I cant speak for the sofa, but as for the chair. It is comfortable, I got one at a garage sale for about 20 bucks (I was furnishing my apartment for the first time and had always wanted one). That being said, it is definitely not a piece of furniture I would stick with. It looks/feels cheap. The sofas look good IMO, but the chairs definitely feel college-apartmentish

The Poang is quite comfortable. Everyone and their mother's brother's dog has had one at some point in their lives, so you might check Craigslist before you splash out on a new one.

My husband and I bought the Kivik sofa 4 years ago. It's fairly comfortable, with a couple of caveats. The first is that because it's so over-stuffed, it makes it hard to shift around on the couch after you've sat down. The second is that if you tend to like to sit twisted on the couch with your arm on the back pillow (like I do), the back cushion material breaks down and you'll have a permanent depression in the cushion.

My husband hates the sofa, and I could go either way on it. Once we save enough money for a new sofa (which won't be in the near future), the Kivik will be relegated to the basement of our new house. Until then, it does well enough.

Try to find one to sit on in person before you make your decision.

I like the Poang chairs a lot. They are very comfortable and well-made. I bought mine used on Craigslist when students were leaving town, and they were in perfect condition. New covers are available from Ikea if you need them.

Oh, incidentally, if you find that you like the shape of an Ikea sofa, but not the colors it comes in, these people do slipcovers for Ikea furniture. Our Kivik will be getting a makeover as soon as we move:

http://www.bemz.com/en-us/

I have the Kivik couch. Honestly it depends on what type of couch you find comfortable. The slip cover i have is the Teno light gray and i would not get that.. my son calls it his itchy couch. The cover was super rough and kinda itchy at first, but finally 2 years later its getting a little softer. The bottom cushion is a firm foam type cushion and the back ones are down feathers i think. Its a low couch, and the cushions are low to, im 5'3" and they go up to about my shoulders. If you like a couch to sink into this is not that kind of couch. It has held up nicely the last 2 years with a 5 year old and 2 dogs though.

I love my Kivik. I've had it for two years now: originally, I bought it as a loveseat because that's all I could fit into my ultra-tiny apartment, but after moving this July to a bigger space, I expanded the sofa with a chaise extension and an ottoman.

I find the cushions require weekly flipping to maintain equally dispersed squashiness, and I treat the armrests like a pillow-covered harem (they're a little low if you like to lie down. I like the added head-support of a few pillows to watch tv.)

Otherwise, the seats are wide and the backrests are lovely to sink into.

It was a great purchase for the price value, though I'm sure in a couple of years I'll opt for something similar in style, but a little more higher end in material construction. Ikea couches tend to lose their stuffing after a few years.

I bought a Carlstad in May this year and so far it's holding up well. Our budget was extremely tight as well and we ended up going with the white fabric because it was the cheapest option. The couch as a whole is holding up great, and we have friends who bought theirs about a year before us and it still looks good too (they have it in beige). The white fabric shows lint and already has a small stain on it. So my recommendation might be to splurge on a dark color slip cover or be prepared to do that later in the couch's life. Young House Love blog has had the Carlstad sofa for years - you can see it here: http://www.younghouselove.com/photo-gallery-2/our-current-house/

scroll down to their living room pictures.

I like the style of the Carlstad and that (like most ikea products) it comes in modules, so it can be expanded later if we want to make a sectional.

Someone mentioned younghouselove loving the Karlstad, I think part of their decision process was remembering that Anna from doorsixteen had the Karlstad already and was pretty happy with it. I think she even bought a second one for her Manhattan apartment after already having one in her Newbourgh house, but I might be wrong.
http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/01/sectional-hunting/
http://www.doorsixteen.com/2009/01/06/sometimes-the-dogs-win/
http://www.doorsixteen.com/tag/karlstad/

We have had a Karlstad sofa for a few years now. We bought it to replace an expensive Lazy Boy sofa that we hated! Our ikea sofa has held up much better than it's expensive predecessor. We have three small children who have put this sofa through the ringer. The covers easily come off and I have thrown them in the washer/dryer repeatedly. They always come out like new. Additionally, I was looking for a sofa with detached cushions so that they could be flipped in an attempt to help the inner stuffing wear evenly. Again, this sofa fits the bill. I highly recommend this sofas as an inexpensive option.

We've had the white Karlstad sectional for 5 years. We still love it. It's a super comfy, loungey couch. It's held up beautifully. We have a 13 month old and it still looks new. We get stains on it all the time, but we just wash the slipcovers and the stain is gone. One of my favorite features is that with the back cushions removed it is 3 feet deep. That means its a very comfortable bed for guests.
Get it, it's money we'll spent!

We bought the Karlstad corner sofa in Aug 2011 in the 'isunda grey' color. We love it so much! It's super comfy and has held up well so far.

I know upholstered furniture can sometimes be iffy to buy used, but we bought an ikea chair on Craigslist for 1/2 the price. It was literally like-new, we were able to save $$$ and we still use it to this day (3 years later).

The Poang is a great inexpensive chair. It's even better if you pair it with the Poang ottoman. It's very comforable and reasonably durable and not terrible looking.

