I have wanted a white couch since forever. The look is just so fresh, clean and simple. However, for our first couch purchase in our first apartment on the Upper East Side we decided on gray because we have a dog and thought it would get dirty pretty quickly so the gray would hide the hairs and dirtiness.

Fast forward a few years, we move to the burbs. I knew as soon as we walked through the doors of our new home, we needed a white couch. We moved our gray couch into the playroom (we still have it 6 years later and know it holds up well!) and bought the same couch in white for our living room. It seems as though many people would opt to go the opposite route with children. Call me crazy but I love it and there are so many reasons why it works for our family!

WHY WE LOVE THE IKEA EKTORP :

~ The cushion covers are removable – A big reason why this couch is the BEST. When it’s time to clean the cushions which is about every two weeks or so, we unzip and remove the covers, spray a little OxyClean on the dirty areas and pop them right into the wash! I put the wash on the ‘Bright White’ setting and dry on regular. Super easy!

~ Easily replaceable – If the covers get too yucky or I change my mind on the color or pattern, IKEA sells the covers separately so I can always invest in new ones!

~ Budget – friendly – There are various arrangements to make including sectionals, 3-seat couches or love seats all under $1,000. We have the EKTORP armchair and ottoman as well. This Pottery Barn option was my inspiration and is very similar to the EKTORP but more expensive.

~ Good Quality – Since we’ve had our gray EKTORP couch for years with dogs, children, and adults, we know they hold up very well! There are no dents in the cushions or pilling on the covers.

~ Comfortable – Very.

THINGS TO CONSIDER :

~ We rarely let the kids eat on the couch. This prevents serious stains. Of course we’ve had blueberries and crumbs smooshed into the fabric but we clean right away and the stains come out. Honestly, I wouldn’t have bought the couch if I was nervous of a stain or two. It happens!

~ With that being said, you can see all the imperfections. You can see the mud from Nema’s paws when it’s raining outside or the food on the kids hands but just clean and it’s gone!