I mixed a small amount of this in with the OxiClean to get my slipcovers to smell amazing. I highly recommend this. If you're not a fan of the OxiClean scent, you can also mix a little bit of this in with a scent free detergent to make it last longer! I'm not even really sure how to describe the scent other than sweet, clean, and a little floral-y.
I have had the couches for a few weeks now and I absolutely LOVE them! They are comfy and supportive. I even bought a slipcover from eBay for $50 for my Ektorp armchair and I am so pleased that I can easily collect and change out the slipcovers over time.
One of the cushions from my Ektorp sofa had 2008 on it, so the couch is presumably 16 years old. I think I got lucky that this couch had been sitting unused in someone's loft for all that time.
Keep in mind that this room is a work in progress, I haven't really added back in my decor yet!
Another big reason I wanted to go with the Ektorp sofa was that I knew there was potential to buy very affordable slipcovers on eBay or even on aftermarket sites for this couch. Upholstery/slipcover creation is not easy, so it is a huge plus to have a couch that was widely made because that means tons of people are always looking to replace their slipcovers, and companies have the style available. Not to mention, they are relatively affordable.
You could view purchasing the Ektorp over the Uppland in regards to slipcover availbility as a downside since as the Ektorp is discontinued and slipcovers for that model are no longer sold via Ikea. But places like Bemz and eBay still have a lot available! But I looked at it like since the Ektorp was around for many years, there are tons of slipcovers out there - not to mention the companies that make brand new slipcovers in different fabrics and materials for that model.
There is something about the Ektorp sofas that people absolutely love, I think one of the main components is the original slipcovers are soft and durable. If you look up Ektorp slipcovers on FB Marketplace or on eBay, you can find some for super cheap. I found this original black and white floral Hovby Ektorp slipcover for $50 on eBay in perfect condition. The fact that I can change the slipcover based on my mood or how I want to decorate in that season is amazing. That's another reason I feel like it's the perfect couch for a first apartment or even someone who just likes to change it up. A regular couch is such a commitment, but the Ektorp gives you so many options.
Some Ektorp covers are listed for more $$$ since they are discontinued, but if you are patient and constantly on the lookout, you can always find a good deal. You can even find some on Amazon!
I will definitely keep you guys updated on how I feel about my Ektorps. Honestly at this point, I wish I could fit more in my apartment because I love them so much!
I'll try to come back and add some photos once I am able to complete the styling of this room a little more.
Have you ever heard of the Ektorp series? I would love to hear from you if you are loving your Uppland or your Ektorps! I'd also love to hear how long you've had your sofa and how much you purchased it for! I love seeing all the deals you guys get!
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