1980 until today: the many covers of

KLIPPAN

KLIPPAN sofa with red, yellow, green and blue graphic print cover
KLIPPAN sofa in black leather patchwork.
KLIPPAN sofa in beige with orange pin stripes.
KLIPPAN sofa in black with retro-style intermittent diagonal stripes
KLIPPAN sofa in off white
KLIPPAN sofa in white with bales of fabric in red, green, yellow, pink, blue and check.
KLIPPAN sofa in blue and candy stripes, with a black, blue and floral cushion.
KLIPPAN sofa in beige, with detachable side pocket.
KLIPPAN sofa upholstered in deep purple.
KLIPPAN sofa with retro style print in purple, beige, mauve and burgundy.
KLIPPAN sofa in light blue
KLIPPAN sofa in pea green.
A KLIPPAN sofa with embroidery-style botanical print.
KLIPPAN sofa with white quilted cover
KLIPPAN sofa with a playful botanical print in black, greens, blues and oranges.

Household name and enduring style icon: the KLIPPAN sofa has been a hit since it launched more than 40 years ago – and for good reason. Loved for its sturdy, no-nonsense design and accessible price; its removable covers in patterns and colours galore have also kept it fresh and in favour, year after year.

From funky '80s prints to crisp recycled denim, enjoy this selection of KLIPPAN's most unforgettable covers from the past five decades.

1980s
KLIPPAN sofa on the 1980 IKEA Catalogue cover.
An adult and child sitting on a white KLIPPAN sofa on a spread in the IKEA Catalogue.
Three KLIPPAN sofas in yellow, blue and red in an ultra contemporary '80s room set.
A black pinstripe KLIPPAN sofa in a cosy living room with warm, dimmed lighting and large bookcases.

1980

One year after its launch, the KLIPPAN sofa makes its debut in the IKEA Catalogue (on the cover, no less!) – building a reputation for playful patterns and an ultra-low price tag right from the start.

1982

The KLIPPAN sofa has always stood for a low price and unlimited creativity. As the 1982 Catalogue shows, you could even buy the sofa’s pattern sheet and make a cover in any fabric you fancied.

1984

The KLIPPAN sofa – rather, three of them – make it back on the cover of the Catalogue in 1984. Hands up if you think these soft, puffy covers should make a comeback!

1985

While no stranger to fun and colour, the KLIPPAN sofa has always suited up well too! A simple black and white pinstripe lends a classic look to this mid-’80s living room.

1990s
KLIPPAN sofa pictured on the 1990 IKEA Catalogue cover.
KLIPPAN sofa in brown leather upholstery.
KLIPPAN sofa with blue, red, green and yellow checked pattern against lime green wall with a bowl of fruit on a table in the foreground.
A light, playful living room with two KLIPPAN sofas: one white, and one with thick black and white stripes.

1990

It’s the dawn of a new decade and the KLIPPAN sofa adds yet another Catalogue cover to its résumé. This time, in a textured dark grey fabric that pulls the room’s other soft furnishings into focus.

1991

And just when we thought we’d seen it all from the KLIPPAN sofa, along comes this patchwork leather cover to prove us all wrong.

1994

Sponged walls, fruit bowls and just as fruity hues were all big in the mid ‘90s, as was the KLIPPAN sofa: still going strong at fifteen-years old.

1997

A far cry from the ultra co-ordinated living room suites of decades past – this space shows the power (and fun!) of contrasting KLIPPAN sofa covers to full effect.

2000s
A white KLIPPAN sofa in a clean, bright living room with light woods and red accents.
Three KLIPPAn sofas in light blue, green and pink in a minimal white room.
A bright pink KLIPPAN sofa in a pink living room, against a wall of 25 small clocks arranged in a square.
White room with a bright green patterned KLIPPAN sofa.
A sheer curtain separates a living room with a modern floral patterned KLIPPAN sofa from a dining area.

2000

Along with the new millennium comes a noticeably different flavour of home furnishing. A KLIPPAN sofa in white reflects the move towards lighter, cleaner and simpler interiors.

2002

Even so, the appeal of colour and removable KLIPPAN covers prevails: injecting fun and playfulness into otherwise calm and pared-back spaces.

2005

The upside of a more minimal approach to furnishing is that it frees up space for louder colour expressions and bolder KLIPPAN covers. Pink on pink on pink on pink? Go for it!

2007

After what feels like a long hiatus, vibrant prints – like this one – make a bold return. This abstract floral KLIPPAN cover punches up the room’s strict colour palette of white, black and green.

2008

“The more, the merrier” philosophy on patterns is still holding strong by the end of the decade. Mixing, matching and clashing creates rooms that feel youthful and full of energy.

2010s
A dark blue denim KLIPPAN sofa in a pale purple room with red throw and side table.
Two back-to-back KLIPPAN sofas pictured from above: one in bright green, the other in a multi-colour, triangular print.
Living room with dark, earthy green walls, several pot plants and a black KLIPPAN sofa.
Two adults and a child relax in a creative, art-filled living room with a KLIPPAN sofa and POÄNG armchair.

2010

Thirty years young and the KLIPPAN sofa looks as timeless as ever – clad in just-as-timeless blue denim with red stitching.

2015

If there’s any lesson to be learned from this room, it’s that there’s no harm in having more than one bright colour... or more than one KLIPPAN sofa.

2017

In a room where lush plants and rich, natural fibres deserve the full spotlight, a simple KLIPPAN sofa in black melts right in.

2018

This KLIPPAN cover was launched as part of AVSIKTLIG: a limited-edition collection created together with the iconic Swedish design collective, “10-gruppen”.

2020s
Grey KLIPPAN sofa against a wall with bold, playful prints and posters collaged on the wall behind.
Two KLIPPAN sofas with denim covers in a large industrial space with double volume windows and ceilings..
A yellow KLIPPAN sofa in a bright and colourful room.

2020

For KLIPPAN, age brings a calmer, more self-assured confidence. It welcomes its 40th year in subtle style, with a simple grey cover that lets the attention-grabbing wall art (and disco ball!) take the lead.

2021

Nothing fits quite as well as a good pair of jeans – even for a KLIPPAN sofa! This cover was created in collaboration with MUD Jeans, using 40% post-consumer recycled denim to save a whopping 27,000 litres of water.

2023

Though flanked on all sides by newer products, this playful room's bright yellow KLIPPAN sofa still looks effortlessly fresh. Here’s to another four decades of fun-loving covers!

So many years, so many looks to love!

And better yet, new colours and patterns are added all the time. Check out the latest KLIPPAN covers available in your country.

"Tusen tack" (that's a big, Swedish thank you) to the team at the IKEA Museum for all the help in bringing this story to life. Even if you can't make a trip to Älmhult, Sweden, you can still enjoy the Museum's digital archive of every IKEA Catalogue ever published from anywhere in the world, at any time. Happy browsing!