Editor’s Update 2018: I still get lots of comments and questions about the West Elm Tillary sectional. 4+ years later and my views in this post are still right-on.
Editor’s Update 2023: This couch is still used daily in our home after nearly 10 years. The fabric on the seats has lost some of its elasticity but the foam itself is great. The backrests have also retained their form and the fabric remains pill-free and stain-free. We will likely upgrade to a new couch in the next few years. My biggest complaint is that the backrests do shift.
Original post published in 2014: We have been living with the West Elm Tillary sectional for 10 months. I posted an initial review upon getting the sofa set up in our home, but after receiving countless emails asking how it has been holding up to our lifestyle, I’ve finally gathered my thoughts below:
Some Pros
- I have to say, I still do like this couch for our house. With its deep seat and low height, its size is perfect for our large living room. I know I would have a challenging time finding something comparable with those qualities in my price range.
- We love that the back supports are so low that they are just below our windowsill. They do not block the line of sight when pushed against the windows.
- The depth of the seat mirrors our deep fireplace hearth, a stone sill that spans one whole wall of our room. It feels pretty Feng Shui, if I were to be pretending that I was an expert in Feng Shui (totally not).
West Elm’s Tillary Sectional Sofa in our house.
Some Cons
- The backrests are loose (not at all connected to the bases). This is a pain in the ass when it comes to working on the couch for extended periods or snuggling up with pillows and a blanket to watch a movie.
- The smaller/straight back supports do slide around when you lean against them. We pull the supports “towards us” so they are positioned more on top of the seat, rather than teetering on the edge like in this next photo.
- The corner pieces move less because they are larger and heavier.
- The backrests are weighted, so when they fall off, they’re loud. Like, “Did one of the kids just bust open their head?” loud. And also, if you’re relying on them when they crash, you crash too.
Back supports sit loose atop the base of the West Elm Tillary sectional.
Some Opinions
It’s because of the sliding backs that I usually tell people that it’s a couch that’s better for entertaining. It’s welcoming as a place for people inclined to be sitting with their feet on the ground and their tush at the edge of the seat. Coincidentally, this is also the same stance I sit in when I’m folding laundry, so it could be a good housekeeping couch, too. You can sit cross-legged on it easily, because it’s a firm seat, and deep.
The positive thing about the backs is that we can position them however we want. We’ve tried dozens of configurations. You can really change the look of the couch by moving (or removing) certain backrests. Our kids rearrange them to play, too. Sometimes we move them right onto the floor for when we’re playing board games on the rug, or just reclining to watch a movie or football game on our big screen.
West Elm uses the photo below to demonstrate another way we like to position the cushions, on the short end of the seat to create a sort of chaise styling. That end pillow looks nice, but it will slowly slide backwards and collapse to the ground when you least expect it.
Photo from West Elm’s Site ~2013
We bought the Tillary in a Heather Gray color and have no complaints about the quality of the fabric itself. No signs of wear, no pilling, no discoloration. When I sit on it for a long time, sometimes when I get up it looks like the fabric has stretched to be a little loose, but so far it has always retracted back to its original smoothness. I do wonder when its elasticity will wear out. (Editor’s Update 2023: It isn’t quite as firm and taut anymore, but it’s not terribly loose. You can mostly smooth out the excess fabric. It still has not pilled or stained.)
Since Day 1, we haven’t been thrilled at the seams and puckering all around. Sometimes we can smooth them down a bit, but for the most part, the couch always looks like this. For a couch in the $2,000 range, I would not expect this. IKEA, maybe, but not West Elm.
Puckering seams on our microfiber sofa.
We’ve been taking advantage of the fact that the bases easily move around. None of them are connected together. We added low-pile carpet pieces to the undersides of the feet so they can slide easily on our hardwood floors). Sometimes the sections are pushed together like a square when the kids want to have a sleepover on the couch. Other times, the bases are arranged into a long, straight line to maximize seating during movie night.
Occassionally, we separate the two long sections and position them parallel to one another. I like the layout for our room, except that it limited seating space when we wanted to watch TV.