I love my karlstad!
http://mylife.luxperdiem.com/2012/10/new-and-improved-karl.html

I bought a Kivik about 7 months ago, and I haven't had any major problems with it. I rotate the cushions regularly so they wear evenly, and have washed and dried the covers once after dogsitting for a friend. They did shrink a little but I was still able to get them over the cushions, and after a week or so of sitting they squished back out to their original size. I would advise against the white, as I have seen white Kiviks at used furniture stores, and they look pretty gross. The white shows dirt very easily, and I don't know how well the material cleans up.

The Poang is super comfortable and the ottoman is great too, makes it really a perfect place for reading. Great back support while still holding your in a relaxed position.

I have 2 Poang chairs, I love them. Very comfortable (I have a cube ottoman for my feet)> They make a small space seem bigger, since you can see under them, & the flat wood frame seems to be of less interest to chewing puppies than round rungs, if that's ever an issue for you.
Mine have held up well, & I am no featherweight.

I purchased a Poang and it's NOT made for heavier people so be careful with that. I had someone come over and he literally dropped himself in the chair and it broke. If he had sat in it rather than thrown himself in it, maybe it would have held up his weight.
Before that, I would agree it's a comfortable chair.

The brown leather Poang with darker wood finish is actually quite nice looking. The chair and ottoman are really comfortable. I'm old and creaky and the chair is low, so I got rid of the wood frames and kept the leather cushions for my oak rocker (they look great on it). If they ever succumb to my cat, Ikea sells replacements.

We have the three seater Kivik and love it. It's not a forever sofa, but then it's not a forever price. We had to add some metal mending plates to the underneath as it didn't hold up very well at first, but since adding some extra support it feels pretty rock solid. We like how wide it is (sofa spooning!) and that it's long and wide enough to double as a bed for a single guest.

My roommate and I live on our Kivik and love it. The cushions shit around a lot, but I think that's bound to happen on a couch of this quality and this design. It's super comfortable, but it is quite low, and I do think the fabric could make all the difference (we got the Tullinge gray-brown and it's very soft and nice).

I have had a Karlstand loveseat for 2 years. First, I have it in the cheapest basic white fabric-- which for being white and not the most expensive fabric has held up better than my 3x more exprensive couch from a big name furniture company that's only 5 months only and already pilling. Second, I love that that I can take it apart-- we needed to move it down a hallway that was only 24" wide-- so being able to take it apart was fantastic. Third, I find it quite comfortable, but I'm only 5'1. My 5'10 boyfriend isn't as big of a fan (this may be part that it's a loveseat and not a couch). Finally, I should mention that the loveseat did break (base broke from the arm), but beceause Ikea has a 10 year warrenty I simply took pictures of the problem and they gave me an entirely new couch with free delivery and removal of my broken love seat. That's pretty fanastic. I'm slightly wishing I had just bough the chaise and built a larger couch then buying a more expensive and now clearly lower quailty couch from somewhere else.

I have had a Hovas sofa for about a year and it has held up remarkably well. I'm really impressed. Previous to the Hovas, I spent twice as much on a Pottery Barn sofa with slipcovers. But replacement slipcovers are incredibly expensive and after 10 years, both the sofa cushions and slipcovers were in bad shape.
The Hovas slipcovers are only $49/set. Very affordable and comfortable. The only potential negative is that the Hovas is very long, much longer than I thought. So, if you're in a small space, go with a smaller sofa.

We have owned both the Kivik and the Karlstad, and I prefer the Karlstad. The Kivik sat lower, and the cushions would not stay put. We had the Kivik with the chaise and the bottom cushion on the chaise is made of a different material which didn't remain as buoyant as the sofa cushions. We replaced that sofa after a year or so with the Karlstad in the nubbly gray fabric and so far we really like it. We got the ottoman as well and it's much more comfortable and affordable than the Kivik chaise we had.

we have a black-webbing poang and love it. it's very comfortable without the cushion and it lets you sink into it just a bit more (= higher arms and deeper seat). being nylon webbing, it's also durable and easy to clean.

incidentally, after purchase, i was looking at some vintage chairs and noticed it was a near-copy of an aalto chair: http://www.furnituredesign24.com/furniture/alvar-aalto/chair-by-alvar-aalto_s.jpg

I have had a Karlstad sectional in sivik grey for five years. I deep vacuum it a few times a year. Looks good as new. Latest visitor's 3 year old had lots of fun jumping up and down on it while us grown ups were finishing dinner. It held up very well indeed. And I like its style. It has no skirt like traditional sofas and that will make your space look bigger.

As for the Poang, I had one for years, with its foot stool, until I had a problem with a knee and couldn't get out of it as gracefully as I used to. I gave it to a very grateful neighbour. The Poang can always fills up a corner nicely.

I bought the Karlstad full 2+3 corner sofa a year and a half ago (in grey) and absolutely love it! So many people have said it's the most comfy sofa they have sat on, and a lot of people have slept on it as well and said it was really comfy!

I wouldn't go for white though unless you have a particular reason - it's just going to get stained and marked. Even though they say the covers come off and it's easy to clean, it is a lot of effort to keep taking the covers off so if it were me I would get a more hard-wearing colour! The grey has stood up to the test of time very well, and because it is textured it really warms up the room and goes with everything!

