Ikea LYCKSELE LÖVÅS: The armchair that replaces the sofa bed

Many city dwellers face the same issue every day: there is very little room, yet they still need a proper guest bed – without having to squeeze a bulky sofa bed into the room.

Rents are soaring in major cities just as living space is getting smaller. Sofa, bed, home office and storage all have to fit somehow into just a few square metres. With the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS, Ikea offers a piece designed for precisely this situation: an armchair that turns into a real single bed in seconds, making conventional sofa beds seem outdated.

Why conventional sofa beds are so frustrating

Anyone who has used an inexpensive sofa bed day to day will know its familiar shortcomings. Everything may look clever and practical in the showroom, but everyday use soon reveals the less appealing reality.

• They occupy a large amount of floor space, even when nobody is sleeping on them.
• Opening them can be difficult, awkward or noisy.
• The mechanism wears out quickly and may start to stick.
• The sleeping surface is uneven, overly firm or too soft – practically inviting back pain.

This is exactly the problem Ikea is addressing. The LYCKSELE LÖVÅS is not intended to be “just another sofa bed”, but a different solution for compact rooms.

The Ikea armchair that replaces the sofa bed

At its heart, the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS is not a sofa but a compact armchair that pulls out. During the day, it sits in the room like an ordinary lounge chair; at night, a few simple movements turn it into a proper single bed.

“The key difference: the armchair remains slim, takes up very little room during the day and converts into a level sleeping surface without any strenuous effort.”

Its styling is deliberately understated, with clean lines, a low profile and no wide, bulky frame. This allows the furniture to suit very different interiors, from a pared-back Scandinavian living room to a colourful shared flat bedroom.

It converts in seconds: pull the seat forwards, fold down the backrest and it is ready. There is no heavy metal frame and no fiddling with concealed levers. It may sound almost too simple – which is exactly what makes it so useful in everyday life.

Ideal for a home office and guest room

This armchair is particularly appealing in spaces that need to serve several purposes at once. Common examples include:

• A study that occasionally doubles as a guest room
• A studio flat where every square metre needs to do more than one job
• A teenager’s bedroom where friends sometimes stay overnight
• A one-room flat where a “proper bed” would take up too much space

Rather than positioning a large sofa bed across the room, the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS can simply sit against a wall or in a corner. The remaining space is left available for a desk, dining table or storage.

Comfort without compromise: a mattress rather than a stopgap

Many space-saving furnishings demand a trade-off: a smaller footprint in return for less comfort. With the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS, that compromise is surprisingly modest.

Inside is a polyurethane foam mattress designed to work for both sitting and sleeping. It is intended not to become saggy after only a few months, while retaining its shape even with frequent use.

“The sleeping surface is flat and the foam is sufficiently dense – the aim is for it to feel more like a basic mattress than an emergency bed.”

When used as a chair, the backrest offers noticeable lumbar support. Anyone who regularly moves from their desk to the armchair while working from home, or spends long evenings reading, will quickly appreciate how important that support is for the back.

Sleeping on the armchair bed

Once unfolded, it provides a level single-bed surface. The foam is balanced so that you do not sink into it, but it does not feel board-hard either. For occasional guests or permanent use in a very small flat, it will normally be perfectly adequate.

There is another practical benefit: because the armchair is narrower than many sofa beds, its sleeping surface can often be positioned more easily in the room – across beneath a window, for instance, or lengthways along a wall without blocking the entire space.

Change the covers instead of replacing the furniture

Interchangeable covers are a key feature of the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS. Ikea uses a system that allows the cover to be fully removed and replaced.

• The fabrics are machine-washable, which is useful for stains, pets or children.
• A new cover can give the armchair a refreshed look whenever needed.
• Seasonal style changes, such as lighter shades in summer and darker ones in winter, are easy to achieve.
• When moving home, the furniture can be visually adapted to the new space without buying a replacement.

“Rather than replacing the entire piece of furniture, you simply put the cover in the washing machine – or replace it when necessary.”

The standard cover is intentionally neutral and works in most homes. Ikea also offers several colours and textures, ranging from subtle to more striking options. Anyone who enjoys interior design can therefore make a substantial visual change for relatively little money.

Price, guarantee and sustainability

At a price of €249, the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS sits clearly below many high-quality sofa beds without falling into the budget category. For people paying a great deal of rent per square metre, such a “2-in-1 piece of furniture” can make sound financial sense: it removes the need for an extra guest bed or a large sofa.

Also noteworthy is Ikea’s ten-year guarantee for the furniture. This lengthy cover suggests that the mechanism and upholstery are designed not merely for occasional use, but to withstand many conversion cycles.

From a sustainability perspective, the concept offers another advantage. Using one item of furniture for two purposes reduces the number of pieces that need to be bought. That means less production, less transport and less bulky waste at the end of its life. The replaceable covers can extend its usable life further.

How the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS works in genuinely tiny flats

The LYCKSELE LÖVÅS becomes particularly interesting where space is truly limited: in flats of 20 to 35 square metres. Every bit of circulation space matters here. A standard bulky sofa bed often takes up an entire wall and makes the room appear even smaller.

The Ikea armchair can be approached differently:

• As a reading chair by the window that becomes a bed only when visitors stay over
• As a bed in a shared-flat bedroom that is barely recognisable as a sleeping space during the day
• As an addition to a slim two-seater sofa, providing flexible seating or a guest bed
• As a corner piece paired with plants, a side table and a floor lamp

Anyone using houseplants can deliberately incorporate the armchair into a “quiet zone” – for example, beside a large-leafed plant that makes the room feel more welcoming. This creates a small retreat that can turn into a practical bed in the evening.

Practical tips for everyday use

A few straightforward measures can help it fulfil its potential in daily life:

• Plan storage: Keep guest bedding in a box beneath a shelf or in a mobile drawer unit next to the armchair.
• Choose lightweight duvets: Thin duvets that compress well are easier to store in a cupboard.
• Use a neutral cover as a base: Add colour with cushions and throws instead of choosing a brightly coloured cover straight away.
• Air the room regularly: Fresh air is especially important in small rooms, helping to prevent the mattress from developing a stale atmosphere.

Anyone using the armchair as their everyday bed can also add a thin topper. It can be rolled up and stored each morning, noticeably improving sleeping comfort without undermining the space-saving concept.

Who the LYCKSELE LÖVÅS is really worth buying for

This furniture is clearly aimed at people who have limited floor space and need to choose every item carefully. That includes:

• Students in small flats or shared accommodation
• Single people in high-rent cities
• Couples wanting to use a separate study flexibly as a guest room
• Families looking to combine a comfortable seating area with a sleeping place in a child’s or teenager’s bedroom

On the other hand, anyone with a large living room who regularly accommodates several guests at once would be better served by a wide sofa bed or a separate guest room. The LYCKSELE LÖVÅS is not a family sofa bed; it is a thoughtfully designed single bed in armchair form.

Why this approach is the better option for many people

The idea behind this Ikea armchair fits a time when living space is becoming scarce and expensive. Furniture should do more than look good; it needs to perform in everyday life by being comfortable, adaptable and durable. The LYCKSELE LÖVÅS meets precisely these requirements, showing that it is not essential to put a large sofa bed in the room.

When furnishing a small flat today, people often think in terms of functions rather than individual pieces: sitting, sleeping, working and storing. Ikea’s armchair-bed hybrid covers two of those needs while still keeping the room open. For many city dwellers, that is likely to be a very appealing exchange.