So, right now we actually reduced the size of our sectional so that it’s just the two long bases forming an L. The remaining square base is in another space in the living room against a flagstone wall. I like having it backed up against a wall since the back support won’t shift. Eventually, we’ll get a smaller loveseat to create more seating flexibility. (PSST we did: it’s from Urban Outfitters, it was cheap, and 8-years later in 1/2023, it’s holding up really well).
A small square section of the sofa was useful in a kid zone.
If you missed the first Tillary sofa review I posted, you might find it helpful And if you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me a note at emily@merrypad.com.
West Elm Tillary Sofa in a Midcentury Home
83 Comments
Woohoo! I’ve been checking your site every 2 months or so for this review!! Thank you SO much. I do have one question, how does the upholstery hold up against stains?
Haha! We’ve been lucky so far in not having to deal with any serious spills… time will tell. I did find a chunk of chocolate once that someone melted with their butt, but I was able to scrape it free once it had re-hardened (the low-pile material made it easy enough to scratch loose with my fingernail). One instance of baby spit up left no sign of damage. Hope this helps!
I like the look of that couch (it’s perfect aesthetically for your space!) but some of the things you mention are some of the issues we have with our own couch and are things I’d like to avoid in the future. We have a special order Lee Industries sofa we got back in …. 2005, I think … and while I love that we can wash the slipcovers I don’t love that they never sit the way they’re supposed to and we always see pulling and bunching at the seams. Also, while we do have a back that “supports” looks pillows, the pillows always somehow move into a position that requires fixing after any significant length of time. I know what I want in my next sofa based on everything I love and dislike with this one, but I don’t know if it exists at a reasonable price. :-)
Thank you for posting such a detailed review. This is very, very, helpful. The couch looks really great in your house and you have a very nice design aesthetic going on. I have a question for you. Have any guests who have slept on the sofa bed commented if it is comfortable to sleep on?
My husband could probably sleep anywhere, but he reports that it is very comfortable… in a firm way, not a “you’ll sink right in” kind of way.
Thank you so much for your follow-up. I read your original review a few months ago and have been checking back for updates. You are so honest with the pros and cons and provide such helpful details that it really does help in the decision-making. I think all in all while I was interested in this for its low profile and ability to not block my views from my living room window, it’s main purpose is to be comfortable watching TV and not entertaining so I will skip it. Thanks for helping me in my decision-making!
Glad you benefitted! If in your search you find another low-profile couch with a fixed back, please share it here!
Thanks for the great review. My husband and I are thinking about this couch (not the sectional, but the base with 2 backs) for out sons’ bonus room. The “room” is really just a large open area at the top of the stairs, and the couch would be the first thing seen when anyone gets to the top stair, so I want it to look really GOOD. Also, I’m a realist, and my boys will be rough-housing on this thing, so I’ll want it to be worthy of their energy. How does the couch hold up to kid play? Also, did you consider the tufted back? Have you seen it in person at the store?
Thanks!
Hey Jen! So far, it has been holding up well to kid traffic. They jump, walk, climb all over the thing, and the fabric and shape of the cushions are holding up perfectly. I am deterred from all things tufted because my last couch had seat tufts, and those crevices were Crumb Central. On the back supports, it wouldn’t be as much of an issue. I think they’re really pretty (haven’t seen them in person though), just took away from the very clean-lined style we were going with in our living room. Hope this helps!
Hi there,
I was just wondering about that WestElm jute rug. Is it really scratchy and uncomfortable? Like, could you sit on it while playing with a child?
Thanks!
Johanna
It’s not too rough to play on, but it’s thin, so not what I would consider a comfy play area. I moved it to our baby’s room, actually, so in there we play on it quite a bit but it’s not quite the same as a lush carpet :)
Thank you for this review!!! We are considering this for our deck. How do you think it would hold up in that scenario??? We would cover it when not in use, of course. But, I noticed that the fabric instructions say ‘spot clean only’. Thoughts, please?
I know there’s an outdoor fabric-version of this piece – I haven’t seen the fabric in person though. I think the size/scale would be great for outdoor entertaining, when visitors are usually just “sitting” and doing less “reclining”!
