We Tested and Rated West Elm’s Oliver Sofa — Here’s Our Honest Review

It’s no secret that we at AT are huge fans of West Elm’s sofas; we’ve fallen in love with more than one of their gorgeous offerings over the years (hello, Haven!). But if we had to choose just one that we’re really most excited about, the 72-inch Oliver would definitely be a strong contender. What makes this small-space sofa such a standout? For starters, the $699 price tag on the twill version certainly caught our attention right away, but that’s not all that’s worthy of praise. After admiring the Oliver sofa from afar (a.k.a. West Elm’s website) for so long, we were thrilled to finally see it in person when we visited the store for our Personal Shopper series. Even amid countless other models, we immediately recognized the Oliver as one worth singling out. So, did this model live up to our initial expectations? Yes — and here’s why.

Despite being so budget-friendly, the Oliver still brings the quality and style we’ve come to expect from West Elm. Its sturdy frame is hand-built from solid pine and engineered wood, and it’s designed with high-gauge sinuous springs to support the medium-firm foam cushions. Overall, it’s a solidly constructed piece that’s built to last, yet it isn’t so pricey that you’ll feel obligated to hold on to it forever. It’ll come as no surprise to learn that we deemed this model West Elm’s best budget-friendly sofa after viewing it in-store; it’s also perfect for small apartments regardless of whether you get it in the 72″ width or the 82″ width.

And, if you do end up keeping it forever, the Oliver won’t feel dated. Featuring subtly flared rubberwood legs and a clean-lined, classic silhouette, its mid-century modern design will always remain in style and complement just about any aesthetic. Although it’s not quite as customizable as other West Elm sofas, you can still get the Oliver in three different upholstery styles: a texture-rich woven twill in a dove hue, a yarn-dyed pewter, or a velvety chenille in dark olive.

In person, the Oliver sofa is even more delightfully compact. Our Personal Shopper review notes that it almost looks more like a loveseat than a full-sized sofa, which small-space dwellers will certainly appreciate. Additionally, its back and seat cushions are very firm thanks to high-resilience foam cores, so if you’re looking for a loungey couch, you might opt for one of the other models we reviewed. But if you just need a low-maintenance couch for sitting and working, this one does the job just fine. We also classified it as perfect for first-time renters, for obvious reasons.

Oh, and we can’t forget to mention that the Oliver’s legs are easily removable — a feature that might seem unnecessary until you find yourself moving apartments. It’s no wonder store employees told us this sofa is one of West Elm’s best-selling models!

In short, if you’re looking for a stylish, comfortable, and well-made sofa that’s suited for a small space (and a small budget), West Elm’s got it — who would’ve thought? 

Buy: Oliver Sofa, $699