It's a cover-up

Top 10 at Bemz - discontinued and discounted

At Bemz, we offer covers for over 20 models of Ikea sofas and within each of those models there are any number of styles: two seat sofas, three seat sofas, corner sofas, modular sofas, chaise longues and sofa beds. And that's just the sofas! We also sell covers for over 15 models of Ikea armchairs, a dozen or so models of footstools, dining-room chairs, day bed covers, cushion covers, bed skirts, bed frames... Phew! 

But this is not about an exhaustive list of what we sell. This is about what you, the great majority of our customers buy. What are the top 10 products sold, by model, at Bemz? To stay true to a top 10 list, we will countdown from number ten:

(drumroll please)

Number 10: The Ektorp armchair

Even though you can still get covers for this comfy number at the giant furniture retailer, it comes in as the tenth favourite product for Bemz customers. The Ektorp armchair is available in made-to-measure and shabby chic inspired Loose Fit Country styles.

Join the Prime Minister of Great Britain and get in at number 10 with your Ektorp cover.

Number 9: The Nikkala three seater sofa

The Nikkala is a discontinued model from Ikea. At Bemz, covers are available as regular, made-to-measure fit, in our exclusive Loose Fit Country style and as low cost Basiq fabric for our number nine spot, the Nikkala. Nikkala is also a town situated in Norrbotten, the most northerly region of Sweden.

Nine means long-lasting and harmonious. Perfect! One Number nine Nikkala cover, please.

Number 8: The Ektorp two seater sofa

The two seat Ektorp sofa, available from Bemz in made-to-measure and Loose Fit Country styles, ranks eighth on our top 10 list. Ektorp is a commuter town located outside Sweden's capital city, Stockholm, also home to Bemz. Yay!

Good fortune and prosperity go hand-in-hand with number eight. Better order your Ektorp two seater cover today.

Number 7: The Tomelilla three seater sofa

The Tomelilla is also a discontinued model from Ikea but its namesake is situated at the very south of Sweden in the Skåne region. Covers for the Tomelilla three seater are also available as regular, made-to-measure fit, in our exclusive Loose Fit Country style and as low cost alternative Basiq.

Seven is a lucky number for relationships - better get your lucky Tomelilla cover.

Number 6: The Klippan two seater sofa

 

This is one of the most iconic and longest standing sofas Ikea has ever offered. It was launched back in 1979 and is still going strong. For some, that's reason enough to get a unique and personalised cover, in made-to-measure or Loose Fit Urban style, from Bemz. Did you know that Klippan means cliff in Swedish?

Six is happiness! And good for business. If only you could order those as easily as your Klippan cover.

Number 5: Ekeskog three seater sofa

The Ekeskog is another discontinued line from Ikea with covers available as made-to-measure, Loose Fit Country style and in Basiq from Bemz. The town of Ekeskog is located between Sweden's two largest lakes: Lake Vänern and Lake Vättern.

Five is for the five elements. Oddly fabric is not one of them so complete the circle with an Ekeskog cover!

Number 4: The Ektorp three seater sofa

This is still a popular sofa at Ikea - one of many you can buy without any slipcover and save yourself a few clams to be put toward your stunning individual cover from Bemz, whether made-to-measure or Loose Fit Country style.

The number four represents solidity, calmness, and home, much like the Ektorp three seater sofa.

Number 3: Goteborg three seater sofa

Goteborg is Swedish for Gothenburg, the second largest city and home to Volvo. It is also a discontinued sofa model at Ikea with covers available in made-to-measure and Basiq.

Coincidentally, number three is associated with birth and your Goteborg will be a brand new baby with its new cover.

Number 2: Karlanda three seater sofa

The Karlanda is discontinued at Ikea but that doesn't mean you have to get rid of it. And many of you don't! This second most popular model's covers come in made-to-measure, the new Loose Fit Urban style and in Basiq. 

Lucky number two can be yours - get your Karlanda cover.

(one more time...drumroll please)

Number 1: The Ektorp two seat sofa bed

This item from the Ektorp collection, now discontinued at Ikea, is the most popular item among Bemz customers. With over 180 fabrics to choose from, you can rest assured that your much loved Ektorp sofa bed need not be kicked to the curb and better yet, look like no other Ektorp sofa bed in the world.

