Burrow is a direct-to-consumer brand specializing in smart, modular, and modern furniture designed for convenience and urban living, shipping directly to your door for easy, tool-free assembly. In contrast, West Elm is a larger, established retailer offering a broader range of styles from mid-century to bohemian, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, artisanal craftsmanship, and a full-service shopping experience that includes physical showrooms and white-glove delivery.
Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right home decor retailer for your space.
Burrow: The Modern Modular Choice
Burrow is a modern furniture brand that built its reputation on convenient, modular sofas that adapt to your life. Aimed at urban professionals and renters, their furniture ships in standard boxes for free and can be assembled and reconfigured without any tools. The brand's focus is on solving common furniture frustrations - like difficult moves and changing layout needs - with clever design and a streamlined online shopping experience.
- Product mix: Primarily known for modular sofas and sectionals. They have expanded into a full home collection including armchairs, coffee tables, shelving, rugs, and decor.
- Style/vibe: Contemporary and minimalist. Designs feature clean lines, simple forms, and a neutral color palette that easily fits into modern homes.
- Price point: Mid-range. Sofas start around $1,295, with sectionals typically falling between $2,000 and $4,000. Accent pieces like side tables are in the $100-$300 range.
- Quality: Built with durable materials, including kiln-dried hardwood frames and stain-resistant, non-toxic performance fabrics. The construction is solid and designed for longevity and adaptability.
- Customization: The core of Burrow's offering is modular customization. You can choose the number of seats, chaise orientation, arm style, leg finish, and upholstery color. You can also add sections later to expand your sofa.
- Delivery & Assembly: A key selling point. Burrow offers free, fast shipping on everything. Furniture arrives in manageable boxes and assembles tool-free in minutes, making it perfect for apartment dwellers.
- Return policy: Offers a 30-day return window. Because of the modular design, pieces are much easier to pack up and ship back compared to traditional sofas.
Burrow is the solution for anyone seeking stylish, adaptable furniture that prioritizes convenience from purchase to moving day.
Shop Burrow: burrow.com
West Elm: The Design-Forward Sustainable Brand
As a member of the Williams-Sonoma family of brands, West Elm is a major player in the home furnishings market, known for its on-trend, contemporary designs and strong commitment to sustainability. Their appeal lies in offering a more curated, design-forward look than mass-market retailers, with a focus on ethical production and high-quality materials. West Elm successfully blends mid-century, bohemian, and industrial styles to create collections that feel both modern and timeless.
- Product mix: Extensive selection across all home categories, including furniture for the living room, bedroom, and dining room, plus lighting, rugs, bedding, decor, kitchenware, and outdoor pieces.
- Style/vibe: A mix of mid-century modern, contemporary, and globally-inspired bohemian design. Expect clean lines combined with textured materials, unique finishes, and artisanal details.
- Price point: Mid-range to premium. Sofas generally start around $1,200 but can easily exceed $3,000 for larger sectionals or premium fabrics.
- Quality: West Elm uses quality materials like kiln-dried, FSC-certified wood and offers a wide range of premium upholstery. Many items are Fair Trade Certified&trade, and handcrafted by artisans.
- Customization: Many sofas and chairs are available in dozens of fabric and color options, from performance velvet to Belgian flax linen. Some casegoods offer different wood finishes.
- Delivery & Assembly: Offers standard shipping or a white-glove delivery service for a flat fee, which includes assembly and trash removal. Lead times for custom furniture can be several weeks.
- Rewards program: "The Key" Rewards program is shared with sister brands like Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma, offering 2-5% back in rewards.
- Sales: West Elm runs frequent sales and promotions, especially during holiday weekends, which can provide significant savings.
West Elm is for design-conscious shoppers who value ethical sourcing and want to create a stylish, layered home with designer appeal.
Shop West Elm: westelm.com
Burrow vs. West Elm Comparison
Price Comparison
Burrow and West Elm's entry-level pieces often start at a similar price point, typically around $1,200 to $1,300 for a sofa. However, Burrow's pricing is more straightforward and often presents a better overall value, as their prices include free shipping. This is a significant saving compared to West Elm, where furniture delivery fees can add a few hundred dollars to your final cost.
West Elm has a much wider price range. While you can find affordable pieces, their larger sectionals, premium fabrics, and high-end collections can cost two to three times as much as Burrow's offerings. West Elm also utilizes a frequent-sale model, so savvy shoppers can find deals, whereas Burrow's direct-to-consumer pricing is more consistent. For a predictable, all-inclusive budget, Burrow is easier to navigate. For a broader range of options, from affordable basics to investment pieces, West Elm delivers.
Style & Aesthetic
Burrow embodies a streamlined, contemporary aesthetic. Their designs are clean, functional, and minimalist, designed to fit seamlessly into modern apartments and homes without overpowering the space. The visual appeal is subtle and practical, leaning on timeless silhouettes and neutral colors.
West Elm, on the other hand, is much more eclectic and trend-focused. You'll find strong mid-century modern influences alongside bohemian textures, industrial metals, and global patterns. West Elm is where you go for a statement piece - a swooping armchair, a dining table with a unique wood grain, or a heavily textured rug. While both are modern, Burrow is about functional simplicity, while West Elm is about creating a curated, expressive interior.