Thanks for your review. I was thinking of purchasing the Tillary but was concerned about the back cushions not slipping and not being comfortable for lounging and snuggling as you mentioned. I wondered if it would improve if the couch was against the wall and the cushions had more support. Would that keep it from slipping? I wanted a very comfortable couch for Tv watching and lounging so I would be interested to know!
Ach. Love the set a lot (have had it for 2 years now) and the back slippage constantly is a PIA! Trying to find some way to keep the back cushions/bolsters from slipping is a constant chore. We’ve put heavy furniture behind the open side — hasn’t worked out YET. We’re moving in the next couple of weeks to a new home and I’m going to try to find some sort of bracket (in the shape of an L) to attach under the base to extend up the back of the bolsters. The brackets will be on a side away from view, but with no wall behind. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Sounds like this is something everyone’s unhappy with — together we can find a work around!
I’ve considered the big “L” bracket that attaches to the underside of the base too, and if you find a product you like let me know. It would have to be a pretty big/tall piece of metal. My only hesitancy is that the kids will want to move the cushions (forts, yo) and will then skewer themselves falling against a piece of upright metal. But obv adults wouldn’t have that issue. Interesting that you didn’t have luck with furniture behind them; the furniture just slid away?
I have been looking for a couch with the flexibility of using as 2 guest beds, but even in the store, I noticed the slippage. I have been brainstorming and thought of the brackets with a cross bar,ie an actual back frame that can’t skewer kids. I think the slippage is in part due to the fabric used under the bolsters. It’s smoother that the sofa fabric. If they had used another 1/4 yard of the sofa fabric, it seems it would have slipped less, better yet, my idea is to install some big Velcro strips. Do you think that is feasible and would help? I’m not buying unless I can address this. We will not be sitting upright on this couch so slumping and lounging must be comfortable.
Everyone seems to think velcro is the solution – and maybe it is – but my concern with trying it is damaging the existing material… sewing velcro on and having to tug at the seams periodically seems threatening, and using a super heavy-duty adhesive velcro seems like it would inevitably leave residue on the material. Still haven’t tried a different solution, still am constantly re-adjusting the backs to be “on.”
I’ve had this couch for 3 years and it has always been against a wall. We recently moved to a new apt and now there’s no wall behind for support. I’m shocked at how often the bolsters fall off. I find it hard to imagine that West Elm did not think of a better design to hold these together. Has anyone been able to come up with a solution for the problem? I was thinking velcro like some others suggested. Any luck with it?
If the weighted backs are mostly going to be sitting against a wall, I’m assuming we won’t have slippage issues. I’m more worried about comfort –– slippage aside, are they comfortable for lounging and movie watching?
They will be fine when against a wall. I think they’re comfy – more firm than other pillow-y sofas though. Think of it as a dense foam seat. For a cushier seat, we’ve kinda been digging the Urban Collection… it feels like sitting on a down pillow.
Two questions:
1. If you were starting over, would you buy these sofas?
2. Would that rubberized, thin non-slip carpet padding possibly work to keep the backs in place?
Nope, would not, but we did just buy two more corner back support pieces, because those move around much less (and will give us some more flexibility with its modularity… and more space to lounge). The non-slip carpet stuff might help! Like, the squishy drawer liner stuff? I’m going to give that a try. Thanks!
i wanted to contribute a slightly different experience — we have had the tillary sofa for about a year now and we love it. i realize that our placement of the sofa is definitely a factor: we have had no backrest slippage problems because most of the cushions are against a wall. the only one that extends away from the wall is a corner cushion, and it stays put quite well. one of the reasons that tillary is perfect for us is that we have two little dogs who are allowed to sit with us on the sofa. the tillary base happens to be exactly the same size as an extra-long twin bed sheet, so we have stocked up on fitted sheets that are the same color as the upholstery as well as mattress protectors in that size. i change the sheets and protectors weekly or after any day that it’s wet outside and/or the dogs are likely to be a little dirty. because they are fitted and the same color as the sofa, the sheets look neat and almost tailored, and we can whisk them off easily anytime we want to use the sofa without them — not to mention how much less expensive this is than having slipcovers made! i would buy the sofa again, and probably will if they keep making it that long and the price is still right.