Are you number one? Yay! Get your Ektorp cover - and join our other number ones.

As a special celebration of spring and the renewal it brings, we are going to knock 10% off* your favourite model from our Top 10 list so you can make a renewal of your own. These discounts will be for one day only though. To take advantage of this promotion, all you need to do is 'like' our Facebook page so that you can stay tuned for the daily updates. The offers are going to crop up like spring flowers!

*promotion will run from April 18 through to April 28, 2012. Each promotion will be valid for one day only. Each of the top 10 products listed above will be discounted individually. To participate, 'like' our Facebook page, stay tuned and get ready to order your favourite from our top 10!

Romantic vintage chez Bemz: new Loose Fit designs

Bemz’s very own Loose Fit – Country Style slipcovers, a completely new design of cover available to fit IKEA furniture, were first introduced almost a year ago. Inspired by the Shabby Chic interior design trend, it combines a looser fit slipcover with the exclusive Rosendal Pure Washed Linen fabric, a pre-washed 100% pure linen.

By increasing the number of furniture models within the Loose Fit – Country Style range, we are making it easier than ever to introduce a touch of “romantic vintage” into your home, especially with the addition of our new Multi Fit chair cover which fits most standard size kitchen and dining chairs.

You can now get Loose Fit slipcovers from Bemz for the following models: the Ekeskog 3 seater sofa, sofa bed and armchair; the Stockholm (older model) 3 seater sofa, 2 seater sofa and armchair; the Ektorp chaise longue series (right armrest, left armrest and no armrests); and, the Jennylund armchair. Slipcovers from the Loose Fit range are already available for the Tomelilla series, the Nikkala sofa and the Henriksdal dining chair.

We've also added a new color to this collection: Lavender, a perfectly rich pastel, just in time for spring and summer.

To be true to the romantic vintage style of this range, we not only use beautiful 100% linen fabric and a looser fitting slipcovers, but we also cut the fabric by hand and use ties rather than zips (but to mention a few details!). All this and still machine washable!

Love Bemz but don't have IKEA chairs? Multi Fit's for you

Have no fear! Multi Fit is here! Now it's easier than ever to introduce a touch of romantic vintage into your home.

We’ve introduced a completely new cover, exclusive to Bemz, that makes Loose Fit - Country Style accessible to ALL types of kitchen and dining room chairs, even ones that aren't from IKEA! Our new Multi Fit chair cover is available in two sizes, 85 cm tall (33.5 inches) and 95 cm tall (37.5 inches), and fits most standard size kitchen and dining chairs*. 

Bemz’s very own Loose Fit – Country Style slipcovers, a completely new design of cover available to fit IKEA furniture, were first introduced almost a year ago. Inspired by the Shabby Chic interior design trend, it combines a looser fit slipcover with the exclusive Rosendal Pure Washed Linen fabric, a pre-washed 100% pure linen.

Give your chairs a Country Style makeover today! To sweeten the deal, you can get 10% off this new slipcover - but don't delay. Offer ends May 11.

*To ensure a good fit, check the measurements of your chair against the slipcover measurements available on our website.

Lisa Bengtsson - a designer revisited

Now that our lovely Swedish designer Lisa Bengtsson has moved from up-and-coming to established, I think it's time for a revisit, and a little advice from our own in-house designers on how to best introduce her patterns into your home.

In February 2010, we were very happy to welcome her two designs, Baronessa and Sir Harald, into our designer range of slipcovers at Bemz.

Lisa Bengtsson, born in 1981 in the tiny town of Gnosjö (pop. <5,000!), graduated from the prestigious Berghs School of Communication in Stockholm in 2007 with a degree in graphic design. Being on the receiving end of several distinguished awards, including the 2008 Rising Star of the Year from Swedish design mag ELLE Interior, helped her meteoric journey into the limelight.

Lisa takes inspiration for her designs mostly from storytelling about individuals and how they lived their lives but also from friends and family. Read more about Lisa Bengtsson and her designs here.

