Assembling The Karlstad Ikea Sectional Sofa

Despite its original February 4th due date, our big bundle of sectional joy arrived ahead of schedule. Being our first Ikea sofa, we were a bit taken aback by how many distinct boxes our Karlstad came in.

But since we are no strangers to assembling our Ikea purchases we dove right in…and even made a time lapse video of the longer-than-we-expected process.

For those who cannot watch the video (perhaps you are being sneaky at work?) here is the essential stuff: the final pictures of Karl in place.

We are especially enamored with the fabric, which is pleasant and durable (it is fully impenetrable to Burger’s claws, which is consistently the goal). And the dark color is ideal for hiding those spills and drool spots that happen with a dog and a baby around. Plus because the whole sectional is slipcovered (even the arms and the frame) we can consistently wash it if something crazy happens. Which is certainly a probability in our house.

Karl certainly is a big boy. It took us a couple of hours to adjust to how much more space he took up than our old couch – but it took nearly no time for him to win our hearts. He fits the space truly well, the dark charcoal color rocks our socks, he’s extremely comfortable, and he makes us want to schedule a large friends & family movie night (although that might be more lively when we get a larger TV someday).

Speaking of which, Karl’s presence truly highlights the need for some other “heftier” items in the room (it is a large space, so larger items will make it look a lot more balanced and proportionate) – like a bigger rug, a new media cabinet, and plenty of colorful art on the walls. Plus we need to make this space next to the window look more intentional. We plopped the little game table there because of the light that hangs above it, but we are thinking that zone might be better served as a play / toy storage area for Clara (and future children) down the line.

We also want to add (perhaps build?) a long narrow console table to go between the sectional and the wall to host a couple of lamps and act as a spot for drinks, etc. Especially since our current nailhead ottoman & faux sheepskin solution is strong looks-wise (light and round ottoman + dark and square sectional = enjoy) but it does not truly function beyond feet propping. But with a console table behind the sofa, that is all it needs to do. Plus it is baby-head friendly, unlike an angular coffee table. And with all the angles in Karl we were itching for something soft and round anyway.

We also want to try a Hands-on upgrade to Karl’s legs. Ikea offers sleek metal ones (which take the look to über modern) but we wanna work with the chunky wood ones that came with Karl.

Especially since the fancy pants sofa that we coveted from Room & Board (more on him here) has the exact same legs in a darker finish. And they look surprisingly sleek in that color, as opposed to low-cost and birchy like Karl’s (no offense, man):

We are thinking we might try to stain or paint them darker (perhaps even with high gloss spray paint) to assist them work better with Karl’s deep charcoal outfit, er slipcover. We considered swapping them out for tapered or round spindle legs, but Karl is a big dude. So we want him to remain as well-supported as possible. Which is why the legs that come with Karl (along with a 10 year warranty) seem like a smart thing to stick with.

Despite our still-growing to-do list, we are loving our new spot to relax. I have got two directions where I can lie down fully (all 6′ of me), Clara’s got a couple of deep corners to be propped up in, and the chaise simply happens to be perfectly Sherry sized. Accordingly, she’s been monopolizing it since Karl’s arrival. Good thing I am not a jealous man.

Burger is in short nutty with options for curling up, jumping around, and perching upon every possible cushion and cranny. Here is where we discovered him sit-standing yesterday. Yes that is business in the front, relaxation in the back. What a weirdo.

Apparently it is a strong vantage point to scope out squirrels in the backyard.

So yes, we still need to stain/paint the beams, get/build a sofa table for behind the sectional, get a larger rug, upgrade the media cabinet, remove the fans, add in a few lighting options, and possibly create a little play area for Clara behind the far side of Karl – but we are glad to take our time and let things evolve instead of rushing into any big purchases we might regret (we have to replenish the ol’ bank account after buying Karl anyway). But I guess I could tackle those fans sometime soon. And Sherry claims to be saving up the energy to take on those beams (she says as she reclines on the chaise and lies motionless, closing her eyes as if to “charge”). Should be interesting…

UPDATE: We are still loving Karl over a year later. Check out our little update post here.