IKEA Vimle Sofa Review (Finnala): What To Know

This post was most recently updated on January 18th, 2022

In this article: You’ll find a detailed IKEA Vimle Sofa (now called Finnala) review, including the sofa, love seat and ottoman. I provide my initial thoughts just after purchase, as well as a follow up after almost 2 years of use. Are you wondering how comfortable it is, and whether it sags or fades over time? I answer ALL of it! Read on!

Are you considering buying the IKEA Vimle (update 2020: now called ‘IKEA Finnala’) sofa, loveseat and/or ottoman? You’ve come to the right place! This IKEA Vimle sofa review was first written shortly after purchase. But, I recently updated it and added the short video below to provide a follow up after almost two years.  Do we still love it just as much? Has it sagged? Did it fade? Is it worth buying? Check out the video, then read on for everything you need to know!

PLEASE NOTE: In mid 2020, IKEA discontinued the Vimle, and came out with a revised version, now under the name Finnala. In my opinion, it appears that these sofas are nearly identical, with the seat back and arm rest heights having been increased very slightly. You can find a detailed comparison of the two models in my article, IKEA Finnala Sofa (vs Vimle). If you are interested in an IKEA Finnala sofa review, this IKEA Vimle sofa review will still be very helpful, considering that the two models are virtually the same with a few tweaks/upgrades. (As of June 2020, the Vimle is no longer available in Canada, but is available ‘while supplies last’ in the United States.)

Is IKEA Finnala Sofa and IKEA Vimle Sofa the Same?

They Appear Identical

Before getting into this IKEA sofa review, let’s address how close the new IKEA Finnala is to the IKEA Vimle sofa! The IKEA Finnala sofa has very minor tweaks, but, from my research, appears to be essentially the same sofa as the Vimle. First of all, they look identical! It is impossible to discern any tangible difference at first glance. They both have the exact same modern profile with the same clean lines.

Size is Almost Identical

And, when comparing the dimensions of the new IKEA Finnala sofa and the older Vimle model, the size is virtually the same. There is less than an inch increase in the backrest height and the armrest height between the two models. This is probably enough to make the newer Finnala model even more comfortable than the Vimle model that I have. However, it probably means that the replacement covers won’t fit the Vimle precisely, which is a bummer for those of us with the Vimle model.

Construction Appears Same with One Tweak

In addition, both the Finnala and Vimle sofas have a nearly identical ‘Materials’ description. The only major difference appears to be a new smolder resistant lining in the newer IKEA Finnala sofa vs. the IKEA Vimle sofa. Both sofas are described as using the exact same high resilience polyurethane foam (cold foam) seat cushions, with the same polyester wadding on the armrests, and the same frame materials. Further, both IKEA sofas come with the option of the navy blue Orrsta black-blue fabric which is the fabric on my Vimle sofa in this review.

To find more detail on how these two models compare, check out the article below:

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s move on to how well my IKEA Vimle sofa, love seat and ottoman have held up! This review will be super helpful if you are considering purchasing the newer Finnala model.

IKEA Vimle (now Finnala) Sofa Review: 2 Year Follow Up Video

IKEA Vimle (now Finnala) Sofa Review: My Thoughts

Find out how comfortable it is, whether it sags, whether it fades, what I really love about it, and some minor drawbacks you should consider.

Today, I’m sharing my initial thoughts on our IKEA Vimle sofa (note the newer version is now called Finnala) and love seat. Tomorrow, I’ll also post about our IKEA Farlov chairs. This IKEA Vimle Review was not sponsored by IKEA. I simply wanted to share my observations about this sofa because I know purchasing furniture is a big decision. And, while I personally love IKEA products, I know that some of you might be hesitant to invest in lower cost furniture.

Why I Chose the IKEA Vimle Sofa in Orrsta Black-Blue

It has clean lines, comes in great colours (including navy blue), is durable and affordable. It also fit well with my modern coastal style design plan!

Before getting into this IKEA Vimle Sofa Review, I thought I’d give you some background on why I chose the Vimle sofa and love seat in the first place. If you follow me on Instagram (find me here), then you probably noticed we’ve been building a summer home.

To keep costs down, we bought almost all the living room furniture from IKEA, including an IKEA Vimle sofa, love seat and ottoman in the Orrsta black-blue fabric, as well as two Farlov chairs with white slipcovers. 

