It's a cover-up

Show us your sofa and we'll tell you who you are

Not to alarm you. But your sofa is talking. We don't mean that squeak of the springs. Instead, your sofa says a lot about your personality and attitude. Yes, we are what we sit on. So for a bit of fun, let's see what your sofa says about you.

Kivik in Teal Blue Panama Cotton cover from Bemz

Kivik sofa: Typical in classic homes where the owners have exceptionally chic taste. Seen in rare cases in the homes of the young and precocious with a penchant for the good life. Often matched with expensive designer cushions, dark wood and lush carpets.

Personality traits: Effortlessly elegant and alluring
Favourite colours: Neutrals
Favourite read: Design and fitness magazines
Loves: Eco brunch in a fab setting
Hidden talent: Small talk

To get the look see Bemz Urban Living style.

Bemz cover for Ektorp sofa, Loose Fit Country style, in Unbleached Rosendal Pure Washed Linen, Bemz cushion covers in Light Denim Blue, Eggshell Blue Prisma Stripe, Light Denim Blue True Rose

Ektorp sofa: Typical in country homes or homes of people who aspire for uneffected charm. The space is an eclectic blend of furnishings from salvaged finds to comfortable round classics creating rustic luxury. The owner is often found reclined with a cookbook or garden journal, devoting their precious time to planning the next family meal or summer planting projects.

Personality traits: Down to earth, practical. Finds slowness comforting. Does not like to be in a big rush for anything
Favourite colour: White, white and white, with a palette of pinks and yellows or turquoise, blues and reds
Favourite read: Surprise, surprise – cookbooks and gardening magazines
Loves: Farmers markets
Hidden talent: Finding thrift store treasures

To get the look check out the Bemz Scandiavian Country lifestyle.

Nikkala sofa in Sand Beige Belgian Linen Blend

Nikkala sofa: Typical in simple, naturally elegant interiors, where untreated or whitewashed wood plays a central role. The owner is or would like to be permanently by the sea, which is why the colour palette gives a distinct coastal feel. Neatness and order are de-rigueur in this home, where the owner likes to live as streamlined as possible. The look is classic but never outdated.

Personality traits: Goal oriented. No time for mental or physical junk
Favourite colour: Blues in a multitude of hues
Favourite read: Anything by Hans Blomquist
Loves: Spring cleaning
Hidden talent: Knots and knotting

See the Bemz Simple Life lifestyle to get the look.

Bemz cover for Ekeskog sofa in Sage brown/Black Stockholm Stripe, Bemz cover for Karlanda armchair in Moss Green Prisma Stripe, Bemz cover for Jennylund armchair in Aubergine

Ekeskog sofa: Typical in home filled with 50s style furniture from Denmark, accessorised with vintage finds from Paris, thrown together to evoke the image of a beautiful still life. The owner has an impulsive flair for interior expression and is luxurious and even a bit decadent. The décor can be a bit overwhelming, but once people look around, they fall in love with what they see.

Personality traits: Finds independence comforting and is not afraid to live life on own terms, even if they are unpopular
Favourite colours: Calm purple and brown hues, as well as muted pastels
Favourite read: Travel mags
Loves: Free flight upgrades
Hidden talent: Airline seating layouts (knows all the seats with extra leg room far away from the toilets)

See the Bemz Bohemian Chic lifestyle to get the look.

Bemz cover for Klippan sofa in Turquoise/Lime Kivet, design Marimekko and Bemz cover for Klippan footstool in Aqua Praliini, design Marimekko.

Klippan sofa: Characterizes a lively, fun home where the owner takes interior design seriously without being pretentious. Vibrant colours, vivid patterns and dynamic graphic details make this space modern and playful. The style is bold and even a bit over the top, surprising and unexpected.

Personality traits: Imaginative, optimistic, happy over haughty.
Favourite colours: The whole spectrum of bright colours and everything in between
Favourite reads: Comic strips
Loves: Pantone
Hidden talent: Candy Crush

See the Bemz Playground style to get the look

Bemz covers for Söderhamn sofas in Silver Grey Tegnér Melange Textured Cotton and Absolute White Panama Cotton

Söderhamn sofa: Found in the homes of smart, modern consumers. Trendy and contemporary, the great thing about this modular sofa is the owner can create his or her own combination and adapt it if seating needs change. Here, friends and family gather around the IT campfire – a gigantic flat-screen TV, with each person preferably equipped with a second screen in the form of a reading tablet or cell phone in case they might miss something.

Personality traits: In the know and up to date on latest news and trends
Favourite colours: Monchrome
Favourite reads: Consumer reports online
Loves: New apps
Hidden talent: Great personal shopper

See the Bemz Monochrome style to get the look.

