The super-lazy way to update your old IKEA furniture you need to know about

If you have yet to fall in love with IKEA, you are missing out.

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 linen cover from the limited edition Designers Guild collection. Just look at how much cooler these Ikea Stockholm chairs look with their Bemz covers. Just; SWOON. 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!