We bought the couch in the photo about a year ago and, yes, found it itchy so I took one of those cheap battery-operated sweater shavers to it. It's just fine. The arms are low and flat so are good for the laptop, extra guests, and, unfortunately plates of food and drinks (cleans up with a damp cloth). Comfort - the jury's out but not bad given the price.

I have the Kivik Loveseat and Chaiselounge. We love it! I have the 'scratchy' grey but it holds up well to dogs and the wide weave allows me to pull back loose threads that my dog pulls up. It actually looks better after a year or so of wear because and it has added texture.

I have the Kivik couch with chase attachement.. I too have it in the Teno light gray, which is scratchy but after a year it's softened up. I do have a dog who, if he runs on the couch, pulls up the threads. It drives me insane and I am constantly fixing the threads. It is an easy fix, I just would be happier with a different cover. Although, I love the color and the cover has held up very well. Its even suffered a red-wine stain that came right out (I would of never of known if my roommate didn't tell me!). With the usual dog puke and slobber instances i just take off the cover and hose it off with a little soap on the driveway & hang to dry...
It's a comfortable couch, and it is very deep which i like. Even deeper if you remove the back cushions. Its held up well and with a little bit of fluffing the back cushions, looks like new!

I have the kivik sofa in the tullinge gray brown and the original slip cover in (insert name here) red.

I will say that it is extremely comfortable. My only warning is that if you have cats, they will absolutely LOVE to sharpen their claws on the tullinge gray brown material.

Personally, I find the Poang quite uncomfortable because I'm short and the lumbar support hits me in just the wrong place. On the other hand, it's a good chair for my husband who's a foot taller.

I love the Poang chairs, however my husband who is relatively tall thinks they are very uncomfortable and doesn't like them.

5 kids + Huge black dog + Brown leather Poang + 2 white Karlstad sofas.

Poang is comfortable, but soooo Ikea. If I were to buy it again, I'd buy this 2nd hand. Personally, I don't think it's a very attractive chair, but it is comfy and great for soothing a baby.

Karlstad #1 was bought after comfort testing at the local Ikea. 3 years later, it is still comfortable and looks fine. The covers have been washed innumerable times and have been spilled on with God-knows-what. They vacuum well and don't lose their shape in the wash - we drip dry over-night, so I can't speak to what might happen with a dryer.

Karlstad #2 was bought 2nd hand at 50% off price of new. Wish we had bought Karlstad #1 2nd hand because at this point, I couldn't tell you which was purchased new or second hand to save my life. Both covers have been washed, and washed, and washed (5 kids + 1 big dog).

Ikea sells white covers at (I think) €60 ($60, in US?). Worth the investment because that way you can immediately recover the sofa while the other cover is in the wash. Be careful, though, because not all of the Karlstad covers are washable - be sure to check the label before purchase!

i love my Karlstad (in Sivik dark grey). i bought it because i wanted a sofa which could (1_ double as a spare bed, (2) was high enough off the ground the cats could fetch their own toys out from under it and (3) had a removable slip cover in case the aforementioned cats decided to take it to task.

so far, it's exceeded all expectations. the dense, denim-like fabric is holding up well and easy to keep cat hair free with vacuuming. i haven't yet had to remove and launder the slip covers but am so glad that's an option.

it's also the best napping couch i've ever napped on. ever.

I have had the Kivik for a year now. Still love it. I have the sofa w chaise lounge attached to it, the chair, and two of the ottoman. The sofa/chaise config w ottoman at end of chase allows us to each have a full-length space to lounge. If I put both ottomans in front of the sofa part, and take off the back cushions, it makes for a PERFECT 2-guest bed.
I *do* have to flip the back cushions from time to time, and push the seat cushions back (they tend to slide forward) but I'm going to put non-slip rug grips under them, which should help. I love funky pillows, so I have a bunch at both ends.
It wasn't difficult to assemble, but it did take 2 people and some time. We got the beige cotton duck covers, only because the Tullinge Gray-Brown ones were sold out. The beige ones are fine; washable & inexpensive, but i really wanted the Tullinge. About 6 month later, we managed to get all the covers in the Tullinge. We have only covered one piece do far, because re-covering is a pain, but we really like it so far. Overall it's quite comfy & the height is perfect for our low coffee table!
A number of years ago, my ex-boyfriend had the Kivik in the dark blue/gray cotton cover, and I really liked it, which is why I purchased.
No way I could have gotten this many pieces with the look I was going for, with my budget. It's got a 10-year warranty, too, so I feel like it was a good purchase for us.

I second everything dangerousmommy wrote! We bought the charcoal grey Karlstad sofa a little over a year ago. Days after we had it, our one-year-old threw up all over it! Just unzipped the slipcover, threw it in our washer, dryer, and it was as good as new. Aside from being easy to clean, it is very comfortable and has held up well to being jumped on by a toddler.

We also have a Poang with the footstool in leather. There is little to no wear and tear and we love it.

