Sofhu makes Arabic majlis sets to measure for Libyan homes, including full sets for the marbouaa, the men's guest room: raised, upholstered seating cut to your wall lengths and filled with 32 kg/m³ high-density foam, with a low floor sofa as the alternative. Sets are made in Türkiye and shipped free. Ask Sofhu to confirm the route to your city and the delivery conditions before you order.
- Local name for the guest room
- Marbouaa (مربوعة)
- Manufacturer
- Sofhu, Türkiye
- Layouts
- Single row, L-shape, U-shape, full perimeter
- Foam
- 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS), no springs
- Covers
- Zippered and removable
- Shipping
- Free worldwide
- Delivery conditions
- Ask Sofhu to confirm for your city
On this page
In Libya the room this page is about has its own name. The marbouaa (مربوعة) is the guest room where the men of the house receive visitors, and low seating around the walls is one way to furnish it. Anyone searching for an Arabic majlis in Libya is usually furnishing that room, or a family sitting room in the same style. Sofhu builds the seating to order in Türkiye, cut to your walls, and ships it free.
It builds two kinds. The Arabic majlis is raised to sofa height: structured, upholstered units with a solid base, tall fixed backs and arm bolsters, the formal choice for a guest room. The Arabic floor sofa is a low set of seat mattress, loose back cushions and ottoman. Most photos on this page show the majlis.
The marbouaa and the Arabic majlis in Libya
A Gulf majlis and a Libyan marbouaa do the same work. Both are rooms set aside for hospitality, and seating that lines the walls suits either: guests sit along the walls and the centre of the floor stays open. A single large rug covering the whole floor is often mentioned as a feature of the marbouaa. Published descriptions of how the room is furnished are thin, so we plan from your walls and your family’s habit, not from a fixed pattern.
Our style page on the Libyan marbouaa goes into the room itself. For the words used from country to country, see floor seating names by country.
The teal velvet majlis below lines three walls in a U, with a rug in the open centre.
Furnishing a marbouaa wall to wall
A guest room is judged by how many people it seats comfortably, so the layout should use every wall the room offers.
- Three walls. A U-shape is the usual answer when the door sits in the fourth wall.
- All four walls. The seating continues around the room and breaks only for the door.
- A smaller family room. An L-shape or a single row keeps the middle of the room free.
The L-shape and U-shape majlis page compares the layouts, and how many people a majlis seats helps you work back from the number of guests you expect.
Armrests placed along the run divide it into places, so each guest has something to lean on. A set can also include an ottoman for the tea tray, loose floor cushions, a matching rug and curtains. If the floor is to be covered by one rug, read what size rug for a majlis before you measure.
The mustard set above is a floor sofa, the low alternative to the raised majlis. One point of construction matters when you plan one. Floor sofas are not freestanding. Each run needs a wall behind it, and the backrests lean against it.
Fabric for the coast and for the south
Most Libyans live along the Mediterranean coast, where summers are hot and the sea air is humid. The interior is desert, dry and dusty. Fabric advice follows from that.
| Setting | Main concern | Fabric to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal city home | Humidity, summer heat | Linen or woven covers |
| Formal marbouaa with air conditioning | Appearance, heavy use on occasions | Velvet or chenille |
| Dry, dusty interior | Dust settling in the pile | Tight woven fabric, washed often |
Sofhu describes its velvet as durable and easy to clean, and its chenille as shedding very little. The existing velvet floor sofas page and the full fabrics list show what is available. All covers are zippered and removable, and Sofhu states they can be washed at 30°C, which is the simplest defence against both dust and humidity.
What the seats are made of
The cushions are filled with 32 kg/m³ polyurethane foam, written by Sofhu as 32 DNS. Density is the weight of foam in a cubic metre. It tells you how much material is in the seat, and denser foam generally holds its shape and support longer than light foam. That matters in a guest room, where the same places are sat on for hours at a time. The cushions have no springs. The Arabic floor sofa hub explains the construction of the low sets in full.
Arabic sofa set delivery to Libya
Sofhu ships worldwide. That general statement does not tell you how your own order will travel.
Sofhu has no shop or stock in Libya. Each set is made to order, vacuum packed to reduce its volume and shipped free. Sofhu does not publish routes, carriers or delivery times, so ask for the conditions for your city to be confirmed. Duties or taxes may apply depending on the destination. Ask about all three before you approve the design.
From a sketch to a quote
- Draw the room from above and write the length of each wall at floor level.
- Mark every door, window and socket.
- Say how many guests the room should seat on a full evening.
- Choose a colour direction, or send a photo of a set you like from the Arabic majlis page.
- Get a quote by measurement or send everything on WhatsApp.
The steps are set out in more detail in how to order a custom majlis online.
