IKEA Chairs You Would Never Want To Get Up From

So, youre looking for chairs. The chairs youll throw your coats on, the chairs youll
have laughs on, the chairs in which you will fall asleep. You are in front of a longterm commitment and like everyone of us, you wouldnt want to settle for anything
less than perfect for you.
We moved in IKEA for a whole Saturday and took a sit on all the chairs who might,
one day, wear our covers. Which ones are worthful? Which ones are just not
enough? Scroll through the pictures and stop whenever something catches your
attention, to find out our opinion, then end your visual visit with our top 10.

Stockholm Swivel Easy

At First Sight
This cute little piece is something you feel like hugging. Reminding of the living
room of the Jetsons, Stockholm looks like an average comfortable chair, perfect for
a bachelors living room.

The Test
After taking a seat on it, this futuristic 67 width chair did not disappoint. The back of
the Stockholm keeps your own back in a comfortable position, while making rotating
easy. Its 76cm height fits well with a coffee table, allowing a single gal who stays in
on a Sunday night to order pizza and use this furniture-duet as a dining place.

Pros

Comfortable
Good-looking
Flexible (swivel easy)

Cons

The towel-like velvet is bound to attract fuzz

At $399 you cant really look at the price as an advantage

Stockholm high-back armchair

Ar First Sight
The elder sister of Stockholm Swivel Easy is Stockholm High-Back Armchair. It looks
like the baby of a grandmas chair and a kings throne. The sharp design is
something that makes you go wooow, but it doesnt leave very high expectations
regarding comfort.

The Test
The sitter is definitely a thing of fluffiness, but the back seems a little stiff. Still, it
gains on a few points because of the headresting pillow with adjustable height,
comfortable in its nature. The fabric has an interesting texture, but the model I
tested in the store was starting to get fuzzy. Who knows how long it has been there
and what it went through.

Pros

Novel design, remarkable among other IKEA chairs

It comes in four colors
Comfortable overall, being a decent reading chair

Cons

Armrests are rather too sharp

The $499 price is pretty high (but the design is totally worth it)

Popptorp

At first sight
You have reached the year 2500. Humankind developed a more sustainable lifestyle
that involves using smartly designed plastic furniture. No. Actually, you just reached
a room where two Popptorps wait for you to try them out. Perfect to accomodate
you during a short stay (coffee break), Popptorp is the reinvented plastic garden
chair.

The Test
If it wasnt for the pillow, the Popptorps destiny would have been in the outdoors.
Still, with the surprisingly comfortable back and a fluffy cushion one can consider
placing it in the living room. Popptorp will be the perfect companion during the long
nights with friends in your student apartment.

Pros

Average cozyness for short-stays

Strongly built
OMG price ($70)
You can remove the seat and use the space below to stock objects

Cons

Rather industrial than premium-looking

Highly uncomfortable for lounging or curling up

Arvika

At First Sight
During my visit at IKEA, most of the people passing by the Arvika felt like throwing
themselves in it. And you find it hard to help it, due to the ergonomic shape. At the
border between office and lounging chair, this piece of extravaganza is the killer
item for a bachelors living room.

The Test
Arvika is even more comfortable than it seems. Its padding is soft and the curved
back follows the natural position of a relaxed back. One thing that will clench your
muscles will be the leaning function which has a very low stopping point. The good
news is that, as I discovered later on, the tils is easy to adjust according to your
preferrences.

Pros

The leather-like tapestry has a quality look

Comfortable arm rests
Catchy design
Adjustable tilt

Cons

$499 for a chair is not actually an advantage (worth the money if you want to
impress)
The head rest has a weird position

Tirup

At First Sight
Were in the future again. The reason is this white (or black) leather chair with a
cocoon-like shape named Tirup. It catches your eye, but the mysterious design
keeps you quite reserved regarding comfort.

The Test
Surprise! The wider part of the seat todether with the lack of arm rests helps Tirup
win over Arvika. Imagine a night in, your knees doubled under you, your best friends
sitting in a circle and endless phiosophical conversations.This chair will definitely
deliver for this sort of occasion.

Pros

The leather looks easy to clean

Comfortable for sitting in all sorts of positions
Untiltable, yet solid

Cons

High price again: around $500

Not ideal for watching a movie in it

Poang armchair

At First Sight
Mister Poang (as the name makes us think about an old Vietnamese man) looks like
a fellow who will make sure you feel comfortable no matter what. The slightly
leaned shape promises to take care of keeping your back in good place, while the
pillow rests your tense neck.

The Test
What you see is what you get, because yes, the Poang is as comfortable as it
seems. With its soft padding and the well-positioned pillow, Poang will accomodate
you like a pro through the entire evening show, while offering you the flexibility to
balance impatiently during commercial breaks. Though the armrests are not the
softest thing in the world, they give you the impression you wont fall from the
chair, which is enough.

