Majlis Sofa Dubai: Custom Arabic Jalsa Sets

The short answer

A majlis sofa in Dubai can be ordered made to measure direct from the manufacturer. Sofhu builds raised Arabic majlis sets and low Arabic floor sofas in Türkiye for villa majlis rooms, apartments, Ramadan tents, lounges and desert camps, with 32 kg/m³ high-density foam and washable zippered covers. Shipping to Dubai is free, and quotes are given from your measurements.

Made by: Sofhu, manufacturer, in Türkiye
Dubai premises: None; every set is built to order and delivered
Homes: U-shape for villas, single row or L for apartments
Business: Ramadan tents, lounges, camps, short-let villas
Foam: 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS) high-density foam, no springs
Shipping: Free worldwide

On this page

The majlis in Dubai, old and new
Majlis sofa Dubai: by type of buyer
Tents, lounges, camps and short lets
Fabric for coastal heat and humidity
How an order reaches Dubai

Dubai buys majlis seating for many different reasons. An Emirati family wants a formal guest room. An expatriate household wants a jalsa that fits a rented apartment. A hotel needs a Ramadan tent seated before the month begins, and a desert camp needs cushions that can be carried out to the dunes. Whichever of these brought you to search for a majlis sofa in Dubai, the answer from Sofhu is the same: it is built in Türkiye to your measurements and delivered free.

The majlis in Dubai, old and new

The old form is still on view in the Al Fahidi historic district, where restored houses show the majlis as a room cooled by a barjeel, the wind tower, with seating around the walls. The UAE led the joint file that put the majlis on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list in 2015.

The new form varies. Local interior designers note that many modern villas now use raised, sofa-height majlis seating in place of floor cushions, while the low perimeter set remains the traditional one. Sofhu makes both kinds, so the choice is yours. The raised one is the Arabic majlis: structured, upholstered units with a solid base, tall fixed backs and arm bolsters. The low one is the Arabic floor sofa: a seat mattress at floor level with loose back cushions, armrest blocks and usually an ottoman. Most photographs on this page show the majlis. The style page on the Emirati and Dubai jalsa goes further into the tradition.

Majlis sofa Dubai: by type of buyer

Buyer	Usual set	Main concern
Villa majlis room	U-shape, wall to wall	Formal look, exact fit
Apartment	Single row or L	Floor space, easy to move
Tent, lounge, camp	Modular runs	Hard wear, washable covers

Villas

The olive and ivory majlis at the top of this page is a U-shape on a marble floor, with a gold baroque base. That is the formal end of the range. A calmer version of the same idea is below.

Three-quarter view of a light grey and black Arabic majlis along three walls, with a large palm at the right — Viewed from the left, the pale grey seating recedes toward the carved arch wall.

A light grey majlis with a black base runs along three walls toward a carved arch. For a room like this, measure every wall at floor level and note the door swing, because the set is cut to meet the corners.

Apartments

Dubai’s population is overwhelmingly expatriate, and many of those households live in apartments. A single row on one solid wall is the realistic plan.

Cream sadu Arabic sofa with a matching sadu-topped ottoman on a cream fringed rug below a brass lantern — A cream ottoman with a burgundy sadu top serves as the table for the single seat.

This cream sadu-pattern floor sofa with a matching ottoman takes one wall and leaves the floor open. Floor sofas need a wall behind the backrests, so avoid planning the run in front of full-height glass. Because a floor sofa is made of loose pieces, it moves with you at the end of a tenancy.

Tents, lounges, camps and short lets

In Dubai the majlis is also a commercial product. Hotels put up Ramadan tents, desert camps seat guests on the sand, shisha lounges are built around low seating, and holiday villas advertise a majlis room.

Maroon and beige Arabic sunbed loungers facing each other across a low tea table on a rug in the dunes — Two sunbeds face each other across the coffee table for a two-person desert tea setup.

