Thanks to the beauty of owning neutral furniture pieces, we’ve been able to mix up the furniture from our old house in new ways without having to buy much for our new house. But one purchase we couldn’t avoid is a new living room sofa. We didn’t want to spend a lot of money and had narrowed down the possibilities to the IKEA EKTORP sofa and a few other inexpensive sofa options that I blogged about {here}. The EKTORP seemed like the best option for us but we wanted a sofa that was longer than the EKTORP’s 86″ because our living room is so long and narrow. The solution? We figured out a way to create an EKTORP sofa that’s over a foot longer than the standard EKTORP:
How can you create a supersized IKEA EKTORP sofa? Start with the EKTORP loveseat and chaise lounge:
*Remove the long chaise cushion, which has an attached skirt that covers the chaise.
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*Pick the chaise cushion back up, fold the attached skirt under it, and place it on the seat of the sofa so that it serves as both the center and a side seat cushion. It’s a perfect fit 🙂
OK, I know what you’re saying. That looks weird! One short seat cushion and one long one?! All it takes is a strategically placed throw and no one will ever be the wiser:
Or you can hit the IKEA “As Is” section and you just might luck into an extra seat cushion and cover. I did 🙂
Update! We’ve had our EKTORP sofa for three years now and love it!
Gia Frank says
I read your blog a while ago and was so inspired by your innovative hack!! I have dogs, needed a slipcovered couch. Didn’t want to spend the money on new couches (with dogs!), but I yearned for a slip covered corner sofa with 2 8 foot sections that would fit the awkward corner in my living room. Finally I had time to puzzle out a design with your description as my template. I got my ektorps with chaise, one for free and one for $85 on OfferUp. For the corner, I thrifted and found a crate and barrel corner section with loose back pillows for $30, which gave me a corner for my Frankenstein sofa!
How I did it: I took both chaise cushions and cut them in half with an electric bread knife and sewed the padded insert lining down those cut sides . The chaises on both couches had little use so the cushions were plump where the other seat cushions were somewhat worn. With the chaise cushion cut in half, I now had 4 seat cushions for each sofa but needed only 3. Taking each chaise’s 4th cushion’s padded insert, I added them to the 3rd cushion, giving them equal squish to the 2 new ones made from the chaise cushions. I went with the lofallet beige covers as they were the cheapest, bought 3! 2 for the chaises and 1 for the Ektorp corner sofa. I needed the 3 covers for the extra square back cushions for the longer couch as well as the shaped covers for the crate and barrel corner sofa back cushions (that fit the Ektorp cover perfectly). I didn’t want to alter the structure of the couches in case I wanted 2 8 foot couches facing each other some day. So to make up the gap where the chaise arms used to be, I had to pad out the back of the seat base of the crate and barrel corner section with cut pieces from an extra sofa seat cushion I had laying around. I covered that section with the corner sofa cover, tucking the excess under the couch. Eventually I’ll alter that cover but for now it works. I needed 2 square back pillow forms but luckily found the back cushions shaped for the arms of the ektorp where pliable enough to fit nicely in the square sofa back covers, giving me enough cushions all around. I haven’t attached the 3 pieces together structurally as they are heavy enough to stay in place .
It’s not perfect but close and it fits in the corner of my split level living room exactly! It’s also so comfortable and finally my family has enough room to stretch out.
With the cost of slipcovers $99 x3 and the $85 cost of the 1 sofa, plus $30 for the corner section, I now have a smart looking, 16 foot corner sofa with washable slipcovers for less than $450. Thanks so much for your inspiring posting!!!
Kris Jarrett says
OK, your Frankenstein sofa sounds totally and completely amazing!!! Love that you were able to figure that out for such an ridiculously low price!
Dana says
Also love this! Thanks so much for posting! Would love to know more about the 2 chairs with linen covers! Where did you find those! Would love a set for my very own!
