A majlis sofa for Dammam is ordered by measurement and built for the room. Sofhu, a manufacturer in Türkiye, makes raised Arabic majlis sets, and low floor sofas as a separate product, with 32 kg/m³ high-density foam and zippered covers that wash at 30°C, which suits the humid Gulf coast. Shipping to the Eastern Province is free.
On this page
Buying a majlis sofa in Dammam starts with a tape measure, not a catalogue. Sofhu manufactures Arabic majlis sets in Türkiye for one room at a time, from the wall lengths the customer sends, and ships them free to the Eastern Province. Dammam is the capital of that province and part of one continuous urban area with Dhahran and Khobar. Its homes range from family villas with a separate guest majlis to compound houses for oil-industry staff, and each asks for a different set.
Gulf taste on the Saudi coast
The Eastern Province looks east as much as it looks to Riyadh. Bahrain is a short drive away over the King Fahd Causeway, Kuwait is up the coast, and taste in the home has much in common with both. Even the old plasterwork here differs from Najdi work.
In seating, Gulf taste today is often described as velvet, strong single colours and gold detail, and many modern Gulf homes use a raised seat in the formal majlis. That is a tendency, not a rule. The two majlis pieces below show the range: a lower seat in a matte khaki weave with tray boxes in the armrests, and a compact, taller seat on a lattice base.
Sofhu keeps two products apart: the Arabic majlis, raised and fully upholstered with a solid base and fixed backs, and the Arabic floor sofa, a low set of seat mattresses and loose back cushions. Low and raised seating are compared in floor seating vs raised diwan. For the neighbouring traditions see the Bahraini majlis and Kuwaiti diwaniya pages, and for the Kingdom as a whole the Saudi majlis page.
The villa majlis
A Dammam villa often has a majlis reached without passing through the family rooms. It is the room where guests are received, so it gets the full treatment: seating on three walls, a rug across the floor and a table or ottoman in the middle. The black and gold majlis at the top of this page is laid out that way, along three walls of the room.
When you plan a villa majlis, decide early:
- which wall is the head of the room, so the design is centred there
- whether corners are filled with a seat or left open
- what kind of armrest you want: a round bolster, a shaped block or a tray-top box
Parts of a majlis set names each piece, which makes the conversation with the designer quicker.
Compound and apartment living rooms
Compound housing is common in Dammam, and so are rented apartments. In these rooms the Arabic jalsa shares the space with a dining table and a television, and an L shape or a single row is the sensible size. A quieter fabric helps the set sit with the furniture already there.
The grey woven piece above, with its tufted back and fringed throws, is an example of a calmer finish. Because the modules are loose, the set moves house with you.
Fabric for a hot, very humid summer
The Gulf coast is hot and very humid in summer. The majlis spends those months in air conditioning, so the practical concern is keeping covers clean and dry. Sofhu’s covers are zippered and removable, and the company states they can be machine washed at 30°C. Linen, which Sofhu describes as porous with high moisture absorption, is the cooler option for family rooms. Velvet is described as durable and easy to clean, and remains the usual choice for a formal majlis.
Sofhu has not published mould or sun ratings for its fabrics. For any seating outside the air-conditioned house, ask for the outdoor line and keep it shaded.
What 32 DNS foam means
The seats are filled with 32 kg/m³ polyurethane foam, written as 32 DNS in the Turkish trade. The number is density: one cubic metre of the foam weighs about 32 kg. Denser foam generally keeps its shape and support longer than light foam. Density is not hardness, and on a custom order you can ask for a softer or firmer seat.
Measuring and ordering from Dammam
Follow how to measure a room for a majlis, then send the wall lengths, the positions of doors, windows and air-conditioning units, and a few photos through get a quote by measurement or WhatsApp. Sofhu returns a layout and a price. The finished set is vacuum packed and shipped free from Türkiye. Duties or taxes may apply depending on the destination, so confirm before ordering.
The country guide is Arabic sofa in Saudi Arabia, and across the causeway there is Arabic sofas in Bahrain. Neighbouring Khobar has its own page, as does Jeddah on the Red Sea.
