For a Lyon apartment, the practical way to buy a majlis sofa is to have it made to the wall. Sofhu, a manufacturer in Türkiye, cuts each Arabic seating set to the measurements you send, as a raised majlis on an upholstered base, closer to a Moroccan banquette, or as a low floor sofa, and delivers it to Lyon with free shipping.
- Seat level
- Raised majlis or low floor sofa
- Fit
- Cut to each wall, corner to corner
- Foam
- 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS), softer or firmer on request
- Covers
- Zippered and removable
- Maker
- Sofhu, Türkiye
- Shipping to Lyon
- Free
On this page
Should it be a salon marocain or a majlis? In Lyon that is often the real question behind a search for a majlis sofa, because both are known here and they are not the same piece of furniture. This page sets out the difference, what Lyon apartments can take, and how Sofhu makes a set to your walls in Türkiye and ships it to you free.
Two traditions that meet in Lyon
Lyon’s Maghrebi community is long established. La Guillotière, on the left bank of the Rhône, has long been home to North African shops and families, and the eastern suburbs of Vénissieux and Vaulx-en-Velin have large communities too.
For families of Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian origin, the reference is the salon: seating that lines the walls of the best room, where guests are received and meals are shared. In Morocco it rests on the sedari, a wooden frame that lifts the mattress to bench height. The pages on the Algerian salon oriental and the Tunisian salon cover the neighbouring traditions.
Arabic seating from the Gulf, Yemen and the Levant follows the same plan around the walls, and Sofhu builds it in two forms. The Arabic floor sofa is low: a seat mattress near the floor with loose back cushions. The Arabic majlis is raised: sofa-height upholstered units with a solid base, fixed backs and arm bolsters. So the choice in practice is about seat level.
| Arabic floor sofa | Arabic majlis | |
|---|---|---|
| Closest to | Sitting low, in the older way | Maghreb banquette |
| Table | Low table or ottoman | Taller central table |
| Feels | Relaxed, informal | Upright, formal |
Sofhu makes both, plus wooden bench-frame sets. The single seat pictured below is a majlis on its raised upholstered base. It does not claim to reproduce a carved Moroccan sedari. The comparison in floor seating versus a raised diwan goes through comfort and space.
Why a banquette layout suits Lyon apartments
Apartment living dominates in Lyon, and an apartment rewards furniture that follows the wall. A banquette layout uses the full length of each wall, turns the corner cleanly and leaves the centre open, which a freestanding sofa and armchairs never manage.
Measuring is what makes it work.
- Choose the walls that will carry seating. The backrests need a wall behind them.
- Measure each one at floor level, from corner to corner. Do not assume opposite walls match.
- Note radiators, doors, windows that open inwards and any alcove.
- Decide on a single row, an L or a U.
A majlis in an L-shape like this one suits many Lyon living rooms. A U-shape needs three free walls and suits a dedicated reception room. The majlis sofa set page shows what a complete set includes in each layout.
Details worth asking for
A made-to-order set lets you specify the small things that a ready-made one decides for you.
- Armrests. Some designs have a tray built into the armrest, as above, so a glass of tea has somewhere to stand. Others use rolled bolsters with tassels.
- Foam. The cushions are filled with 32 kg/m³ foam and contain no springs. Denser foam generally keeps its shape longer; how soft or firm it feels is your choice.
- Fabric. Velvet, chenille, linen and woven jacquards are all available. For a room that hosts meals, favour a cover you can take off and wash. Sofhu’s covers are zippered and the company states they wash at 30°C.
- Thickness. Cushion thickness can be selected, which is another way to tune the seat level.
Delivery to Lyon and the suburbs
Sofhu is the manufacturer and ships free worldwide. The cushions are vacuum packed, so the parcels are more compact than the finished pieces, which helps on a narrow staircase or in a small lift, and they regain their shape once the bags are opened by hand.
There is no Sofhu shop in Lyon. Everything is arranged remotely, with a designer available on video call. As the goods come from Türkiye, duty or tax may apply depending on the destination; ask Sofhu before ordering.
For the national overview, see the existing page on the Arabic sofa in France. French speakers can read about the salon marocain sur mesure in French, and there are separate city pages for a majlis sofa in Paris and a majlis sofa in Marseille.
Start with your measurements
Send wall lengths, photos and your preferred seat level through get a quote by measurement or on WhatsApp. Sofhu will come back with a layout and a price for your room.