Pros

It comes in 11 colors

At $69 offers excellent value for money

The bent birch frame looks resistent to scrathces

Cons

The armrests arent very comfortable

The design is not very innovative

Pello

At First Sight
This less grandiose brother of Poang seems like the two-seconds-later-born twin. At
a closer look, the difference is in the cloth of the cushion, which looks less durable
in Pello.

The Test
Pellos height is slightly lower, buy even so, it keeps the same confy balance as
Poang. The head rest is slightly fluffier and this you can feel while leaning on your
back. The armrests are lower, which makes them fit a little better with the natural
position of the sitted body.
Pros

Cheap, cheap, cheap ($49.99)

Overall comfortable
Easy-to-remove cushion for washing or replacing

Cons

The fabric isnt the best quality

It seems a little less solid than the Poang

Villstad

At First Sight
Somewhere between a communist waiting room chair and a 60s retro-futuristic
design living room, Villstad is one head turner. A chair that no hipster home should
lack. A chair that will make an impression to any guest entering your office. A chair
that shouts My owner is a witty human being! The bulky cushion of Villstad make
you want to throw yourself in it, but the iron structure warns you to be careful with
that.

The Test
Vilstad is even more confy than it seems. And that is because the bulky cushions are
firm enough to keep your body in the right position. On the other hand, the armrests
make you feel a little awkward about your hands and where exactly you should keep
them, because resting them on the iron mould is not a good idea.

Pros

Take-my-breath-away design
It comes in two colors
A good compromise between comfort and esthetics

Cons

Might seem pricey for some (around $300)

Rigid armrests

Nolbyn

At First Sight
The Nolbyn looks like an outdoors chair rather than an indoors one and destinated
for office, rathen than for relaxation. The mesh-cushion combination gives you the
impression that the designer got bored while thinking about the final touches. An
optimist might find the design industrial, not careless. Its a matter of taste, afterall.

The Test
You cant lean on the Nolbyn like you do on the Poang, but the back is a pretty good
deal. Even though the armrests beat the Poang from afar, the iron framing makes it
uncomfortable to sit while placing one leg on top of the other. The mesh looks
durable, but it keeps reminding of a socks-washing bag.

Pros

At $59.99 its very affordable

The machine-washable cushions make it family friendly

Cons

Design leaves you wanting more

Unrecommended for long sits

Nolmyra

At First Sight
If you take the upper part of the Nolbyn and add another few inches to the sides of
the seat, youve got yourself a Nolmyra. Made from the same mesh as Nolbyn, you
might think the lack of cushion means less comfort, but Nolmyra proves you wrong.

The Test
The fact that this chair is wider than Nolbyn, adds so much to the comfortability. The
lack of armrests makes it so comfortable because you are left with a lot of freedom
to move. You can sit with your knees doubled under you, you can nestle, huddle up,
roll, coil. This chair will fit all your moods.
Pros

Chit-chat comfortable
Easy to maintain
A bargain ($39.99)

Cons

Not a spectacular design

Locksta

At First Sight
Because of the simplistic design, Locksta looks like the kind of chair you would get
in a temporary home. The flashy colors (green-grass green, electric blue, orange)
scream I am interesting, even though I am simple!. It looks like the perfect chairs
for a student apartment or a place you cant really invest in too much.

The Test
When you sit on Locksta you hear a funny grr from the unflexible fabric that
stretches under your thighs, giving you the impression it will soon fall to pieces.
After a few minutes it gains your trust. The back though, makes you feel like
something is missing, because of its height.
Pros

Easy to carry home/install

Good price ($59.99)

Cons

Simplistic design
Not the most comfortable chair in the world

Strandmon

At First Sight
Meet the Godfather. The Godfather sits next to the family. You might find him in the
living room, in front of a fireplace accomodating a reader or a sleeping granny in
front of the TV. Strandmon looks cozy and welcoming.

The Test
Soft is a word that would fit Strandmon so well. Not So-Fluffy-I-Am-Going-To-Dye
soft, but your back wont hurt if you fall asleep through the whole movie. The
armrests are pretty ok, but the best part are the wings, which allow you to
comfortably rest your head while reading, for example.
Pros

Nice design
Comfortable
Decent quality fabric

Cons

Mellby

Only three colors (It feels like it has potential for a green or a yellow)
Makes for a pretty high invesment ($279)

At First Sight
Mellby looks averagely comfortabe with the average coming from the geometric
armrests. With a deja vu design, this seem the kind of piece that will look good in
your home 5 years from now, even though its lines are far from classic. Its just
something universal about Mellby that seems to resist despite of fashion.

The Test
Take a seat in the Mellby. Its comfortable, actually. More fluffy than you assumed.
Slide to the left, curl, slide to the right. Put your feet over the armrests. Just dont
expect to stay like that forever, they will get numb after 5 minutes. But you cant
accuse Mellby of anything, since the armrests are made for arms, afterall.

