You will not find a Sofhu shop in Helsinki, and you do not need one. Sofhu is a manufacturer in Türkiye that makes each majlis sofa to the customer's wall measurements and ships it free to Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa. For the city's compact flats, a single row or an L-shaped set with removable, washable covers is the usual choice.
On this page
Twelve relatives are coming for Eid and the living room has one three-seat sofa. Every family that hosts in a city flat knows this problem. A majlis sofa in Helsinki solves it the way it has always been solved: seating that runs along the walls, where a dozen people can sit shoulder to shoulder and the middle of the room stays free for the tray. Sofhu makes that seating to your measurements in Türkiye and ships it to your door. It comes in two forms: the Arabic majlis, raised to sofa height and fully upholstered with fixed backs and arm bolsters, and the Arabic floor sofa, a low set of seat mattresses and loose back cushions.
A familiar room, in an east Helsinki flat
Many of Helsinki’s Somali, Iraqi and Kurdish families live in the eastern districts, such as Itäkeskus, Kontula and Vuosaari, and in neighbouring Espoo and Vantaa. Itäkeskus has the city’s best-known cluster of Somali and Middle Eastern shops.
What those shops do not sell is a majlis cut for your own room, and that is what an order from the maker gives you. Iraqi families will recognise the idea from the diwaniya. Somali households who want Arabic floor seating can read what is usually ordered on the Somali Arabic seating page.
Which layout fits a Helsinki living room
Flats here are compact and well heated, and the living room typically has one wall given over to a window or balcony door. Start by counting the free walls.
- One free wall: a single row. Seat, back and two armrests, as in the grey majlis shown at the top of this page.
- Two free walls meeting in a corner: an L-shape. This is the most common answer in a family flat.
- Three free walls: a U-shape, if the room is a dedicated guest room or the television can move.
The mustard floor sofa above shows how much hosting a single wall can do: one seat run, an ottoman for the tea and two floor cushions that turn it into a circle. When guests leave, the cushions stack in a corner.
Remember that neither a majlis nor a floor sofa is freestanding. The set stands against the wall, so leave radiators and floor-length curtains out of the run. To estimate places before you measure, see how many people a majlis seats, and for big evenings the iftar and Eid seating plan.
Choosing fabric and colour by message
With no display to visit, the fabric decision is made from photos, video and conversation. That works better than it sounds, because the choice comes down to a few questions.
- Pattern or plain? Woven medallion and kilim patterns hide everyday marks. Plain velvet looks formal and shows more.
- Light or dark? A long winter lit by lamps flatters navy, emerald and burgundy. Pale neutrals keep a small room open.
- Who uses it? With young children, pick a cover you are happy to wash often.
Every cover has a zip and comes off the foam. Sofhu states that covers can be machine washed at 30°C, and advises a cool wash and no tumble drying for velvet. More care answers are on the common questions page.
What is inside the cushions
The filling is 32 kg/m³ polyurethane foam with no springs. Density is the measure of how much foam is in the cushion, and denser foam generally keeps its height longer under daily use. If you prefer a softer or firmer seat, say so in your order; firmness can be chosen separately from density.
Delivery to Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa
Shipping is free. The set leaves Sofhu’s workshop vacuum packed, which is useful in buildings with narrow stairwells and small lifts. Unpacking takes no tools: open the sealed bags with your hands, not a blade, lay the pieces against the wall and let the foam recover. The process is described step by step in how a majlis is packed, shipped and set up.
Goods from Türkiye enter Finland as an import, so tax or duty may apply. Ask Sofhu before you order.
Ask for your quote
Measure the walls at floor level, note the doors and radiators, take a photo from the doorway and send it all through get a quote by measurement or WhatsApp. The country page for Arabic majlis in Finland covers fabric and layout in more depth, and the Arabic sofa page shows the range of styles on offer.
