Floor seating is not a beanbag and it is not a mattress on the ground. Done properly it is a different way of arranging a room: seating runs along the walls instead of facing a television, everyone sits at the same level, and the middle of the room stays open for a tray, a table, or children.
Most of the world already knows this furniture. It is called a toshak in Afghanistan, a majlis or jalsa in Arab households, a diwan in others. In an American furniture catalogue it gets listed as a “floor couch”, “floor sofa” or “floor cushion seating” — same object, different word. This guide covers what to actually look for, what it costs, and the two things that decide whether you end up loving it or resenting it.
Our rugs and floor-seating sets are designed and produced by our own team — Afghan and Turkish craftspeople who grew up with these pieces in their own homes. We import the foam ourselves by the container, direct from the factory, and cut and fill it here in Sacramento, California.
The two things that decide whether you like it
1. Foam thickness. Four inches of firm foam is the line between “comfortable all evening” and “my back hurts”. Most decorative floor pillows sold online are two inches of soft fill; they compress to nothing and you end up sitting on the floor through them. Ours is 4 inches of 28-density polyurethane, which is firm by Western standards and correct by every other standard.
2. A wall behind it. The cushions are backrests, not a frame. Put a floor sofa in the middle of a room with nothing behind it and it leans back and slides. Choose the wall first, then count the sets.
Measure the wall, not the room
This is the single most common mistake we see. Each seat is about 75 inches long, so work in units of roughly 6.5 feet:
- Two sets — a corner.
- Three sets — an L along two walls.
- Four sets — two full walls of a normal living room. This is what most families actually want, and it is why the four-set option exists.
A 12-foot wall takes two sets with a little room at each end. If you are unsure, send a photo of the room on WhatsApp (916) 890-4077 and we will tell you what fits.
Toshak or majlis — which one
Both are floor seating. The difference is the shape of the set and the pattern tradition.
Afghan toshak
A long, simple floor mattress with two matching cushion covers. Patterns come in watani (the classic countrywide style) and kabuli (city variants, often lighter and more ornate). It is the most flexible of the two — it seats by day, sleeps by night, and folds into a stack in the morning.
- Cover set — $50–$55, fabric only (one mattress cover plus two cushion covers)
- Foam set with pillows — from $110
- Four foam sets — $400, enough to line a room
Shop the Afghan toshak collection
Arabic majlis
A four-piece set: one floor seat cushion, two backrest pillows and an armrest pillow. More formal in silhouette, and the one people usually mean when they search for an arabic sofa or arabic floor couch.
- Cover only — from $85
- One complete set with foam — $220
- Four complete sets with foam — $800 ($200 a set)
Shop the Arabic majlis collection
How it compares to the alternatives
| Toshak / majlis | Japanese zabuton | Modular floor couch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backrest | Yes, separate pillows | No | Sometimes, built in |
| Cover comes off | Yes, machine washable | Usually not | Rarely |
| Folds / stacks away | Yes | Yes | No |
| Sleeps an adult | Yes, 75″ × 4″ | No | Sometimes |
| Needs a wall | Yes | No | No |
A zabuton is a thin square cushion for kneeling at a low table — a genuinely different job. A modular foam couch is comfortable but permanent: the cover usually does not come off and it does not disappear into a closet for the summer.
Specifications, plainly
- Foam: polyurethane, 28 density, 190 × 75 × 10 cm — about 75″ long, 30″ deep, 4″ thick.
- Covers: first-class polyester, double-sided on the majlis sets, in traditional and modern patterns.
- Care: covers unzip and machine wash at 30°C, then air dry. Spot-clean the foam core.
- Storage: folds flat and stacks.
- Shipping: foam arrives compressed and expands fully within about a day once laid out flat.
- Note: one foam option is showroom pickup only — the listing says so plainly. Check the variant before ordering if you need it shipped.