I have the Teno grey cover for the Kivik (loveseat + chaise), same as Popcorn above. We've had it for 2+ years now and it is still going strong. It isn't the softest or smoothest, but I haven't had any problems napping on it, and it has held up well to daily use as our only couch.

Like others above have said, you need pillows for the armrests if you want to lay down and you have to flip the cushions around pretty regularly. I think it's much more comfortable than the Karlstad, but I've only sat on that one in-store.

We also have the Kivik in Teno gray, purchased because our entryway is very small and we didn't want to wait 8 weeks for a new couch to come in (our old one was relegated to the garage when we couldn't get it through the entryway to our house). We don't find it too scratchy, but it does slide like crazy on the cushions, particular the seats. We gave up on keeping the little cord trim in an even line at the top front of the cushion--it slides down constantly. By the time we paid for delivery, the couch was only a couple of hundred bucks less than the sectional at the local furniture store, and we wished we'd had more patience!

We have the Kivik three seater couch with chase attachement. I also have it in the Teno light gray, which is scratchy. We have had it for about a year and I don't find it any less scratchy. I love the shape and feel of the couch, but wish I was more comfortable with bare skin in shorts and tanks (as we so often are in Houston, even in winter). I tend to put a blanket or sheet down when I'm sitting there for extended periods. We have a cat who thinks the texture is very much like a scratching post and treats it accordingly. She doesn't do it too often. Most of the time I can pull the threads back into place, but I can see replacing the cover in the next year. And just fyi, my hairy bf doesn't seem to mind the fabric at all, so maybe it's a girl thing.

Love our Karlstad, but the seat cushions will not stay put. If you sit for more than a few minutes, the cushions slide out. Drives me crazy. Still, most attractive & comfy Ikea couch I've owned. Picked it up in the as-is section for a decent price- always check if they've got what you're looking for if you can!

We have the Kivik in the Tuling grey cover, and we love it. I know it's low, but the square armrests are perfect for plates if you're an eating-on-the-sofa person, like my husband. It's true that the back pillows get smooshed, especially because my two dogs love to sit on them to look out the windows. But we haven't had any problems with the slipcovers, and i've had them off to clean several times. It still looks and feels gorgeous after 2 years.

I've had a Kivik 3 seater in brown-gray for a little less then 2 years. My first couch that i bought, and i'm happy with it. Super comfortable, I don't have the cushion shifting problem that others reported... I find it's a nice combo of loungy (low) modern (square lines) casual look. If you end up transitioning to different styles, it can adapt. And yes you need some pillows when lying down... but who doesn't love some throw cushions!

I've been eying both of those couches for a while now. I don't like the Karlstad because I think the legs will allow dust bunnies to congregate. I like the look of the Kivik because I can use the flat armrest as an impromtu TV tray.

I spend alot of time on my couch, as you can guess.

I love our KIVIK Love Seat... great to double as a place for guests as it is a really spacious bed once you remove the back pillows. The huge arm rests are great for laptops, eating, sitting, cats, etc. The standard cover has been really durable too so far even with us basically living in the living room all year with twin babies—it was just easiest. Even my scratcher cat hasn't done much damage to the cover.

I had a Poang but used it a little too much - back then I was watching a fair amount of TV, from that chair - and I do not think it's good for one's posture overall. I prefer something where I'm not sitting so much on the BACK of my tailbone like the Poang's curve has you doing A flatter seat surface with more upright but nicely cushy back-cushions works a lot better as far as my health is concerned. Also, I can never understand head cushions, like in airplane seats; they curve the back too much. I believe (but am not 100% positive) that chiropractic theory agrees with me on this.

That said, the springy action of the poang is nice in a rocker sort of way.

I love my Poang chair.. it is very comfortable to sit back and read a book/watch TV. I am not a big fan of kivik sofas... i feel you might find better ones on craigslist for the same price if you did some research.

I love my white Karlstad sofa. It's very comfortable and looks great. It has a soft spot on the side of the arm rest which is added for extra comfort when you lay down. I like the height of the arms rests for sitting. It's very easy to take apart and put back together for changing/washing the covers. It's held up great with a jumping toddler and wild pet cats with claws. I feel like this sofa offers more support than the Kivik because the cushions are a bit firmer, but also the seats aren't as deep. I love how all the cushions stay in place and always looks neat and tidy. I keep my sofa off the wall in the middle of the room and the light travels underneath the sofa which makes the room feel bigger. I think this sofa is perfect and in time we'll add on the chaise for more lounging room.

Today, in preparation for Hurricane Sandy, I've taped my Poang seat to my bedroom window to catch glass shards in case the window breaks. So it really is a multifunctional piece.

Poang is comfortable but hard to sit down and stand up for someone older, heavier or with knee problems.

When hunting for a new sofa I came up with a useful trick in assessing quality: Look on craigslist and google images for pics of the (used) sofa in question. It's useful to see how they end up looking after a few years in a real house in a real picture that's not doctored up to look pretty. I found that Ikea sofas don't seem to hold up well -- many images I saw showed saggy cushions and the upholstery doesn't seem to hold up well. For this reason, I ended up going with a different brand.

I had the poang...it was ok. Comfortable. But it makes you lean back and have head up. Perhaps not that great for reading.

