Hi! I know this post is very old, but I also am looking to replace my slipcovers for the couch/sofa and chair with ottoman and am having no luck finding these or something similar that won't break the bank. I tried the Ikea Ektorp and they do not fit at all. Wondering about the Ikea Uppland as saw previous post on here that it did fit the chair. I currently have the khaki but am looking for a grey if they have it. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Hate to buy new furniture as mine is in great shape other than just dirty and chair arm has a hole in it :( Thanks!

carson - we didn't build new but we did gut our house down to studs and plywood and moved out for the 6 months of construction. I don;t know what your GC provides in terms of those services. Our GC has a complete firm which includes project manager/interior design teams. The interior designer took control of the kitchen and house in terms of floorplan and size, floor colours, paint colours, choices in the bathrooms, etc. She moved some walls throughout the house and that was all included in our contract price. I knew the basics of what I wanted and she fine tuned it, shoved me out of my conservative box, and gave me a great basis from which to decorate. When we moved back in I was in the position of your third choice. I needed an interior decorator to finish with window coverings, accessories, some furniture choices, placement of art, and to tie the rooms of the house together. We found our ID one day when I was out for a walk with a girlfriend and we happened to serendipitously (no other word for it) walk by their studio. We had some consulting hours at our home and then they presented their ideas in a portfolio with their suggested samples (fabrics, etc) or pictures of suggestions. Sometimes, for example our bedroom curtains, they gave us two suggestions both of which would work but it depended on how much we wanted to stretch our decorating style. We stretched it big time. We made our choices and then they gave us quotes for the various items. We only changed one thing and that's because of cost and they found us something that was less expensive. So I think your choice needs to governed by how much will be done by the time you move in, how confident you are in your ability to make choices and how much support you have now in making choices..

It's nice to have IKEA as a choice. Our DD bought some items for her place and I ended up shopping there for myself recently for a few things. The attraction for me is not simply that they are inexpensive, for the most part, but that according to them at least, they make an attempt to be environmentally friendly and non toxic. Unfortunately, I was disappointed that their attempt is not always much better than other stores. I thought I might be able to buy a new mattress there, but evidently there is a law that requires all mattresses to have fire retardant on them, which I won't sleep on. It outgasses for years, even if you put a zippered cover over it. Not their fault that they are required to use it. I also bought a large floor mirror after my DD bought one for her house. I brought it home and unpacked it and it smelled horrible! Really bad. I wasn't sure if it was the packaging or the actual mirror. I put it in a spare room for 3 weeks to air it out but it didn't go away. I could still smell it in the hall as I passed the room with the door shut. I took it outside on the porch for two days. I was disappointed because it was just what I needed but I took it back. I was surprised. If they are trying to do non toxic, I just don't get it. It was a large mirror with a black wooden frame. What's so hard about doing that non toxic? Low VOC paint on plain pine and you're all set. I did buy a chest of drawers that I liked and that had no smell. It was very inexpensive and I thought it was attractive. We kept that. I also have one of their warm duck feather comforters that I have been very happy with. It's SO warm in the winter! I don't know what I did before that. Unfortunately, it is significantly smaller than most standard duvet covers and not really all that much cheaper, so now that I need a second one, I am looking for other alternatives that will fit the duvet cover better. An organic goose or duck down, but I am still looking. Overall, though, I have found some of the wooden furniture to be a nice inexpensive alternative. I have not found any of their upholstered furniture that seems worth buying. I also see a lot of that for sale on Craig's list when it is not that old. Photos of them at 3 years old look pretty worn. I have not bought lighting from them after being cautioned that their lights are not UL listed. Like someone else mentioned, my tastes run to the more traditional/country, so they are often a little too contemporary for me, but my DD leans more contemporary, so more of their styles appeal to her. I still feel they are worth checking out when I need something. They do a LOT of business. They fill a niche. I hope they will improve their offerings of non toxic, environmentally friendly products, because that would really interest me.

Thank you for your understanding, funkycamper. Yes, my first (and last!) kitchen remodel. Several years ago, I had to replace my bathroom pedestal sink due to a crack in the basin. Just that process alone: Pedestal or vanity? How many holes for the faucet? faucet finish? faucet style? Finding a new plumber? All that was pretty overwhelming - just for a bathroom sink. Interesting idea about the basement. There is a sink down there. I don't think it would work, but using it some makes sense. It's an unfinished basement, and contractors will be down there a lot for a while, anyway to move water/gas lines, etc. Plus, well, the 400 sf down there includes kitty litter boxes, washer drier, hot water heater, furnace & ductwork... Maybe the microwave on a table. Outside would be nice... the garden door is & will be right in the middle of the kitchen, so, well, I don't know. You know, I feel like I'm being really a brat when I come on here for advice, and 99% of the time I get back on and say "no, your free and generous advice isn't useful to me and it won't work." I actually do really, really, really appreciate it, though. And already I'm going to have soooo much better of a kitchen due to you all here.