Why ours costs what it does
There is no middleman between the foam and your floor. We bring it in by the container and cut and fill it in Sacramento, so a complete four-piece majlis with foam costs less here than a cover alone does in a lot of places. That is the supply chain, not a promotion.
Frequently asked questions
What is a floor couch?
A floor couch is seating that sits directly on the floor instead of on legs: a firm cushioned base along a wall, with separate backrest and armrest pillows. It is the normal way living rooms are arranged across Afghanistan, the Arab world, Persia, Central Asia and much of South Asia — and the reason those rooms feel open in the middle. In those traditions it has specific names: a toshak in Afghanistan, a majlis or jalsa in Arab households.
Is a floor sofa comfortable to sit on for a whole evening?
With enough foam, yes — that is what the thickness is for. Ours is 4 inches of 28-density polyurethane. Thinner floor pillows bottom out against the floor after twenty minutes, which is why so many people conclude they dislike floor seating when what they actually disliked was a 2-inch pad. The backrest pillows do the rest of the work, which is why the wall behind matters.
What is the difference between an Afghan toshak and an Arabic majlis set?
Shape and pattern tradition, mostly. A toshak is a long, simple floor mattress — about 75 inches — with two matching cushion covers. An Arabic majlis set is four pieces built around a backrest and a separate armrest. Same idea, different silhouette. Plenty of households mix both, and we sell both.
How is this different from a Japanese zabuton or a modular floor couch?
A zabuton is a thin square sitting cushion with no backrest — it is for kneeling or cross-legged sitting at a low table, not for leaning back. A Western modular floor couch is upholstered foam blocks you rearrange; comfortable, but the cover usually cannot come off and it does not fold away. A toshak or majlis set gives you a backrest, a washable removable cover, and the ability to stack the whole thing in a closet.
How many sets do I need for my living room?
Measure the walls you want to seat, not the room, and divide by roughly 6.5 feet per set. Two sets make a corner, three make an L, four line two full walls. A 12-foot wall takes two with a little room at each end. Send us a photo of the room on WhatsApp and we will tell you what fits.
Do I have to buy the foam as well?
No, and many customers do not. Covers and foam are sold separately on purpose: in these households the cover and the filling have always had different lifespans. If you already own foam, or you are re-covering a set you have had for ten years, buy the cover alone. If your covers are still good and the foam has gone flat, buy the foam alone.
Can the covers be washed?
Yes — they unzip, machine wash at 30°C and air dry. Do not tumble dry them. The foam core itself is spot-cleaned, not washed. That is the practical advantage of this kind of seating over an upholstered sofa: the part that gets used is the part you can take off.
Does a floor sofa work as a spare bed?
Yes. At 75 inches long and 4 inches thick it sleeps an adult comfortably for a night or two, which is how these have always been used. It is firmer than a Western mattress — most people either love that or take a couple of nights to adjust. It is also why they fold.
Does it need a wall behind it?
Yes, and this is the one thing we tell everybody before they order. The cushions are backrests, not a frame. Set a floor sofa in the middle of a room with nothing behind it and it will lean back and slide. Choose the wall first, then count the sets.
What does it cost, and do you ship?
Toshak cover sets are $50–$55; a foam set with pillows starts at $110; four foam sets are $400. Majlis covers start at $85, a complete set with foam is $220, and four complete sets are $800. Those are everyday prices, not a permanent discount off an inflated original. Orders over $110 ship free across the US and Canada with 30-day returns, and local delivery around Sacramento is free.
Afghan Toshak & Cushions · Arabic Majlis Floor Seating · Rugs to go underneath
Free shipping on orders over $110 across the US and Canada · 30-day returns · free local delivery around Sacramento · Showroom: 3423 Watt Ave, Sacramento, CA 95821 · WhatsApp (916) 890-4077
Further reading: What Is an Afghan Toshak? · What Is an Arabic Majlis Sofa? · Toshak vs Mattress, Futon & Memory Foam · How to Set Up an Arabic Majlis at Home