I don't know what to tell you about the sofa. It's cheap. Lean down on the arm and you feel the wood through the polyester batting. But a budget is a budget. The best you could do otherwise would be to find a good quality one and reupholster it. To have that done professionally would be 600 bucks. Look for a crate and barrel or arhaus slipcovered sofa on craiglist and take off the slipcover and make one yourself. More work, but definitely better. I myself would try consignment stores. I see the best deals in there. Sofas, dinnerware sets, chairs, beds, TV's, dining sets are very hard to get rid of on the second hand market. You'll see people on Craiglist who overvalue their stuff way too much, not stopping to think that if there are 300 dining room sets being listed on Craigslist in one weekend in a city like Denver, you probably aren't going to get 2,000$ for your set, no matter what you paid.
Go to your local consignment store. Tell them what you want. Tell them to call you when it comes in. Also put a want ad on CL. If you are patient, it will eventually turn up. The most I've had to wait for something is three months.

p.s. The best consignment stores are in wealthier neighborhoods. I remember an apartment tour in DC a few months back. The girl had decorated with a lot of consignment finds. The people in the comment section mentioned how great that consignment store was. Mrs. Someone's...

We bought a Karlstad for budget reasons when we got our condo and had plans to eventually replace it, but that was two years ago and we just bought a chaise add-on for it. I wouldn't say we LOVE it, but it has worn well and the only downside to it is that we have to occasionally beat the back cushions back into submission.

Just a warning about the Karlstad sofa (or any Ikea sofa with the same cotton fabric). We bought one second hand in excellent condition and the cushions have held up well over the past two years. Unfortunately, our sofa gets sun from our back window and the once dark grey color is now a faded, hideous purple ish tye dye look. It really looks pretty bad and we will have to buy a new cover just to sell it when we move. I'd stick with white if you can keep it clean so you don't have that issue. Comfort-wise, the sofa is ok for sitting, but not a super comfy movie watching sofa.

We've had the leather Karlstad sofa for little over a year and absolutely love it. It's super comfy, there are no scratches despite our two dogs and the flat arm rests are awesome for mugs of coffee in the morning.

We also have the Poang chair and find it very sturdy and comfy too.

I bought a Karlstad sofa with a chaise lounge on one end about a year and a half ago, and I love it. The slipcovers are easily removed and replaced, and they wash well without shrinking (in cold water, of course). The cushions have held up nicely so far, and the fabric (dark charcoal grey cover -- almost looks like denim) isn't showing any wear and tear yet. For the price, I'd highly recommend it -- if it can handle my insane dog, it can handle anything. Happy hunting!

I've had a Karlstad sofa with Korndal Green covers for about four years now, I really love it. Very comfortable to sit on, armrests are a good height, the covers held up in the wash, and like others have said it is an amazing napping couch. Only problem I've had is fading from sun exposure. I got the brushed aluminum legs for it.

I've used my POANG chair as a nursery "rocker" and I absolutely loved it. Just added 2 pillows on the sides and I could easily curl up and sleep if necessary with the foot stool.

The KIVIK is super comfortable and it has a lot more depth in terms of seating room than the KARLSTAD does. I just sat on both of these at IKEA today and the KIVIK I find is much wider than the KARLSTAD.

I just bought a Kivik about two months ago. We got it in white at first, which I absolutely hated because you could see every speck of dirt and dust on it. We then bought the Teno light grey cover for it, which was horribly itchy at first! However, after a few weeks it's hardly itchy at all. I like the Kivik because the arms are low enough that I can nap with my head on them. It's so wide and long, it's a great napping couch! The armrests are also wide and soft enough to double as extra seating at parties. Previous commenters are right about the cushions though - they are already starting to get deformed. If you are looking for a clean-lined modern look, don't get the Kivik. It looks more casual, soft, and overstuffed. Also, the place in the middle of the couch where the cushions meet is almost un-sittable because you practically fall into the gap between the cushions. Overall, though, it's very comfortable and we really like it. I just hope it holds up over the years. (We also put new legs on it from tablelegs.com. They were easy to install, and it makes the couch look more custom and elegant than Ikea.)

lol, they are not going to be buying bemz slipcovers on their $400 budget....

As for question-asker, I suppose you are getting semi-useful feedback on the sofas you asked about, but depending on your craigslist and consignment store options and if bedbugs are a problem in your area, I'd recommend checking those out first....

I don't find the Poang too comfortable. There are worse chairs, but the head cushion doesn't feel right. I'm 5' 2" so while that may have something to do with it, I know other short people who think it's fine. As someone else wrote above, I'm not sure if it's the best chair for one's posture but that could be fixed with a cushion for the small of your back.

Chiming in in favor of the Karlstad - my boyfriend & I finally broke down and bought a real couch (after freeing our cable box from the cable input location - thank you, wireless receivers!) and chose the Karlstad in Sivik Dark Gray with the aluminium legs based on how well the Karlstad's held up for friends of ours that have had theirs for the better part of a decade. In the short time we've owned it, it's been something that I've enjoyed many a nap on thus far.

I'm also on a tight budget, so I could only purchase the Kivik. I purchased it last summer and absolutely love it. I find it extremely comfy. However, assembling it was quite a task.

