About that Sofa – Pottery Barn Sectional Review
This post is about three months overdue, I know. I teased about purchasing a new Pottery Barn sofa back in February. We received our Pottery Barn sectional back in May and I’m just getting around to sharing about it. I’m glad I waited a little bit on the initial review because now I’m able to share more detail with you on how we are enjoying this couch now that we’ve had it for several months. Here’s my Pottery Barn Couch Review.
Honest Review of Our Pottery Barn Sectional – The York Sofa
We decided we were ready to replace our IKEA Ektorp sofa early this year. Frankly, I got sick of washing the slipcovers constantly. I thoroughly loved our Ektorp and we really got our money’s worth out of it. I’ve shared all about my love for slipcovered sofas and why I’ve loved them these years with young kids. Washability (is that a word?) is a LEGIT necessity with little ones. That being said, I was getting really run down by the constant washing of the IKEA slipcovers. The fabric seemed to absorb every speck of dirt there was literally no wicking, so if Millie touched it with a chocolate finger, I’d have to wash the entire cushion. There was no spot cleaning.
Also, I got really tired of wrestling the slipcover on and off the sofa. Lastly, our sofa was really ready to retire. It was purchased second-hand and after two moves, it was starting to show its wear. Now that the girls are getting older and we’ve had fewer and fewer mishaps we felt confident that now was the time to invest in a sofa that could last us for the next 5-10 years. After weeks of researching and testing different sofas, we finally settled on a Pottery Barn Sectional – the Pottery Barn York Sofa.
Pottery Barn York Couch Video Review
My Original Requirements for a Sofa
Here were my starting requirements for the perfect family sofa:
– Slipcovered
– Sectional
– Comfy/Casual looking with clean lines
– Not too deep (Matt wanted to be able to put his feet on the floor while sitting comfortably)
– Performance fabric (something that allows liquids to bead so less washing of the slipcovers)
Deciding Between the Pottery Barn York and the Crate and Barrel Willow
Rather quickly I narrowed the search down to the Pottery Barn York Sofa and the Crate and Barrel Willow Sofa. They both offered a casual look that I liked with square arms and clean lines. I remembered loving the York Sofa from Pottery Barn during a trip to the store months prior – they were having a floor model sale but the York sectional that I loved was already sold. When we were serious about buying, we popped back over to the store and tried out more Pottery Barn couches.
We wanted to check out all the options and we quickly gravitated towards the York once again. We actually never got a chance to see the Crate and Barrel Willow Sofa in person. There wasn’t a Crate and Barrel local to us and since we fell in love with the Pottery Barn York couch, I felt comfortable going ahead and purchasing the Pottery Barn sectional.
The Exact Sofa I Purchased
The exact couch we ended up purchasing was the York Square Arm Slipcovered Chaise Sofa Sectional with a Right Arm Chaise in the Performance everydaylinen™ fabric in the color Oatmeal.
Pottery Barn York Full Sectional vs. Sofa with Chaise
Another decision I had to make was whether or not we wanted to go with a full sectional or a sofa with a chaise. The floor model of the Pottery Barn sofa we had seen originally was a sofa with a chaise and we really loved the look of that. I also considered a full sectional for more seating. My main goal was for our entire family to be able to fit comfortably on our couch. We are pretty small people so our family of four fit easily on the sofa with a chaise. We also move a lot (military life) so we figured going with the smaller of two sofas would be the best option for us because sometimes our living rooms are smaller and a sofa with chaise may be better suited for that giving us more layout options for future homes. Also, Matt really, really loved the chaise.
Pottery Barn York Deep Seat Option or Not?
The Pottery Barn York sofa comes in a regular depth and a deep seat version. The sofa we tried in the store was the deep-seat version. The deep seat version has 29″ inches of seat depth while the regular depth version is just 22″ inches deep. The deep seat comes with some lumbar pillows for additional comfort. The more shallow depth worked better for us. Matt much preferred it because one of his requirements was to be able to have his feet touch the ground while sitting on the sofa. That was not possible with the deep-seat sofa. You were really lounging back or you’re feet were not on the floor.
Choosing a Fabric for the Pottery Barn York Sofa
Choosing the fabric was the most stressful part of selecting the sofa. We picked up several fabric swatches at the store and brought them home to try out. I was very tempted to just get one of the base fabrics for the least expensive option, however, after reading many Pottery Barn sofa reviews it was clear to me that it would be worth it to spring for a performance fabric – one that will last. We selected the Performance everydaylinen™ fabric in the color Oatmeal.
