The chaise side got me twice
The Finnala looks great in the showroom. Clean lines, medium price, IKEA actually lets you pick the cover. But the chaise side is long. The 3-seater with chaise runs about 85 inches. My living room is 12 by 14. I measured once, then again. Still bought it. Big mistake, but not because of the size on paper.
I brought it home, unpacked the boxes, and the chaise eats the walkway to the balcony. Every morning I stubbed my toe on that corner. If you're measuring, measure the actual footprint of the chaise, not the length of the sofa. The chaise sticks out like a bump, and the back doesn't align with the rest. You end up with empty wall behind it.
That's the thing nobody tells you: the chaise side has a backrest that doesn't line up with the sofa back. So it looks off from certain angles. For a first big couch, you want one piece that feels intentional. The Finnala isn't that.
Fabric: pick the one that doesn't pill
I got the Grann/Bomstad dark gray. It's a wool blend. Feels nice, but it pilled after three months. Not the whole thing, just the backrest and the seat where the back hits the cushion.
If you're buying new, choose the Vissle or the Tonstad covers. Those are the polyester ones, and they last. I learned this after I ordered the wool because the showroom sample felt soft. The salesman didn't mention pilling. IKEA's own rating says 25,000 rubs for the Bomstad, which sounds fine, but it's a lie.
Washable covers are a plus. You can take them off and toss them in the machine. But the wool one you HAVE to air dry. Pain. I switched to the Vissle after a year. No pilling, and the dog's claws don't leave marks.
Delivery: the box is in the basement
IKEA delivery isn't white glove. They dump the boxes in your hallway, maybe your garage, and you carry them. The Finnala comes in four boxes. The chaise box is heavy. My building has a freight elevator, but it's old and the door is too small. So I carried the boxes up three flights.
Two boxes, each maybe 60 pounds, and the cushion boxes are lighter. You'll want a second person. The Allen wrench they give you is crap. Use your own.
Assembly took me about two hours, including a trip to buy a screwdriver because the included one stripped. Not hard, just tedious. The instructions are mostly pictures. Fine.
If you can't haul it yourself, pay for the in-home service. Worth every penny. Not a hero moment.
First big couch? Maybe not
For a first couch, you want something that fits the room without blocking the only walkway. The Finnala is long, the chaise is bulky, and the back doesn't line up. You'll end up with a weird gap or you'll push it up against the wall and it'll still bump your coffee table.
Try the Finnala's cousin, the Soderhamn, if you're set on a modular. I ended up with a Washable Couch Sectional: What Fit Our Hallway and Survived Kids that last longer. Or read Mid Century Sectional Sofa: Don't Buy Before You Check the Chaise Side if you're into that look.
Sofa shopping is a nightmare of conflicting dimensions. I went through three. The Finnala taught me one thing: measure the walkways, not just the room. Cheap lesson in the end.
That first morning after assembly, I stood in the doorway and felt the sofa blocking the light from the balcony. Pretty view, now behind a couch. That was the moment I knew.
I sold it on Craigslist a month later.