Bemz cover for Karlanda in Dark Denim Blue Piper Twill

Karlanda sofa: Popular among Industrial Vintage afficanados, who make their homes in old, defunct factories and other rustic surroundings. Furniture choices are sturdy and functional, with straight lines and simplistic design, ideally a little worn with either rust or peeling paint to give it the proper tarnished look.

Personality traits: Big on sustainability
Favourite colours: Distressed greys, browns, blues and greys
Favourite read: DIY mags
Loves: Anything vintage
Hidden talent: Self-taught sommelier

See the Bemz Industrial Vintage style to get the look.

Credits: AP7 Förvalt, all photos from Bemz

Designer sofa for less than a fifth of the price

Don't you just love this chic Baseline sofa in Roy Beige from Eilersen with its classic clean lines and uncomplicated elegance? Named after its expression, it's an obvious starter piece for any stylish interior. Yes, it's a knock out. But so is the hefty price tag of £3,982.

Instead, check out this more affordable solution from Bemz.

It's a simple as choosing a contemporary number from our favourite Swedish furniture giant, say a Tylösand, which will set you back about £150 second hand. Order your designer cover from Bemz in Sand Beige Tegnér Melange, that'll be another £439 - and revamp the cushions in Sand Beige Tegnér Melange covers from Bemz too - at £25 each (Bemz prices include shipping). Hey presto, you've created a similar sleek look for £689. That's less than a fifth of the price. Use the £3,293 left over for something else fun. Happy shopping!

Designer sofa at a third of the price

We recently noticed that Habitat has introduced the Miller sofa, a sleek and contemporary grey three-seater with a removable linen cover that comes with five scatter cushions in assorted colours.

Reminiscent of Italian designer pieces, it is molto favoloso, no doubt about it. Unfortunately, so is the £1,700 price tag that comes with it. Sigh. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to bring that kind of designer wow into your home at a slightly more affordable price?

Enter Bemz. With a sofa cover from Bemz you can get this look for a fraction of the price. It's as easy as choosing a contemporary number from our favourite Swedish furniture giant, say a Klippan sofa, which will set you back about £150, if you're buying brand new.

Then order your Medium Grey Rosendal Pure Washed Linen cover from Bemz (£309), plus cushions in Burnt Orange Tegnér Melange (£25), Crimson Red Raffia (£25), and Bamboo Green Panama Cotton (£15), that'll bring you up to a total of £524 (including shipping). The same look for less than a third of the price!

Bemz cover for Klippan sofa in Charcoal Grey Woven Whimsy by Katarina Wiklund from the Bemz Designer Collection

Nice to know is that Bemz offers more than 180 colours and patterns, with our wide range of greys currently being the most popular for sofa covers, and Absolute White, Teal Blue and Bamboo Green growing in popularity. Also nice to know is that all Bemz covers are 100% machine washable. Happy shopping!

Enter the fold: Söderhamn, Mellby & Bemz Artist Series

Following up on our recent post on the chic Monochromatic trend, we thought you'd like to know that Bemz has added a number of exciting new covers to our product range to enhance your monochromatic interior. These include stylish covers for Ikea’s gorgeous Söderhamn sectional sofa, the Mellby chair and our one-of-a-kind exclusive Artist Series cushion covers.

Söderhamn modular furniture grouping in Silver Grey Panama Cotton covers from Bemz. Cushion covers in Yellow Fiskis and Orange Fiskis from the Bemz Artists Series cushion cover collection.

The Söderhamn series is based on durable and comfortable modules that can be combined in a myriad of ways. Its design and size are the perfect complements for a trendy monochrome scheme in your home, and the modern, square Mellby armchair fits right in.

Mellby chair in a Silver Grey cover from Bemz. Brown Kvarter and Silver Grey Vallsta and more from the Bemz Artist Series Cushion Covers.

Bemz has also introduced an Artist Series of digitally printed and specially designed cushion covers. Created by our in-house designer Katarina Wiklund, they’ll add the perfect splash of colour and interest to your stylish monochromatic interior.

Bemz Artist Series cushion covers in Brown Kvarter, Beige/Orange Stockholm Stripe, Silver Grey Vallsta, Rose Dellen, Jet Black/Pink Stockholm Stripe, Orange Fiskis, Pink Fiskis, Orange Kvarter, and Yellow Fiskis

Bemz Artist Series cushion covers in Pink Fiskis, Orange Kvarter and Brown Kvarter

Available in neon, bold and retro, you can’t help but fall in with the stunning motifs, striking colours and exclusive piping details of these fab covers, made in all natural materials.

Bemz artist series cushion in Chocolate Brown/Bamboo Green New Baroque

Mix and match these unique cushion covers with a Bemz sofa cover on your sofa and chairs, decorate your bed with them or make a statement with a gorgeous mound of cushions on the floor.