We have 2 leather Karlstads so both of us could lay down. The only white I would get is in leather because the dog sits on the sofa when we're gone. Come to think about it, so does the cat. Wipes off easily, good value for the money. Cushions are firm and the sofas are deep to sit in, I can meditate cross legged and I'm 5 foot 7. My shorter friends need a cushion behind them though.
I have Poang chairs on the sun porch and they are THE BEST for reading or watching TV. The ottomans make the difference for extended sitting.

We've had a Karlstad sofa for almost exactly a year and and the loveseat and ottoman for a little under a year, all in Sivik dark gray I think (it's the dark gray that's machine washable). We got the couch first, liked it for a few months, then went back for the loveseat and ottoman. Overall, I'd say we're really happy. The price was good, though it does add up with all three pieces and the mid-grade fabric. My husband is fairly messy, we have two cats, and we planned to have a baby soon (I'm actually almost 7 months pregnant now, so it looks like we definitely will be having kids!) so we didn't want anything too precious or expensive. And after our previous couch (bough on clearance locally but was from a good brand) had gotten kind of mangled and worn in just over two years, we figured that the Karlstad couldn't be too much worse. So far, the couches have been great. The fabric has stood up really well (though I haven't had a need to wash it yet) and doesn't have any stains that have stuck or pulls from the cats' nails. It's a little firmer than some couches, but still comfy and is definitely getting a little softer with age. I love that I can use the ottoman with either the couch or the loveseat as essentially a chaise, but I'm not committed to having a chaise permenently (and the ottoman works great as an extra seat if we have several people over).

A couple downsides are that the slipcovers are a little difficult to get on and off, plus you have to remove the arms of the couch to take them off, and the cushions are starting to get a bit squished. Rotating the cushions more often seems to be helping, and I'm really hoping that will be enough for them. I've also noticed that my couch cushion tends to slip out a few inches and I have to constantly push it back in, but I think that must be due to the fact that I like to sit curled up sideways on it (my husband's side is always fine).

On your budget, I'd say it would definitely be a good purchase.

Personally, am a fan of IKEA (most everything), especially due to major budget constraints. Have never had any of their couches, though. Have had two Poang chairs with ottomans, at different times, and found them to be quite good for watching tv or reading. Am on the heavier side, but, would not dream of just plopping in this chair.

A place for couches that you might want to try, is: http://www.homereserve.com A very unique concept, with multi designs and fabrics.

Take advice from a Grandmother. We started with nothing but two chairs -- 48 years ago.
We had a jar that all change went into and that became our dream decorating jar. Don't waste $400 on a cheap sofa -- buy two X large cool looking sturdy beanbags that will sit like chairs -- any money left -- get a rug or a table. Never buy anything you don't love and that you can't use someplace else. Start saving for the perfect sofa -- you will be glad you did not go for cheap on the sofa -- be creative. You don't need a room full of furniture right away. Buy a new piece each year that you love.

I have the Karlstad sofa and the Poang chair with an ottoman that I bought for my husband some years ago. I bought replacement covers. It has held up well, is very comfortable, and has even survived a couple of cat hairball events. When we downsized from a 1500 square foot house to a house just under 1000 square feet, I bought the Karlstad. We've had it for a year. I love it. My husband loves it. A friend of mine comfortably slept on it for 4 nights, and I love to take naps on it. So, both the Poang chair and Karlstad couch have been really good choices for us.

I like my Karlstad, I do not love it. And the big thing about me now loving it is that you have to basically disassemble the sofa just to remove and put back on the slipcover. I am looking at getting one custom made that I can put on and take off like a tshirt but have yet to take the plunge as I know it will be expensive.

Does anyone have any comments to offer re the Ektorp sofa and sofabed?

We've had our kivik for a few years now and absolutely love it. It's a perfect nap sofa [as my husband can attest - he's napping on it next to me right now!], and the flat arms are perfect for using as a mini desk for your computer [since I'm one of those people who hates using a desk]. The cushions do shift a little by the end of the day, especially since our kivik gets so much use, but it takes just a sec to re-fluff them up and then they're good to go!

For $400, you probably won't do better than this. However, I am with some others here: if you can wait and save more money, do that. Ikea sofas are Fine, but if you like your living space enough to get excited about it and look to Apartment Therapy for guides, then you should probably be getting furniture you love. I just went a month or two without a sofa, and it was pretty painful, but I am with the person above who recommended beanbag chairs: get something smooshy and comfortable, cheap, and easy to move for the interim, and save for a few months to get something amazing. Keep an eye on thrift shops for those few months (I like to go once or twice a week to keep tabs on their new offerings), because depending on where you live there is definitely a chance you will be able to find something you love for under $100, which means if you're saving up, you got an awesome couch and several hundred bonus dollars suddenly available to spend on art.

we have a carlstad couch and chaise lounge and id say they are good for 5 yrs max with daily usage. we constantly have to move the cushions both under and back. its a pain. but cheap

My husband and I love both our Karlstad sectional and our Poang chair. We've had both for almost 2 years and they are still looking new. We are also poor, newly married, and fixing up our very first house, so my knowledge of high end, luxury furniture is very limited...take my opinion with a grain of salt. :)

From experience, I know, you get what you paid for. Don't expect this one to work out for very long.

