Traditional Floor Sofa Models in Eleven Kilim Patterns

Eleven woven patterns make up this family, from the framed medallions of Saray (palace) to the red and black bands of Shami Stripe. Each one is cut and sewn in our Istanbul atelier on the same foam build as our other Arabic floor sofa sets, so the choice comes down to motif, colorway and layout.

Most of these patterns scale the hooks, diamonds and medallions of village rugs up to the width of a seat cushion, so the eye first meets either one framed medallion or a field of small repeats. None of them copies a single rug.

Saray and Kırşehir lead with one large motif per backrest, which gives a long wall a steady, formal rhythm. Stepped Diamond and Classic Kilim scatter small repeats across the whole surface, and on a short single wall I find they still read as pattern when only one cushion is in view.

On the floor, a standard L takes up about 75 × 102 in (190 × 260 cm), while a U runs about 130 in (330 cm) along the back wall with returns of about 75 in (190 cm) on each side. Few rooms measure exactly that, and some patterns come only in 75 in (190 cm) modules, so ask which designs can be cut to length.

At each corner, the second seat is shorter by one seat depth, about 27.5 in (70 cm), because the first run already fills the corner. No single seat piece is longer than about 75 in (190 cm), so a longer wall is split into two or more cushions, which keeps the pattern aligned from piece to piece. The majlis layouts page draws each shape with its measurements.

A 4 in (10 cm) or 8 in (20 cm) seat is the everyday choice, while 12 in (30 cm) and 16 in (40 cm) are usually made to order. For older relatives or anyone with stiff knees, 12 in (30 cm) or the 16 in (40 cm) sofa-height seat is easier to get up from.

A 16 in (40 cm) seat can also be built as two 8 in (20 cm) layers, and stacking doubles the seat cushions on the packing list, so a full L-shaped set built from two 4 in (10 cm) layers lists 16 pieces and a U lists 22.

Ready-size kilim sets are covered in a tightly woven cotton-polyester blend, while velvet and linen sets belong to separate collections. Some patterns are not woven in true black, so a very dark navy or charcoal is the nearest match. Seats use high-density polyurethane foam — ask us for the exact density for your build. The majlis fabrics guide sets this weave beside velvet, chenille and linen.

• One 75 × 27.5 in (190 × 70 cm) seat cushion per run of wall, in the thickness you pick
• Two backrests per seat, 37.5 × 16 × 4 in (95 × 40 × 10 cm) on L and U layouts and 35.5 × 16 × 4 in (90 × 40 × 10 cm) on a single wall
• A 23.5 × 16 × 4 in (60 × 40 × 10 cm) corner backrest at every inside corner
• Armrest bolsters of 19.5 × 8 × 8 in (50 × 20 × 20 cm), two or three per set
• Covers unzip and can be machine-washed on a gentle 86°F (30°C) cycle with a mild detergent

When two colorways seem equally right, I compare them against the curtains and the floor rather than against each other, because a pattern is never seen alone in a room.

Four names from our earlier pattern list, Bergama, Pınar, Zeugma and Munzur, are not among the current eleven, and neither are the Caucasian and Yörük-inspired designs. Bergama is named for the town built over ancient Pergamon, Zeugma for a Roman city on the Euphrates known for its floor mosaics, Munzur for mountains in eastern Anatolia, and Pınar is simply the Turkish word for a spring.

If one of those names brought you here, the nearest current match in my eye is Anatolian Kilim for bold village geometry, or Ürgüp for quieter stone tones. Every borrowed motif deserves an honest caption.

A patterned seat already carries most of the visual weight, so the rug works best when it is plainer or shares just one color with the cushions. I usually take that shared color from the smallest motif, since it repeats most often. Ask us whether a matching rug is included with your set. For a larger room or a second layer, the kilim rugs for majlis rooms page covers flat-woven rugs sold on their own.

Color is usually the detail that wins people over once a patterned set is in the room.

Custom orders start with a layout plan for your approval. Made-to-order sets take a little longer than ready ones — ask us for the current timing. Ask us for a design consultation — we can talk through your room on a video call. What moves a quote up or down is set out in what shapes a majlis quote.

1. Send your walls
2. We draw the layout
3. You approve, then we cut

All eleven patterns can be ordered as a single, an L-shaped or a U-shaped set. Eight of them are offered as separate single, L-shaped and U-shaped designs, while Shami Stripe, Kırşehir and Banded Kilim group all three layouts under one design, with the same full-set counts of 10, 14 and 19 pieces.

Most designs can be built with or without a wooden base, and several kilim patterns, among them Anatolian Kilim, Afghan Gul, Kırşehir, Shami Stripe and Banded Kilim, are also made as sedir bench sets. A standard bench measures 75 × 27.5 × 16 in (190 × 70 × 40 cm) with its seat cushion included.

None of the patterns copies a single rug. Each one borrows motifs and colors from a rug or textile tradition, such as the octagonal guls of Afghan rugs or the village geometry of Anatolia, and resizes them for a seat cushion woven as upholstery fabric rather than as a rug.