West Elm Drake Sofa Review

We purchased West Elm's Drake Sofa so our writer could put it to the test in her own home. Keep reading for our full product review.

As a family who moves frequently, finding the right sofa for a new room can be challenging. When we have moved in the past, one of the biggest hurdles we have faced is when a sofa we love doesn’t fit the new room, resulting in a weird or unusable layout. Too often have we had to settle for a cramped setup or a sofa that doesn’t fit our family’s needs. During our search for a stylish smaller sofa for a smaller space, we tried the West Elm Drake Sofa. Read on to find out what we thought about it.

Design: A modern silhouette

West Elm is known for its midcentury modern aesthetic; the Drake Sofa fits into that style seamlessly. The style is clean and modern but is neutral enough to fit into a variety of looks. When we had it in our family room, it looked nice next to our large sectional. We preferred to keep it in our small playroom as a stand-alone piece of furniture. It made the room look much more stylish than the previous lumpy loveseat that we had. 

The sofa’s 6.5-inch legs not only add to its midcentury modern look, but they also provide nice elevation. From a cleaning standpoint, we like that there was ample space to see underneath the sofa and easily retrieve toys and vacuum up crumbs. 

If your style leans more towards farmhouse or country, use the included smaller legs to make the modern sofa into a more neutral piece. They change out easily without the need for tools. Just unscrew the high, tapered legs and replace them with the shorter ones. The legs also come in a dark brown (chocolate) or more natural wood color (pecan) to suit different decor styles.

Comfort: Firm seats

We prefer a firmer seat for our sofas. Furniture with firm cushions tends to hold up better over time and is more comfortable to get out of, especially for those with back or muscle problems. The West Elm Drake Sofa is perfect for those wanting a firm seat. 

The support comes from the high-gauge springs and fiber-wrapped, high-resiliency polyurethane foam core. The detachable back cushions are filled with fiber and foam to provide back support. They are reversible, which we loved. With other couches, we have seen noticeable wear on the back cushions after time. We appreciate that we can turn the back cushions around on the Drake sofa to ensure even wear.

The arms are a bit hard due to their linear profile. We found that it was most comfortable to add a throw pillow, which we had to purchase separately. This was not a dealbreaker for us since we like to change out our pillows seasonally anyway.

Size: Ideal for small rooms

We first set up the Drake Sofa in our large family room as a second seating area. It was dwarfed by our large sectional and at 76 inches it was too large to function as a loveseat. Even though it only has two seat cushions, it much longer than most loveseats.

We found that the ideal location was in a small playroom at the front of our house. It provided just enough seating for us to keep a watchful eye on our children while they were playing. The West Elm Drake Sofa is perfect for a small space on its own or paired with an armchair in a larger room. West Elm has an entire Drake collection, which includes an armchair, sectional, and customizable pieces. If you plan to put this sofa into a larger room later, you can easily add a piece that will complement it and provide more seating.

Price: A luxury purchase

In addition to high quality and modern design, West Elm is known for being in the higher price category. The actual sofa price is variable based on the fabric you select. Performance fabrics are more expensive than standard ones. With small children and pets in our home, the extra cost for oil- and water-repellent fabrics are worth every penny.

We allow our cat on the sofa, so we chose the pewter gray fabric color so our cat’s gray hairs would not be highly visible. We ordered the “performance basket slub” fabric, a textured basketweave that is easier to keep clean. It was easy to vacuum away the cat’s hair, as well as crumbs left from our children. If you prefer a velvet fabric, it will likely be harder to clean. 

The Drake sofa comes in almost 100 colors and fabrics, so you are almost always guaranteed to find something that will work for your needs. You can request a fabric swatch or two to help make your decision before ordering. Some of the fabrics are special order and require more time and cannot be returned.

Competition: Sofas for all budgets and styles

Pottery Barn Comfort Roll Arm Slipcovered Sofa: If you like the quality of West Elm but are looking for a more traditional silhouette, the Pottery Barn Comfort Roll Arm Slipcovered Sofa is a great option. Because Pottery Barn is a sister company of West Elm, you can expect the same quality and variety of fabric choices. You should plan on similarly high costs as well.

IKEA LANDSKRONA Sofa: For the more budget-conscious, the IKEA LANDSKRONA Sofa has a similar profile to the more expensive mid-century modern options. It doesn’t have as many fabric choices and requires some assembly. But at $599.00, this affordable sofa brings clean, modern style to your room for a budget price.