Shopping for furniture online can be frustrating, and product descriptions on a retailer’s website can only take you so far. They’re often limited in detail and leave out much of the critical information that you want to know before you make a purchasing decision. Is a particular sofa as comfortable as it looks? Personal opinions will vary when you’re looking for qualitative analysis, and you need an unbiased assessment!
That’s where I come in.
west elm is known for it’s mid-century and modern styling and high-end furniture and home decor accessories. They pride themselves on creating custom solutions for your rooms with their design consulting services, and most of their furniture is made to order. I went to west elm in Jacksonville, Florida, location, and spent hours reviewing every sofa that they have in their showroom. I sat, bounced, tried to snuggle up and take a nap on a few of them.
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Methodology
Before I jump into the reviews, though, let me lay out what is important to me when choosing a sofa for my home. You may have different criteria and opinions. However, to provide an unbiased review, I tried to provide as much detail and honesty about each sofa. Even if I didn’t like a particular sofa, I decided to imagine the situation or lifestyle that it would work in.
For me, I’m looking for a sofa for my living room. My living room is one of the most-used places in our home, and we spend the majority of our waking hours there. I gravitate towards items that are comfortable and create a cozy atmosphere. When it comes to choosing a sofa, where I like to spend most of my time at home, nappability is of the utmost importance. If I can’t nap on my couch, it’s useless.
Second, to comfort is size. It’s me, my partner, and our 40lb Husky-Corgi rescue hound, and we all like to be on the couch at the same time, but not on top of each other. We have a decent-sized home, and we also want to host our friends and family, which include nine energetic nephews between the ages of 10 and 1. So, durability is also essential.
With that out of the way, here is our ultimate review of all the sofa options at west elm!
west elm Sofa Reviews
Andes
Details:
- Available colors: 105 upholstery options, 7 leather options
- Leg Options: Blackened brass or dark pewter
- Depth Options: Standard (40”) or extra deep (46”)
- Product Options:
- Love Seat (60”)
- Sofa (86”, 113”, 135”)
- Sectionals:
- 2-piece with terminal chaise
- 3-piece with chaise
- 3-piece
- 4-piece
- Chaise sectional
- L-shaped
- Build-your-own
- Ottoman
- Bench
- Headboard
- Futon
- Additional Details: Reversible cushions. Made to order.
Overall impression: On first look, this couch screams modern. The metal legs immediately draw my eyes. They don’t look very sturdy, and I a little unsure as to why I focused there first. The showroom model is the 3-piece sectional with chaise. I do like how this sectional was put together with a larger bottom cushion that span over two back cushions. Without that crease in the middle, when you’re laying across it, you won’t have to worry about whatever is in your pockets falling between and losing them forever! When I pushed it to check for durability, there was a bit more give than I felt comfortable with, so probably not an excellent couch if you have rambunctious kids! It is a very low profile couch, though, and it’s a pretty significant drop to sit. But there was no bounce when I plopped down, but it wasn’t as firm as you’d expect with no bounce. I sort of just sank into it, and because it was the extra-deep version of the Andes, I could lean back and feel comfortable enough to nap. I’d give it a 7 on the nappability scale!
Harmony
Details:
- Available colors: 94 upholstery options, 3 leather options
- Depth Options: Standard (41”) or extra deep (47”)
- Arm Options: Standard or Swoop
- Product Options:
- Sofa (76”, 92”)
- Sectionals:
- 2-piece with terminal chaise
- 2-piece with chaise sectional
- L-shaped
- Sleeper with storage
- Corner
- Build-your-own
- Ottoman
- Chair and a half
- Additional Details: Reversible cushions. Made to order. Movable lumbar and throw pillows.
Overall impression: This is an interesting couch because the base is very modular and boxy looking, while the cushions are soft and inviting. I’m a sucker for any sofa that has throw pillows, and the more, the better! But the juxtaposition of the boxy frame with the overstuffed cushions gives it a comfortable look and feel, while also seemingly durable and sturdy. Plopping down, I had a little bounce, but I fell right into the luxury of the throw pillows! I could put tons of pillows on this couch because it has a deep seat. This sofa itself is comfortable, but something about the cushions made me feel like I’m not sitting all the way on it. Maybe too many throw pillows? Unfortunately, it looks more comfortable than it actually is. The showroom model is just the 92” sofa, which wouldn’t provide enough seating for our home. The sectional versions available might work better for our space and seating needs, but I’m really disappointed that it’s not as comfortable as it looks.