Pros

A design to last
Pretty comfortable

Cons

Rather pricey for some ($249)

The fabric doesnt seem very durable

Ekenas

At First Sight
Probably because of the grey and the bulky shape, Ekenas has something that
makes you think about the Stonhenge. Its design lays at the brder of avant-garde
and classic. Its a vague style that incites. By looking at it you get the impression
that you can throw yourself on it without getting bruises.

The Test
Expectations confirmed. It feels soft and cozy and OMG-I-want-to-never-get-up. The
fabric looks soft and also easy to wash. And congratulations to the most
comfortable armrests so far. This chair makes its $299 price look like a bargain.

Pros

Very comfortable
Easy to wash fabric
Nice design

Cons

Ystad

For some, the price might be a disadvantage

At First Sight
The price makes it the king of all chairs ($699). Serious, demanding, heroic, Ystad
seems the kind of chair to fit a family villa. The leather might trick you intro thinking
you will not be completely satisfied with its comfort.

The Test
The back and the armrests make you lose yourself in it. Because of the leather, you
can easily slide in it and if you want to place your feet over the armchairs, you will
have no problem hanging like that forever. The leather looks high quality and seems
easy to clean.

Pros

Comfortable
A classic (worth a very long-term investment)

Cons

It comes in only one color

Pricey
Some might find the classic design a disadvantage

Skogaby

At First Sight
This cute little thing is perfect for a minimalistic living room. It has something of the
Ystad, but its definitely a young, more modern relative. And a cheaper one ($399).
The added geometry makes it look more comfy than Ystad.

The Test
Indeed, you notice a decline in comfort after having sat on the Ystad, but the
armrests are lower and keep the hands in a natural position. Even though you dont
feel like you want to get lost in it, its a pretty comfortable piece.

Pros

Good design
The leather feels very soft
More than averagely comfortable

Cons

Ekero

Pretty expensive
Poor color variety (only two dark colors)

At First Sight
Retro-futuristic in a way, innovative in another, the Ekero waits for a young-hearted
owner. It can perfectly fit an office, a living room or a waiting room. Pretty, but it
makes you skeptical about how well your back will feel in it.

The Test
You have a not-so-soft padding, but the entire architecture of the chair just makes it
work. The armrests are tall, but in a mysterious way, comfortable. The fabric looks
practical (very similar to Strandomns). The price its practical too ($129).

Pros

A design that catches attention

Easy to fit in a small space
Lightweighted, so its also easy to move around the house

Cons

Muren

Might not resist a child jumping on it for long

Not the chair to fall asleep in

At First Sight
Muren is the thinking chair. Seems like it waits for a brilliant mind that will find
revelatory conclucions about life while sitting in it. Otherwise, it is an old-fashioned
fellow that makes all the other IKEA chair look like design extravaganza (some of
them actually are).
The Test
When you get to sit on Muren, your expectations are crumbled. With three positions
to choose from, the most surprising feature of Muren is the built-in footstool that
comes out when you lean on your back. Confortable enough while unfolded and
uptight enough when upright, Muren its the Jack of all trades in your livingroom.

Pros

Soft armrests
Goof quality fabric (something similar to denim)

Cons

Ektorp

It comes just in black and brown

Not a low-budget option ($299)

At First Sight
Ektorp is the defition of classic. Weve seen it in American sitcoms 10 years ago and
we see it today in many homes. Regardless of the rather dull design, you know what
to expect from this kind of armchair: heavenly comfort.

The Test
Unfortunately, Ektorp dissapoints. Its not at all as soft as it seems and while sitting
in it you feel your back in a rather weird position. You want to put your arms on the
armrests, but all you get is a rigid feel.

Pros

Stable and solid

12 colors to choose from

Cons

Rather unconfortable
$399 is a high price for what it delivers

TULLSTA

At First Sight
Youve seen the Tullsta in your neighbourhood, in every coffee shop around the
corner. Far from novel in design, this chair doenst promise you much. Not colorwise
(only three colors), nor comfort-wise. But at least comes with a fair price: $99.

The Test
The averagely comfortable seat and the small size are to be considred if you cant
invet very much right now. You can get a new cover or cushions that will spice up its
look.

Pros

Good price
Averagely comfortable
Keeps your behind in an ok position

Cons

Dull design
Keep the back rather stiff
The actual cover looks a little loose

Weve seen and felt a lot of chairs, so its hard to pick the winners, but if we choose
as criteria the value for money, here is our top 10 IKEA chairs:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Poang
Pello
Nolmyra
Strandmon

5. Stockholm Swivel Easy

6. Mellby
7. Ekero
8. Ekenas
9. Villstad
10.
Ystad