The 7 Best West Elm Sofas for Living in (More Affordable) Luxury

If you’re at that juncture in life where you finally feel ready to take your furniture shopping beyond Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, entering the world of non-used sofa buying might feel overwhelming. Whether you’re shopping for a classic mid-century modern sofa or you’re all about texture and upholstery, deciding to refine your search to just one brand can make the process less overwhelming.

Our go-to place to start is West Elm. Part of the Williams-Sonoma brand family, West Elm is like Pottery Barn‘s slightly younger sister: its quality is on par with PB, but its pieces are a little more modern and are sold at price points that are a bit more affordable than Pottery Barn’s more, shall we say, “mature” phase of life budget.

Here are some of our all-time faves from the Elm:

QUICK look at the best West Elm sofas

• Best affordable West Elm sofa – Harris Sofa
• Best West Elm leather sofa – Axel Sofa
• Best West Elm chaise sofa – Oliver Chaise Sectional
• Best West Elm sectional – Laurent Sectional
• Favorite West Elm mid-century modern sofa – Parker Sofa
• Best West Elm sleeper sofa – Haven Queen Sleeper Sofa
• This arty West Elm sofa – Kaufman Sofa

what we looked at

When I set out to determine the very best West Elm sofas, I kept budget, size, and functionality in mind, knowing that each shopper brings their own preferences to each of these things. Here, we’ve rounded up picks that range from the best sleeper sofa to the best build-your-own sectional—and everything in between.

Plus, I made sure to highlight the most comfortable West Elm sofas while also keeping customizability in mind.

Best affordable West Elm sofa – Harris Sofa

Specs

• Seats: 2-4 depending on selected dimensions
• Material: 165 fabric and color combinations to choose from
• Dimensions: 66-108″w x 39″d x 33″h

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to drop a couple thousand dollars to secure yourself a top-quality sofa that can endure the whims of fads and the wear and tear of life. The Harris Sofa starts at under $700 for its smallest dimension of 66″ (perfect for apartments, offices, or small living rooms) and is still under two grand at its largest size of 108,” making it one of the most affordable West Elm sofas.

While West Elm has a reputation across the board for making customizable pieces, the Harris Sofa is one of the most customizable picks. In additionally to picking the dimensions, you can pick the sofa’s seat depth, fabric, and color (from 165 combos!), and whether or not you have a bench cushion or individual ones.

If this were my new sofa, I would definitely pick the bench cushion for its uniform, mid-century modern look, most likely in a bold velvet fabric because, why not?

It’s a spot-clean sofa that needs professional care for more serious spills, so it’s probably a better pick for those of us who are kid and pet-free. Like all of West Elm’s sofas, it has white glove delivery. *Chef’s kiss.*

Best West Elm leather sofa – Axel Sofa

Specs

• Seats: 2-4 depending on selected dimensions
• Material: Leather
• Dimensions: 60-89″w x 35.5″d x 34″h

There’s really no better way to flex your timeless good taste than with a leather couch. Not only is leather durable and classic, but it has an ineffable cool factor that other upholstery just can’t quite compete with. West Elm gets this completely with the Axel Leather Sofa, which comes in 12 different leather hues for your choosing, from neutral basics like Nut and Cinnamon to richer options like Oxblood red or Banker green. There’s even a white leather option, which to me feels like a no-brainer.

Like the Harris, you can pick the size of the couch, starting at the smallest 60″ two-seater of the large 89″ that looks like it could squeeze in four. If you’re curious how the Axel stands comfort-wise, the brand says, “Axel provides firmer support for everyday lounging. On a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being firmest), it’s a 4.”

In terms of care, West Elm says you should contact a leather specialist for major accidents, but gives some tricks of the trade for those everyday blunders.

“To keep your leather seating looking its best, avoid placing it in direct sunlight or near a heat source. Rub out minor scratches lightly with a finger. For oil-based spots and spills, wipe up any excess with a clean, dry cloth. Do not apply water. Rather, leave the spot alone: In most cases, the spot should dissipate into the leather after a period of time.”

Best West Elm chaise sofa – Oliver Chaise Sectional

Specs

• Seats: 3
• Material: Twill
• Dimensions: 79″w x 57″d x 30″h

Some of us don’t want to customize anything: we didn’t get into the furniture design business for a reason. We want the experts to bless us with the fruits of their mid-century modern imaginations: which in this case is the Oliver 2-Piece Chaise Sectional.

Here, you can customize nothing, and that’s fine because I wouldn’t change a damn thing about this sofa. Standing on bright wooden legs, the sectional has a modern lift that helps the eye focus on its smooth, clean lines.

