How many seats does an Indiana living room need, and in what shape?
Nearly three in four Indiana homes are detached houses, so most plans here begin in a living room with two or three full walls, and places get counted before shapes. A 75 in (190 cm) seat holds two to three adults, which turns a sofa count into a seat count quickly. About half of new Midwest houses are built with a basement, so an Indiana home can end up with two majlis rooms at two heights, and our guide to Arabic and Yemeni majlis for American homes compares those heights side by side.
| Sofa you picture | Places | Majlis seat run | Pieces to plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| One loveseat | 2 | About 47 in (120 cm) | One shorter custom seat with its backrests |
| One three-seater | 2 to 3 | About 75 in (190 cm) | One standard seat, two long backrests, two armrests |
| Two three-seaters and a loveseat | 8 | About 189 in (480 cm) | An L on two walls with a corner backrest |
| A U on three walls | 8 to 9 | About 224 in (570 cm) | Three standard seats plus corner backrests |
From the atelier
Questions buyers ask
- Is there anywhere in Indiana I can try the feel of a set before buying?
- Indiana has no display set to visit, so the nearest substitute is a video of someone sitting on the thickness you are considering, plus a foam piece you can press yourself. Ask us about fabric swatches and a foam sample before you order. Before production you confirm a layout drawing.
- I bought a 8 in (20 cm) L set earlier. Can I add cushions to bring it up to 16 in (40 cm)?
- An existing set can be raised with extra seat layers in the same fabric, so the L goes from 8 in (20 cm) to 16 in (40 cm) without replacing anything. Send a photo of the set and the number of seat sections; the team checks whether your seats are one block or two layers, and whether the backrests still sit right at the new height.
How do you measure for a majlis while the house is still being built?
- Take room sizes from the architect's floor plan for a first drawing, and mark them as approximate.
- Copy doors, windows and floor vents from the plan, with the side each door swings to.
- Once drywall and flooring are in, measure each seating wall along the floor, corner to corner.
- Compare the new numbers with the plan, because a few inches change the seat lengths.
- Send the final sketch with one photo from each corner before the order is confirmed.
The majlis planner accepts approximate numbers, so you can test an L from the floor plan now, and our room-measuring guide is the checklist for the day the walls are finished.
Most of Indiana keeps Eastern time, but twelve counties keep Central time, so the gap to Istanbul runs from 7 to 9 hours depending on where and when you call.
What finished seat height should an Indiana family room have?
Give the finished height you want, not the height of the base or the cushion alone. Floor sets sit at 4 in (10 cm) or 8 in (20 cm), and all-foam majlis models come at 12 in (30 cm) and about 16 in (40 cm). Wooden-base models are built at about 14.5 in (37 cm) to 16 in (40 cm) and not lower.
At 16 in (40 cm), a raised majlis sits at about the seat height of a regular living-room sofa, which helps anyone who finds low seats hard to rise from. On a 16 in (40 cm) seat, the backrest brings the total height to about 31.5 in (80 cm), so check it against any window sill behind the run.
Velvet or a flatter weave: how do the two kinds of set differ?
Velvet sets have a short, dense pile with a slight sheen that changes with the light, and they come in deep solid colors. The plainer sets use flat-weave, linen-blend or chenille-type fabrics with a matte look. Both use the same foam and the same 75 × 27.5 in (190 × 70 cm) seat, so the choice is about look and feel, and the swatches show the difference in your own light.
Armrests, backrests and extra seat layers can be ordered later in the same model and color, so keep the design name and a photo of your set for the day you add two more armrests.
Three boxes for a whole U-shaped set: is that everything?
Three boxes can be the whole order. Seat cushions are pressed, rolled and vacuum-sealed, a full set usually fits into about three cartons, and the rug and small pillows are packed among the cushions. Check the packing list against the set contents, and photograph the open boxes before the packaging goes out.
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.
| Time zone in Indiana | Summer gap to Istanbul | Winter gap to Istanbul |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern: most counties, Indianapolis included | 7 hours | 8 hours |
| Central: six counties near Chicago, six around Evansville | 8 hours | 9 hours |
Which Arab communities call Indiana home?
Lebanese families form the largest Arab-ancestry group in Indiana, ahead of Egyptian families and people who list a broader Arab origin, while smaller Afghan and Sudanese communities are counted separately. Northwest Indiana belongs to the Chicago metro, so plans for Lake and Porter counties overlap with our notes on Arabic sofas in Illinois.
| Place | What the figures show | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | About 24,300 residents report Arab ancestry, about 0.35% of the state | ACS 5-year |
| Indiana | About 31,500 residents counted as Middle Eastern or North African | 2020 Census |
| Indiana | Lebanese about 5,800, Other Arab about 4,500, Egyptian about 3,900 | ACS 5-year |
| Indiana | Afghan about 1,750 and Sudanese about 1,170, counted separately | ACS 5-year |
| Chicago metro, Northwest Indiana included | About 92,200 residents of Arab ancestry | ACS 5-year |
| Indiana homes | About 72.6% single-family detached and only 5.0% in buildings of 20 or more units | ACS 5-year |
Does an Indianapolis winter change where the majlis goes?
Indianapolis averages a January high of about 36°F (2°C) and some 25.5 in (65 cm) of snow a year, so the main majlis belongs indoors. From May to October, average highs sit between about 64°F (18°C) and 86°F (30°C), which gives a patio set roughly six months; measure a patio as its own drawing rather than as part of the living room.
Local questions
I already have six mattresses at home. Can I buy just the covers for them?
Covers are cut to the exact size of our own foam, so they may not fit cushions bought elsewhere. Send each mattress's length, depth and thickness, and the team will say whether a cover can be made to fit; otherwise complete seats at the standard 75 in (190 cm) length are the safer order.
I want six seats, each about 75 in (190 cm) long, for a full majlis. Is that a standard size?
The standard seat is 75 × 27.5 × 4 in (190 × 70 × 10 cm), so six seats of that length are a regular order, each with its own backrests and armrests. Around a room they give about 449 in (1140 cm) of seating, enough for roughly 12 to 18 adults.
I want the seat extra firm. What foam goes inside?
Firmness can be adjusted on a custom order. Seats use high-density polyurethane foam — ask us for the exact density for your build. Thickness changes the feel as much as density does: a 4 in (10 cm) seat feels firm because you sit close to the floor, while 8 in (20 cm) and up gives more cushioning.
Can I get a second rug in the same color, or the same rug in a bigger size?
A second matching rug can be added to a set order. A bigger version depends on the design, because stock rugs run from 31.5 × 79 in (80 × 200 cm) up to 79 × 118 in (200 × 300 cm) and not every size is made in every design, so ask before choosing the seat fabric.
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)
- US Census Bureau, Characteristics of New Housing (foundation type)
- Indianapolis climate normals, 1991 to 2020
