West Elm accent chairs run a wide range of styles & comfort levels, but with a name like “Cozy Swivel Chair” we really expect one thing and one thing only – coziness.
Before we get into that, let’s talk build quality and looks. The fabric (stock “Chunky Melange, Charcoal”) seems to us to be of relatively high quality compared to other West Elm items. We don’t think it’ll suffer any issues with fabric loosening. It’s thick but soft. It looks kind of like a really comfy sock, which maybe adds to the cozy vibe but also somehow manages to suit a variety of settings from minimalistic and monochromatic to a more woodsy hanging by the fireplace vibe.
The general shape of the chair is quite bulbous and “singular” feeling, and we don’t see any obvious points of failure in terms of construction thanks to this. This shape also adds some style points as it has a unique “It’s the future but in an 80’s movie” vibe to it. The swivel works well and from a second party perspective it kind of looks like the chair is floating as it turns which adds to the futuristic effect.
So, is it cozy? It’s not bad. It’s not great. It is a very comfortable chair and definitely at first you get that “oh, this is cozy” feeling, but as you settle in you start to notice what’s wrong. The chair has a relatively low back, so just kind of melting in and falling asleep (our true “cozy” test) isn’t a real possibility.
The back is a little harder than we’d expect given the name, and the seat cushion sits at a fairly sharp angle which pulls you back and down into the chair which to us felt more like we were stuck than comfortable. It’s kind of a forced, faux coziness, and for that we just can’t quite accept it as a great buy. That being said, for a really small person who might be able to melt into this appropriately, or for someone who just likes the chair as a fashion statement, we think you could do way worse.
At $699 base sticker price, if you love the look, we say go for it.
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