Sofhu makes Arabic majlis, Afghan toshak and Turkish-style corner seating to order for homes across Victoria, from Melbourne's northern suburbs to Dandenong and Shepparton. Every set is cut in Türkiye to your wall measurements, filled with 32 kg/m³ high-density foam, covered in zippered washable fabric and shipped free. Mid-weight covers such as chenille suit the changeable weather.
- Styles made
- Arabic majlis, Afghan toshak, kilim corner sets, wooden-frame sets
- Maker
- Sofhu, manufacturer, in Türkiye
- Fit
- Cut to your wall measurements
- Foam
- 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS) high-density foam, no springs
- Covers
- Zippered, removable, washable at 30°C
- Shipping
- Free worldwide, including Victoria
On this page
Three seating traditions meet in Victoria: the Arabic majlis, the Afghan toshak and the Turkish sedir. They share a principle, which is seating along the walls with the middle of the room left open for guests and food. They differ in almost every detail. Sofhu makes all three kinds in Türkiye, to your measurements, and ships free to Victorian addresses.
Arabic majlis in Victoria: who sits on what
Victoria’s communities are concentrated in Melbourne, with distinct centres in the north and the south-east.
Sofhu’s range falls into two products. The Arabic majlis is raised to sofa height: fully upholstered units with a solid base, tall fixed backs and arm bolsters, like the beige set at the top of this page. The Arabic floor sofa is a low cushion set on the floor with loose back cushions. The toshak and the kilim corner belong to that second family, and so do the sets pictured in the sections below.
Lebanese and Iraqi homes in the northern suburbs
Lebanese, Turkish and Iraqi families live across Coburg, Brunswick, Broadmeadows and Meadow Heights. Levantine households know a low sofa lined with cushions, described on our page about Syrian and Levantine Arabic seating. In Iraqi tradition the diwaniya is expected to be the largest room in the house, as the Iraqi diwaniya page explains, so a long U-shape or two facing rows is the natural plan.
Afghan toshak in Dandenong and the south-east
Dandenong, in Melbourne’s south-east, has a large Afghan community, many of them Hazara. The toshak is a long floor mattress used for sitting, eating and sleeping, with loose cushions against the wall instead of a fixed backrest. Sofhu makes toshak sets with zippered covers, cut to run the full length of your walls.
The cream set above is one of Sofhu’s Afghan-style designs in an L-shape. Read more on the Afghan toshak style page and the existing premium Afghan toshak page.
Turkish sedir and the kilim corner
The traditional Turkish sedir was a raised seat built into the house along the windowed wall. Its modern descendant is the corner set of firm cushions in kilim-pattern fabric, either on the floor or on a low wooden base. Sofhu makes both in Türkiye: kilim floor sofas and wooden-frame sets, including a line with carved beech frames shown on the existing Turkish majlis page. The Turkish sedir style page gives the background.
If the names are confusing, our guide to majlis, diwan, jalsa, sedari and toshak by country sorts them out.
Beyond Melbourne: Shepparton and regional Victoria
Shepparton, in regional Victoria, has Iraqi and Afghan communities of its own. Families there order in the same way as anyone in Melbourne. There is no shop to visit in either place, so the distance from the city makes no difference to the process. Give the full delivery address with your measurements, and Sofhu will confirm how the parcels reach you.
Mid-weight fabrics for changeable weather
Victoria’s weather changes quickly and the winters are cool. A fabric that is comfortable across the range is more useful than one chosen for a single season.
| Fabric | Warm days | Cool days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chenille | Good | Good | Very low shedding, per Sofhu |
| Woven and kilim | Good | Fair | Described by Sofhu as non-wrinkling |
| Velvet | Fair | Very good | Durable and easy to clean, per Sofhu |
| Linen | Very good | Cool | Best in a sunny room |
All covers are zippered and removable, and Sofhu states they can be machine washed at 30°C. A household with small children and frequent guests will care more about that than about the weave.
Choosing a layout for the room
Floor seating is not freestanding. It leans on the walls, so count the walls you can use.
- A U-shape on three walls gives the most seats and suits a dedicated guest room.
- An L-shape on two walls leaves space for a television, a heater or a doorway.
- A single row fits a narrow lounge, a unit or a bedroom corner.
The red kilim floor sofa below is arranged as a U under a row of windows. Low backrests sit beneath the sills, so the light is not blocked.
The pieces are modular, which helps if you rent or expect to move. See L-shape and U-shape majlis layouts for how corners are joined.
Foam that keeps its shape
Sofhu fills its seats with 32 kg/m³ polyurethane foam, called 32 DNS in the Turkish trade. The number is density, the weight of one cubic metre. Denser foam generally keeps its height and support longer. It says nothing about hardness, so tell Sofhu whether you want a soft toshak feel or a firm majlis seat. The cushions have no springs.
Majlis sofa delivery to Victoria
Each order is made in Türkiye, vacuum packed and sent by cargo carrier to your address. Shipping is free worldwide. Open the sealed bags by hand and let the foam recover before use.
Taxes or duties may apply depending on the destination. Ask Sofhu how your order will be handled, and read importing a majlis to Australia. The existing page on Arabic sofas in Australia covers the country as a whole.
Getting your quote
Send the length of each wall at floor level, the position of doors and windows, a few photos, and the style you want: majlis, toshak or kilim corner. Use get a quote by measurement or WhatsApp.
Continue to Arabic majlis in Melbourne for suburb-level detail, or to the main Arabic majlis page for the full range. Neighbouring pages: New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania.
