Hello! Only three more days left in the month! I’m going to be glad when the month is over, let me tell you.
There are two things you already know about our family room: we have a white Ektorp sectional from IKEA that we love and my inspiration for the family room featured a blue and white settee and a wall of bookcases. The only similarity between our room and my inspiration room was the books.
Our family room doesn�t look much like the picture. One day I will have white bookcases and a little more color on the sectional. Specifically, blue and white because confession: I love blue and white. Second confession: I never use blue and white. I�ve found it�s a color combination that can go wrong quickly, or if not wrong, really, really specific.
I went into IKEA on Sunday prepared to buy a blue slip cover–the vellinge in dark blue–but when I went in there I started to second guess myself. A quick text to Nicole and Andrea and a post on Instagram confirmed I should follow my gut and go for dark blue. So I did!
Thank you to Andrea for not reminding me that I scoffed and said, “Life’s too short for beige sofas!” when she debated her teal sofa two years ago. I already have a blue sofa, so I’m not sure what the hand wringing was all about.
I still loved the look of white, but I’m fickle–never lied about that–and was looking for a change. The dark blue with its not-really-velvet texture is warm and comfy for winter. Plus, the blue is taming some of the olive in the wall color, which is what I was hoping it would do. Because this is a west facing room, the afternoon light filters through the trees in the front yard and turns the gray walls a drab olive color. You can see it clearly in this picture. The dining room (where the game cabinet is) and the family room have the same wall color, if you can believe it.
In the picture above, where the sofa is below the window, you can see a corner of the wall. It definitely looks more gray and less army green thanks to the deep blue of the fabric.
I found the plant stand at Target (clearance!) but I’ve already moved the goldfish plant to another spot. My zebra plant, which I kept in the living room, is now on this small table. Hopefully it does better here with the brighter light. That living room is a plant killer. It’s way too dark.
This is a closeup of the fabric. It’s a redundant picture, I know, but I have a blue sofa so I went a little nuts with the camera.
p.s. The bowl of apples is not me doing a blogger style thingy. It was my mother in-law’s birthday dinner and there wasn’t room on the table for the bowl, so my husband moved it there. I didn’t bother moving it for pictures, but I did later for cake!
Although I really like the white (we have the Ektorp couch and chair in white) the blue brings a richness to the room – especially with the wood of the bookcases. It does look very cozy! And I love that picture of the boys with their grandma!
Thank you! I like that picture, too.
Two thumbs up! I loved the white, but I love the blue, too–especially for the colder months. (And I wouldn’t judge even if the apples were a bloggy styling thing.)
The blue velvet/corduroy (it’s like a brushed cotton?) is like velcro when I’m wearing sweats. I love it.
I have the white sectional too and I love it – but we are about to move to Colorado, so I have also been thinking about going darker and cozier during the winter months! Thanks for sharing!
That’s the beauty of IKEA furniture. You can go back to white in the summer, which is probably what I will do. :)
Okay, I LOVE it! SO MUCH!
Me, too!
I almost got the blue for our Ektorp sofa, but then I totally cheaped out and got a beige one that was like $50 with the IKEA Family discount! I don’t see the exact one on the website, maybe it’s only in the store. I don’t have it in front of me to check the name. But the way we wear through stuff, I figured cheaper is better for now. The blue is quite striking though. I’ll just have to wait until my kids and dogs are better trained. LOL. It’s been a great 31 days so far – so proud of you for keeping up with it!!
Thanks. :)
The family discount made this one $274 with tax. Pretty much almost passed out, but with all that I’ve saved this month not eating out…
We swapped out the cover on our Karlstad last spring. Yeah, kinda hard to swallow the price–but we love it so much more with the new cover. Reminded myself that the price of the cover was still much less than the cost of a new sofa, and I’m really glad that Ikea makes it possible to goof without it being financially catastrophic.
This post was written for me! I have been on the fence a) If I should buy the Ikea sectional/sofa and b) should I do white and/or blue. I love them both in your rooms and I think I am going to do both as well! So timely! THANKS!
No law against both! :) Perfect for people who like to change their minds.
omg i love it! I adore blue sofas!!!! looks seriously fabulous.
Blue sofas are my favorite, too. They’re so rich, but still manage to be a neutral. Sort of.
LOVE it (and I’m a total sucker for neutrals). It looks like it will stand the test of time a little better darker, too! I bet with two boys, marks show up pretty quickly on the white one.
I bet the clean up will be easier, too, though my husband is worried about all the white dog hair.
Love it!
I think the blue looks very cozy for the cooler months…and it’s always nice to have the option to switch things up. I have been saving for the Ektorp sectional and SO want it in white. How has it held up in your home? How often do you wash the slipcovers?
I found your blog a few weeks ago via The Nester and I hope I don’t creep you out but I have been reading all your archives and think you are just the BEST! You are a breath of fresh air in the blog world…and a book lovin’ Catholic to boot? Move this blog to the top of my daily blog reading check list :)
I sent you an email about this already, but in case anyone is reading this comment and is wondering the same thing, in the post I link to my ektorp review which also goes over our cleaning schedule.
And, yes, book loving Catholic. :)
Jules, thanks for the e-mail and pointing out the link in the post…I
m having trouble with my computer and whenever I click a link the computer goes haywire. So I read the link at my sister’s house :). I am totally sold now and hope to have my ektorp by this summer!
I love your bookcases. Why? Because they look REAL! Like mine :-) We too have tissue boxes and a few special things, BUT mostly it holds……BOOKS! And not the “I have a staged bookcase with all matching books,blah,blah,blah” REAL books that we actually READ and they are all mis-matched etc.. Anyhow, just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your decorating style and that I think it is very real and practical too!
Hahaha! I think it says something that I felt compelled to explain that the apples were not styled.
Nor was the tissue box, the off center tray under the table, the stool, and the books crammed in where they can fit, but that’s probably pretty obvious.
:-) Love it!
What style EKTORP is this..is there any where I can get a slipcover for it??
I found an Ektorp this style with 5 cushions for 150.00 on craiglist…but am having a hard time finding a slipcover…
Hello!
How did you go washing the dark blue covers? The link is a review for the white and I have the blue but it says no washing, only dryclean. Any tips?
Sophia
I would love to have a follow up on washing the blue cover! I have white right now and am debating on which of the two blue covers I want to switch to. I love this one but am worried about the fabric after washing. I also have a white dog, was it hard to keep the couch from looking like it was covered in dog hair?
I have the Villinge Blue covers for winter, washed in the gentle cycle, cold water, air dried, came out perfectly, no ironing needed. Had to alter a couch with a chaise cover to fit my 3 seater and chair as the Villinge Blue is no longer sold at Ikea.