Quality & Construction
Both brands offer quality furniture for their respective price points. Burrow focuses its quality message on durability and smart engineering. Their kiln-dried hardwood frames are sturdy, and the modular design withstands being taken apart and put back together during moves. Their performance fabrics are stain- and scratch-resistant, which is a huge plus for families and pet owners.
West Elm emphasizes material quality and craftsmanship. They use premium components like FSC-certified wood, down-filled cushions, and artisanal details. The "handcrafted" element is a key part of their branding, giving their furniture a slightly more refined and substantial feel. West Elm's construction feels more traditional and often more luxurious, justifying its higher price point.
Customization & Sizing
The brands approach customization in fundamentally different ways. For Burrow, customization is about modularity and configuration. You choose your arm height, leg finish, and colors, but the real benefit is the ability to create the exact size and shape of sectional you need - and the option to add to it later. This makes it ideal for unique room layouts and growing families.
West Elm’s customization is focused on fabrics and finishes. On a given sofa frame, you might have a choice of over 100 different upholsteries, from performance velvets to premium leathers. This allows for a high degree of personalization in the look and feel of the piece, but the furniture's size and shape are fixed. If you prioritize visual variety, West Elm wins. If you prioritize functional flexibility, Burrow has the advantage.
Delivery & Assembly
This is Burrow's biggest differentiator. Every order ships free, arriving in manageable boxes that can be carried up stairs and through tight hallways. The tool-free assembly is famously simple and can be completed in minutes. This entire process is designed to eliminate the costs and headaches of traditional furniture delivery.
West Elm follows a traditional retail model. You can opt for front-door delivery or pay a flat rate for White Glove Service, where a team delivers the item, assembles it, places it in your room, and removes all packaging. This is very convenient but adds a significant cost and requires scheduling. Lead times for West Elm's made-to-order items can also stretch for many weeks, whereas Burrow ships its products much more quickly.
Sustainability & Ethics
Both brands have strong commitments to sustainability, but West Elm is a recognized industry leader in this area. West Elm's initiatives are extensive: a massive selection of Fair Trade Certified&trade, products supporting workers' rights, sustainably sourced woods (FSC-certified), and thousands of handcrafted, eco-friendly items. Their supply chain transparency is a huge part of their brand identity.
Burrow's approach is also commendable, focusing on non-toxic materials, responsibly-sourced hardwood, and designing for longevity to reduce waste. Their modular system encourages keeping furniture rather than replacing it. While excellent, West Elm's long-term investment and third-party certifications give them an edge for shoppers who make sustainability their absolute top priority.
Which One Should You Choose?
The right choice depends on your lifestyle, budget, and design priorities. Both brands offer quality furniture, but they cater to very different needs.
Choose Burrow if:
- You live in an apartment, have narrow doorways, or move frequently.
- You value convenience, free shipping, and easy assembly.
- Your space configuration might change and you want your furniture to adapt with you.
- You prefer a clean, minimalist, and contemporary style.
- You have kids or pets and need durable, stain-resistant fabrics.
Choose West Elm if:
- You're looking for a specific design aesthetic like mid-century modern or bohemian chic.
- You want to see, touch, and test out furniture in a physical showroom before buying.
- Sustainability and fair trade certifications are a top priority for your purchase.
- You are furnishing an entire room or home and want a vast selection of coordinating items.
- You prefer the convenience of white-glove delivery and in-home setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burrow or West Elm cheaper?
Burrow is generally the more affordable option, especially when you factor in their free flat-rate shipping on all orders. West Elm's furniture often has a higher sticker price, and their white-glove delivery service adds a significant extra cost.
Which has better quality furniture?
The quality is comparable but different. Burrow's quality is in its durable, functional design and resilient performance fabrics. West Elm's quality is in its premium materials, like FSC-certified wood and artisanal details, which often feel more luxurious.
Which is better for small apartments?
Burrow is the clear winner for small apartments. Its furniture ships in easy-to-manage boxes that fit through narrow halls and stairwells, assembly is simple, and the modular design allows for configurations that maximize tight spaces.
Does Burrow's furniture hold up?
Yes. Burrow sofas are built with sturdy, kiln-dried hardwood frames and durable performance fabrics designed to resist stains and snags. The entire ethos is built around creating long-lasting furniture that can survive multiple moves.
Is West Elm furniture real wood?
Yes, West Elm uses a combination of solid woods and engineered woods in their furniture. They are well-regarded for using kiln-dried wood for durability and are a leader in using sustainably sourced, FSC-certified wood in many of their products.
Is Burrow comfortable?
Most customers find Burrow furniture to be comfortable, typically describing the sit as firm yet supportive. The three-layer foam cushions are designed to prevent sagging and maintain their shape over time.
How long does it take to get a Burrow sofa?
One of Burrow’s biggest advantages is speed. While traditional furniture can take weeks or months to arrive, Burrow products are stocked and typically ship within a week, arriving shortly after.
Are Burrow and West Elm sustainable?
Yes, both brands prioritize sustainability. Burrow uses upcycled, stain-resistant fabrics and sustainably-sourced wood. West Elm is an industry pioneer in sustainability, offering extensive collections that are Fair Trade Certified&trade,, GREENGUARD Gold Certified, and made with organic and recycled materials.
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