Thanks for sharing! Ditto the fact that the twin sheets are a perfect fit – great as an alt to slipcovers and really convenient during nights the kids want to have sleepovers. I’m glad you’ve had a positive experience with it and shared your thoughts here… Do you find that the fabric and foam are also holding up well? I get emails pretty regularly asking me about the quality. Weigh in more, if you would!
I have this sofa and I hate it. The backs keep falling all the time. I have filed a complaint with West Elm as this is dangerous. I have 2 kids and they have almost fallen several times. This is DANGEROUS. West Elm don’t care. They send me a rug pad, but it did not help. I wonder if other people are having the same problem.
I’ve had mine for almost 5 year now (or maybe 4??) and I’m wondering if you have any tips for cleaning. Ours is the lightest colour, and we are a lot less careful about spills than we were when we first bought it, so its looking quite awful! I’m not ready to give it up yet so hopefully you have a few tips to freshen it up again :)
Sorry to hear! We have not had any issues with discoloring or staining (yet). Would a store associate be able to recommend a certain cleaner based on the exact material you have?
I bought this sofa about 18 months ago and regret the decision since the day I received it. We remember checking with the sales associates in the store about the backs slipping and were told it would not slip as they are weighted. If given a chance we would not buy this again. I have been researching solutions to fix the back and would be very interested in any solutions posted here.
They tell me that in store too, and why wouldn’t they? That’s why I’m here reporting that they DO slip. I find that the corner pieces slide considerably less, hardly at all in fact. We just ordered two more corner back supports to have more of the good stuff. If we come up with a better solution for the straight (lighter weight) pieces I’ll let you know.
My Tillarry couch in tweed arrived in September.
I called Immediately after it arrived to report
that the fabric was wrinkled and not taut like
a new coach should be. I called several times and sent pics
They said it was not right and that they would
send furniture medic to fix. They never came or called!
Has anyone else had this experience with a wrinkled coach?!
Wrinkled at the seams (like where your knees would rest) or on the surface too?
Wrinkled on the surface. Like loose skin! It has to be pushed to the side every time you stand up!
Oh man. If anyone else looking at this couch has a tweed material, please weigh in with your experience!
Apparently this is a new fabric for Tillary.
thanks! the slippage is clearly real! helps me and my wife to be cautious about it
thanks for the review! is the material on your couch the Marled Microfiber, Heather Gray? have you had any problems with pilling? curious because i have a different west elm sofa and the material is pilling. i was thinking of trying to get a replacement in the fabric you have because it looks like a similar gray and yours seems to look great after a few years…. would love any info and comments you have on the fabric :D thanks!!!
No pilling at all with the marled microfiber! The fabric itself has held up well… it looked “stretched” in a few spots where we sit more often but in general it’s still pretty taut. Just curious – what fabric do you have that is pilly?
mine is in the pebble weave, shale. i love the way it looks but i’ve had it less than a year and it started pilling after a month. we weren’t even home the entire summer and our tv is in the basement so we don’t sit on it for long periods of time or anything extreme.
foam and fabric appear to be holding up well at about the 1 year point! we have the bone pindot fabric, btw. of course, as i mentioned earlier, we most often have our “slipcovers” (i.e., the extra-long twin fitted sheets) on the bases — that might be a factor.
@Emily – one thing that I read about microfiber is that it attracts all kinds of lint and hair, etc…. is this ever an issue with yours?? also, do you have any cats? curious if they go for this kind of material.
@laucaro – thanks for telling me about your fabric as well! I LOVE your idea about the extra long twin fitted sheet and am going to have to see if I can make that work on mine!!! with 3 kids and a 4th on the way, anything to keep things cleaner and help them last longer is necessary :D
Hey Beth! We have a very, very furry dog with black fur. He doesn’t sit on the sofa but he does nap against it daily. We brush or vacuum the edges that he sits against every few weeks, and it’s not so bad at all. Can’t speak for cats, but the cats I’ve owned would sleep anywhere.
