Custom Slipcovers For My Ikea Armchairs
I partnered with Bemz for this post. As always, all thoughts, opinions and Ideas are 100% my own.
Last spring I was on the lookout for a couple of armchairs for my living room, I never dreamed I’d be getting custom slipcovers for them! We had already replaced my ten year old Ektorp Sofa with a new one and I was about to replace my one Ektorp armchair for two new ones when I found this, the Farlov! It wasn’t even in the showroom yet but it was in the catalog. I loved the clean lines and it came with a white slipcover..so, I bought two, without actually seeing them in person! I was a little surprised at the size of these chairs as I was assembling them (they’re big), but the bigger surprise came when I opened the box to get at the slipcovers. Not to offend anyone who has these and love them, but I was so disappointed! I had expected a white cotton similar to my sofa slipcover but these had the appearance of a creamy polyester tweed..not the look I was going for at all. That’s when I decided to try out a company I had heard of who make custom slipcovers for IKEA furniture called Bemz.
I went on their site to see if they were making custom slipcovers for the Farlov yet, seeing how it was fairly new. I was so happy when they were and when I saw all the fabric choices, over 25o+ colours and prints to choose from, I was doing my happy dance! This is just a small sampling of what you’ll find on their site.
Bemz will send you 5 free samples to help you to decide on a fabric of your choice. This process may take a bit of time because there is so much to choose from.. and you may change your mind.. a few dozen times! I placed all my samples on the chair to see if that would help me to decide. I eliminated the greys and charcoals, as much as I loved them, they wouldn’t go with the rest of my decor. I also eliminated the stripes, it would have been too much pattern in such a small space. It also would have made it difficult for me to change/add different colour pillows with the seasons. I needed something a bit more neutral.
I ended up with these six, but I knew the denim floral would be too much in my small space.
I came up with a mood board using colours and textures I have in the room. Wood, white and brass together with my favourite blue and white paisley pillow covers.
I finally made it down to three and this is where I had to ask my friends on Instagram to help me! I asked everyone on IG stories for their top pick and most people chose the “brera lino duck egg” linen (the sample on the left). I decided I’d go with that one since it was in keeping with my coastal farmhouse/beachy vibe I love. But…you guessed it, I changed my mind! At the last minute I realized that although I do love the colour, I wasn’t sure how it would look come fall and then Christmas. How would I style it and work other colours around it? I decided to stick with my trusty neutrals and I went for this beautiful 100% linen called “brera Lino-natural”.
I love the natural linen! The custom slipcovers fit perfectly and are so comfortable to sit in. For those of you who want to try living with neutrals but the thoughts of crisp white slipcovers are a little scary, this is a great option. They come pre-washed and are machine washable. If you’re looking to cover a new or existing sofa, chair etc., they have something for every style.
The farlov comes with a lumbar pillow and they made a cover for that too. I also had them make a couple of throw pillows in the” brera lino duck egg” fabric that I had initially chose. I think they look great!
I think the slipcovers on my two farlov armchairs turned out beautifully and I’m loving the fabric choice…although I think any of those fabrics would have looked great! I’m kinda rethinking my sofa cover now..hmmm.Lol.
Blessings,
Kim
I LOVE your choice, but the denim floral is quite enticing too.
Thank you and Yes! loved that floral denim so much! I just felt it would be too difficult to decorate around seasonally. If I was one to keep my decor the same year round it would have been a big contender 🙂
Wondering did you choose the regular fit or loose fit
How long did it take to recieve them?
Hi Nancy, It’s been a while now so my memory is a little foggy. I think It took around 6 weeks. They make them once you order them so they need lead time and then time for shipping. If you call them they’re really helpful and can give you a better idea. Hope this helps.
I love the fabric you used, it’s so cute and looks high quality.
http://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much Courtney! The linen fabric is gorgeous and yes, the quality is great!
I love how your chairs turned out! Your entire space is beautifully serene. Thank you so much for sharing about Bemz, IKEA just became a whole lot more exciting!
xx
Neelam
Thank you Neelam! It’s so true I was just looking at my Ikea sofa today and wondering if I should get matching slipcovers for it!
Very nice!
Thank you!
I love the color choice. I am temped to order that color for my pottery barn couch and chair. Your home is stunning. Its my fav on instagram. Thanks for sharing?
Aww thanks so much Donna! That is so sweet of you to say. You made my night! 🙂
Hello kim, question ? Which style do you like best the ektorp or the FARLOV . I am about to order 1 or other.
Hi Lynn, I actually like the style of the farlov right now. It’s a little more modern looking to me. But you can’t beat the comfort of the ektorp. Having said that, we’ll be moving at the end of the month and I think we’ll be getting two of the farlov sofas for the new space.:)
Hi! Your selections look so great. Did you choose the piping or no piping option on your Ikea slipcover? Thanks.
Hi Susan, i chose the no piping. I tjought it would look a little more modern.
Hi – can you share the name of the third swatch (in bright white) that you did not choose? I ordered some white swatches the other day . from Bemz for my Farlov loveseat but curious which one that is.
Thank you!
Hi, I’m sorry I can’t remember the name of that swatch it does appear to be a cotton, denim looking fabric. Sorry I couldn’t be more help!
I like that the chairs look in proportion to the sofa, is your ektorp the original size or the 3.5 seat version? All the colors you picked are beautiful, bet it was hard to pick a fav!
Hi and thanks! To tell you the truth I’m not sure if it’s a three or 3.5. I believe that when I bought it you couldn’t choose the size. All that to say I’m not quite sure of the size of the sofa, sorry.
Hi Kim,
Your home is beautiful! What fit did you order your linen slipcovers in from Bemz? Tailored or loose?
I’m so sorry for the delayed response I thought I had answered this question. The slip covers for the Farlov just came in one fit, i think its more tailored. You can check it out on their side bemz.com 🙂
Love the chairs! Do you happen to remember what color paint you used for your wall color? I love that shade of white!
Hi and thank you! Yes, the colour is “Chantilly Lace” by Benjamin Moore. 🙂
Kim,
Do you know if that company makes slipcovers for all IKEA armchairs? I love the look and am in need of two new chairs, so my finding your pics was perfect timing.
Thanks,
Ann P.
Hi Ann, i think they do a lot of the current styles. You can check out their site at bemz.com and they’ll have a list.