Designer armchair without the designer pricetag

We recently read in Livingetc that the UK based furniture company Multiyork has introduced new easy living “linen-effect” slipcovers for their sofas and armchairs that look just like the real deal.

Currently on sale, the Multiyork Vouvray chair and "linen-effect" cover pictured below can be yours for a total of £645.

Now, wouldn’t it be wonderful to get the same look at less than half the price with real linen to boot! Enter Bemz. This sweet number: a Karlstad armchair from Ikea with a Loose Fit Urban style cover in Soft White Rosendal Pure Washed Linen from Bemz will set you back just £130 for the chair and £189 for the cover.

I can think of quite a few things to do with that extra £326. And the beauty of this solution, you don’t have to buy the chair – just cover the one you already have (but if you do buy the chair, you might want to know that you can buy it without the Ikea slipcover and save a few bills there too.) What's more, our lovely Rosendal Pure Linen comes in 13 lovely colours and patterns including some by Designers Guild from the Bemz Designer Collection.

Karlstad not the armchair model you have? No worries. There are over 20 different armchair styles and models to choose from at Bemz.

If your a regular reader of It's a cover up you'll know that we do this kind of comparison quite often. Check out two other thrifty designer furniture alternatives here and here. Or you may also be interested in playing our which of these is more expensive game! Check it out here.

Bemz News: Vanvik makes the cut

Elle Decoration recently featured a line up of the best upholstered beds for a blissful night’s sleep and the Vanvik bed frame from IKEA made the cut. All you Vanvik owners out there will be happy to hear that Bemz recently added the Vanvik bed frame to our bedroom series, allowing you to further personalise your bed with a designer cover from Bemz.

The Vanvik bed frame cover is available in two sizes, 160 cm and 180 cm and with or without a bedskirt. Choose between a host of machine washable fabrics made in 100% natural fibres available in a myriad of colours and patterns to add your own personal touch to your bed.

For more inspiration read our recent blog post on how to decorate your bedroom, looking at five distinct styles and stay tuned for more on the essentials of creating your dream bedroom. Sweet dreams!

New lines at Bemz: Beddinge, Hagalund and Skruvsta

At Bemz, we're all about personalisation. With Compact Living being one of the hottest trends right now in the run up to back-to-school, we’re expanding our product range and introducing covers for three more Ikea lines. This time we’re launching covers for the Beddinge and Hagalund sofa beds, both with built-in savvy-storage for bedding, as well as for the Skruvsta Swivel Chair that doubles as an office or armchair and is adjustable in height.

Bemz cover for Skruvsta Swivel Chair in Mandarin Orange Panama Cotton. Bemz cover for Pällbo footstool in Absolute White Panama Cotton. Bemz Daybed cover in Black/White Salamander by Bantie from the Bemz Designer Collection. Bemz cushion covers in Cloud Brera Quadretto by Designers Guild, Straw Yellow Panama Cotton as well as Silver Grey Gotland Stripe and Mandarin Orange Gotland Stripe by Katarina Wiklund


Bemz cover for Skruvsta Swivel Chair in Mandarin Orange Panama Cotton and a Nils footstool cover in Woven Whimsey Cloud Grey by Katarina Wiklund.

All three pieces are perfect for optimizing small dwellings such as dorm rooms and studio apartments. They are also ideal for making the most of difficult-to-use space in your home such as large landings, hallways and basements.


Bemz cover for Hagalund 2-seater sofa bed in Dark Denim Blue Piper Twill. Bemz cushion covers in Jet Black Stockholm Stripe by Katarina Wiklund and Straw Yellow Panama Cotton.

So instead of getting rid of that Beddinge, Hagalund or Skruvsta, now’s the time to upcycle it into a fun and stylish new piece for grown up kids starting university or moving into their first apartment.

Bemz cover for Beddinge sofabed in A Paler Shade of Grey Panama Cotton.

These covers are available in 160 different colours and patterns from the Bemz standard range of fabrics as well as some designs from the Bemz Designer Collection, including the likes of British Designers Guild and Finnish Marimekko. All cover models are easy to put on and remove and are completely machine washable.

Bemz cover for Beddinge 3-seater sofa bed in Black Unikko by Marimekko. As well Pällbo footstool cover in Absolute White Panama Cotton.

With so many fabrics to choose from, deciding on what fabric to go with can be daunting. So why not order some swatches of the fabrics you like best. You can also stay tuned and check out our weekly customer feature, where you can how Bemz covers work in real homes. Happy Shopping!