Awesome, thank you so much for this post and for all of the fabric info! I was afraid of choosing a different fabric and having it wear even worse than the one I already have…. now I feel confident in choosing the microfiber :D xo
We have the Heather Grey Micro fiber and after only 9 months, it stretches all out I Not looking like a taut contemporary couch as advertised. When we complained…they just said “Oh, that’s the nature of the fabric.. nothing we can do…..Well you picked out the fabric West Elm & obvi did not do your research. $1776.. later they do not care This stretchy fabric should not be used on this comtemporary couch
Sorry to hear of your experience with this fabric…. ours is still in good shape. Is the underlying foam losing it’s shape too?
I completely agree! I’ve been having the same problem with the fabric stretching out. It’s very frustrating however I do love the couch so I’m hoping to figure out a DIY type of slip cover because the fabric has not worn well over the past two years at all. They should definitely worn about this material!
We have had our Tillary Sofas for almost five years. You’re right on with your review!
Our now 12 and 8 year old have ran, jumped, climbed, and slept on them. As have their friends and cousins.
Besides the corner of a back piece that the cat likes to scratch on, they are almost as good of shape as when we brought them home!
Much like your husband, my husband, friends and family love to sleep on them! They make a great napping spot as well as guest bed.
Hi Alita! Just curious what fabric your couch is in? Happy to hear it’s held up so well for you :) thanks!!
We bought our Tillary tufted sofa (all the pieces/full set) Summer 2014 at West Elm’s newly opened London store. It was initially delivered 2 months late, and the corner back rest even later. I was told by customer service that this was because the couches weren’t passing Quality regulations and were being sent back to the states to be remade. This made me quite worried initially, and I should have cancelled my order then and there! This sofa cost us almost 70% more in the UK than what it sells for in the US so it’s luxury sofa prices over here!
Less than 2 years later, we’ve had some issues with the quality and unfortunately this expensive sofa hasn’t lasted. (Keep in mind that even though we have two small children, our flat is a pied-à-terre that we only use periodically, so this sofa has been very lightly used.)
1. THE MAIN PROBLEM – On two of the pieces, the frame of the couch is sagging at the front edge, right in the area where you sit, and the frame is protruding in front there too! I’ve tried to push it back in but it won’t go at all, which leads me to believe the wooden frame is cracked. Has anyone else had this problem? (It’s not like any of us are over weight or anything, so not sure why this has happened.)
2. We ordered the light grey micro-fabric. Like many reviews here, the fabric is loose and wrinkly and hasn’t stretched back to its original shape.
3. We have the biggest two pieces up against a wall, and they slip all the time. My husband is planning to attach some rubber bits under the legs to keep it from slipping, so hopefully this will do the trick!
This all makes me very sad because I like the sofa very much – aesthetically it’s perfect for our space & I like the flexibility of moving the pieces around. I’d also note that the fabric is easy to clean when say your toddler marks on it with a ballpoint pen – it comes right off! But overall, I’d say that if you want a couch which lasts you a long time and is good value vs quality… this is not the right couch for you! HAS ANYONE HAD ANY LUCK RETURNING PIECES OR GETTING THEM REPLACED? At minimum I’d like them to replace the pieces where the frame seems cracked, as it’s been less than 2 years!
1. Sorry to hear about the frame. Have not heard of this problem, but wonder if you open up the bottom and check to see if it is cracked might offer more ideas (like if it can be reinforced with a mending place or if the material is just bowing).
Re: Returning them. I ordered two additional corner back cushions because they’re heavier and don’t move about as much. After 3 months of waiting, one of the two cushions was sewn so poorly (puckering at all seams) that I refused to take it from the delivery man. Apparently this was the wrong thing to do (they seemed pretty frustrated that the “damaged” item was floating around on a truck somewhere. It took a lot of hounding customer service and another 3 months of waiting but they finally did replace my cushion, half a year after I ordered and paid for it.
Re: Replacing a broken piece: Not sure if the base of the couch has a single piece that can be replaced or if it’s all one big unit, but we have a West Elm bed that arrived with a broken/splintered foot board that prevented one of the bed legs from attaching correctly. West Elm acknowledged the damage, had me send them photos, and then delivered a whole new end piece for the bed (after several months of waiting) at no cost to me. No white glove service this time though.