The IKEA Vimle sofa in the Orrsta black-blue fabric (now the IKEA Finnala sofa in the Orrsta black-blue fabric ) fit perfectly into my design plan from the beginning! I knew I wanted a modern coastal cottage feel for this home, but without it feeling kitschy or theme-y.  (Update 2020: The IKEA Finnala sofa is available in this same, gorgeous navy blue fabric!)

To create an understated nautical feel, I decided on a crisp navy blue and white colour scheme. I wanted a navy blue sofa and love seat to accent white-washed shiplap walls. And, spoiler alert, the navy blue (Orrsta black-blue fabric) Vimle sofa hit all the right notes!

Here is How this IKEA Vimle Sofa Review (now called Finnala) is Organized

There’s a lot to tell you about the IKEA Vimle sofa, including what I LOVE, and a few minor drawbacks. So, I’ve tried to organize it in a few key areas that I know you’re wondering about.

IKEA Vimle Sofa Review (Finnala): My 3 Purchase Criteria

When I searched for a navy blue sofa for the cottage, I had three basic criteria:

1. Shape: Clean, Modern Lines

First, I wanted the new sofa and love seat to have clean, modern lines. Coastal cottage style is tricky to pull off without it feeling fussy or overdone.  So, I wanted the furniture to be simple and streamlined. I searched for a sofa with clean edges, not an over-stuffed, curvy profile.

Actually, before considering the IKEA Vimle Sofa, I toyed with the idea of buying a slipcovered IKEA Ektorp sofa.  This was probably just because most design bloggers I follow seems to have one. But, with its rounder arms, it wasn’t streamlined enough for my more modern design plan.  (And, also, I was concerned about saggy seat and back cushions after a few years of wear and tear – something I’d read complaints about in the past.)

2. Durability

As a second purchase criterion, the new sofa and love seat absolutely needed to be durable. Because this house is a second home, we don’t plan on replacing the furniture for many years. If ever.  Also? We have 3 kids.  Two of them are 8-year old twin boys. Enough said, right?  I dreaded the thought of a having a sofa with saggy seat cushions that I couldn’t replace.

That’s why my sister first recommended the IKEA sofa she has in her TV room. She’s had it for a few years, and raves about how durable the seat cushions are. It has IKEA’s high resilience foam cushions. While her sofa was too large for our space, I decided that if I was going to buy an IKEA sofa, it would absolutely need to have these durable, high resilience foam cushions.

3. Affordable

Thirdly, the new sofa had to be affordable.  We didn’t want to spend too much on furnishings for a summer home. I hesitate to say it needed to be ‘cheap’ because there’s a difference! Being a true believer that you get what you pay for, I was certainly willing to pay what I needed for decent quality. Because IKEA’s sofas are so budget-friendly, I thought it would be a great place to start my search.

WHAT I LOVE About the IKEA Vimle Sofa

Key Advantages

To my delight, with these 3 purchase criteria in mind, I found the IKEA Vimle sofa. Not only did it have the durable seat cushions I was looking for, it also had a clean, modern shape that was small enough to fit in our space. And, bonus, it came in a gorgeous navy blue fabric! We’ve had it for a couple of years, and here are all the things I absolutely love about this sofa and love seat.

1. Aesthetics

Clean, Modern Lines

The IKEA Vimle sofa has a modern profile with simple, clean lines.  The arms are nice and square, and it has a neat, sleek look. (Update 2020: The new IKEA Finnala sofa looks identical to the Vimle.)

The Fabric

The fabric on the IKEA Vimle sofa is also really nice. It is a heavier weight duck canvas, with a very slight cross-weave texture to it. It feels substantial.

Great Colour Choices

This sofa also comes in some great colours. And, yay, one of them is a gorgeous, navy blue blue shade called Orrsta black-blue.  (Update 2020: Thankfully, the Finnala sofa comes in the same colour option!) The other colours are some nice neutrals that would look great in any space. You can also change up the fabric covers if you tire of it. It’s a bit trickier to change than a slipcover like the Ektorp, but it is certainly possible.

