Down Under Cover

8 years ago, I bought my first real furniture, albeit from IKEA.  I chose a giant dark brown leather KRAMFORS sofa and coordinating massive chaise for my then tiny craftsmen living room in Berkeley. Structurally they have held up remarkably well, but the leather was defective and finally ripped open on the chaise last month, only exacerbated by the barrage of army men and dinosaurs that have been exploring the tear.  

I am equal parts practical and fickle.  I've been wanting to replace them with a lighter, textured fabric sofa. At the same time I feel like purchasing all new living room furniture is a little ridiculous considering the beating they'll be taking over the next 5 years. I still like the lines of the KRAMFORS, and they are really comfortable, plus they've filled out our open space living room perfectly. Up until now, recovering them has not been an option. Reupholstery wasn't cost effective. I did find a company called Bemz that makes tailored covers for specific IKEA sofas, but they don't fit over leather versions.  Then I found Comfort Works, an Australian company specializing in IKEA covers, that makes special sizes to accommodate leather versions. 

I ordered a set of "Nomad Grey" heavy cross-weave covers for both pieces. I've finished the chaise, which took about an hour to install, including removing the base to get the fabric perfectly taut. So far, I'm really impressed by the quality of construction and I've achieved the tailored textile look without reupholstering or investing in new pieces. Win win.

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