A majlis sofa set is a complete run of raised, upholstered Arabic seating: a solid base, tall fixed backs and arm bolsters, made to line the walls of a guest room. It comes in three layouts, a straight row, an L shape or a U shape. Sofhu manufactures each set in Türkiye with 32 kg/m³ foam, sized to your wall measurements, with free worldwide shipping.
- Layouts
- Straight row, L shape, U shape
- Core pieces
- Upholstered base and seat, fixed backrests, arm bolsters
- Optional pieces
- Rug, throw cushions, curtains
- Foam
- 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS), no springs
- Covers
- Zippered, removable, machine washable at 30°C
- Sizing
- Built from your wall measurements
- Origin
- Manufactured by Sofhu in Türkiye
- Shipping
- Free worldwide
On this page
Majlis sofa sets at a glance
A majlis sofa set is everything needed to seat a guest room in the Arabic way, made as one matching order. It is raised, sofa-height seating built as structured, fully upholstered units. The core is always the same three parts: a firm seat on a solid upholstered base, a tall fixed backrest, and an arm bolster at the ends and between sitters, finished with piping and trim. Around that core a set can include a rug, throw pillows and curtains.
What changes from one home to the next is the layout. There are three:
- Straight row along one wall
- L shape around a corner
- U shape around three walls
Sofhu is the manufacturer. Each set is made in Türkiye to the customer’s wall measurements, filled with 32 kg/m³ foam and shipped free worldwide. There is no fixed size chart, which is why this page explains how a set is built up rather than listing boxes to choose from.
One model, three layouts
The clearest way to understand majlis sofas is to see one design in all three shapes. The photographs below show the same beige velvet majlis with gold-striped backs in the same room.
The single row is one unit with its fixed back and an arm bolster at each end. The L adds a second run and a corner. The U adds a third run and leaves the centre of the floor open for a rug, a table or simply space to walk.
| Layout | Suits | Think about |
|---|---|---|
| Straight row | Narrow rooms, studios, a majlis corner in a living room | Which wall is free of doors and radiators |
| L shape | Most apartments and family rooms | Which corner, and how far each arm can run |
| U shape | Dedicated guest rooms and large living rooms | Leaving the entry side open |
A majlis is made to line the walls of a room, so it is not planned to float in the middle of the floor the way a Western sofa can. Plan around the walls you have. The L-shape and U-shape majlis layouts page goes into corners and openings in detail.
Working out the size of your set
The size of a majlis set is the sum of your wall lengths, not a number of seats picked from a list. Two rooms that both want “a U shape for the family” can need very different sets.
Before asking for a quote, collect these:
- The length of each wall the seating will run along, measured at floor level.
- The position and width of doors, including which way they swing.
- Window sill heights, if a backrest will sit under a window.
- Anything fixed to the wall or floor: radiators, sockets, vents, skirting heaters.
- A photo or a quick sketch of the room.
From that, the wall is divided into seat, backrest and armrest pieces that fit it exactly. If you want to plan ahead, the guide on how to measure a room for a majlis walks through each step, and how many people a majlis seats helps you match the layout to the number of guests you host. For the name and purpose of every cushion, see parts of a majlis set.
Models in the catalogue
Sofhu states that it offers hundreds of models and designs. They fall into a few recognisable families.
Velvet with gold trim. The black set at the top of this page is an L shape in black velvet with gold-striped backs and a charcoal patterned base, a formal look for a guest room. The same construction comes in mustard, taupe and cream.
Medallion, kilim and striped weaves. The same raised construction is also upholstered in woven fabrics, with medallions or flame-kilim bands on the seats and striped backs. They come in beige, navy, teal and khaki grounds.
Arabic floor sofa sets. The low sets are a separate product, not a majlis. A floor sofa like the burgundy medallion U shape below sits at floor level with loose back cushions, and arrives with its rug, ottoman and tasselled floor cushions in the same fabric. Sofhu’s existing page on custom-made Yemeni majlises lists what can be changed on these.
Diwan floor sofas. Also floor-level: thick-cushion runs sold under model names such as Çırağan, Lale and Oscar. See diwan floor sofas from Sofhu.
Browse the Sofhu shop for the full range. Most entries there are photographs of finished custom projects, so treat them as starting points: any of them can be remade in another colour, fabric or layout.
What is inside: foam and covers
A majlis couch is judged by its foam first and its fabric second, because the foam is what you feel after an hour of sitting.
- Foam density. 32 kg/m³ polyurethane foam, known in the Turkish trade as 32 DNS. Density is the weight of material in the cushion. It is not the same as hardness, and denser foam generally keeps its height and support longer.
- Feel. Sofhu describes its cushions as firm. On a custom order you can ask for softer or firmer foam.
- No springs. There is no metal inside the cushions.
- Covers. Zippered, removable and sold with their foam inserts. Sofhu states they can be machine washed at 30°C.
- Fabrics. Velvet, chenille, linen, suede-type and woven fabrics, chosen per order.
- Thickness. Cushion thickness is selectable. Sofhu does not publish standard figures, because they are set with the rest of your measurements.
Majlis or floor sofa
Sofhu makes two different products, and it helps to know which one you mean. An Arabic majlis is the raised one described on this page: structured, fully upholstered units with a solid base and tall fixed backs. An Arabic floor sofa is the low one: a seat mattress on or near the floor with loose back cushions and armrest blocks, normally with a matching ottoman and floor pillows, and easy to rearrange.
The tradition itself began on the floor. The UNESCO listing of the majlis as a social space describes carpets on the floor and cushions against the wall, and many families still prefer to sit that way. A floor sofa keeps a room looking open. A raised majlis suits households where some guests find it hard to get down to the floor and up again, and it gives a formal guest room a more built, permanent look.
Sofhu also makes two wood-framed lines: wooden bench-frame sets with cushions on top, shown on the existing wooden bench majlis sets page, and the carved-wood Turkish majlis. Some families mix products, with a majlis on two walls and a bench on the third.
If you are unsure, the majlis seat height guide compares floor, mid and raised seating without assuming one answer.
Quote and delivery
Every majlis sofa set is priced for the room it is made for.
- Send your wall measurements and a photo of the room through the quote by measurement form or on WhatsApp.
- Say which model, colour and layout you have in mind, or ask for suggestions.
- Receive a quote for your room, and adjust the design until it is right.
- The set is made, inspected, vacuum packed and shipped to your door.
Shipping is free worldwide. Import duties or taxes differ by country and may apply, so ask about your destination before you confirm the order. How a majlis is packed and delivered explains what arrives and how to unpack it.
Sofhu keeps a customer page on its site, and readers in Canada will find country-specific notes on Arabic majlises in Canada. If your room needs something no catalogue photo shows, the custom majlis page covers what can be changed, and the wider Arabic sofa sets page compares styles.
