Which layout works in an Illinois apartment, small house or family room?
Only about 58% of Illinois homes are detached houses, and roughly one in nine sits in a building of 20 or more units, so the room ranges from a studio corner to a family room. What changes from a Chicago studio to a suburban family room is the run length, not the seat: the 27.5 in (70 cm) depth and the height choices in our guide to Arabic and Yemeni majlis for American homes stay put.
| Home | Layout | Pieces to plan | Seats about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio or one-bedroom apartment | One straight run | One or two seats up to 75 in (190 cm) | 2 to 3 per seat |
| Small house, two short walls | Short L | About 75 × 102 in (190 × 260 cm) of floor | 5 to 6 adults |
| Family room | U-shape | About 224 in (570 cm) of seating on three walls | 8 to 9 adults |
| Room open on one side | U or L with a freestanding run | Wall runs in foam, the open run on a wooden base and back | Set by the run lengths |
From the atelier
Questions buyers ask
- Is there a store or dealer in Illinois, or a finished majlis nearby that I could see?
- No store or dealer operates in Illinois, so finished rooms are shown on a video call instead, along with photos and videos of completed sets. Introductions to other buyers need their consent and cannot be promised. Ask us about fabric swatches and a foam sample before you order.
- For a 8 in (20 cm) seat, is one thick cushion better than two 4 in (10 cm) layers stacked?
- A single 8 in (20 cm) block feels steadier, because stacked layers can shift when people sit down and stand up. Two 4 in (10 cm) layers are more flexible: they can become two low sets, or one layer can serve as extra floor seating for guests.
How do you measure a room that is open on one side?
- Measure each seating wall along the floor, corner to corner, in one unit.
- Draw the open side as a dashed line and note how far the seating should run along it.
- Mark heating or cooling vents behind any run, and the side each door opens to.
- Send one photo from each corner, and say which numbers are wall lengths and which are seat lengths.
All-foam backrests need something firm behind them, so the open run gets a wooden base and back that holds itself up. Our measuring guide for majlis rooms covers doors and vents, and the majlis planner lets you try the run lengths first.
Between 2017 and 2021, Jordan was the top origin of new Arab immigrants to Illinois, about 2,700 people.
Which seat height suits a room where guests stay for hours?
A 4 in (10 cm) seat is the light, classic floor cushion that comes with most standard sets, and 8 in (20 cm) gives more cushioning for a long evening. Seats use high-density polyurethane foam — ask us for the exact density for your build.
For guests who find the floor hard, a raised majlis at 16 in (40 cm) sits at about the height of a regular sofa. In a smaller house, a wooden bench majlis does the same job: a standard bench is 75 × 27.5 × 16 in (190 × 70 × 40 cm) with its cushion included.
Can a standard L take one more seat to close a gap?
A standard L can take an extra seat cut to the gap at the end of the run, with backrests in the same fabric, shipped with the set. Because no seat piece is longer than about 75 in (190 cm), a gap of about 107 in (273 cm) is filled with two equal seats of roughly 54 in (137 cm).
List the standard pieces first so nothing is counted twice, then add the custom piece with the gap measured on the floor and the end it sits at.
Can a majlis be ready for a home wedding or the first night of Ramadan?
A home wedding is a busy night with a start time that will not move, so give the event date in your first message. Production time depends on your layout and the season — ask us for the current schedule. Ready-made sets are packed soon after payment — ask us for the current dispatch time.
One Illinois family hosting a wedding at home found that the model they liked needed a wall behind it, and they chose the build around that. Custom orders are photographed and filmed for your approval before they ship.
Planning around Ramadan, Eid or a wedding? Tell us your date when you ask for a quote and we'll confirm what's achievable.
Iftar seating is covered in our notes on majlis seating for Ramadan gatherings.
What should you expect on delivery day in Illinois?
A set travels as several boxes, typically two or three for an L and more for a larger layout, each with its own tracking number.
Import charges are stated in your quote. If a courier still asks you for duties, match the notice to your tracking number and forward it to the team before paying.
Delivery to the US and Canada is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current transit estimate.
Import duties for US deliveries are set by US Customs — ask us how they apply to your order before you pay.
| Chicago clock | Istanbul clock in summer | Istanbul clock in winter |
|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. | 4 p.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Noon | 8 p.m. | 9 p.m. |
| 6 p.m. | 2 a.m. the next day | 3 a.m. the next day |
Which Illinois suburbs have the largest Arab communities?
The southwest suburbs of Cook County, from Bridgeview and Oak Lawn to Orland Park, hold the highest Arab-ancestry shares in the state. Palestinian families form the largest group statewide, and between 2017 and 2021 Jordan was the top origin of new Arab immigrants to Illinois.
| Place | What the figures show | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | About 99,300 residents report Arab ancestry, about 0.78% of the state | ACS 5-year |
| Illinois | About 163,400 residents counted as Middle Eastern or North African, about 1.28% | 2020 Census |
| Illinois | Palestinian about 22,700 and Lebanese about 14,600 | ACS 5-year |
| Metro Chicago | About 22,200 residents of Palestinian ancestry, the most of any US metro | ACS 5-year |
| Orland Park, Oak Lawn, Bridgeview, Palos Hills | Arab ancestry about 8.3%, 7.6%, 7.1% and 6.7% | ACS 5-year |
| Illinois, 2017 to 2021 | Jordan the top origin of new Arab immigrants, about 2,700 people | Arab American Institute |
| Illinois homes | About 58.2% single-family detached and 11.5% in buildings of 20 or more units | ACS 5-year |
Patio seating in Illinois: which five months work, and where do the cushions winter?
From May to September, Chicago's average daily high sits between about 64°F (18°C) and 86°F (30°C), which gives a patio set five good months. January highs hover near 32°F (0°C), so outdoor cushions come inside by October and wait in a dry room, never a damp garage corner.
Local questions
How much seating do I need for eight guests in a guest room?
A U-shaped set with about 224 in (570 cm) of seating along three walls seats around eight to nine adults, and a long L can do the same where two long walls are clear. Send the wall lengths and the door position with your sketch.
Why did my order come in several boxes on different days?
Seat cushions are vacuum-sealed and rolled, so one set fills several boxes, and couriers do not always deliver them together. Check each tracking number, and if one box is still missing after the rest arrive, call the carrier's depot with its number.
Can you copy a majlis exactly from a photo I found?
A photo is a good starting point, but an exact copy of another maker's design is not possible. The team makes the closest version from its own builds, fabrics and trims and shows it to you before production, so ask about the fabric early.
Can a U-shaped set be made bigger with a fourth seat?
A fourth straight seat can be added to a U, lengthening the back wall or one side, in the same design and thickness. Measure that wall end to end so the extra seat does not overrun the corner.
Sources
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B04006 (ancestry)
- US Census Bureau, 2020 Census DHC-A: the Middle Eastern and North African population
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25024 (units in structure)
- Arab American Institute, Illinois demographics fact sheet
- Chicago climate normals, 1991 to 2020
