Cardiff families can order a majlis sofa direct from Sofhu, the manufacturer, which makes each set to measure in Türkiye and ships it free. Raised majlis sets and Yemeni-style floor sofa sets both suit the city's long-settled Yemeni and Somali communities. Every set is cut to your walls, filled with 32 kg/m³ high-density foam and finished with zipped covers that wash at 30°C.
- For
- Family homes, guest rooms, community rooms
- Made by
- Sofhu, manufacturer, in Türkiye
- Fit
- Cut to the walls you measure
- Foam
- 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS) high-density foam, no springs
- Covers
- Zipped, removable, washable at 30°C
- Shipping
- Free to Cardiff
On this page
On the evening of Eid, a house in Cardiff can hold four generations in one room. Grandparents take the corner, children pile onto floor cushions, and tea goes round on a tray. That evening is what a majlis sofa in Cardiff is for. Sofhu makes the seating to measure in Türkiye and ships it free, so the room is ready before the guests are.
Sofhu makes two products for a room like this. The Arabic majlis, like the teal velvet set at the top of this page, is raised to sofa height on an upholstered base, with tall fixed backs and arm bolsters. The Arabic floor sofa is a low cushion set: a seat mattress at floor level, loose back cushions and an ottoman, the kind many Yemeni and Somali families know from home.
Tiger Bay and its families
Cardiff has one of the oldest Muslim communities in Britain. Yemeni and Somali seafarers settled around the docks in Butetown, the district once known as Tiger Bay, from the late 1800s. Their communities are still in Butetown, Grangetown and Riverside.
Families with roots that deep have kept the habit of the guest room. The Yemeni names for it are diwan and mafraj. In the tower houses of Sana’a the mafraj is the top-floor room where family and friends gather in the afternoon and early evening. Sofhu’s page on the Yemeni diwan and mafraj describes the tradition, and its page on Somali Arabic seating looks at the low, matching sitting room.
Three ways to seat a terraced room
Cardiff’s older streets are terraces, and the choice of layout comes down to how the room is used.
- Everyday family room. A single-row floor sofa along one wall, as in the navy star-pattern photograph above, with an ottoman and floor cushions. The rest of the room stays free.
- Guest room. An L-shape or a U-shape on the walls without the door. This is the classic guest-room layout, and the raised majlis at the top of the page is built that way.
- Shared room. Seating on two walls and a dining table at the other end, for a through lounge that has to do everything.
Floor sofas are not freestanding, so plan around your solid walls. Measure them at floor level and note the door swing, the window sill and the radiator. The guide on how to measure a room for a majlis sets out the steps, and the jalsa majlis hub explains the two names families use for the same seating.
Fabrics for a damp maritime climate
Cardiff’s climate is damp and maritime, and fabric choice should respect that.
| Fabric | Feel | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Chenille or woven jacquard | Textured, patterned | Hides marks, suits daily use |
| Velvet | Soft, deep colour | A guest room that should look rich |
| Linen | Cool, matt | Sofhu describes it as absorbent and breathable |
The close-up shows a jacquard armrest on a striped majlis seat, the kind of dense weave that stands up to family life. Whatever the cloth, the cover is zipped and removable, and Sofhu states it can be machine washed at 30°C. The comparison of velvet, linen and jacquard majlis fabric weighs the options in more depth.
The cushions themselves are 32 kg/m³ high-density foam with no springs. Density is a measure of material, not of hardness. Denser foam generally keeps its height and support longer, and you can ask for a softer or firmer seat.
Ramadan, Eid and the full house
A majlis proves itself on the busy days. The open centre takes the meal, the walls take the guests, and nobody is left standing with a plate.
Tea on the ottoman, as in this burgundy velvet floor sofa, is the picture of a room working as it should. The iftar and Eid seating plan shows how to arrange a room for a crowd, and Sofhu’s existing page on Arabic sofas for Ramadan meetings has more ideas. For halls and prayer rooms, see seating for mosques and community centres.
Ordering a majlis sofa in Cardiff
Sofhu is the manufacturer and has no premises in Wales. A set is made for your room and delivered to your door.
Send the wall lengths, photos of each wall and the colours you have in mind. A designer can talk through the layout by video call, and Sofhu quotes for the room. The finished set is vacuum packed and shipped free. Import duty or tax may apply depending on the destination, so put that question to Sofhu before ordering.
The majlis in Wales page covers the rest of the country, and Sofhu’s page on the Arabic sofa in the United Kingdom covers the UK. When the tape measure is put away, get a quote by measurement or send your figures on WhatsApp.