Also, you need to go and really hang out on the sofa of choice at the store. Don't be scared to lay and lounge in it like you would at home. Take someone with you like to hang out with, so you won't rush it. This is an important purchase, and you want to be comfy!!!

The Poang is definitely comfortable; we've had ours for just over 2 years, and while the sheepskin has become become a little matted with time and lazy vacuuming--I was shocked how much better it looked when I did it 1+yr on--it's very comfortable and apparently sturdy. I came home the other night to find a 250# friend in it and while it seemed to be leaning alarmingly low, it held him fine. I've tightened the screws once or twice in the time we've had it. But yes, keep an eye on CL and sidewalks! I saw a vintage Poang outside our Atlanta apartment last month, and nearly snagged it but for the heavy fur buildup. Someone more industrious could have totally scored.
We also had the Karlstad loveseat for a year and loved it. It was comfortable, sturdy and looked very good in our standard white blocky apartment living room. It was also a good depth for a narrow space. That said, we only had it for a year, it was a little difficult to assemble--kind of an intro to the more assembly-intensive IKEA pieces--and the friends we sold it to, who were come home and crash onto the couch types, broke the spanning board (technical term?) within 6 months. So if you do anything more intense than sitting and lounging, pay attention to whether the joints are a little loose, in my experience, regular tightening is key to IKEA longevity. It's also an intro IKEA piece, I bet you can find them on CL, and slipcovers are bound to be cheap what with all the 90 degree angles.

I purchased the Kivik sofa + chaise in Tullinge Gray-Brown color roughly a year ago. I absolutely love it.

---- The sofa portion has firmer seating then the chaise portion... you kind of sink in for the chaise but it isn't terrible.

---- The cover I purchased never felt itchy or stiff, it seems to be showing a tiny bit of wear where my husband sits most. I try to rotate them often.

---- The back cushions are big and poofy and have held their shape so far.

---- The seat covers and back cushion covers tend to move and need an occasional re-adjustment (the seam where the edges are sometimes migrate to the bottom/top of the cushion).

----The arm rest is nice... flat with cushion on top.. only problem is if you lean into it and push the cushion away you feel the hard edge of the arm rest wood form. I don't notice this often but every now and then. (maybe something to think about when assembling it... adding something to the inner corner to make it less sharp edged)

---- it's a very low laying couch and you can't get under it as it's practically laying on the ground.

---- I love how everything comes apart ... I imagine moving day some day will be so much easier because of it.

I have a secondhand Karlstad sofa bed (with ottoman), and it's held up wonderfully. It has great lines, lots of options for slipcovers if I want a change in the future—might dye IKEA's standard white cover something fun—and houseguests say that the fold-out bed is really comfortable.

I've had the Karlstad sofa for at least 3 years now and it's held up great. The legs are ugly, but I plan on painting them dark brown eventually. And you can flip the cushions to help with wear. Love, love, love. I had the Kivik with roommates a while back, and it was less comfortable and I think has sloppy lines.

I got a poang from someone who had moved themselves and all their furniture here (to new zealand where there is no IKEA). It's much much more comfortable then the almost exact copies available in local furniture/dept stores here. The white cover does get a bit grimy with pets but a wash + bleach and it's good as new

I guess every last person on here that likes this stuff weighs 130 lbs and are 5'2 ! Im a big guy (6'2,250 lbs) and had the Karlstad sectional as well.I loathed it,NOT for bigger people! Very uncomfortable! Save up and buy something quality.

We've had our Karlstad sofa (three cushion style) for over nine years; it's survived three moves and has held up pretty well. Only in the last year have the arm rests started to feel weaker. We first purchased it to fit our budget but now with two kids (and one on the way) it makes sense to hang on to the couch a bit longer.

get the karlstad. it's the perfect sofa. also, the poäng chair is really comfortable and you will get addicted to using it as a rocking chair.

We had a fire four years ago and when it came time to re-furnish the house, we went with IKEA products. We purchased two Poangs and two Karlstads (one sofa, one chaise). No issues with any of them and they've held up beautifully even with heavy daily use. We did replace the Karlstad's clunky block legs with the mid century styled legs from Uncle Bob's Workshop on etsy. It made a world of difference in the appearance of our sofa and chaise. They're under 40.00 for a set of 4.

Here are some pictures of our sofa and chairs from IKEA:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2yhe/5632710766/in/set-72157626005170274

http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2yhe/4617084452/in/set-72157626005170274

http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2yhe/5632710782/in/set-72157626005170274

We had a fire four years ago and when it came time to re-furnish the house, we went with IKEA products. We purchased two Poangs and two Karlstads (one sofa, one chaise). No issues with any of them and they've held up beautifully even with heavy daily use. We did replace the Karlstad's clunky block legs with the mid century styled legs from Uncle Bob's Workshop on etsy. It made a world of difference in the appearance of our sofa and chaise. They're under 40.00 for a set of 4.