We have the same problem with the padding shifting from the frame at the front edge. We just turned the base. (The other side is much more cushiony. I’ve also covered the bases with single mattress pads and nice patterned fitted sheets in a complementary color. I’ve even considered how a single bed might work as a alternate base.
Hi Emily,
Your space looks great! Where did you purchase the standing light fixture? It looks great over the couch. Nice cozy nook to read, I’m sure the lighting really warms up the room as well.
Thanks so much for these comments! We’re purchasing this couch from West Elm today and due to the single back slippage problem we’re going with 2 corners and one single vs. 2 singles and one corner. This will be a cozy hangout area for a bunch of teens, helpful for sleepovers too. Love that a twin sheet fits the couch perfectly. I’m going to throw one on over top for the weekends.
Glad the comments were helpful!
The lamp shown in the room was from JCPenney! Imagine that. http://www.merrypad.com/2014/01/15/design-by-conran-floor-lamp/
Thanks for the great info. I’ve read through the review and all the comments. One thing I didn’t see mentioned in the review or the comments was about how the support cushions have a built-in rubber grip material on the bottom in the stores now. Is this different than what you all have on your Tillary couches? With so many complaints about slipping, maybe they updated those to be less slippery. When I tried it in store the back cushions would not slide, no matter how hard I pushed from a sitting position. And I’m 6″ 2″.
That’s cool to hear, Eric. I haven’t checked out a model in stores in a few months so I’ll make a mental note to see if the new “rubbery material” is any different than what we have on our sofa. Thanks!
Hi Emily and everyone – so happy to find this review. I’m considering the Tillary for a tv/guest room – and the sofa will be in the middle of the room. Was at the store 2 weeks ago and tried the straight backs and they immediately fell off the back of the sofa when I leaned back in “movie watching/snuggle position”…so I don’t think the newer back cushions are less slippery. Now I’m thinking about getting two corner cushions and one base…but still researching. If anyone has worked with that configuration in the middle of the room, I’d love to hear opinions.
I do love that the unit is twin size and seems so easy to turn into a bed when needed. Also that I can flip the corner backrest cushions to sit facing different ways in the room. From my perspective, it would be nice if the back rests had some sort of posts that could press down into the base, to keep the back rest in place. Something designed so that you could still put the backrests in different positions…
Hi Emily,
Thank you for posting about your experiences with this couch and hosting all these helpful comments. I have been considering a pair of these for a home office. I’m somewhat worried about the uneven quality control issues with West Elm that have been discussed here and on other sites.
I’ve also been checking out the Case Study Daybeds. A company here in Los Angeles builds the mid-century classic from original specs. Although it’s a more basic design aesthetic, this daybed seems to me to be a key influence in the Tillary design. Curious if anyone here has had experience with these. http://modernica.net/day-beds/
Problems with the cushions falling off since my couch is no longer resting against a wall behind it. I read a lot of people are having the same problem so I thought of sharing a solution. Calling west elm is a waste of time since their suggestion was ‘put something heavy behind the couch’ uhh no- when I pay this kind of $$ don’t give me silly ideas like that. Anyway I called a upholstery guy who got an air staple machine and stapled the cushion to the base. He was took a long needle and hand so’d it. It feels and looks sturdy – so I’m happy so far. He also said if it get’s loose over time he will come and re-do it for free. Although he was very confident that it would not happen. Worth giving it a shot since my only other alternative was to replace the couch since we had recently moved apartments.
Found a $10 solution for the back slipping / slippage problem. These “rug gripper” strips seem to do the job for me: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000209YT6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I found that it works sufficiently with two strips per back. Hope that helps someone out there!
What did you use to attach these strips to the backs?
Is the solution still working for you?
Thanks!
Eric, wondering if the “rug gripper” is still working for you. Do they have some glue to adhere to the sofa? I called to West Elm to complain about the backs falling. They sent me a rug gripper, but it did not make a difference….
