How does each corner shorten the next run in an L and a U?
Each corner is counted once: one run keeps its full wall and the next gives up one seat depth, about 70 cm (27.5 in), before every run is divided into equal seats of up to 190 cm (75 in). Once the drawing is agreed the seats travel to Italy, where customs may ask you to confirm the value and net weight; our delivery and duties page lists what the paperwork contains.
| Layout | Walls | Run that keeps its wall | Run that gives up the corner | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | 420 cm (165 in) and 360 cm (142 in) | Three seats of 140 cm (55 in) | 290 cm (114 in) left: two seats of 145 cm (57 in) | 5 |
| U, sides to the corners | Back 420 cm (165 in), sides 180 cm (71 in) | One seat of 180 cm (71 in) per side | 280 cm (110 in) left: two seats of 140 cm (55 in) | 4 |
From the atelier
Questions buyers ask
- My walls are 200 cm (79 in), 390 cm (154 in) and 176 cm (69 in). Do I order cushions in exactly those lengths?
- Not exactly, because in a U the 390 cm (154 in) wall gives up one seat depth, about 70 cm (27.5 in), at each end, which leaves 250 cm (98 in) for the middle run, made as two seats of 125 cm (49 in). The 200 cm (79 in) side is above the 190 cm (75 in) limit for one seat, so it becomes two seats of 100 cm (39 in), and the 176 cm (69 in) side stays a single seat. The drawing shows every piece before production.
- We are building our own wooden frame. Can the side cushions be 120 cm (47 in) instead of the standard 190 cm (75 in)?
- Seat cushions are cut to length, so a layout can use two 190 cm (75 in) pieces across the front and two 120 cm (47 in) pieces on the returns, each 10 cm (4 in) thick for a frame. The cushions fit the frame you build, not the other way round.
What does a cushion set for a self-built frame need to list?
- Fix the cushion list first: every seat length, the 10 cm (4 in) thickness and the backrest count.
- Give the frame the depth of the seat plus the backrests, which lean on whatever stands behind them.
- Count two backrests for each seat, each about half its length, and a short corner backrest where two runs meet.
- Build the frame only after the cushion list is confirmed on the drawing.
Two seats of 190 cm (75 in) across the front and two of 120 cm (47 in) on the returns make four seats and about ten backrests: two for each seat and a corner backrest at each of the two corners.
Eurostat counts 57.8% of people in Italy in flats and 30.6% in small blocks of fewer than ten dwellings, so floor seating here is planned for flats more than for halls.
How high can a salon-style seat go, and can a low set be raised later?
Seats are made 10 cm (4 in), 20 cm (8 in), 30 cm (12 in) or 40 cm (16 in) high, and 40 cm (16 in) is the top of the standard range, close to ordinary sofa height. An L of 20 cm (8 in) seats can be raised later by adding a layer: 10 cm (4 in) turns it into 30 cm (12 in), and 20 cm (8 in) into 40 cm (16 in). Models on a wooden base are built at 37 cm (14.5 in) to 40 cm (16 in) depending on the model. Moroccan-style couches have their own range: Moroccan floor seating.
Which fabric keeps a salon calm when the floor tiles are already busy?
When the floor already carries a pattern, one plain color on the seats keeps the room calm. Solid colors are picked by number from our fabric color card, so even a shade we have not photographed yet can be made; choose it against a photo of the floor. Ask us about fabric swatches and a foam sample before you order. Hold the swatches against the tiles at home.
A fabric that has to be brought in first can affect scheduling; confirm its availability when choosing. Production time depends on your layout and the season — ask us for the current schedule. If the move-in date is fixed, choose early, and measure the empty room again before the order is cut. Tape measure, pencil, phone camera: that is the whole kit. Our velvet floor sofas come as single sets and larger layouts.
What does Italian customs ask a buyer to confirm?
If the courier asks you to confirm the value and net weight of a shipment, send the commercial invoice and the payment receipt for the same amount, plus the piece list if it is requested. The figures on the invoice should match what you paid, and if a detail is missing the team issues a corrected invoice.
Delivery across Europe is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current estimate for your country.
Import VAT applies to furniture shipped into the EU — ask us how it's handled for your order before you pay.
| Italian clock | Istanbul runs ahead by | Noon in Italy is, on the Istanbul clock |
|---|---|---|
| Winter, CET | 2 hours | 2 p.m. |
| Summer, CEST | 1 hour | 1 p.m. |
Which Italian regions have the largest Moroccan and Egyptian communities?
Moroccan families may know floor seating as sedari. Whatever the family calls it, the plan starts from the salon walls.
| Place | What the figures show | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | About 508,000 residents born in Morocco, 188,400 born in Egypt and 144,800 born in Tunisia | Eurostat, migr_pop3ctb |
| Italy | About 412,300 Moroccan, 161,600 Egyptian and 110,400 Tunisian citizens | ISTAT, via Tuttitalia |
| Lombardy | About 110,000 Egyptians, 9.0% of the region's foreign residents, and about 87,000 Moroccans | ISTAT, via Tuttitalia |
| Italian homes | About 57.8% of people live in flats and 42.0% in houses | Eurostat, EU-SILC |
| Italian homes | About 30.6% of people live in small blocks of fewer than ten dwellings | Eurostat, EU-SILC |
| Italy | About 50.1% of people live in towns and suburbs and 32.1% in cities | Eurostat, EU-SILC |
How long can floor seating stay on an Italian terrace, in Rome and in Milan?
In the 1991 to 2020 station normals, Rome's January highs average near 13°C (55°F), with five months, April to June and September to October, between 18°C (64°F) and 32°C (90°F). Milan's January highs run near 7°C (45°F), with seven months, April to October, in the same band. Regular upholstery is for indoor rooms; a water-repellent outdoor fabric is made for terraces.
Local questions
I serve in the US military in Italy and have an FPO address. Should the set go there or to a home off base?
A street address in Italy is usually the simpler choice, because military mail addresses run through a separate postal network. Give an address where someone can sign for the boxes and a phone number that works in Italy. Foam backrests need a wall behind them, so mention any open side of the room.
I found a listing that looks like the same set. What should I compare before I decide?
Check what each listing includes: some are covers only, without foam, or a single sofa instead of a full set with backrests, armrests, an ottoman and pillows. Compare piece by piece and ask for the seat thickness of each offer. Seats use high-density polyurethane foam — ask us for the exact density for your build.
We need square floor cushions with a backrest on one or two sides for a café. Can the backrest be fixed to the seat?
Backrests are separate pieces, which keeps the covers easy to remove and the layout easy to change. Send a quick drawing showing which edges get a backrest and mark any side without a wall; see also majlis seating for cafés and shisha cafés.
Sources
- Eurostat, migr_pop3ctb: population by country of birth
- Eurostat, EU-SILC ilc_lvho01: population by dwelling type and degree of urbanisation
- ISTAT foreign residents by citizenship, as compiled by Tuttitalia
- Rome climate normals 1991 to 2020 (monthly highs)
- Milan climate normals 1991 to 2020 (monthly highs)
- IANA time zone rules, Europe/Rome and Europe/Istanbul