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Dana! I got those many years ago – they’re made by Lee Industries (you can find stores that carry their products on their website). I did link up some very similar ones in my living room tour post here: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/house-tour-living-room/
Crystal B. says
LOVE this living room look!! Can you please tell me where you found your ottoman/cocktail table, I’m looking for something pretty much identical???!! Thank YOU!! 🙂
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Crystal! It is made by Lee Industries which sells only to stores and the trade. If you go to their website, you can search for a store near you that carries their products and if it’s still a current product they could give you a quote and order it for you!
Gina says
BRILLIANT! Thank you so much for sharing this. I have two ektorp chaise lounge sofas and was trying to figure out a way to find a replacement cushion on one or both of them and gave up. Your idea just solved all my problems! Thank you again.
Kris Jarrett says
So glad this post helped you out!
Elissa says
Is it possible to buy an additional cushion for the ektorp or only if you find one in the as is section like you did? I love the idea of the extra length. That was the only think holding me back from buying this sofa…it was a bit small for our needs. I want to do two face to face….so if I buy two with the chaise and do your fix that should do the trick…maybe the long cushion won’t bother me…
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Elissa,
Unless things have changed since the time that we were on the hunt for an extra cushion, unfortunately you weren’t able to buy an additional one from IKEA. Hope you’re able to luck into some!
Tracy says
Hi love your suggestion about the cushion from the chaise. Just wondering if the base of the chaise was able to be used separately to the lounge ? Would that original cushion have fitted the chaise ? Still dreaming of this sofa ????
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Tracy – unfortunately the base of the chaise doesn’t have four normal legs – it has two normal legs on one side and two metal legs that hook onto the sofa on the other. Also, the slipcover only comes down to the ground on each side so you couldn’t use it separately for lounging. Sure would be nice if you could!
Chris says
I love it and I actually like that it has the longer cushion. Give’s it a nice personality. I have an Ektorp love seat with chaise and going to remember this in case we can use this in the future. Thanks so much!
Susi says
This is so very clever
I have the same sofa and having just moved into a cottage the chaise style doesn’t fit well with the room, I was planning to sell it and buy the normal 3 seater, I love the Ektorp range for style and comfort and the ability to buy a new set of slip covers and of course they wash soooooo well in the machine. We have 2 sets of covers as with several spoiled indoor cats I need something I can wash when they get too furry.
I can wait to try this and what is great is the choice to recreate the chaise if I move everything around.
We also have a single Ektorp chair and footstool which I have used next to my fireplace to create a big cosy reading/relaxing spot…..well that was the plan, it’s become a giant cat bed for 6 cats to snooze now
Kris Jarrett says
Sounds like you’re as big of a fan of the EKTORP as I am! Glad that this idea is a great solution for your situation!
Hope says
Genius! It looks fantastic! I have a question. I’ve been scouring the web trying to find out the dimensions of the sofa cushions for EKTORP. It’s driving me crazy and I don’t live anywhere near an IKEA. Any chance you would share? 😉
Love your living room!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Hope – the two cushions on ours (remember, it’s not the normal EKTORP sofa – it’s the one originally with the chaise lounge) are about 25″ deep and 26″ wide give or take 1/2″. I don’t have the measurement for the chaise cushion since we have that packed away in storage. Hope that helps!
Hope says
Thank you so much for the reply! I have been scouring the Internet trying to find this answer. I’ve contacted IKEA and several other retailers that sell covers for EKTORP, but haven’t gotten anywhere. I live 500 miles from the nearest IKEA, or I would just go there. I’m hoping to retrofit a few of these covers to fit a Bassett sectional. The price is great even if it only gets me the cushion covers. I’m worried that the Bassett cushions will be too deep. I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness, but if you feel like letting me know how thick the cover for the seat cushion is, you would be helping me out big time. If not, no worries. Thanks for all you help so far! ????
Kris Jarrett says
They are a little under 4 1/2″ thick!