Over here, I’m resigned to the fact that they’ll always fall off unless backed against a wall. I’m looking forward to a day when I can justify a replacement sectional for our home.
I purchased 2 yards of the same upholstery as the sofa and backrests (Heather Gray Marled Microfiber) and covered a piece of plywood which I clamped to the base. It sufficiently fixed the problem without interfering with the best part of the design (the reconfigurability). I’m happy, but 2 years in, I’m not sure if I would spend $2K on it again. You were spot on about the appealing scale (height, depth). It has a lot of good things going for it, but falls a tiny bit short of what I expect from a higher end retailer.
Emily, I have the Tillary tufted 8 piece sectional, in performance velvet stone. The fabric keeps getting loose. It really looks like a cheap sofa. If anybody has any idea to keep the backs in place, please share.
Hi, I’ve also been considering the Tillary because of the versatility in changing the look. Has anyone had experience with the Retro style – the one with the tufting on the base? I don’t have children so I’m not worried about them as crumb-magnets, and I’m curious about whether folks have had the same issues with the fabric stretching out of shape with the Retro. It seems like the tufting might keep it tighter and better looking. Thanks to all!
Hi, I’m also thinking about getting this Tillary sectional and the Herringbone Faux Suede fabric looks the best to me but I don’t know how well it’ll hold up. Have you or anyone else had any experience with this fabric? Thank you!
Hello!! I have the Tillary sectional in micro suede charcoal gray. Love the versatility in my small living room and agree, the movement on the backs is a bit frustrating at times. However, I have to pass on this information!! I just came back from a 10 day vacation. My cat, Tuxedo, was very angry that I left him, although my daughter checked on him twice a day, and decided to spray to remind me that he was not happy I left him!! I researched on washing the covers but found no information. So, I decided to take the covers off the backs and wash them. They were ruined any ways, so I thought what do I have to lose?!? Let me tell you!!! They washed beautifully!! I hung them outside to dry because I was afraid the dryer would shrink them. So, if they are dirty, it’s ok to throw them in the washer!!
This is great to know! You can’t remove the base covers, can you? (Wondering if they added that feature in a newer iteration of the sofa.)
I’ve had people fall off the back. Luckily, nobody has been hurt or thrown their food or drink. Regarding washing the seat back covers, I wonder if maybe this will make the gripper work better. Possibly over time fibers or lint get in the way?? I’ll have to try this. Also, maybe inserting a heavy metal plate (wrapped in thin batting to protect the fabric) will give it the extra weight it needs…maybe??
Thanks so much for posting re: the Tillary. I find West Elm’s lack of reviews kind off frustrating, so your review, and the comments, have all been extremely helpful.
My question. If the sofa were to be up against a wall (as mine will be on all sides), do you think that it will be better suited for the lounge-y TV watching usage? I am actually looking at the Tillary retro.
Hey John. It’s a good looking couch and even today the fabric looks great and the couch overall has held up well to lots of kids bouncing. Against a wall is where I like it best. Ours is shifted up against the walls at the moment and it’s OK. It’s really not the most “snuggly” sofa though FYI.
Wish I could place a picture. Not sure how to explain, but in weeks you will see that the fabric is loose.
Looks now like an old cheap sofa. I have never see that happening to a sofa.
West Elm could care less because it is more than 1 year.
I will never buy this sofa again.
I am sure that is the reason why they don’t allow comments at their website
It bothers me that West Elm hasn’t been more receptive to comments – even when I bring it up in-store that the Tillary backs move, the staff acts like I’m the only one dissatisfied with aspects of the design.
What fabric do you have that has stretched out, Karen? We’re 4 years in with our Heather Gray material and it’s not bad.
Thanks for contributing to the conversation. I’m glad that our experiences have helped others make decisions.
