Although our Ikea sectional was originally scheduled to arrive on February 4th, it appeared ahead of time—and in a surprising number of boxes. As first-time Ikea sofa owners, we were a little stunned by how many packages the Karlstad came in.
We’re familiar with Ikea assembly, so we jumped in and even recorded a time-lapse of the process, which took longer than we expected.
If you can’t watch the video right now, here are the key takeaways: the sectional assembled nicely and looks great in place. Below are the final photos of Karl in our living room.
We’re especially impressed with the slipcovered fabric. It’s durable and has stood up to Burger’s claws so far, which is a big win. The dark color also helps conceal the inevitable spills and drool that come with a dog and a baby in the house. Because the entire sectional—including the arms and frame—has removable slipcovers, we can wash them if something major happens. In our household, that’s a realistic possibility.
Karl is substantial. It took us a couple of hours to get used to the extra footprint compared to our old couch, but it didn’t take long to fall in love. The sectional fits the room well, the deep charcoal color is exactly what we wanted, and it’s extremely comfortable. It also makes us want to host a big friends-and-family movie night—once we eventually upgrade to a larger TV.
Karl also highlights other needs in the space: the room is large, so we’d like to add bigger, heavier pieces to balance the scale. A larger rug, a new media cabinet, and more colorful art will help the room feel more anchored. The area next to the window feels a bit accidental right now—we placed a small game table there because of the overhead light, but it might work better as a play or toy-storage zone for Clara as she grows.
We’re also planning a long, narrow console table to sit between the sectional and the wall. It would provide a surface for lamps, drinks, and other essentials. Right now we use a round ottoman with faux sheepskin, which looks great—light and round against a dark, square sectional—but it mainly serves as a footrest. A console behind the sofa would add function without introducing sharp corners, which is important with a baby around. The contrast of curves and angles in the room feels right, and a soft, round piece would complement Karl’s lines.
We’re also considering a DIY upgrade to Karl’s legs. Ikea offers modern metal legs, but we prefer the chunky wood legs that came with our sofa. A darker finish would elevate the look—similar to a higher-end sofa we admired that used the same leg style in a deeper stain. We’re thinking of staining or painting the legs darker, possibly with a glossy finish, to better match the deep charcoal slipcover. We debated swapping in tapered or spindle legs, but because Karl is large, we want to keep legs that provide solid support. The original legs come with a 10-year warranty, which is another reason to stick with them.
Despite our growing to-do list—staining or painting the beams, adding a sofa table, getting a larger rug, upgrading the media cabinet, changing the lighting, and possibly creating a play area behind the sectional—we’re happy to let the room evolve slowly rather than rush into purchases we might regret. We also need to rebuild the bank account after buying Karl, so patience is practical too. Sherry has hinted she’ll tackle the ceiling beams eventually, though she does so while happily lounging on the chaise.
For everyday living, the sectional delivers: I can fully stretch out (all six feet of me), Clara has cozy corners to settle into, and the chaise is perfectly sized for Sherry—who has already claimed it. Burger the dog is thrilled too, exploring every cushion and using the sofa as his personal observation post to watch backyard squirrels. It’s been an immediate and lasting upgrade to our living space.
UPDATE: We still love Karl more than a year later. We posted a short update about how it’s held up and how the room has evolved.