Remember last December when I was dreaming of a white HOVAS?
At the time JEGs and I decided to wait until we got settled into a house to A. make sure the couch fit, and B. we wanted to have enough cash to purchase it.
After spending 8 weeks on our couch during my maternity leave, I just couldn't take it any longer. I didn't like how high the arms were because it made it difficult to reach anything on the side tables, and I always felt like my ass was sitting on the springs. We needed the HOVAS: stat.
One night in November, I listed our set on Craigslist and for kicks and giggles posted the link to my personal Facebook page. The next morning around 6 am, I got a text from my friend Sarah demanding I let her purchase the set. We didn't expect it to sell so fast so JEGs and I were all "holy crap... we are really doing this!"
Sarah and her brother planned to pick up the set on a Monday. We decided to purchase the HOVAS the Friday beforehand so we would not go any days without a place to sit. Since I was at work, we secured my parents to baby sit the monster and JEGs went to pick it up. He texted me this picture:
followed shortly after by this picture:
I was all sorts of giddy. Ten minutes after Sarah and her brother carted out the old set, we tore into those boxes. Since it is IKEA, clearly it had to be assembled.
About a week before we actually decided to buy a new couch, we went back to IKEA to test it out-- just to make sure this is what we really wanted. The floor model had a brown, corduroy slip cover on it and we started to rethink our decision. The brown slipcover looked so-- college dorm room. Sitting next to it was the smaller EKTORP with it's classic shape, white slip cover and cheaper price tag. We went back and forth between the two, mostly because I was afraid the HOVAS would completely overtake our teeny living room. We decided that the extra leg room for JEGs out weighted any of our other concerns and hoped that the white slip cover would make it look less dorm roomish.
We made the right choice.
After it was all assembled, I don't think it looks nearly as obnoxious as I thought it would! The white slip cover looks much more tailored then that hideous brown crap they had in the store. Seriously, I don't know what they were thinking.
Anyway, after living with the white couch for a couple of months, I'm not 100% sold on it. It does show the dirt, and I have washed it with *gasp* bleach, even though the tag said not to. I still feel like I see the dirt. I am leaning towards dyeing it a smokey grey. If it doesn't work, a new white slip cover only costs $50.
What's the total cost breakdown?
Couch: $499
Cover: $50
Delivery: free (JEGs borrowed a truck from his office)
Total (with tax): $528.94
A husband that can comfortably stretch out: priceless.
Always&Forever,
ME
8 comments:
Dude, it looks ultra cute! I have been craving a white couch for like.....uh ever. Loving the white with the color of your living room. Which, btw, Gabe and I are totally stealing that color once we move back to Sacramento.
But I feel you on the "white" problem. I have a white slipcovered chair from IKEA...and I am always squinting at it, thinking I've found another dirt spot. Sigh.
For now, I like it enough to tolerate the upkeep.
Is it ten types of bad that I knew exactly which IKEA sofa you were talking about before I even scrolled down?
That looks great - and comfy! But just thinking about having anything white like that makes my eye twitch, and we don't even have a kid... Can you Scotchguard it?
Okay I just found your blog searching for reviews on this couch. I have an Extorp in the kids TV room but need a new couch for my family room. Saw the PB Comfort and basic tonight and not in love.... especially at the price. Thinking of seeing the RH rolled arm grand tomorrow at the tune of almost 2 grand. yikes. can you tell me how you are liking this hovas?? Is it firm or squishy? comfy? tell me, tell me... please!!!! TY
Hi,
Did you end up dying the slip cover? Iven had my off white for about two years....its driving me crazy how much I have to wash it and all. I would love to dye it grey but am not sure how to do it. Any suggestions?
Naureen,
YES! We did dye the slip clover. It didn't work out so great in our teeny little washer. I plan on doing it again in a bigger washer/laundromat.
You can read more about it here:
http://lizzieinprogress.blogspot.com/2012/05/50-shades-of-grey.html
LB
@LB - i imagine something like this would happen if not even more "marbled" with mine as i have the corduroy off white material :(
Why wont IKEA make this sofa in grey!!!!
Hi there - I guess you've had this sofa for about a year now. do you still like it? How do you feel about the slip cover? is it holding up and easy to wash? does it look sloppy when you put it back on the sofa (i.e. all wrinkled)?
I'm helping a friend decide on a new couch and we looked at this one. She's never had slipcovers and is a bit skeptical of how they'll look after being washed - she would go crazy if they were always wrinkled. Also, not sure of the white or off white b/c of dirt. Any advice you can provide would be really helpful! Thanks!! Roberta
Thank you for taking the time to share your photos and comments.
You helped me decide on purchasing the hovas sofa, even though I cannot have the cover I want.
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