Haven
Details:
- Available colors: 53 upholstery options
- Leg Options: Standard is without legs, loft option comes with legs
- Depth Options: Standard (40”) only
- Product Options:
- Sofa (76”, 84”, 86”)
- Sectionals:
- 2-piece with terminal chaise
- 2-piece with regular chaise
- L-shaped
- Build-your-own
- Ottoman
- Chair and a half
- Additional Details: Reversible cushions. Made to order.
Overall impression: My first impression was that this was a very modular looking sectional. Everything stacks together nicely and fits well. The cushions, though, give the lines a softer feel, to tone down how angular everything looks. It’s a nice touch and really gives it a more comfortable look. This is a terminal chaise model, which I seem to like much more than a traditional chaise, because the extension of the back pillows, as opposed to an armrest, allows for more comfortable seating. With a conventional chaise, you either need to lay across it with your legs extended or sit and not have any back support. When I plopped down, I realized it is a lot lower than I expected. Sitting on the edge, I feel like I need to work to keep my legs closed, and it’s an effort to sit up straight. The initial sit was comfortable though, and the cushions have a bit of give so as not to hurt the tailbone, but no bounce back. The back cushions are soft, and because it’s a deep seat, I really can nap on this no problem.
We could comfortably fit me and my wife and dog without being on top of each other. It’s a durable piece, and looks as inviting as it feels!
Harris
Details:
- Available colors: 96 upholstery options, 10 leather options
- Leg Options: Loft version has 3 leg options
- Depth Options: Standard (41”) or extra deep (47”)
- Product Options:
- Sofa (66”, 76”, 96”)
- Queen Sleeper Sofa
- Sectionals:
- 2-piece with terminal chaise
- 3-piece with chaise with storage
- Sleeper sectional
- Sleeper sectional with storage chaise
- Sleeper sectional with terminal chaise
- Corner
- U-shaped
- L-Shaped
- Build-your-own
- Ottoman
- Chair
- Additional Details: Reversible cushions. Made to order.
Overall impression: Another modular base, but this one looks more put together and that it’s a very cohesive design. The bottom cushions seem like they’re attached to the base, which I like. The back cushions are the softer looking part of the couch and give it that comfortable vibe. But once again, west elm has tricked us with a comfy looking sofa that doesn’t necessarily live up to it in reality. It is only about a five on the comfort scale. I was met with an entirely unexpected and very sudden firmness, and just a bit of softening, presumably to keep my tailbone in one piece. It’s a substantial couch and sits at a proper height, so I wouldn’t need to work very hard to get back up. I can push myself all the way to sit up very properly on the couch, and my feet still touch the floor. While the deep seat is primed for napping, the firmness of the sofa is a total turn-off. However, it’s a good option for an office or formal room that you may not use very often because it does look comfortable. However, for our purposes and everyday use, I will pass.
Urban
Details:
- Available colors: 96 upholstery options, 8 leather options (including vegan)
- Cushion Fill options: Down blend or Polyfill
- Product Options:
- Sofa (84.5”, 93.5”, 73”)
- Queen sleeper sofa
- Twin sleeper sofa
- Sectionals:
- Sleeper with storage
- 2-piece with small chaise
- 2-piece with large chaise
- 3-piece
- 4-piece with chaise
- 3-piece L-shape
- Build-your-own
- Swivel chair
- Armless Chair
- Ottoman
- Additional Details: Made to order.
Overall impression: west elm likes their modular sofas! This one has an overstuffed look, though, and I like that it has a small chaise. It’s nice to have an option for a sectional in a smaller space! Unfortunately, the cushions did have a bit of that crinkle material that I don’t like, but not as bad as with the Newport sofa. I did like how the cushions do retain their shape well: I pushed on a corner of the pillow, and it gradually reshaped itself, so that’s a good indication of durability! When I sat down, I met some resistance and then a slow sinking into it. So it was like a catch and cradle kind of sensation. I kind of like that. It’s firm, but not uncomfortably so. Not a very deep seat, and the overall footprint is excellent for a smaller space. I would put this in a studio apartment or one-bedroom if I lived alone. It’s adorable, decently comfortable, and sturdy!
Newport
Details:
- Available colors: 37 upholstery options
- Leg Options: Pecan or almond
- Cushion Style: Toss back or boxed cushion
- Product Options:
- Sofa (84”, 94”)
- Sectionals:
- 2-piece with chaise
- L-shaped
- U-shaped
- Ottoman
- Additional Details: Made to order.