The two sunbeds above face each other across a low table in the dunes. They are the portable end of the range. For fixed venues, Sofhu supplies seating for cafes, restaurants and hotels and takes wholesale enquiries through its wholesale page.

Fabric for coastal heat and humidity

Dubai’s summer combines heat with humid sea air. Indoors, air conditioning does most of the work, so choose by use. Velvet suits a formal room and is described by Sofhu as durable and easy to clean. Linen is porous and absorbent, which makes it pleasant in a family room.

Low front view of a long grey velvet Arabic majlis with a quilted base turning the corner at the left — A low, wide angle emphasises the long run of grey seating against the carved wall.

The grey velvet majlis above shows how a plain fabric with a quilted base keeps a large set from looking heavy.

Outdoors, pick from the outdoor range. Those fabrics are water-resistant and wipe clean. Sofhu does not publish a sun-resistance rating, so ask about shade and storage for a terrace or rooftop set. The outdoor majlis page covers the options.

How an order reaches Dubai

Send wall measurements, photos and the layout you want.
Agree design, fabric and quote. A video call with the designers is available.
The set is made with 32 kg/m³ high-density foam, vacuum packed and shipped free to your door.

Duties or taxes may apply on import depending on the destination. Ask Sofhu how your order will be handled.

Country-level questions are answered on Arabic sofas in the UAE. Nearby city pages: Sharjah, Ajman and Al Ain.

Ready to start: get a quote by measurement or message Sofhu on WhatsApp.

Gallery

A closer look

Tap any photo to see it full size.

The earlier U-shaped version is dressed with extra bolsters and striped square cushions.

Black and gold cushions punctuate the grey backrests along the corner of the room.

The right-hand corner of Model 83, where the gold band steps down to meet the quilted base.

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

Looking down on the single Model 92 module and its ivory backrest with crossed gold bands.

Viewed along the right arm, the Model 95 armrests show their rope piping and tassels.

A single Model 9 module sits beneath tall sheer curtains in a cream majlis room.

A wide gold band divides the taupe velvet seat from the patterned charcoal base.

Questions

Before you order

Do you make the raised majlis that newer Dubai villas use, or only floor seating?

Both. The Arabic majlis is Sofhu's raised, fully upholstered set at sofa height, and the Arabic floor sofa is its low cushion set. Sofhu also makes wooden bench-frame sets with cushions and a carved-wood Turkish majlis line on a solid beech frame. Say which height you prefer when you send measurements, and the quote will be prepared for that type.

We run a Ramadan tent every year. Can the seating be stored between seasons?

The sets are modular, so they can be taken apart section by section and stacked. The covers unzip for washing at 30°C before storage. Raise your opening date in the first message and ask whether it can be met, because every set is made to order.

Can a set be made for a short-let villa that sees heavy guest turnover?

Yes. For a property with frequent changeovers, removable machine-washable covers matter most, and Sofhu's covers are all zippered. Ask about its stain-resistant fabric options and consider a darker or patterned fabric for the seat sections.

Is there somewhere in Dubai to see and sit on a Sofhu majlis?

No. Sofhu has no shop, dealer or stock in Dubai. Designs are chosen from photographs of finished rooms, and the designers can go through fabrics and layouts with you on a video call before anything is made.

What should a shisha lounge send for a quote?

Send the floor plan with wall lengths, the number of seats you need, the booth or perimeter layout you have in mind and any colour scheme. Sofhu takes wholesale enquiries from businesses. Pricing depends on the project, so it is quoted, not listed.

Does import duty apply on a delivery to Dubai?

Shipping is free. Duty or tax may apply depending on the destination, and Sofhu does not publish how this is handled per country. Ask before you confirm the order. The Gulf ordering guide on this site summarises the general process.

Are the outdoor sets waterproof?

Sofhu describes its outdoor fabrics as water-resistant and able to handle light rain and moisture, with spills wiping away easily. That is not the same as leaving a set out in all conditions. Ask how the pieces should be covered or stored in summer.

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