U Shape Majlis Gallery: Three-Wall Seating

Tap any photo to see it full size.

Looking across the U-shape from the near seat, with a palm in the far corner.

The overhead angle shows how the mustard runs meet at the corner seat.

Seen from above, the mustard seating runs along three walls with a corner wedge joining each run.

Loose striped bolsters and square cushions dress every section of this U-shaped arrangement.

A lit brass lantern stands beside the end armrest of the blue corner seating.

Seen from above, the Model 83 U-shape shows how its corner pieces close the run of seating.

An overhead angle shows how Model 9 turns the corner with a plain velvet wedge.

An angled view of the full Model 9 U-shape under a backlit ceiling cove.

A side-on look into the Beige Medallion U-shape from behind one seat end.

A low angle brings the scrolled armrest and the white piping on the end cushion into focus.

Warm cove lighting and sheer curtains soften the deep red of the velvet.

A wide vertical frame takes in the whole room from the right-hand end panel.

Centred framing shows the set as a perfectly mirrored U around two serving tables.

The matching rug fits inside the U and ties the three sides together.

An ottoman at the heart of the U gives every guest a place to set down a cup.

A cream rug inside the U makes the whole seating area read as one soft surface.

The U-shaped Gray Gold set frames the matching kilim rug at the centre of a cream room with arched niches and brass jugs.

A square ottoman sits on the rug at the centre of the U-shaped Gray Gold set in a cream room with arched niches and brass jugs.

The U-shaped emerald green medallion set frames the matching medallion rug at the centre of a cream room with arched niches and a brass lantern.

Adding the plain cream rug softens the centre of the U-shaped cream set.

A matching ottoman turns the middle of the cream U-shape into a low table for tea.

Navy medallion seating on three sides with a white rug filling the centre.

The matching star rug fits neatly inside the navy U-shape.

An ottoman at the centre of the navy star U-shape keeps tea within everyone's reach.

The matching rug completes the red-on-red look inside the U-shape.

The full U-shape of Model 18 seats a family gathering on three sides.

The full U-shaped set in black velvet anchors a pale room with a marble floor and sheer curtains.

A U-shaped Model 95 seats a large gathering in blue velvet framed by ivory trellis fabric.

A full U-shape of Model 92 in olive, ivory and gold beneath a softly lit ceiling.

A raised front view takes in the whole U-shaped grey set and the rug it surrounds.

Deep burgundy velvet with gold sprigs fills a cream majlis room in a full U arrangement.

The full U-shaped Cıragan, symmetrical between two mosaic lamps.

Oscar's gold damask and striped seats make a calm U-shaped seating area.

Three benches in a U turn a covered patio into an outdoor seating area.

The Red White U-shaped set, shown as the full set with rug, ottoman and three tasselled floor cushions.

Five diamond-pattern cushions are spaced evenly around the U-shaped blue seating.

A full U-shape of Model 98 gives a contemporary take on the traditional majlis room.

The short answer

A U shape majlis lines three walls of a room with continuous seating and leaves the fourth side open for the entrance. It is the usual layout for a dedicated guest room because everyone faces the centre. Sofhu makes U-shape sets in Türkiye, as raised Arabic majlis and as low Arabic floor sofas, to your three wall measurements and ships them free worldwide.

Layout: Three walls, open on the entrance side
Suits: Dedicated guest rooms and large family gatherings
Made in: Türkiye, by Sofhu (manufacturer)
Sizing: Made to measure from your wall lengths
Cushion filling: 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS) high-density foam
Covers: Zippered, removable, washable at 30 degrees
Shipping: Free worldwide

U shape majlis sets for a full room of guests

When the whole family comes for Eid or a wedding week, a U shape majlis is the layout that copes. Seating runs along three walls, everyone can see everyone else, and the centre stays clear for the tray. The photos here show U sets in velvet, kilim-pattern and medallion weaves, plus one outdoor U on wooden benches.

The gallery mixes two different products, and it is worth knowing which is which. Most of the velvet sets are Arabic majlis seating: raised, sofa-height units with an upholstered base, fixed backs and arm bolsters. The kilim, sadu, star and most of the medallion sets are Arabic floor sofas: a seat mattress at floor level with loose back cushions, armrest blocks and usually an ottoman. Roughly three in five photos show a majlis and the rest show floor sofas. The first photo below is a floor sofa, the second a majlis.

Emerald green and cream medallion floor seating set in a U shape with matching rug and ottoman by arched niches — A square ottoman sits on the rug at the centre of the U-shaped emerald green medallion set in a cream room with arched niches and a brass lantern.

The open side

A U needs its open side toward the door. Guests should be able to walk in and find a place without stepping across the seating. If the door sits in the middle of a wall, the two arms can stop short on either side of it. The arms do not have to be the same length, and in most real rooms they are not. In Kuwait the family diwan is typically a U-shaped hall, a tradition described on the Kuwaiti diwaniya page.

The centre of the U

The middle is the working part of the room. Most sets here have a rug that fills it. The floor sofas usually add an ottoman, and the majlis sets a pair of low tables for coffee and dates. Leave enough clear floor to walk and to serve. What size rug for a majlis and coffee tables for floor seating deal with the proportions, and the iftar and Eid seating plan with the busiest nights of the year.

Three-quarter view of a black and cream Arabic majlis lining three walls of a room with a cove-lit ceiling — Viewed from the left, the U-shaped set shows the cream triangle inset on each base panel.

Measuring three walls

Measure each wall separately, since rooms are rarely square, and mark doors, windows and anything fixed. How to measure a room for a majlis has the full method. Send the three lengths through get a quote and Sofhu builds the set to fit. For a comparison with the two-wall layout, see L-shape and U-shape majlis and the L-shape gallery.

Questions

Before you order

How large must a room be for a U-shape majlis?

We do not publish a minimum room size, because every set is made to the room. What matters is that enough clear floor remains in the middle to walk and to serve. Send your three wall lengths for a quote and ask whether a U or an L suits the space better.

Where does the most senior guest sit in a U?

Customs differ by family and by country. In many homes the place of honour is at the head of the U, on the wall facing the entrance. In the Kuwaiti family diwan, for example, the hall is usually U-shaped and elders sit at the head. Follow the custom of your own house.

Can a U-shape be built around a column or a fireplace?

Usually, yes. Because the set is made to measure, a side can stop short of an obstacle or be divided either side of it. Send a photo and the measurements of the wall in question, including the width of the column or hearth, and we will plan the sections around it.

Do all three sides need a wall behind them?

Yes. The loose back cushions of a floor sofa lean against the wall, and a raised majlis is also planned to stand against one, so each of the three sides needs something solid behind it. If one side would run along an open edge or a railing, say so in your quote request and ask whether a wooden bench-frame set would suit that side better.

How does a full-room set arrive?

The cushions are vacuum packed for shipping, so they arrive compressed and expand once the bags are opened. Open the packaging carefully and without sharp tools. Whether the carrier brings parcels up stairs depends on the destination, so raise that when you request your quote.

Keep reading