And what about those fabrics? The dreamy oversized blooms of Baronessa are reminiscent of an English manor garden with its breathtaking flowerbeds, leaving us feeling all romantic and drunk on spring. That said however, you may feel that these larger-than-life patterns are not for the faint hearted but you'd be surprised how well they work, especially when paired with ideal mates.

According to our talented in-house designers, pairing Baronessa - Pink with Candy Pink, accentuated further by throwing trendy Daiquiri Green into the mix will give you vibrant, playful and contemporary look.

For a slightly more subtle effect, couple Baronessa - Green with other greens, such as the lovely, textured Tegnér Melange Bamboo Green.

You couldn't be more on trend with the patchwork look of Sir Harald - Multi. This modern take of a nostalgic era was actually inspired by Lisa’s ancestors. The pattern is as multi-faceted as the name suggests which allows it many possible matches. Our designers' favorite? Fuchsia to pick up the pink and purple tones.

Like what you see? Act fast: right now you can get 10% off any Lisa Bengtsson slipcover until May 2nd.

Desire to Inspire: using large patterned fabrics

Many of us stick to basic solids for big pieces of furniture and inject color and patterns using throw cushions and accessories. Beautiful fabrics however, like those in the Marimekko designer collection often use large patterns which may not achieve their full potential on throw cushions. Here's a small tutorial from our in-house designers on how to mix and match using large patterned fabrics.

This Unikko Red cover on a Klippan sofa paired with a Tomelilla armchair in Fandango Red shows how beautifully large-patterned fabrics can work together. The successful mix of these distinctly different patterns, both vibrant and imposing, comes down to using the same base color and working from a single palette; the cerise pink and reds in this instance. The white walls and monochromatic graphic details are the springboard to ensuring the right background is created for showcasing these fabrics in their full glory. The result? A chic, unique and playful living-room.

Large patterned fabrics can also work on dining-room chairs. Mixing and matching these breathtaking Marimekko fabrics injects style and color. In the photos above, our designers chose to use medium length skirt slipcovers with box pleats (available exclusively at Bemz) on Henriksdal chairs. The combination pictured left includes Pirput Parput - Pink/Red from Marimekko which is small in pattern yet intensive and vibrant in color. It counters the Fandango Light Grey beautifully, another Marimekko fabric, which is calmer both in color and pattern despite its large design. This kind of opposing yet complimentary pairing creates excitement and interest. And that feeling has been taken one step further by covering the Nils stools in other dynamic fabrics including Stockholm Stripe – Jet Black, Candy Pink and Sun Yellow. The picture right shows another possibility, combining different colours and patterns in one and the same room. The designers chose Pirput Parput- White/Black and Sun Yellow slipcovers, with matching accessories to bring a truly vernal feel to the room. 

The classic Marimekko flower, Unikko, is still one of the most popular patterns used today. Its more subdued, black variation is perfect as a simple, yet powerful key feature in creating the calm kitchen environment pictured left. The grey-beige in the flower, reminiscent of camouflage, blends wonderfully, accentuating the green mosaic and the toned-down wood. Contrary to what one might expect, these large blooms work as well on the small Henriksdal bar stool as on the more imposing Tomelilla armchair. The Unikko - Blue pictured right creates a focal point and sets the stage in an otherwise white room. 

And while we are on the topic: right now you can get 10% off all covers in any of our 18 Marimekko fabrics*: the vivid Unikko in Red, Black and Blue; the swirling Spinning; the effevescent Kirsikka in Turquoise and Grey/Black; the bubbly Pirput Parput in Pink/Red, Putty/White and White/Black; the classic Pienet Kivet in Black/White and Turquoise/Lime; the meandering Joonas in Black/White and Black/Blue; the delightful Praliini in Light Grey, Lime and Aqua; and, finally the arresting Fandango in Red and Light Grey.

*Offer valid up to and including February 28, 2011, on any sofa, armchair or dining chair cover in above Marimekko patterns. Discount already applied to online prices.

10% off all cozy autumn Chenille fabrics

Shake off the approaching darkness and bad weather with silky smooth and ever popular chenille fabrics from Bemz! Right now we are offering a 10% discount on all Chenilles: Soft White, Jet Black, Sand Beige, Cinnabar Red, Graphite Grey, Sage Brown, Deep Navy Blue, Burgundy, Plum and Mocha. Made from 100% cotton and machine washable - so not to worry, should you happen to spill a bit of steaming hot chocolate on it...

