The super-easy way to update your Ikea furniture everyone should know about

Oh, Ikea.

The Swedish homeware mecca offers sleek, modern, affordable – and sustainable – design that will work in any interior setting. And don't for a second think that furnishing your home with lots of Ikea will make it look boring or same-ish as everyone else. Nope. You just don't have the right tricks up your sleeve. Yet. Having worked in interior magazines in Norway for years, let me tell you this: Even the most stylish of design-bloggers and Scandi design enthusiasts rely on Ikea – they are just using a nifty styling trick you never knew about. Until now. Enter Bemz. A Swedish (obvs.) company that designs covers to fit any Ikea sofa, armchair, chaise lounge, foot-stool or headboard you might have. And the best bit? They are not only insanely chic (think fabulous velvet or Missoni- or Liberty-esque prints), they are also total steal. As in; far cheaper than investing in a new piece of furniture anyway. Just look at this Ikea Nockeby sofa – made SO much chicer by the velvet cover from Bemz. Having known about this nifty little hack for totally transforming your Ikea furniture for years (as in, you'll hardly meet a Scandinavian person who hasn't up-styled their Ikea sofa with a Bemz cover), I was recently baffled to learn hardly anyone here in Ireland had even heard of this company. Get. With. The. Programme. Just to give you a little taster, here are some amazing Ikea/Bemz transformations – just to get you to see just how fabulous this hack really is: Because, PINK. Love this chic yellow cover for the classic Karlstad armchair. Just look at how much cooler this Kivik sofa looks covered in green velvet? Just check out Klippan for instance: Got a Klippan sofa at home? Look what a velvet cover can do it it! Peachy perfection, if you ask me. This is how it works Ordering a new cover for you Ikea piece from Bemz could not be easier. Just hit the site, find the Ikea furniture you are looking to get a cover for –  there is a handy drop-down menu that will let you search by the name of your Ikea item, whether you have a Karlstad or a Kivik, and fill in any additional information, as in, whether you have a two- or three seat sofa, for instance. Once you have selected your model, you can now browse the vast collection of fabrics and patterns available – and then, when you find your favourite, hit add to cart. Now all you have to do is wait for your purchase to arrive – before inviting everyone you know around to admire your (practically) brand new piece of furniture. Go you, you little trend-setter!