I second all the comments about the Tillary, but I have to say, the flexibility of design is the main reason I got them and since I actually do move them & the backs around a lot, I have been willing to sacrifice some other qualities. The cheap look of the fabric is definitely one of them. I have a small and casual LR and I solved the fabric problem by putting covers on them. After looking at all the pics of the stretched out fabric I had pretty much made my mind up to manage it that way before I even got them; I would have been very angry if I had started using them as is and then saw how they wore with use. The covers I use are not sheets – although that would work – but these gigantic faux sheepskin rugs that I got at Tuesday Morning. It actually looks really good, but as I said, my living space is very casual. As far as the backs sliding off, I don’t have kids so I’m not worried about the danger to little limbs, and only one of my friends sits in a way that knocks them off. It’s like he constantly pushes his butt back or something! I have never had one of the backs slide off when it’s just me sitting, even slouched all the way down to watch tv. That said, if you don’t think you’ll actually move the units and the backs around to create different looks or uses, then IMO it’s really not worth it to get these.
hello everyone: just chiming in again, now two years later than my post above (and i’ve now had my tillary sofa for 3 years total). it is still working out well for us — but as in the post above, we don’t have kids, and we have one section against a wall. i still don’t have a problem with even the other piece losing its backrest (but i am a small person). plus, we like the ability to move the pieces. in fact, i have deliberately rotated the bases and/or turned them the other way every few months to avoid differential sagging and wear. i agree that the fabric wasn’t of the highest quality to begin with, but ours still looks good and has not stretched out noticeably even after years of use. i would be inclined to consider this sofa again when this one eventually wears out, and i would be most likely to do so if west elm provided the option to upgrade to better fabric and made the cushion covers so that they were easy to remove and wash.
I have this sofa and LOVE it! My husband and I have a lot of large rescue dogs, and we all cuddle up on it. Someone mentioned in a previous comment that the base is the same size as a twin bed, and we use sheets to cover it as well with the addition of a waterproof pad underneath. We also have slipcovers, so the fabric moving doesn’t bother us. The backs do tend to fall off, but ours is against a wall, so no problems there.
We bought the exact same 8 piece in 2015, and the backs do keep falling off as we don’t have it up against a wall. I’m glad I finally found this blog and we aren’t the only ones facing this problem! I guess ours is also old enough that it doesn’t have the rubber grippers that erikeric mentioned.
I have recently tried to use a cut to size piece of ‘STOPP FILT’ carpet underlay from IKEA for the smaller back rests, which seems to be doing the trick:
https://www.ikea.com/ae/en/catalog/products/90132261/
Hope this helps someone!
Love! Love! Love the Tillary sofa! Slight problem, however. My 100 pound dog peed on it while I was at work, Like, PEEEED enough to drown a duck. Blotting is SO NOT an option. It penetrated all the way through. Can sofa cleaners that come to your house actually penetrate all the way through? And now that it is obvious I need it, has anyone found a nice slipcover for it? (I placed water proof pads under the make shift cover. Thank! I’m sitting on a very expensive pee sofa.
Oh. My. God. No. I do not have a fix, and I don’t know if a professional cleaner would penetrate dense foam, but I’m very sorry to hear this.
@Candy vivier: There is a product you can find online called “Odor-Medic” and it really works. The owner of the company is also super helpful– talking customers through their individual issues. I have cats and he helped me get urine odor out of carpeting, wood floors, and concrete floors. It’s expensive, but you do dilute it down, and it is worth it. As far as slipcovers – any single fitted sheet will cover a Tillary sofa. I ended up covering mine with fleece style sheets almost immediately because the fabric ended up wearing so poorly. That said, if you call around and specifically inquire about their ability to clean dog pee you can probably find a carpet cleaning company that can clean it
I wish I’d seen this BEFORE I bought a Tillary! Same problems nearly 4 years later. Even tucked into a corner with the backs supported they slide off the end that isn’t leaning against a wall. I’ve tried Velcro, clamps, additional nonslip pads like you use for rugs – nothing works. Like you I think the SEAT is comfortable. We bought it to use as extra twin beds when company comes over. They’re pretty good twin beds. I’m still waiting until I can justify a new sectional, too. And THEN I’m going to wait for your review of what you buy!
We cannot wait to buy a new sectional… but I do like your idea of simply reusing our Tillary as guest room twin beds. That seems like a good way to put them to functional use.
it seems discontinued. I hope they will put it back in stock.