Anonymous says
Thanks so much!
Susan B. says
What a great idea! I’ve been looking at the Ektorp sofa but wanted it a little longer, so glad that I came across you’d blog. I was wondering which color your cover is?
Kris Jarrett says
Sure Susan – our sofa has the Blekinge White cover!
Rosie says
For anyone wanting a couch and loveseat, I have a suspicion that the chaise cushion would fit perfectly on the Ektorp love seat. Then you could use one of the loveseat cushions on the oversized couch, and have a spare. I will be trying this at the store next time I go. Great idea! Thanks!
Kris Jarrett says
That’s so smart Rosie – thanks for sharing your idea!!
Tom says
The so called Love Seat cushions are narrower than the cushions of the sofa with chaise so I’m afraid that idea is not going to be too successful.
Tori says
I’m sold on the idea of being able to change up the Ektorp sofa!! What a brilliant idea! I’m wondering about your super cute side chairs??? Where did you find those? Are they IKEA as well? Did you make those covers? I’m in love with them!!!
Kris Jarrett says
Hi Tori! I saw this comment at the same time that I saw your comment on my other post. Yes, my side chairs are from Lee Industries but I’ve had them for several years so I’m not sure if they sell the exact chair in that fabric anymore or not. I can tell you that Serena & Lily currently has a chair that looks almost identical to it (it’s pretty pricey though!).
Jennifer says
Thanks so much for this information! Do you know if the seat cushions for the loveseat/chaise are a different size than the cushions for the 3 seat sofa? I’m wondering where the added length is coming from- is it seating area or in the general frame? Thanks!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
Hi Jennifer,
Yes, the seat cushions for the loveseat/chaise are a different size than the 3 seat sofa – the loveseat/chaise cushions are each a bit longer!
Tom says
wider I think you might mean.
Yes the 3-seat sofa has the narrowest cushions, then the 2-seat sofa (referred to in North America as the Love Seat) then the saga with chaise has the widest cushions. I can’t speak about the corner sofa.
Judy says
What a great idea! I would never have thought of it which, is why I love Pinterest.
After shopping around and putting our backsides on a number of sofas we continued to return to Ikea and the Ektorp sofa series. It was always the one we were drawn back to because of it’s style, cozy look and size. The depth was perfect for those of us a bit shorter in stature!
Purchased both units and the covers in a brown during Ikea’s buy one and get the other for 1/2 price. Moved them to our retirement home and love them. Now the search is on for a sofa bed for our narrow den.
Enjoy,
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
So glad that you found a solution that’s going to work well for you Judy! Good luck with your sofa bed hunt!!
Leigh says
Love this idea. I can’t find this information anywhere online and I’m four hours away from an Ikea store. Is there any way you could tell me the seating length? I know the exterior measurements are around 96″ long, but how much actual space do you have for bottoms? I want to go with the Ektorp loveseat/chaise for our smallish living room, but some in my family of five are concerned it will be a tight squeeze compared to some bulkier and less timeless (to me) options like Kivik. I especially love the idea of removing the chaise attachment if I get tired of it!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
Hi Leigh – sorry I’m so late replying to your question but I just measured our sofa and the seating length is right about 80″. Hope that helps!
Lauren says
This is great! Just went to ikea yesterday to do the measurements in person for the sectional but it’s a little small. Do you think this would work with the sectional? IF we bought both the sectional and the chaise and combined them? Also, how does your bottom slipcover still fit even though it is longer?
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
Hi Lauren, I think you’d have a hard time combining the loveseat/chaise with the sectional just because of the arms. I’m thinking it would look awkward. The slipcovers fit because we bought the slipcover for the loveseat/chaise not the one for the regular sofa. You can’t tell in IKEA’s picture, but the slipcover for the loveseat/chaise has a continuous skirt all the way across the front that doesn’t stop in the spot where the chaise would normally be.