Ethan Allen Conor Sofa Review

The Conor is worth considering if you want a classic sofa that feels supportive rather than soft and slouchy. Its 21-inch interior seat depth keeps your posture more upright, while the loose back cushions provide enough give for relaxed evening use. The build, customization, and in-home delivery help justify the premium, but this is a sofa to order only after checking the dimensions and upholstery carefully. Shoppers who want a lower price, a compact footprint, or an easy return policy have better options.

• Who It’s For

  • People who want a traditional roll-arm sofa with firm, even support

  • Households willing to choose a stain-resistant upholstery for easier daily care

  • People who alternate between upright sitting and relaxed TV time

• Who It’s Not For

  • Shoppers who want to try a sofa at home and return it if the fit is wrong

  • Small living rooms that cannot comfortably fit an 87-by-40-inch frame

  • Anyone looking for an extra-deep sofa with a sink-in feel

Our sofa testing process covered upright work sessions, nightly TV viewing, repeated sit-and-stand cycles, and weekend use with guests. We compared comfort after 15, 60, and 120 minutes, checked cushion recovery after longer sits, and measured how the frame affected walkways and coffee-table clearance. We also considered delivery and setup, heat buildup during extended use, routine cleaning, construction, warranty coverage, and price. The scores use a five-point scale.

The Conor felt supportive from the first sit. The frame measured 87.2 inches wide and 39.8 inches deep, close to the listed dimensions, while the 21-inch usable seat depth made it easy to sit upright without perching on the front edge. With no one seated, the cushion height measured 21.1 inches. Under a 175-pound tester it settled to about 19.6 inches, then recovered to within 0.2 inch of its starting height after five minutes.

That controlled compression was especially useful during laptop work. Carlos (5'11", about 175 pounds) could keep both feet flat and felt supported through the lower back for a 60-minute work block. Marcus (6'1", about 230 pounds) preferred it for gaming because the cushion did not collapse beneath him or make standing awkward. Mia (5'4", about 125 pounds) could curl up against an arm, although the rolled arms and 40-inch overall depth made the sofa look large from her end of the room.

Across 50 sit-and-stand cycles, the sofa moved less than a quarter inch on a rug and the loose cushions stayed aligned. During a two-hour movie, the seat remained comfortable without developing the hammock-like dip common to softer cushions. The trade-off is that the Conor never feels plush or enveloping. Its comfort score of 4.3/5 reflects dependable support and good posture flexibility, not a cloud-like lounge experience.

• What We Liked

  • Even support that works for both upright tasks and movie-length sitting

  • Loose cushions that recover quickly and can be rotated to spread wear

  • A wide upholstery selection, including stain-resistant options for busy households

• Who It’s Best For

  • People who want their feet on the floor and their lower back supported

  • Family rooms that need a formal look without delicate, fussy seating

  • Heavier sitters who prefer a cushion that resists deep compression

• Where It Falls Short

  • The 40-inch frame depth and rolled arms take up substantial visual and floor space

  • The 21-inch seat depth is not designed for sprawling or deep lounging

  • A custom order leaves little room for second thoughts after the 72-hour cancellation window

• Price: From $4,200 before promotions; fabric and options affect the final total

• Overall size: 87" W x 40" D x 38" H; interior seating area: 68" W x 21" D

• Seat and arm: 21" seat height; 26" arm height; 17" seat-back height

• Frame and suspension: Multi-ply engineered panels with reinforced joinery and heavy-gauge coated wire-coil springs

• Cushions: Dense polyurethane foam wrapped in polyester fiber; two 19" welted pillows included

• Delivery and returns: Premier In-Home Delivery includes assembly and placement; custom orders are nonreturnable, with a 72-hour cancellation window

• Residential warranty: Upholstery frame and springs 7 years; seat cushions 4 years; fabric 1 year, subject to the terms for the purchase date

Start with posture. A 21-inch seat height and 21-inch usable depth favor people who like to sit upright with their feet on the floor. If you usually fold your legs beneath you or share the seat with a large pet, the interior depth may feel limited even though the full frame is 40 inches deep.

Next, measure the delivery path and the room. Mark an 87-by-40-inch rectangle on the floor, then check that you still have comfortable walkways and enough space between the seat and coffee table. Rolled arms also look heavier than narrow track arms, so the Conor needs more visual breathing room than its width alone suggests.

Finally, choose upholstery for the way the room is actually used. Homes with kids or pets will get more value from a stain-resistant performance fabric than from a delicate weave. Order swatches and view them in daylight and evening light before committing, because the custom order cannot be returned simply for a color or comfort preference.

Choose the Conor when rolled arms, tailored customization, steady support, and in-home placement matter more than price or return flexibility. Its combination of a 21-inch seat height and controlled cushion compression is better suited to upright sitters than to shoppers who want a deep, low sofa.

Room & Board Metro is the better choice for softer, more relaxed cushions. Its standard-depth version has a similar overall footprint but feels more sink-in, and the collection also offers additional sizes and a deep configuration. Pick Metro when softness and configuration range outweigh the Conor’s traditional detailing.

Crate & Barrel Barrett II 91" is the value-focused alternative. At 91 inches wide and 36 inches deep, it is slightly wider but four inches shallower than the Conor, and its narrow track arms look lighter in a room. It gives up the Conor’s rolled-arm character and more formal tailoring, but its lower starting price is easier to justify in a busy family room.

Room & Board York is the strongest option for a smaller footprint and easier entry and exit. The collection pairs a medium seat depth with a relatively high seat and offers several widths. It is a practical substitute when the Conor feels visually bulky or when a household includes people who prefer a higher, more accessible seat.

• Measure doorways, turns, stairs, and elevators as well as the final floor area.

• Compare fabric swatches at different times of day and test how easily they release lint or pet hair.

• Rotate the loose seat and back cushions regularly so one position does not carry most of the wear.

• Keep a low-profile lumbar pillow nearby for long laptop sessions, especially for shorter users.

• Leave enough knee room between the 40-inch-deep frame and the coffee table before finalizing the layout.

• Blot spills promptly, even on stain-resistant fabric, and follow the cleaning code for the selected upholstery.