I really loved the color Stone in the Heathered Twill fabric but I preferred the linen feel and the everydaylinen™ fabric did not come in the Stone color.
Purchasing the Pottery Barn York Sofa
Pottery Barn offers in-store design services so you can go into the store and talk through your design choices with a salesperson. I found this really helpful. When we went into Pottery Barn I was 99% sure I wanted the York sofa but having someone available to discuss the options and share details about the specific couches was really helpful. I didn’t feel any pressure at all to purchase the sofa from her (they don’t work on commission), she was just genuinely helpful. I knew I wanted to purchase the sofa online so I left without purchasing but you could always purchase with the salesperson in the store as well.
The primary reason I waited to purchase my Pottery Barn sofa online was that I wanted to be sure to get the best price. We purchased the sofa during a sale so we got 20% off. Getting that discount made it easier to go for the performance fabric. My recommendation is to only buy this sofa (or any piece of Pottery Barn furniture) on sale. They do sales often enough that you shouldn’t have to wait too long to get a decent discount.
I placed my purchase online, and it estimated eight weeks for delivery. It took almost exactly eight weeks for our sofa to arrive. They called to set up the delivery and offered to deliver it the very next day. I wasn’t going to be available during the time window they offered so I opted for a couple of days later.
After Purchase Thoughts – Pottery Barn Couch Review
We’re absolutely loving this sofa. I think the oatmeal color is absolutely perfect. I love it. It fits well with our coastal casual feeling at home. The seat cushions are very comfortable and so far they have worn well. I do feel like the back cushions aren’t as full as they could be so they require fluffing pretty regularly but I’m used to that since I fluff our throw pillows all the time. I rotate them out as well. The back cushion of the chaise gets the most wear so I regularly swap the back cushions moving the chaise one all the way to the left and just moving the other two down one spot. I think this helps them wear equally. That’s just something to keep in mind – it does not bother me but I could see being bothersome to others.
One other thing that is worth mentioning about this Pottery Barn sectional is that there’s a metal piece under the sofa that connects the chaise to the bench seat so it never separates. I think this is really genius. We’ve had a sectional before that did not have this feature and it was constantly separating and was very annoying.
The biggest feature I’m loving about this sofa is the durability of the performance fabric. Just last night one of my girls dripped a bit of water on the couch and I watched for about ten minutes, the water beads just sitting on the top of the fabric. That’s just one example! We’ve also had a splatter of spaghetti sauce on the back of the sofa and it came right up with just warm water on a rag. I’m pretty confident that this material could stand up to anything our family has to through at (on) it.
Here are some helpful tips before purchasing any sofa not just the PB one:
Read a bunch of reviews
Before I decided on this couch I searched tirelessly for a Pottery Barn couch review that would help guide my choice. If you’re going to spend potentially thousands on a sofa, make sure you dig for reviews on that item before you purchase. I mentioned the review from my friend. Additionally, I scoured Houzz, Pinterest, and Google for other reviews on not just the York sofa itself but the fabric options that Pottery Barn offers.
Set a Budget
If you’re considering this major purchase I would set a budget then go from there. Shockingly, sofas can get mighty expensive. We had a budget and knew that we had to wait until the sofa went on sale before we could purchase. This also helped us narrow down our options rather quickly. There were others that I loved but I knew they would be out of range for us.
If you can, splurge for the better fabric
Many couches on the market come in a range of fabric options. Some of the less expensive fabric options just do not have lasting power. One of the turn-offs from other sofas was the fabric pilling after a short amount of wear. Doing your research beforehand will definitely help you find the best fabric options. If you buy when the sofa is on sale the money you save on the sofa can help you spring for the better fabric on a Pottery Barn sofa or any other.
Bring swatches home to test out fabric colors and textures in your own home
The lighting in the showroom or photos online will be much different than what you have at home. Bringing home some swatches to try out will give you a better feel of how the sofa might look in your home.
Wrapping Up
So that’s my full Pottery Barn couch review – The York Sofa with Chaise. Please let me know if you have any questions or are considering this sofa and want to discuss it. We waited a long time to finally buy it and I feel very passionately about it. Also, if you have any sofa buying tips – share them in the comments below!
I love It! How is your fabric holding up?
Fantastic! So far my kids have gotten spaghetti sauce, chocolate milk, and nutella on it and they’ve all come out easily with just water and a rag. SO pleased!
Hi when you wash the slipcover does it wrinkle bad and how do you keep from wrinkling? Do you have to steam the cover?