Top tips: make the most of your space with a daybed

Daybeds with their perfect combination of form and function add style and versatility to any room. Ideal for making the most of dorm rooms, studio apartments or homes with space issues, the daybed functions as a stylish sofa by day and a comfortable bed by night, adding extra punch to your décor – compact living or not.

Daybed in Black&White Coconut Grove by Designers Guild from the Bemz Designer Collection.
Cushions in Sun Yellow and Soft White also from Bemz.

In the run up to back-to-school, the daybed is a practical piece for budget-conscious students starting college or university looking to add some style to their living quarters. Transform a dorm room from bedroom basic to stylish pad by adding a daybed in a colourful fabric piled high with cushions. Daybeds are also great for studio apartments, where there may not be room for a sofa and a bed.

Daybed cover in textured Sybary Light Grey and cushion covers in Sand Beige and Graphite Grey

Loop Bed from Hay.

A daybed enables you to make better use of extra space in your home such as large landings, basements, porches. By adding a daybed you can create a cosy reading nook or relaxation zone, which doubles as up as extra sleeping quarters when needed.

Day Bed One from Another Country. Photo from Another Country.

Designed for more than sitting or sleeping, the daybed is the ultimate piece of cocooning furniture.

Hyder daybed. Photo via Tumblr.

A daybed will also transform that seldom-used guest room into a versatile space for year-round use.

Cushions in Pale Turquoise New Baroque, Silver Grey/Absolute White Gotland Stripe and Caffe Latte True Rose on a Soft White Belgian Linen slipcover from Bemz.

In the kids’ room, a daybed will transform the space into a place for your child to entertain. Depending on which model you choose it can also be used for storage.

Photo via The Perfectly Imperfect life.

Now a smart tool in today's design lexicon, the daybed adds life and style to any room. Inject colour with decorative cushions in different sizes and shapes, complemented with collections of framed photos and fabric bunting.

Daybed cover in Fuchsia and scatter cushions in Fuchsia Static Stripe and Daquiri/Teal Blue Stockholm Stripe, Mandarin Orange, Fuchsia and Mandarin Orange/Soft White Gotland Stripe from Bemz

Daybed cover in Soft White Rosendal Pure Washed Linen from Bemz. Photo from Bemz customer Francesca of Italy.

Bemz Basiq: lower pricing, more colours & free bag offer

Looking for an instant and inexpensive way to make your home more summery? Celebrate summer with a Bemz Basiq slipcover and receive a fab free summer bag in Kaleido Blue/Blue by Viola Gråsten from the Bemz Designers Collection.

This popular alternative from Bemz for the budget conscious is now available in two new cool summery colours – Zinc Grey and Sand Beige – as well as the Unbleached original. Bemz Basiq is perfect for bringing summer into your home and adding a fresh, natural look without breaking your budget.

This lower priced alternative for the more popular discontinued Ikea sofas and armchairs has a looser more relaxed fit cover with no piping, and the zippers are replaced with ties for a more natural look. Machine washable, Bemz Basiq in resilient 100% cotton is perfect for summer cottages and kids’ rooms, and a great budget option for summer-ising your apartment.

Buying a Bemz Basiq slipcover is the inexpensive way to give your sofa or armchair a second chance and an easy-going look of understated elegance. Suitable for some of the Ekeskog, Göteborg, Karlanda, Nikkala and Tomelilla models.

If you like this look find more inspiration at our Scandinavian Country Lifestyle.

And remember, buy any Bemz Basiq from right now until July 1, 2012 and you'll receive a fab free summer bag in designer fabric from Bemz. Happy Shopping!

Go large or go home? Designer furniture you can afford

Let's be honest - there's plenty we covet. In my book, a lot of it is designer labeled. But coughing up the cash isn't that easy. Mostly because there is no cash... The beauty with Bemz is the proverbial can't have your cake and eat it too does not apply here. Yay! See below...

Check out this gorgeous armchair I just saw featured in the March 2012 issue of Livingetc: the Norton armchair in Marimekko's Unikko fabric. The ideal springtime boost for a white space, they write. Couldn't agree more. Except this one will set you back a clean £1800 (US$2820).

Or how about this sweet number: a Karlstad armchair from Ikea with Marimekko's Unikko fabric in red from Bemz. This baby, all said and done, will set you back £279 (US$440). I can think of a few things I could do with that extra £1500 (US$2300)... And the beauty of this solution? You don't have to buy the chair - just cover the one you already have (but if you do buy the chair, you might want to know that you can buy it without the Ikea slipcover and save a few bills there too). Karlstad not the chair you have? No worries. There are over 20 different styles and models to choose from at Bemz.

By the way, this is not the first time I've made this kind of comparison. And, if you found this insightful, you may also be interested in playing our which of these is more expensive game! Check it out here.