Document and Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Jan. 29, 2017	Mar. 26, 2017	Jul. 31, 2016
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Jan. 29, 2017
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2016
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Trading Symbol	WSM
Entity Registrant Name	WILLIAMS SONOMA INC
Entity Central Index Key	0000719955
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--01-29
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		86,840,278
Entity Public Float			$ 4,757,778,000

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End date of current fiscal year in the format --MM-DD.

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This is focus fiscal period of the document report. For a first quarter 2006 quarterly report, which may also provide financial information from prior periods, the first fiscal quarter should be given as the fiscal period focus. Values: FY, Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, H1, H2, M9, T1, T2, T3, M8, CY.

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This is focus fiscal year of the document report in CCYY format. For a 2006 annual report, which may also provide financial information from prior periods, fiscal 2006 should be given as the fiscal year focus. Example: 2006.

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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The end date of the period reflected on the cover page if a periodic report. For all other reports and registration statements containing historical data, it is the date up through which that historical data is presented. If there is no historical data in the report, use the filing date. The format of the date is CCYY-MM-DD.

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The type of document being provided (such as 10-K, 10-Q, 485BPOS, etc). The document type is limited to the same value as the supporting SEC submission type, or the word "Other".

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Indicate number of shares or other units outstanding of each of registrant's classes of capital or common stock or other ownership interests, if and as stated on cover of related periodic report. Where multiple classes or units exist define each class/interest by adding class of stock items such as Common Class A [Member], Common Class B [Member] or Partnership Interest [Member] onto the Instrument [Domain] of the Entity Listings, Instrument.

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State aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to price at which the common equity was last sold, or average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter. The public float should be reported on the cover page of the registrants form 10K.

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Indicate "Yes" or "No" if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Is used on Form Type: 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, 20-F, 6-K, 10-K/A, 10-Q/A, 20-F/A, 6-K/A, N-CSR, N-Q, N-1A.

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Trading symbol of an instrument as listed on an exchange.

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