Make sure you order in some free swatches to find the right Chenille color for you.

This offer is valid from Friday, September 24 through to Friday, October 8, 2010, on all Bemz products (sofa, chair and cushion covers, as well as fabric by the meter) in any of the Chenille textiles. The discounted prices are applied directly on the website throughout the campaign.

Cozy up this autumn with new Tegnér fabrics - 10% off

With autumn on our doorstep, our thoughts turn to evenings curled up at home in front of a favorite movie or with the latest paperback. Kick-start your transition from cool summer to cozy autumn with these two new colors reminiscent of crisp autumn nights and misty September dawns: Tegnér Mélange Ink Blue and Tegnér Mélange Fuchsia, added to our popular textured cotton range.

The Tegnér Mélange collection uses a unique yarn dyed fabric from Italy that is made from a blend of cotton, viscose and linen. It is woven using natural fibers in differing color tones which results in an elegant and exclusive structure complemented beautifully by its soft, comfortable feel.

Plus, right now you can get 10% off your Tegnér Mélange favorite! Create a little of your own autumn coziness with some new covers with a 10% discount on all Tegnér Mélange fabrics: Real Red, Sage Brown, Teal Blue, Zinc Grey, Bamboo Green, Burnt Orange along with our brand new Fuchsia and Ink Blue. As with all Bemz fabrics, these textured numbers are machine washable.

Don't delay: this 10% discount offer is valid until Wednesday, September 1st, 2010, on all Bemz products ordered in the fabrics listed above (for sofa, chair and cushion slipcovers, as well as fabric by the meter).

Website prices will already be adjusted to include the 10% discount throughout the promotional period. Offer valid online only.

Summer special: 10% off Archipelago favorites!

During its best moments, summer inspires us to dream of salty seas and summerhouses by the waterfront. With the help of Bemz lifestyle “Archipelago“ and some new Bemz slipcovers you can recreate a nautical look in your own home and always have your own warm summer dreams! Psst, keep reading to check out our special Archipelago offer...  

For the classic navy look, combine fresh Stockholm Stripes in Real Red, Deep Navy Blue, Caffe Latte and Sand Beige with their matching solid color, or mix it up with another color hue and fabric texture, like Unbleached Linen.

To recreate the boho chic archipelago style of faded jeans, go for a base of Light Denim Blue and complement with pixel rose pattern True Rose or multi-striped Static Stripe in Light Denim Blue and Caffe Latte.

Feel like introducing a cool summer breeze into your living room or dining room? Shop now and get 10% off Real Red, Deep Navy Blue, Soft White and Absolute White (in our 100% panama cotton weave, stain protected and machine washable)! This offer is available until Sunday July 25th, and applies to all Bemz products (sofa, chair, and/or cushion covers, and fabric by the metre) in the above mentioned fabric choices. The price you see online is the discounted price, and this offer is only valid for orders placed and paid online.

Shop latest Sunday 25th to get your Archipelago discount!

Bemz introductory offer: Inspiration book by Tricia Guild

Photo: Karlanda sofa in Sagrada Lime

To celebrate this exciting new designer collaboration, we will be giving every person who places an order for a slipcover from our new Bemz Designers Guild collection a gift. If you place your order between June 22 and 30, 2010, you will receive Tricia Guild's book entitled Inspiration, where Tricia herself has "tried to collect some of my enduring passions: the images and impressions that inspire me, design fragments that I come across by accident and help kick start a creative process...".

Time to get shopping!

Linen week! 10% off until June 3

Now that summer is firmly knocking at our doors, there's no better way to usher it in than by filling our homes with gloriously crisp and cool linens! To help you achieve this, Bemz is selling all solid colored linens at a 10% discount from today, May 27, until June 3.

To take advantage of this offer, choose from any of the 16 solid colored fabrics from the Belgian linen blend series (51% linen, 49% cotton) or any of the new 100% linen fabrics from the Rosendal Pure Washed Linen range.

Go to the shop to order your favorite linen slipcover or pick up some free swatches to see how the fabric works in your home.