Hi Jonice, I opted for the performance fabric so it only needs spot cleaning. We’ve gotten spaghetti sauce, chocolate, and now dry erase marker on it and it’s come out with warm water a bit of oxyclean. When the cover arrived it was quite wrinkled. They are only noticable on the skirted part of the sofa. They do smooth out over time or you can quickly steam them out.
Hi Chelsea, how is your sofa holding up? I am looking at getting the upholstered York sofa in the same fabric you have. I have read some bad reviews about Pottery Barn sofa cushions breaking down quickly, and looking very sloppy, even after regularly fluffing the cushions. I love the look of the sofa, and it was very comfortable when I looked at the sofa in the store, but some bad reviews made me nervous to purchase. Thanks!
Hi Caitlin! I do wish the back cushioned were filled a bit more but after more than a year we’re still very happy with our purchase. I fluff the cushions regularly but I also rotate them out. The chaise gets the most use so I will rotate that one to the opposite side and then move the other two down. I think this helps because they all wear evenly.
I’m wondering how it would do if (goodness for bid) greasy food fingers (pizza, Chinese)?
I love this fabric and color. but nervous about it being dry clean only. I have four kids and we live in the country so dirty hands will happen. Just curious of your thoughts. Thanks!
Hi Jacyln, I’m not a stickler with kids and food on the couch. We’ve spilled gatorade on it, gotten lots of different food items smeared on it such as spaghetti sauce, nutella, cheeto fingers, etc. So far everything has scrubed out nicely with just a rag with warm water. I’d recommend it to anyone.
This blog is very helpful. Thank you. What size is your couch? I have the loveseat size but thinking of getting the one with a chaise but can’t decide on size… Thanks!
In person does this fabric pull more of a natural or more of a ivory? I ordered a swatch but its so hard to tell. I am trying to work with an ivory sofa and I am trying to figure out to go with a natural color or this oatmeal shade. thanks 🙂
HI! I came across your blog researching pottery barn sofa reviews. I’ve been eyeing the york for a while – i like the slope arm version. Like one of the other reviewer, I’ve also heard negative things about PB cushions not holding up. Since its almost a year after your post, would you kindly share how the cushions are holding up after all this time? Thank you.
Sure – the back cushions do need regular fluffing. Like multiple times a day. It is my least favorite thing about the sofa but I also have to fluff my throw pillows that frequently so it’s not too much of a bother.
Hi and thanks so much for your review of the Everydaylinen oatmeal fabric! I’ve narrowed down the fabrics for my sectional to this one…I think. Reading other reviews the only thing that concerns me is that some have said jeans dye rubs off on sofa. Have you had anything like that happen? I’d prefer a fabric that’s machine washable but this one seems to really hold up so maybe that’s a non-issue. I’d love to hear any con’s to the fabric. thank you!
Hi Leslie – no I haven’t experienced that at all and we wear a lot of denim. I do think the material holds up well but I’ve also tossed one of the cushion covers in the washer on gentle and let it air dry and that worked out just fine so I don’t think washing it is completely out of the question but it’s just not super necessary because spot cleaning works really well.
Thank you for doing a review of this sofa! I’m looking to purchase this exact one. What are the measurements on the end to the inside of the beginning of the chaise? The area where you put a coffee table. My coffee table is wide and not sure if it will work.
Thank you for posting your reviews! I’m in the process of buying the same sectional. Is there a reason you bought the slipcover over the upholstered? Also, what’s the couch like without the slipcover?
Hi! I purchased the slipcovered sectional because I preferred that design over the upholstered. Without the slipcover it’s just a bare sofa – you couldn’t use it without a slipcover.
Thanks for a very helpful review. We are just about to order a PB couch and are leaning toward the Performance Linen. I’m wondering if you have experienced any pilling with the fabric. Our expensive Crate and Barrel couch has pilled within the first year, and that has been disappointing. We want to avoid that with the couch we are buying from PB.
Hi Tess, we haven’t experienced any pilling with the linen performance fabric. The fabric itself is high quality and I’d recommend it.
Hi! Did you find the linen fabric to be scratchy at first? I sat on a couch with this fabric in a pottery barn and it was so scratchy! But the swatch didn’t feel like this. The sales person said it will soften overtime but curious if you experienced this.
Yes, I found that to be true – it was scratchy but not uncomfortable for probably the first few weeks.
Hi there! Did your couch happen to soften? We just bought a PB sectional and have the performance linen and it’s very scratchy and our swatch was not. We are really disappointed and hope it won’t be scratchy forever.