Sofhu makes majlis sofa sets to measure for homes in Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields and ships them free from Türkiye. Raised velvet majlis sets and low Yemeni-style floor sofas with matching rug and ottoman both come in a single row, L-shape or U-shape cut to your walls, with 32 kg/m³ high-density foam and washable zipped covers.
- Area covered
- Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields
- Made by
- Sofhu, manufacturer, in Türkiye
- Style in focus
- Raised majlis sets and Yemeni-style floor sofas
- Foam
- 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS) high-density foam
- Covers
- Zipped, washable at 30°C
- Shipping
- Free to Tyneside
On this page
Yemeni seamen began settling in South Shields, at the mouth of the Tyne, in the 1890s. Their descendants are still there, which makes Tyneside home to one of the oldest Yemeni communities in Britain. A family with that history does not need a majlis explained. What it needs is a maker. Sofhu builds each majlis sofa for Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields to measure in Türkiye and ships it free.
Yemeni majlis seating on Tyneside
Laygate is the heart of the community, and Muhammad Ali’s visit to its mosque in 1977 is still remembered. Around it, generations have kept the habit of the guest room.
In Yemen that room goes by more than one name. The mafraj is the top-floor social room of a Sana’a tower house, where people gather in the afternoon and early evening. The diwan is a larger sitting room. Both are furnished for sitting together along the walls, and that is the arrangement a Sofhu set recreates. The page on the Yemeni diwan and mafraj explains the rooms, and Sofhu’s existing page on the Yemeni majlis shows the finished sets.
Newcastle itself has Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Arab communities in the West End, in Fenham and Elswick. This page covers the city and South Shields together, since the two are close neighbours on the Tyne.
What a full-room set includes
The picture above shows the navy star floor sofa as an L-shape with its matching rug and ottoman. The star is a Sofhu pattern, long listed with its Yemeni-style sets, though we make no claim that it is an old Yemeni cloth.
It is one of two products Sofhu makes. The Arabic floor sofa is a low cushion set like this one. The Arabic majlis is raised to sofa height and built as upholstered units with fixed backs and arm bolsters, like the black and cream set at the top of this page.
A complete floor sofa set is more than seating. Sofhu lists these parts:
- seat cushions, each with its own zipped cover and foam insert
- back pillows that lean against the wall
- armrests that divide the run into places
- an ottoman that serves as a low table
- a matching rug, and curtains in the same cloth if you want them
The majlis sofa set hub explains how sets are put together by layout and size.
Darker, plainer designs for a modern house
Not every household wants pattern from wall to wall. Sofhu’s majlis units in black, grey and burgundy velvet suit a newer house or a room shared with a television and a bookcase.
The grey unit has a tufted back and fringed throws over the armrests. The burgundy one has a gold embossed frame and a tray built into the armrest for a tea glass. Both are the building block of a longer run: the same unit repeats along your wall to the length you give. The article on black and gold majlis ideas shows how the darker schemes look in a full room.
Comfort that lasts through long visits
An afternoon gathering runs for hours, so the seat matters. Sofhu uses 32 kg/m³ high-density foam and no springs. Density is the weight of material in the cushion. It is not the same as hardness, and you can ask for a softer or firmer feel. What density buys is staying power: denser foam generally keeps its height and support longer.
For older guests, the guide to floor seating for elderly guests suggests thicker seats and where to place a higher chair. Community halls and mosque rooms have needs of their own, covered in seating for mosques and community centres.
Measuring and ordering from the North East
Sofhu has no premises in Newcastle or South Shields. Every set is made for the address it is going to.
- Measure each wall that will carry seating, at floor level.
- Mark doors, windows, radiators and any fireplace.
- Photograph the walls and send everything with the colours you like.
- Sofhu replies with a quote, and a designer can go through the details on a video call.
The set is vacuum packed for shipping. Open the bags by hand and let the foam recover. Delivery is free. Import duty or tax may apply depending on the destination, so ask about your order first.
For the rest of the country, see the majlis in England page and Sofhu’s page on the Arabic sofa in the United Kingdom. The nearest city pages are Leeds and Bradford. Then get a quote by measurement or send your measurements on WhatsApp.
