Our cats had basically destroyed this poor couch (see the photo of sidearm below). We decided that it was time to change it. I had even posted it free on Craigslist.
BUT …
I loved the storage and the couch and chaise were both still very comfy.

Related: FRIHETEN sofabed /couch Hack – Add bass to your couch for ultimate movie experience!
So I decided we could just keep the chaise. I uninstalled it to make it easier to transport and realized that the chaise was ideal if we put it against the wall.
At first, I thought about chopping the back so the chaise would have a back, but decided that the pillows against the wall were sufficient for the time being.
Maybe one day, I’ll build a back for it, but for now, it’s all good. And the space we placed it in, the hacked FRIHETEN chaise is perfect for a reading nook.
IKEA items used:
- FRIHETEN sectional sofa sleeper

Other materials and tools:
- Just the wrench that came with the sectional + the cover from Amazon in Dark Grey
FRIHETEN sleeper sectional disassembly instructions:

Just uninstall the chaise from the sofa part.
Move the chaise to a place against a wall.
Save the pillows to use as a back.

Order furniture covers from Amazon. The one we ordered — color and fit are almost perfect matches.
How long and how much did it cost?
Took about 30 minutes.
I had the sleeper sofa already. So the only cost for this was $30 for cover from Amazon.
What do you like most about the hack?
It has storage and makes a comfortable reading nook.
What was the hardest part about this hack?
Disassembling the sofa section piece.
What to pay special attention to?

There will be a space in the back where the back of the full sofa usually is, but the pillow will cover it.

A part of the side will be exposed (see photo above), but the slip cover covers it easily.
~ by Kate