We’ve had our 6-piece sectional for 3 years now so, it’s time for an honest IKEA Vallentuna review!
Keep reading for:
- a comparison between the regular and storage seats
- comfort rating and comparison against KIVIK
- available colors
- a review of assembly
- washing instructions
- is the Vallentuna worth it
We’re a real family who actually owns and has enjoyed this piece for a few years so, this review will be a bit different than others you may have read.
Disclosure: Affiliate links are used throughout this post. You can read our full disclosure here.
IKEA Vallentuna Review (REAL Owner Review)
The Vallentuna Series was first released by IKEA in 2016 and even features a planning tool to create the sectional of your dreams.
We have experience with the IKEA kitchen planning tool after our kitchen renovation and found this one even easier to use.
Click Start from scratch on the planning tool and choose the pieces you want to start assembling your sectional and see its cost.
You can choose from:
- storage seats
- sleeper modules
- backrests
- back cushions
- armrests
First Impressions of this Sectional
Honestly, when we went to IKEA to return the Flottebo sofa that just looked WEIRD in our living room, we had to walk around the showroom a few times until we settled on the Vallentuna.
Here’s what it looked like in the showroom.
We actually passed by it a few times since it really didn’t stand out!
But I wanted something in this light grey color and we liked the idea that we could set up our own unique configuration for our living room.
So, we decided to give it a chance and are SO happy we did!
More Home Decor Ideas:
- AMAZING IKEA Kitchen Home Renovation (You Won’t Believe it’s The Same House!)
- Coco Village Review: Was Our Daughter’s Montessori Style House Bed Worth It?
IKEA Vallentuna Seats
When we bought our sectional, there were three seating options:
- storage seats
- sleeper modules
- regular seats
Since we purchased our sofa, the regular seat has been discontinued!
Storage Seat Section
We purchased 5 storage seats for our Vallentuna as a way to store extra pillows and blankets from all over our home.
The top of the seats are easy to lift up and are very stable when in the open position so, you don’t need to worry about it shutting on a little one’s head if you’re in the midst of tidying up (always my biggest fear).
Regular Seat
We bought one of these for the right side of our sectional to give our couch a bit less of a perfect C shape – I just like the way this looks more.
The regular seat is a little bit longer than the storage seat and there is a noticeable difference in comfort.
The regular seat is MUCH softer than the storage seat.
Is IKEA Vallentuna comfortable?
Yes, but in comparison to the infamous Kivik (our old couch that now lives downstairs), it’s a bit stiffer.
The Vallentuna back cushions are a MUST HAVE that make a HUGE difference though!
Since the couch’s backrests are at a perfect 90-degree angle, you need something low and soft to provide comfortable back support.
There’s no way we would have bought this couch without the corresponding cushions.
The storage seats are also firmer than the sleeper modules and regular seat that we picked up.
Now, using this couch for sleeping is a different topic.
We never purchased the sleeper module as we bought enough pieces for two people to rest on side-by-side if need be.
But my husband has also temporarily relocated here after the arrival of our new baby!
As I mentioned before, the storage seats are stiffer than the regular and sleeper modules but I don’t think they were created with couch surfers in mind!
Should you wish to use the couch for sleeping on (for yourself or guests), you are much better off investing in the sleeper modules.
Unfortunately, my husband sleeping on the couch has also left a dent on top of the storage seat he normally lies across!
You can see the indentation on the storage seat that doesn’t have a backrest attached to it.
That said, if you’re looking for an adjustable couch that’s comfortable to sleep on as it is, the Kivik is a great option.
I still love our Kivik couch and it’s been great for our growing family (now living downstairs) but the Vallentuna is a stunning piece that checks all of the boxes.
If you’re after a combination of modern design and versatility, Vallentuna is definitely the way to go.
Is IKEA Vallentuna discontinued?
No, but the color we purchased has been!
The couch you see in these images is the Orrsta light gray color.
At the time of writing this, IKEA currently offers the following colors in the United States and Canada:
- Hillared beige
- Hillared light blue
- Kelinge anthracite
- Kelinge rust
- Orrsta olive-green
- Murum black
- Murum white
IKEA Vallentuna assembly
We ordered our Vallentuna with a team member in the seating area and paid for it downstairs at checkout.
However, we had to drive to another pickup warehouse to actually get our sectional.
When we got there, we were surprised by the size of the boxes and how many were there!
My husband actually left me at the pickup warehouse since our SUV didn’t have the room for all of the boxes and me, haha.
I think we picked up our 6 piece sectional in three trips with our old Mercedes ML350.
But this was actually a good thing – the Vallentuna seats are preassembled and ready to go!
No Allen Keys or attaching storage cover seats to chair bottoms required – phew!
You just need to add the fabric covers, chair backs, and armrests (should you choose to buy all of these things) to the chairs when you get home.
This makes Vallentuna assembly SUPER easy!
Just open the fabric covers and start putting the velcro together.
It was so easy, we started building the TV bench we picked up within an hour of settling the couch up!
The most difficult part is covering the corner pieces of your sectional after you machine wash them (more on how easy this couch is the clean coming up).
You can click here to get the assembly instructions.
From that page, scroll down and select Product details.
Click Assembly & documents and download the instructions for the piece you wish to assemble.
Vallentuna Washing Instructions
I admit it – buying the light gray color we went with was a bit of a risk with small children!
But messy fingers, sloppy meals, and spilled drinks are no match for this IKEA sectional.
All you have to do is strip the couch and throw each fabric cover into the wash.
With our setup, we like to wash three seat covers with two pillowcases at a time.
You don’t need to do the backrests, armrests, and base fabrics as often since they don’t experience as much direct contact as the seats!
Choose a warm cycle (either normal or heavy-duty depending on the type of stains – I only go with heavy-duty if it’s something as bad as chocolate) and use your regular detergent.
We like Persil.
Then, watch the stains disappear!
DO NOT dry your Vallentuna fabric covers in the dryer though.
This will shrink it!
IKEA Vallentuna couch covers MUST be laid flat to dry.
So, lay them on the ground in an empty room or on top of a bed or other couch for best results (we use our downstairs KIVIK).
They don’t take very long to dry though and once they’re washed, you just need to velcro them back onto the couch and it’s like you have a brand new piece of furniture again!
The easy washing machine care is one of me and Juraj’s favorite parts about this sectional.
The other is what a beating it can take from our kids and still come out like new, haha.
Shop Inspired Plum at Home: Our Favorite Things by Room
Is the IKEA Vallentuna worth it?
In our opinion – ABSOLUTELY!
This sectional couch has everything a growing family needs including:
- versatile arrangement options: these modular pieces can be moved around or clipped together so, they can change as often as you want them to – whether you move them to a new room or an entirely new home!
- easy to clean: strip your couch and throw it into the washing machine – you’ll never have to worry about letting your toddler snack on the furniture again (it’s difficult enough to get them to eat as it is, haha)!
- modern design: I love the shape of this couch but we added even more life to it by decorating with accent pillows
- ample storage options: should you choose to go with storage seats, you’ll have a ton of room to keep extra pillows, blankets, and other things
- comfort: this sectional couch is spacious and comfortable for the whole family – it’s perfect for cuddles on the couch and days spent watching Euro cup! Heck, we even enjoy sitting in front of it and using it as an armrest when we’re playing on the floor with the kids.