If your idea of the most comfortable couch entails full, firm cushions, then the Oliver is your dream. According to West Elm, “On a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being firmest), we rate it a 5.”

Another spot-clean couch, I probably wouldn’t let kids, pets, or sloppy grown adults on this luxe-looking sectional. However, the whole thing is less than $1,000, so being a little more relaxed than I wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Best West Elm sectional – Laurent Sectional

Specs

• Seats: 5+
• Material: 49 fabric and color combinations
• Dimensions: 61.25″w x 35″d x 30.75″h

Put simply, the Laurent Sectional is out here doing the most. Sold in individual components (there are 8 to choose from) you can break the Laurent down to a stand-alone loveseat or build a conversation pit that would do the ’70s justice: it all depends on how big your space is, and how much you feel like spending. As if choosing your module pieces isn’t enough, you also have the option to pick from 49 different color and fabric combos that include neutral linens and twills, warm velvets, and bougie bouclés. While the sectional’s wooden legs aren’t that visible, you also get your pick of blonde or walnut.

West Elm says the seat’s firmness is a “medium,” so it’s a little less firm than some of the other picks on this list. Its low-profile silhouette enhances the sectional’s cozy vibe, making it the perfect spot for cozying up with a book or for a Netflix binge. Like the others, it’s another spot-cleaning couch. West Elm says, “To keep your piece looking its best, we recommend periodically fluffing cushions and vacuuming crevices. To prevent fading, keep fabric out of direct sunlight.”

Favorite West Elm mid-century modern sofa – Parker Sofa

Specs

• Seats: 2-4 depending on selected dimensions
• Material: 169 fabric and color combinations
• Dimensions: 77-97″w x 39″d x 32″h.

While West Elm’s vibe is definitely mid-century modern across the board, the Parker Sofa is the MCM-est of them all with its solid wood frame and legs, clean lines, bench-style cushion, and low-profile. It has one of the largest selections of fabrics and colors out of any of the other sofas on this list, with a wider range of Basketweave and Linen picks than some of the others. It’s like the couch’s design is a blank canvas for you to put your own spin on.

With size choices that range from 77-97″, it’s also one of the larger picks on this list, even at its smallest option. This means it’s probably not your go-to pick if you’re in a smaller apartment, but could be the perfect couch if you’re upgrading into a larger space or home.

Like the others, this hand-crafted couch is easy to spot clean, and you can request free swatches to test out fabrics before sealing the deal.

Best West Elm sleeper sofa – Haven Queen Sleeper Sofa

Specs

• Seats: 2-3
• Material: 124 fabric and color combinations
• Dimensions: 79″w x 41″d x 35″h

If you had a sleeper sofa growing up, it was probably clunky, old, a little too big, and subjected to dwelling in the basement. In the past decades, sleeper sofas have come a long way. They’re chic, they’re disguised, they’re comfy as hell and way easier to flip. The Haven Queen Sleeper Sofa from West Elm is flawlessly incognito. Personally, I don’t think it looks all that different from the Parker or the Harris. And, like those picks, the Haven is fully customizable when it comes to fabric and color. (Which is a brag that all sleeper sofas cannot make.)

Accoring to West Elm, “A deep, comfy seat and low padded arms give it an incredible sink-right-in quality,” which means it’s a lot less firm than some of the others on this list. Cloud-sofa fans, rejoice! Meanwhile, the mattress is a gel mattress, which will help your guests stay cool through the night.

The cushion covers on this baby can be unzipped and removed, making this sofa one of the easiest West Elm sofas to clean, on top of being one of the most functional.

This arty West Elm sofa – Kaufman Sofa

Specs

• Seats: 2-3
• Material: 49 fabric and color combinations
• Dimensions: 86″w x 33.5″d x 31.5″h

Admittedly, if your style is more bohemian, West Elm probably isn’t always going to be your go-to furniture brand. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some more vibey sofas hidden in the mix. For something a little more funky, I tracked down the Kaufman sofa. Pictured in Deluxe Camel Velvet, it’s suave and aesthetic. While it’s my personal belief that if you’re going to go for a swanky, asymmetrical sofa that you must also chose velvet upholstery, West Elm is more generous and offers the sofa in seven different fabrics that all come in a host of different colors.

This sofa is less firm, too. West Elm says, “On a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being firmest), we rate it a 3.” This sofa is also GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which means it has been screened for over 10,000 chemicals and VOCs. To keep it looking clean and fresh, you’ll want to spot clean the couch when necessary. However, it’s also available in performance fabrics if you need something more durable.