An Arabic sunbed is a low, padded folding lounger that lies flat as a mat or props its backrest up on a folding metal frame. Sofhu makes it in a maroon medallion fabric and a beige star-band fabric, shown with a matching armrest block and a carry bag. It is used on sand, grass and rugs, ordered by quote, and shipped free worldwide.
- Product
- Folding padded floor lounger
- Backrest
- Lies flat or props up on a folding metal frame
- Colourways shown
- Maroon medallion; beige with star bands
- Shown with
- Matching armrest block and carry bag
- Used on
- Sand, grass and rugs
- Maker
- Sofhu, manufacturer
- Shipping
- Free worldwide
- Ordering
- By quote or WhatsApp
On this page
The Arabic sunbed is a low folding lounger: a padded mat in patterned fabric that lies flat on the ground, or sits you up when its backrest is propped on a folding metal frame. It is new to the Sofhu range, and it is made for the places a sitting room cannot go: a desert keshta, a beach, a park, a garden.
What an Arabic sunbed is
It is a folding floor lounger in three padded panels. Two panels make the seat and leg rest. The third is the backrest, hinged to the seat and held up from behind by a black metal frame that folds out like a stand. Fold the frame in and the backrest drops, so the whole thing becomes one long flat mat.
Because the frame carries the backrest, the sunbed stands on its own in open ground. Nothing has to be behind it. You sit at floor level with your legs stretched out, the way you would on a floor cushion, but with your back supported.
People search for it under several names: Arabic floor chair, keshta chair, folding floor lounger, desert camping lounger. They all describe the same idea, a seat you carry to the place rather than a seat that stays in a room.
How it differs from a majlis and a floor sofa
The sunbed is a third product, and it helps to name each one correctly. An Arabic majlis is raised, sofa-height seating built as structured upholstered units that line the walls of a guest room. An Arabic floor sofa is a low cushion set with a seat mattress, loose back cushions and armrest blocks, and it needs a wall or something solid behind it. The sunbed is neither. It is a single portable seat with its own backrest support.
| Arabic sunbed | Arabic floor sofa | Arabic majlis | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | One folding padded lounger | Low cushion seating set | Raised upholstered seating units |
| Where it is used | Desert, beach, park, garden, terrace | Living rooms and family rooms | Formal guest rooms |
| Back support | Own folding metal frame | Leans against a wall | Fixed tall backs |
| Moves with you | Yes, folds and carries | Rearranged within the home | Stays in the room |
| How it is sized | One lounger per person | Made to your wall measurements | Made to your wall measurements |
A family that already has a floor sofa set or a majlis at home does not need to choose between them. The sunbed covers the days spent outside the house.
The two colourways
Sofhu photographs the sunbed in two fabrics. Both have a plain beige edge band around each panel.
| Maroon | Beige | |
|---|---|---|
| Ground colour | Deep maroon red | Cream beige |
| Motif | Diamond medallions in navy, cream and red | Bands of star motifs in burgundy, navy and green |
| Looks at home on | A red kilim, dark rugs, evening light | Plain rugs, sand, a bright lawn |
| Armrest block | Matching maroon fabric | Matching beige fabric |
The maroon reads as a classic carpet pattern and holds its colour against sand at sunset. The beige is quieter and stays light in strong sun. In several photos the two are used side by side, which works well because both carry navy and burgundy in the pattern. The star motif is a Sofhu design.
The armrest block and the carry bag
The sunbed is shown with a separate armrest block in the same fabric. It is a firm rectangular cushion, not fixed to the mat, so it sits wherever you want it: beside your hip as an elbow rest, behind the lower back, or under the knees when the mat is flat.
The sunbed folds, and Sofhu shows it with a carry bag for moving it between the house, the car and the spot you have chosen. Dimensions when open and when folded, and the weight, are not published yet. If you need to know whether two or four will fit in your vehicle, ask Sofhu for the specification sheet with your quote.
Where people use it
Desert keshta. This is the setting it was photographed for most: sunbeds on a kilim beside a low table with the dallah, a tea kettle, dates and a small fire, with the 4×4 parked behind. A keshta chair has to pack flat in the car and sit comfortably on soft sand, and the sunbed does both. Read more in the Arabic sunbed for a desert keshta.
Beach. On the sand it works as a beach floor chair under an umbrella, with legs out and back supported. Shake it off before folding.
Park and family picnic. Two sunbeds on a picnic blanket give the adults a seat with a back while the children sit between them. See the sunbed for beach days and picnics.
Garden and terrace. On a lawn or a paved terrace it comes out when the weather is good and goes back indoors after. For a balcony or a small patio, where a fixed set would take the whole floor, a folding lounger is an easy answer. There are more layouts in balcony and patio majlis ideas.
Camping. As a desert camping lounger it gives you a place to sit by the fire that is softer than a camp chair and lower to the ground.
Hotels, resorts and camps. Poolside lawns, beach clubs, desert camps and glamping sites use loungers in numbers. Buyers ordering several units should read the Arabic sunbed for hotels, resorts and glamping.
Pairing the sunbed with outdoor seating
The sunbed is a single seat. For a terrace or garden where guests gather often, it works best alongside fixed seating, not instead of it. Sofhu’s outdoor majlis range covers wooden bench sets with cushions that stay in place through the season. A common arrangement is a bench set along the edge of the terrace and one or two sunbeds on the lawn or by the pool for anyone who wants to lie back.
On the ground, a rug does most of the work. Lay a kilim or a plain flat-woven rug first, then set the sunbeds on it facing a low table. It keeps sand and grass off the fabric, marks out the sitting area, and gives everyone a clean place to leave their sandals at the edge.
What to check before you order
The sunbed is new, and Sofhu has not yet published its technical details. That means some questions can only be answered on a quote. Ask for the specification sheet and check these points against how you plan to use it:
- Open and folded dimensions, and weight
- What the padding is and how firm it feels
- Fabric composition and how to clean it
- How it should be stored, and whether it can be left outdoors
- Whether the armrest block and carry bag are packed with each unit
- Whether other fabrics or colours can be made
How to order an Arabic sunbed
Sofhu is the manufacturer, and the sunbed is ordered the same way as its other seating: by quote. Send a message through get a quote or on WhatsApp with the colourway you want, how many sunbeds you need, and the country they are going to. Sofhu replies with the price and the specification sheet.
Shipping is free worldwide. Import duty or taxes may apply depending on the destination, so ask Sofhu about your country before you confirm. To see every photo of both colourways first, open the Arabic sunbed gallery.