Here are some pictures of our sofa and chairs from IKEA:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2yhe/5632710766/in/set-72157626005170274

http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2yhe/4617084452/in/set-72157626005170274

http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2yhe/5632710782/in/set-72157626005170274

We bought the Karlstad 4 1/2 years ago and have loved it. We have the dark gray slip covers and it looks great. We also upgraded to the silver lets.

We moved into a much larger place last month and our sofa looked so tiny! So, we went to Ikea, bought the chaise lounge Karlstad in dark gray and added it on. Our sofa is now something like 65% larger and you can't tell which parts are brand new and which parts are nearly half a decade old.

I have a Kivik (loveseat + chaise) and love it. It isn't the fanciest couch ever, obviously, but it works for my family. I especially love the slipcovers... with a toddler and a dog, being able to toss them in the washer comes in *very* handy at times. The couch looks nice in our living room too... all around, two thumbs up from me.

johncb, my husband is 6'3" and around 250 lbsa (he goes higher and lower, but around that point) and he likes the Kalstad. So, not necessarily bad for taller/heavier people.

Just this past weekend, a friend came over to hang out with my teenagers--and literally started rolling around on my Kivik chairs commenting about how they were the most comfortable things he'd ever been on. Because my kids have managed to destroy sofa after sofa (including a previous Ikea sofa from years ago), I bought separate Kivik chair sections...I figure if they destroy one, I can easily switch it out now and buy a new one. But everyone who sits on them has a "Holy cow, this is amazingly comfortable" moment.

I don't own any Ikea sofas but the Poang chairs I have! My family and I love them. They are very confy, durable and they look great!

I've been using my Karlstad sofa for two years now and I couldn't be happier. I had wanted a sofa that would also pull out into a bed for overnight guests, but reviews online said that the sleeper version was not as comfortable as the regular version, so we went with that one and I have no complaints comfort-wise. I was also on a tight budget when I bought the sofa, and I was really happy when I got around paying the $180 for the slipcovers by choosing a cover that was discounted by 90% to $18. I ended up with a light turquoise sofa, but it actually looks pretty good in my living room since my other furnishings are more muted colors. There are usually one or two deeply discounted covers, so if you are willing to go for a bolder look, it can save you some cash.

I've owned the Kivik for about 5 months.

What I like about it:
- It's comfy, easy to lay down on (low arm rests)
- It was cheap (bought it with another couple while they had a sale - Buy one get 50% off other one - and split the savings)
- Slipcover means I can change the look or dryclean it without any special services

What I don't like about it:
- The cover on the seat cushions can twist so the tailored look doesn't last long. You have to take the cushions out every couple of weeks and realign the cover.
- The cover I have is itchy - Teno Light Gray. If I'm laying down on it I'll use a blanket
- The cushions can slide forward meaning you have to give them a kick every so often to keep them in place. I tried putting carpet gripper under the cushions with only minor success.

First, all of those pieces have warranties. So, make a photocopy of your receipt and put it in a ziploc with your warranty brochure. (The heat reactive paper fades over time, so the copy is essential.) If you ever have a problem with it, you can get it fixed.
The Poang is sort of a love-it or not sort of thing. I have a friend who pretty much only sits on her Poang chair, despite a place full of furniture. I can live without. Just not my thing. Try one out to make sure you like it. One upside is that if you get a frame you really like, you can always replace the upholstery to update it.
As for Karlstad v Kivik, I prefer the Karlstad. More timeless looking, and I find the textile selection nicer. I own the no-longer-sold Tylosand sofa bed and LOVE it. We've had it for about five years and find it almost too comfortable. (Too easy to drift off and not go to bed) Also, it breaks down to move easily. We wanted a new slipcover, so we hit Ebay and got one for a reasonable price. Though, I often look longingly at the Karlstad, as I find it so attractive, and love lounging on it at friends' homes.
Also, I have this advice from my mother (who recently celebrated 50 years of marriage to my father): having spent a fortune on furniture over the years, she wishes she would have gotten less expensive pieces. She probably would have liked them just as much, and not felt so guilty when she no longer liked them or they were out-of-date. You can't always sell things off, and spending more for something doesn't always mean the quality is better.

ive had a karlstad and a kivik.
i didnt like the karlstad much, wasn't that comfortable and after a month or two all the cushions sagged and it looked really old. the chaise pillow would also slide down non stop which was kind of annoying.
now i have a kivik and its really comfortable and the cushions are thicker so theyve held up better. i did get this in white because it was the cheapest option so i would save up for whatever one you really like. BUT ive washed it easily and even blood has come out of it so i cant complain.

We bought two Poang chairs and they are comfortable enough as "occasional" chairs, but my 150-pound husband tried using one as his reading chair and found the cushion quite uncomfortable for his bony behind.

The other thing I would mention is that in hindsight I would consider the rather large footprint of the poang. They are great if you are just starting out and need furniture that will fill out the space...if you are looking for something to fit in with the stuff you already have in your 12 x 15 family room, not so much.

Oh, one more thing... I am looking at a site, comfort-works.com, that offers a wider array of IKEA-specific covers at considerably less money than IKEA's covers and slipcovers. I don't know how they stack up, and would be interested in anyone's experience with them.