Homes Abroad

Arabic Sofas in Idaho: Thickness, Layout and Color, Made to Fit

Ten guests at about 23.5 in (60 cm) of seat each need about 236 in (600 cm) of seating, more than a standard U gives, so a U for ten needs a longer back wall. An Arabic sofa in Idaho can be quoted at 8 in (20 cm) and 12 in (30 cm) side by side, so the feel of each shows before the Istanbul atelier cuts anything.

How wide a U do ten guests need in a detached Idaho house?

Ten guests fit a U with a 150 in (380 cm) back wall and 75 in (190 cm) sides, which gives about 244 in (620 cm) of seat once the corners are taken off. According to ACS 5-year estimates, single-family detached houses make up about 74% of Idaho's housing units, so plans here tend to begin on the long walls of a living or family room. The same few parts build every shape, seats up to 75 in (190 cm), backrests 16 in (40 cm) tall and corner pieces, and room sizes for American majlis plans are collected on our US hub.

PlanSeat piecesSeating runSeats about
Single wall1 seat of 75 in (190 cm)75 in (190 cm)2 to 3 adults
L-shape2 seats of 75 in (190 cm)150 in (380 cm)5 to 6 adults
Standard U3 seats of 75 in (190 cm)224 in (570 cm)8 to 9 adults
U for ten: 150 in (380 cm) back wall, 75 in (190 cm) sides4 seats: two of 75 in (190 cm), two of 47 in (120 cm)244 in (620 cm)About 10 adults at 23.5 in (60 cm) each

From the atelier

Questions buyers ask

This model looks 8 in (20 cm) thick. Can it be made 12 in (30 cm) thick instead?
Floor sofas come in four thicknesses from 4 in (10 cm) to 16 in (40 cm), and the 12 in (30 cm) and 16 in (40 cm) cushions are mostly built to order. Ask for the 8 in (20 cm) and the 12 in (30 cm) build of your design on one quote and compare both against the same walls.
How do I check that every piece has arrived?
A tracking number arrives by email for each box when the order ships, and the boxes can land on different days. Count the pieces against the specs written into your order link, keep the cartons until everything is accounted for, and let the cushions have a day to regain their full shape before anyone sits.

What do you measure when a patio door or a fireplace breaks the long wall?

  1. Where a patio door or a fireplace breaks the long wall, measure the stretch before it and the stretch after it as two separate runs.
  2. Settle the guest count before the lengths: twelve guests ask for about 283 in (720 cm) of seat, so a wall that gives 157 in (400 cm) needs a second run beside it.
  3. Mark floor vents and power outlets on the sketch; the seat base can take a cut-out for either.
  4. Send the sketch with photos of the room, and say for each number whether it is the wall or the length you want the seating to cover.

Run the figures through the majlis planner to count seats, and keep the majlis measuring guide open for rooms that are not plain rectangles.

Can one quote show the 8 in (20 cm) seat and the 12 in (30 cm) seat side by side?

A quote can list the same design at 8 in (20 cm) and at 12 in (30 cm), so the two builds are compared against your own walls before you commit. A 12 in (30 cm) seat is built either from a cushion of 8 in (20 cm) with a layer of 4 in (10 cm) on top or as one solid block. The stacked layers are loose, so the upper one lifts off and doubles as a guest mattress. A stack of 8 in (20 cm) and 4 in (10 cm) can slide, though, which makes the single block the steadier seat.

Dusty teal majlis along two walls with charcoal Greek-key bands, black stripes, tasseled scroll armrests and a light oak floor
Dusty teal seats along two walls, with charcoal Greek-key bands, tasseled scroll armrests and sheer white curtains.

A guest who struggles to stand up from a low seat will be happier at 12 in (30 cm) or at the 16 in (40 cm) sofa-height option, and 4 in (10 cm) to 8 in (20 cm) keeps the classic floor-style feel. A seat of 16 in (40 cm) sits at about the height of a standard living-room sofa seat. With its backrest the total reaches about 31.5 in (80 cm). Wooden-base models sit at 14.5 in (37 cm) to 16 in (40 cm) depending on the model. The floor sofa sets come in all four thicknesses.

How many months can floor cushions sit outside in Boise?

NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals put Boise's July high near 93°F (34°C), above the 64°F (18°C) to 90°F (32°C) band of average highs that we use for outdoor seating, so only May, June, September and October qualify. That is four months of patio use. Standard upholstery is meant for indoor rooms, so a patio set is covered in a water-repellent outdoor fabric, most of it in plain colors.

How does an order reach Boise or a town in the Idaho panhandle?

There is nowhere in Idaho to collect a set. Delivery to the US and Canada is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current transit estimate.

Delivery to the US and Canada is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current transit estimate.

Ask us

Import duties for US deliveries are set by US Customs — ask us how they apply to your order before you pay.

Ask us

Your quote states which import charges apply. Idaho sits in two time zones, Mountain for Boise and the south and Pacific for the northern panhandle, and the table converts an Idaho morning or afternoon into Istanbul time for a video call.

Idaho clockIstanbul in US summer timeIstanbul in US winter time
Mountain time, 9 a.m.6 p.m.7 p.m.
Mountain time, noon9 p.m.10 p.m.
Pacific time, 9 a.m.7 p.m.8 p.m.

Which Arab-ancestry groups are largest in Idaho, and how large are they?

ACS 5-year estimates rank Lebanese ancestry first among Idaho's Arab groups and Iraqi ancestry second, in a community of about 5,100 residents. The same tables describe the homes behind the layouts above.

PlaceWhat the figures showSource
IdahoArab ancestry: about 5,100 residents, about 0.26% of the stateACS 5-year
IdahoLebanese about 1,400, Iraqi about 880 and other Arab about 870ACS 5-year
IdahoCensus count of Middle Eastern or North African residents: about 6,600 (0.36%)2020 Census
Idaho homesAbout 72% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and about 74% of units are single-family detached; buildings of 20 or more units hold about 4%ACS 5-year
Idaho homesMedian year built: 1991ACS 5-year
BoiseJanuary highs average about 39°F (4°C) and July highs about 93°F (34°C); yearly precipitation is about 11.5 in (29 cm), with about 17.5 in (45 cm) of snowNOAA normals

Local questions

Can I see the U-shaped set in other colors before choosing?

Plain colors are ordered by number from the fabric card, which means the U can be made in a shade that has no photo yet; ask the design team to show the U you like in the colors you are comparing. Ask us about fabric swatches and a foam sample before you order.

How deep is the seat once the backrest is in place?

Seats are about 27.5 in (70 cm) deep on floor sofa sets and about 29.5 in (75 cm) on custom and raised majlis. A 4 in (10 cm) backrest takes about 4 in (10 cm) of that, leaving roughly 23.5 in (60 cm) to sit on, and a narrow room can take a shallower seat.

Can an ottoman be added after the main order?

An ottoman or another extra can be ordered after the main order; the addition gets its own secure payment link and may travel in a parcel of its own. Name the fabric code from your first order, so the new piece is cut from the same line as the rest of the room.

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