Credit:
Reviewed / Tim Renzi
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I’m not afraid to admit that I’m clumsy. And since I take quick meals in front of the TV more often than at my dinner table, I frequently spill curry or red wine all over my couch, even when I'm being cautious.
Wouldn't it be great if you could wash your furniture like you wash your clothes? Levity says yes.
The sister company of our favorite floor covering company, Ruggable, Levity makes furniture with specially designed, machine-washable covers to make cleaning easier. This direct-to-consumer company offers chic styles, so you can find functional pieces to suit your Scandinavian living room design.
I tested out the Farmhouse Lounge Chair and the Mid-century Tray Ottoman, both feature removable upholstered covers.
Not only was I curious to test the comfort and quality of Levity's furniture, I was curious to see just how stain-resistant its covers are. So, I ordered some pasta and meatballs, and got to testing. Shop Levity
What is Levity?
A look at the furniture with the cushions uncovered.
We’ve loved Ruggable for a long time. The machine-washable rugs keep your home looking stylish while also being stain resistant.
Levity takes the same principle of washable upholstery and brings it to furniture. It offers a selection of living room and dining room chairs, as well as ottomans, coffee tables, and dining table. The designs are quite stylish and come in a range of mid-century modern and Scandinavian designs.
Levity’s upholstered furniture features removable covers that fit in your average washer and dryer. The upholstery covers are stain-resistant so that when a spill inevitably happens, it won’t result in a lingering stain after a trip through the laundry.
Levity offers free shipping on all orders. If you're unhappy with your purchase, the return will cost you anywhere from $35 for chairs to $200 for dining room tables.
Assembly is required for most pieces of Levity's furniture, so be prepared to put in a little bit of work to get your furniture standing.
What we like
Dark stains like coffee and wine stay out of sight
Your pets will definitely love this one.
Throughout the weeks of testing, the chair and ottoman furniture were high traffic areas. After a couple of weeks of coffee and red wine stains, the cushions were begging for a wash.
I washed the covers on a normal setting and then dried them on low heat. They weren’t too bulky and there was plenty of room in both the washer and dryer to add in other items. I was so pleased to see they came out of the laundry looking like new.
None of the stains set into the fabric and there was no trace of them once the covers were out of the wash. I found this especially impressive on the Farmhouse Lounge Chair which came in a pattern that featured white fabric.
It’s easy to assemble
Putting together Levity's furniture is a straightforward process. A booklet of instructions is included, as well as care instructions for the covers. Also included is a set of Allen wrenches, bolts, and screws you’ll need to get your furniture together.
It took about 20 minutes to assemble the chair and 10 minutes to assemble the ottoman.
One disappointing note is that the instructions for putting together the Farmhouse Lounge Chair were incorrect and didn't match the pieces I was sent to assemble. Luckily, I was able to find the correct instructions on the Levity site.
This chair offers equal parts style and comfort
Beyond how convenient the washability of this chair is, I love how on-trend Levity’s designs are for being so functional. Levity's furniture leans into the mid-century modern and Scandinavian design trends, offering a chic and clean aesthetic. With its slightly reclined position and low-to-the-ground profile, I found the chair comfortable for my 5-foot-4-inch frame to sit in while I worked for several hours at a time. However, I imagine that for someone taller this position might not be comfortable.
Levity has a ton of choices when it comes to upholstery ranging from colorful tweeds, neutrals, patterns, and seasonal designs. The patterned upholstery offerings are modern and really set apart Levity’s furniture offerings since usually I find patterned furniture from other companies to be reminiscent of grandparent’s house (and not in a cool, coastal grandmother way).
The contemporary black and white pattern I chose or the Farmhouse Lounge chair felt fresh and modern.
If you can’t decide which fabric cover you like best, you don’t have to pick just one. Levity sells all the furniture covers separately so you can swap out fabric styles at your whim.
What we don’t like
The covers and cushions don’t work well together
Good luck trying to get the covers to fit.
After assembling the frame of the chair, it came time to put the covers around the cushions of the chair which was far more difficult than I expected. The covers are meant to fit snugly on the cushions which meant it felt like an arm workout trying to get the cushions into the covers.
When I first got the cushions zipped into the covers, everything looked lumpy, so much so that I thought I may have put the cushions into the covers the wrong way. I took them out and tried to put them in a different way, but I definitely had it right the first time–the fit is just off.
Over time, the cushions did fill out, but there was still some puckering and it seemed like the covers just didn’t fit the covers right.
The ottoman is too wobbly
While I found the Farmhouse Lounge chair to be sturdy and well-made, the quality of the mid-century tray ottoman was disappointing. Even when the ottoman was screwed together tightly, the legs weren’t sturdy and shook when you put any weight on them.
You can adjust the ottoman using the little plastic feet that could twist up or down to help it sit flat on the ground, but this only added to its teetering nature for me.
The price and quality don’t match
Chairs are pricey, so if you’re going to splurge, you want to make sure it’s a great value. Levity’s chairs are no different with lounge chairs ranging from $499 to $659. On one hand, the ability to clean the covers of the chairs will keep them looking fresh for a long time, only adding to its long-term value.
However, the price tag feels expensive considering the overall quality of the chair. The wood parts are clunky and feel more akin to classroom furniture. Additionally, since the covers don’t fit the cushions quite right, it ends up making the chair look frumpy and low quality.
Should you buy Levity's furniture?
No, the convenience isn’t worth the price
For the price, there are tons of better options out there.
While I think Levity has a great premise, the product doesn’t live up to the price. I think it could be great for families who don’t want to sacrifice trendy styles but are also in constant battle with children-created messes.
However, if you’re after style and care less about the overall functionality, then I’d suggest going for a different option. Hayneedle offers a wide array of furniture options that are great quality at a lower price.
You can find a similar style chair with an included ottoman for about $540 about $200 cheaper than an armchair and ottoman combination from Levity.
But I think if you are willing to shell out over $500 for a chair, then you want it to be top quality, and I think you can get that elsewhere such as West Elm or CB2.
And if you’re concerned about stains, Bissell’s Little Green Machine is a powerhouse when it comes to stains and will keep all of your furniture looking fresh – not just the ones with washable covers. Shop Levity
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