Upgrade Ikea with High-End Covers
I first came across the brand Bemz while in Australia about a decade ago. We were staying at a holiday rental home by the beach that was owned by an interior designer and the home was all kinds of laid back luxe - I was very smitten and as you can imagine I started to research and unearth where the different furniture and objects were from. There were two oversized armchairs with loose dusty-blue linen covers. They had a label on them ‘Bemz’. I’d never heard of them. So I looked them up and was amazed that these armchairs were in fact Ikea, with linen Bemz covers over them to elevate their look. Very clever. Ever since I have been a big fan of Bemz and regularly recommend their products to clients.
Bemz have recently added to their linen range with some new prints and I am in love! The covers themselves are not cheap - they are made from good quality linen and designed to fit the different Ikea ranges. So set your expectations in line with a good quality product in terms of price - but, if the choice is a brand new sofa or armchair, versus purchasing a linen cover and keeping the original furniture piece, I would highly recommend the latter. To start it’s good for the environment and secondly, loose covers are always a win because you can keep laundering them so that your furniture always looks fresh.
You can customise your covers with the different fabric ranges - and choose whether you want the covers to be fitted, loose or maximalist (i.e. give me all the ruffles). I like all options and would think through how you pair the cover with the profile of the Ikea piece that you own. The Bemz website helpfully shows you how each cover would look which takes the guess work out of it.
A couple of my favourite Bemz covers and Ikea pieces
Style Your Ikea Bemz Pieces
1. Striped Ottoman
I love this micro striped linen ottoman cover from Bemz with the ruffle skirt. I would use it with an earthy palette and keep things from feeling too feminine and frilly with a timeless standing lamp with rice paper shade and heavy earthy vessels. A patterned jute rug underfoot provides a nice pattern on pattern play with the stripes - without feeling too much. Shop the look below:
2. Velvet Armchair
A simple silhouette is given the luxe treatment with a cover in a caramel velvet from Bemz. I would do these armchairs in a pair for a living room and style with a set of simple white linen covered sofas - you can get these from Bemz too. A statement marble coffee table and a touch of pattern from a Walter G cushion and a modern classic sculptural lamp from Akari. To keep the base neutral I would use a plain flat weave jute rug. Shop the look below:
3. Tapestry Style Daybed
I adore this tapestry style fabric and love it paired with the modern cube silhouette of the Ikea daybed. I would use this in a bedroom that has extra space at the foot of the bed or in a corner. I love the Armadillo & Co Atlas rug in bedrooms and would pair this bold print with a classic Gubi brass mirror, crisp white linen for the bed, and a touch of earthiness to mix it up with the lamp from Originals. Shop the look below:
