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Handmade in Istanbul

Afghan Gul Sedir Bench Majlis with Octagonal Gul Cushions

The Afghan Gul sedir bench majlis takes its name from the gul, the octagonal medallion repeated in rows across Turkmen and Afghan rugs and across these cushions in maroon, navy or gold. Each wooden bench is 75 in (190 cm) long, and a U of three benches gives about 224 in (570 cm) of seating for around six people.

Sedir Benches · Afghan Gul pattern · 7 to 16 pieces

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Item details

Category: Sedir Benches
Layouts: Single wall, L-shaped, U-shaped, Made to your walls
Colors photographed: Maroon, Navy Blue, Gold
Seat height: 16 in (40 cm)
Style: Sedir bench wood
Fabric: First-quality Turkish fabric
Made in: Istanbul, Türkiye

What's in the set

Single bench set · 7 pieces
L-shaped set of two benches · 11 pieces
U-shaped set of three benches · 16 pieces

The full piece list with sizes is below.

Shipping & customs

US & Canada: Delivery to the US and Canada is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current transit estimate.
United Kingdom: UK delivery is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current transit estimate.
Europe: Delivery across Europe is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current estimate for your country.
The Gulf: Delivery to the Gulf is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current estimate for your country.
Australia & NZ: Delivery to Australia and New Zealand is by tracked express courier — ask us for the current estimate.
Customs: US: Import duties for US deliveries are set by US Customs — ask us how they apply to your order before you pay.
Customs: Canada: Import taxes for Canadian deliveries are set by Canadian customs — ask us how they apply to your order.
Customs: UK: UK import VAT applies to furniture shipped from abroad — ask us how it's handled for your order before you pay.
Customs: elsewhere: Import taxes depend on your country's rules — ask us how they apply to your order before you pay.
Payment: Payment is made through a secure payment link once you approve your quote — ask us which methods are available in your country.
Paying over time: Ask us whether pay-over-time options are available in your country.

Cushions are pressed, rolled and vacuum-sealed for shipping and spring back to full size once you open them; they can't be re-compressed at home.

Your set ships in several boxes, typically two or three for an L-shape and more for larger layouts, and they may arrive on different days.

Every box gets its own tracking number, emailed as soon as your order ships.

Each shipment travels with a commercial invoice that lists the goods, their value, weight and materials.

Care

Covers unzip and can be machine-washed on a gentle 86°F (30°C) cycle with a mild detergent; avoid heat, which can shrink them.

How it looks set up

Photographed in gold and maroon.

Front view of one wooden bench with a gold quartered-gul seat, two backrest pillows and armrest bolsters — Gold Afghan Gul bench, front view

Single wooden bench with maroon octagonal medallion cushions and a small matching rug laid in front of it — Single Afghan Gul bench in maroon

Maroon gul-pattern cushions with cream and black octagons on wooden benches arranged in a U around a rug — Afghan Gul bench set in maroon

U-shaped wooden bench majlis with gold Afghan-pattern cushions and a matching rug, set outdoors below a suspension bridge — Wooden Bench Majlis with Gold Afghan-Pattern Cushions

Two wooden benches meeting in an L with gold gul cushions and armrest bolsters, a patterned rug in the corner — Gold Afghan Gul benches in an L

Questions buyers ask

What comes in a wooden bench set, and is the rug or ottoman included?

A single wooden bench set includes one bench of 75 × 27.5 × 16 in (190 × 70 × 40 cm), one seat cushion, two backrests and two armrest bolsters. L and U sets add benches, backrests and armrests in the same pattern. A matching rug comes with some set versions, while ottomans and pouf pillows are usually add-ons, so ask for an itemized quote.

From the atelier

How much of the 27.5 in (70 cm) depth of an Afghan Gul bench is left to sit on?

Each Afghan Gul backrest pillow is 4 in (10 cm) thick and takes about that much of the seat once it leans against the wall. On a bench 27.5 in (70 cm) deep, that leaves roughly 23.5 in (60 cm) of seat in front of the gul-patterned backrests, enough to sit upright with your back supported.

From the atelier

What's inside the cushion?

The seat foam is firm to medium-firm; softer or firmer filling can be requested.

Angled close view of a wooden bench with navy blue octagonal medallion cushions and turned corner posts

Seat foamSeats use high-density polyurethane foam — ask us for the exact density for your build.
Seat height16 in (40 cm)
BuildThe wooden-frame line sits firmer than our all-foam sets and is a common choice for cafés and restaurants.
MaterialsWooden bench frame; woven gul-pattern upholstery fabric for indoor rooms

What's in the set?

Every set arrives with its covers and foam inserts, ready to use, with no stuffing or assembly.

7piecesSingle bench set
11piecesL-shaped set of two benches
16piecesU-shaped set of three benches

Wooden bench × 1–3L-shape 2 · One wall 1 · U-shape 375 × 27.5 × 16 in (190 × 70 × 40 cm)
Seat cushion × 1–3L-shape 2 · One wall 1 · U-shape 3
Backrest × 2–6L-shape 4 · One wall 2 · U-shape 635.5 × 16 × 4 in (90 × 40 × 10 cm)
Armrest bolster × 2–3L-shape 2 · One wall 2 · U-shape 319.5 × 8 × 8 in (50 × 20 × 20 cm)
Rug × 1

How is your order made?

Wooden pieces take longer to make than foam sets — ask us for the current schedule.

Step 1Layout planCustom orders start with a layout plan for your approval.
Step 2Your approvalBefore production we confirm the model, every measurement, the seat height and the fabric code with you.
Step 3Handmade in IstanbulCut, sewn and finished to order in our Istanbul atelier.
Step 4Photos before deliveryCustom orders are photographed and filmed for your approval before they ship.

Questions about this design

Which Afghan Gul set fits: one bench, an L or a U?

Layout	Benches with cushions	Backrest pillows	Armrest bolsters	Pieces in total
Single	1	2	2	6, or 7 with a rug
L-shaped	2	4	2	11
U-shaped	3	6	3	16

Each total counts a bench and its seat cushion as two pieces and includes one rug; on a single, the rug comes with some versions only. Afghan Gul brings Central Asian rug patterns, rather than village kilims, to the wooden bench majlis range.

What sizes are the bench, backrests and bolsters?

Piece	Size	Note
Wooden bench with seat cushion	75 × 27.5 × 16 in (190 × 70 × 40 cm)	Height measured with the cushion on
Backrest pillow	35.5 × 16 × 4 in (90 × 40 × 10 cm)	Two per bench, leaning on the wall
Armrest bolster	19.5 × 8 × 8 in (50 × 20 × 20 cm)	Closes an open end

Bench frames come in fixed lengths of about 47 in (120 cm), 59 in (150 cm), 71 in (180 cm) and 75 in (190 cm). Check every wall twice before frames are chosen, because one short wall changes the whole run. The step-by-step majlis measuring guide shows where to hold the tape.

How does a raised bench compare with a floor toshak?

A toshak is a floor mattress that runs along the wall, so guests sit close to the ground. The bench lifts a similar seat to about 16 in (40 cm), near the height of an ordinary sofa, and wooden-base models are not made lower than about 14.5 in (37 cm). Anyone who finds low seats hard to leave will usually be happier at that height.

For the same gul pattern at floor level, the Afghan Gul L-shaped floor sofa set uses foam cushions without a frame. For long evenings with elders the bench wins; for a room where children play on the cushions, the floor set does.

Maroon, navy or gold: which matches an Afghan rug?

Maroon has a madder-like red ground with orange, cream and black guls; navy sets red and orange guls on deep blue; gold uses a golden-camel ground with orange, ivory and green quartered guls. All three are photographed. Guls are often read as the emblems of the Turkmen weaving groups who made them, a history followed on the Afghan Gul pattern page.

The covers are a woven upholstery fabric for indoor rooms, cut and sewn in our Istanbul atelier. Ask us about fabric swatches and a foam sample before you order.

What goes into an Afghan Gul order?

Which walls take benches, and how long is each one?
Single, L or U, and in which of the three colorways?
Who sits here most, and is a seat of about 16 in (40 cm) right for them?

Answer those three, my friend, and the quote can be exact. Wooden pieces take longer to make than foam sets — ask us for the current schedule. Before anything is built, the design team checks your walls against the frame lengths. Custom orders start with a layout plan for your approval.

Send your walls
We draw the layout
You approve, then we cut

Is the Afghan Gul fabric woven in Afghanistan?

No. The covers are a woven upholstery fabric, cut and sewn in our Istanbul atelier. The gul layout is borrowed from Turkmen and Afghan rugs, which is where the name of the design comes from.

Which Afghan Gul colorway has quartered guls?

The gold colorway: its guls are split into four colored quarters on a golden-camel ground, with dark star motifs between them. Maroon and navy keep each gul whole, framed by small star shapes and gul-studded borders.

How many people does a U of Afghan Gul benches seat?

Three benches of 75 in (190 cm) seat about six people comfortably and up to nine when guests squeeze in. For a bigger room, the layout drawing can add further benches along the walls in the same colorway.