Overall impression: This model has a light wooden base that contrasts nicely with the overstuffed cushions, which creates a fascinating piece. Again, it’s modular in form, but the design of the cushions softens it. I like the idea of multiple throw pillows lined across the back as opposed to the traditional larger back cushions, and the arms even look a bit overstuffed, giving it a big cushiony vibe, which is very inviting. Unfortunately, that’s where my love affair with Newport ended. As soon as I pushed on the cushions to see how soft they were, I was met with a shiver-inducing crinkling sound. It’s probably my least favorite sound in the world, and not what you’d expect from looking at the couch. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s the display mode, but I’m immediately turned-off without even sitting on it. Basically, everything else went downhill from there. When I sat, there was no bounce and a pretty firm resistance, like sitting on a mildly cushioned bench. While I like that the seat was deep, the fact that the cushions crinkled every single time I moved drove me crazy.
Hamilton
Details:
- Available colors: 10 leather options, including vegan
- Product Options:
- Sofa (70”, 81”)
- Sectionals:
- 2-piece with chaise
- 2-piece with terminal chaise
- Chair
- Additional Details: Made to order.
Overall impression: The is the only leather couch in the showroom that they have available, though most of their couches can be created in leather. Full disclosure: I’m not a fan of leather couches in general. But with this one, I can see the visible worn marks and scratches in it, so I question the durability. My dog’s nails would ruin this within seconds. I do like how the base of the couch is higher in the back, and the arms swoop down to a comfortable height to rest your arms on. It adds to the composition nicely and creates a cohesive design with a slight bit of interest. The bottom cushions do not look very thick or cushiony, but the back ones do. Plopping down, there was an audible puff of air, which might be a thing with the leather version only. Not as cushioned as I usually like it, either. The seat is comfortable, not too deep or too shallow. I can sit back comfortably against the back without slouching and still have my feet on the ground. I’d still rate this as a four on the nappability scale, just because it’s not as deep as I would have liked to cuddle up on comfortably.
Enzo
Details:
- Available colors: 17 upholstery options
- Arm options: Basic or storage
- Product Options:
- Reclining Sofa
- Full Sleeper Sofa
- Sectionals:
- Full sleeper with storage
- Reclining chaise with storage
- L-shaped
- Reclining corner
- Build-your-own
- Additional Details: Made to order. USB ports in storage arms!
Overall impression: The Enzo model on the floor had one storage arm and a regular arm. I loved how wide the storage arm was! I didn’t even realize it was storage initially and just thought it was a charming addition to the couch to have extra seating on the arms! But the fact that it’s storage too is just a huge plus in my book! I also liked the adjustable headrests, so you can choose whether or not you want to lay back or sit up properly. They pivoted smoothly, which is also nice because you wouldn’t have to struggle with it. The chaise in the sectional is a storage chaise, so you have both areas to store extra blankets or even DVDs and CDs to keep them out of sight, but also easily accessible. When I plopped down on it, there was a slight bounce back, but the back of the couch was quite firm and sturdy. I didn’t try the reclining part, but that would be the only way I’d consider this nappable. Laying across the couch, it doesn’t seem wide enough to be comfortable, and the way the bottom cushions are structured, you can feel the separation between them when you lay across. All in all, it’s a solid couch with a ton of different storage options!
Drake
Details:
- Available colors: 92 upholstery options, 9 leather options
- Product Options:
- Sofa (76”, 86”)
- Queen Sleeper sofa
- Sectionals:
- 2-piece with terminal chaise
- 2-piece with reversible chaise
- Build-your-own
- Chair
- Additional Details: Made to order.
Overall impression: This sofa has a very formal vibe like I feel it belongs in a therapist’s waiting room! There are a lot of straight lines on it that give it a very angular look. I do like the detailed cushions that are tufted with buttons. It creates a bit of interesting detail, while also maintaining to formality. Plopping down on it, there was very little bounce, and I noticed it was very firm. Not so firm that I felt like I injured my tailbone, but there wasn’t any sinking into it. I could sit back comfortably with my back against the cushion, and my feet remained firmly flat on the floor. I found myself sitting up straight and proper, which isn’t one of the top things I want in a comfortable couch that I can laze around on! It’s not inviting in the comfy cozy way, and I think it would make a better piece for an office setting or more formal living area.
west elm Sofa Round-Up Winner
Though west elm does have a large selection of sofas that you can really customize to fit any space, I was disappointed that they didn’t have more options actually to check out in the store. You’re sort of stuck having to test a version of the sofa you want and then hoping that the one you get meets those expectations. It’s also a little confusing because they do have so many options to know which one is truly going to fit your space. At the end of the day though, the sofa that we liked the best was the Haven. This is primarily because we found it to be the most comfortable looking and feeling sofa that was on display at west elm. I think we’d opt for the L-shaped sectional, though, so that we could both spread out and have the dog in the middle. But the terminal chaise on display was also a good size, and even if we went with that model, we’d be happy. The overarching dealbreaker with Haven that made it stand out the most is because it was the most comfortable sofa we tried.
Which west elm sofa is your favorite?