2. Durability: Does it Sag?

As mentioned, one of my three purchase criteria was durability! I was most hesitant about a sofa with saggy cushions. Well, I’m happy to report that I am super pleased with the durability of the IKEA Vimle sofa, so far.  The seat cushions are super firm and comfortable, and exactly as described by IKEA: highly resilient.  They easily ‘bounce back’ when pressed, and they don’t sag or wrinkle at all after sitting on it. Take a look at the video I posted above to see what I mean! (Note: The new Finnala sofa has the same great foam cushions.)

3. Comfort

The IKEA Vimle sofa is also very comfortable and cozy. The foam seat cushions are firm, with a good, comfortable depth. The back cushions are softer than the seat cushions, allowing you to sink into them comfortably. This sofa doesn’t come with toss cushions, but that’s fine by me. I rarely use the matching toss pillows that come with a sofa anyway.  This Orrsta black-blue fabric looks great styled with some cute coastal toss pillows. (Note: The new Finnala sofa is likely even more comfortable as IKEA has increased the backrest and armrest height, although only slightly.)

4. Price/Affordability

Finally, I’m so happy with the quality of this sofa for the price we paid! Just like most IKEA furniture purchases, the IKEA Vimle sofa is budget-friendly compared with other sofas on the market. We purchased the sofa, love seat AND ottoman for less than the cost of one sofa that we were considering at another major retailer.

What I Don’t LOVE About the IKEA Vimle Sofa

Minor Drawbacks

If you haven’t realized it by now, I absolutely love this sofa. But, any IKEA Vimle Sofa Review wouldn’t be complete (or honest) without mentioning a few minor drawbacks. I would call them annoyances more than anything. They were certainly not deal breakers, but they’re worth noting.

1. Assembly

A minor complaint about the IKEA Vimle sofa is the assembly.  I’ve put lots of IKEA furniture together in the past, so I knew what I would be facing. But, I was still a bit intimidated by the number of boxes. Oh em gee, the boxes! It’s not hard to put together, but, you really need to put aside some time to do it.

Once I unboxed it all and got everything organized, the process went smoothly.  I did it by myself, but it would be helpful to have another person hold the larger parts.  I think it took me about 5 hours spread over a day or two for both the sofa and the love seat. That was with coffee and wine breaks 🙂

2. Fabric Consideration

As mentioned, the fabric is really nice. But, because it has a cross-weave texture to it, it does hold a bit of lint from wool throws and sweaters. This shows up on the navy fabric which is a bit annoying. But it’s nothing I can’t fix with a roll of a lint brush now and again. I don’t think this would be as noticeable on one if the lighter fabric options (if at all).

3. Durability: Does it Fade?

This section was updated after almost 2 years of use: One other minor complaint with the navy blue fabric on the IKA Vimle sofa is that it has faded slightly. We do have a VERY large window in this room (see video above) which makes it difficult to avoid any fading at all. I don’t think this would be as much of an issue with typical sized windows. However, if you are concerned about fading, it might be best to choose a lighter fabric.

Would I Recommend the IKEA Vimle Sofa?

So, would I recommend the IKEA Vimle sofa, considering all the great things about it, along with the minor drawbacks? Yes, absolutely, I think this sofa is a great buy for the price, and it is super stylish. I don’t think you will be disappointed with this sofa and love seat! And, considering that the new IKEA Finnala is described by IKEA with virtually the same descriptors, I would imagine that it is also a great buy.

Follow Along on Instagram

For updates on this IKEA Vimle sofa review, as well as lots more home decor ideas, follow A Pop of Pretty on Instagram! Click below to take you there.

Shop the Post

If you like the coastal cottage style you see in this article, you might like my round up of decor sources which you can find here: Shop the Look of Our Coastal Cottage. You can also find my favourite decor picks on Amazon over on my A Pop of Pretty’s Amazon Storefront.

I hope this IKEA Vimle Sofa Review was helpful!

I hope this IKEA Vimle sofa review has been helpful, even if you are now looking at purchasing its replacement, the IKEA Finnala sofa!  If you have any questions about it, shoot me a comment.  Also, my friend, Erin, has another good review of the Vimle on her blog. She added the chaise piece, and has some good insight about assembling it. And, she also compares the Vimle to the Ektorp in her IKEA sofa review.

Tomorrow, I’ll review these IKEA Farlov chairs:

P.S. Wondering about those cute striped poufs I paired with the Farlov chairs? It’s one of my most asked questions! Find out about them here: The Blue Striped Poufs Everybody Asks me About: Where to Buy Them!

Have the best day.

Kerri