Search for "Moroccan floor seating" and you'll find photos of glowing lantern-lit lounges with long, low cushioned benches lining the walls. Search for "Arabic majlis" or "Afghan toshak" and the pictures look similar: cushions around the edge of the room, guests facing each other, a rug and a tray in the middle. They share a social idea, but they're built differently, sit differently and suit different homes. Here's an honest comparison, from a shop that sells two of the three.
The Moroccan salon and the sedari
A traditional Moroccan salon is lined with sedari: long, low banquettes that run along the walls, often wrapping around two or three sides of the room. Typically each piece has a base (traditionally wooden, sometimes a built-in platform) topped with a firm mattress, then back cushions against the wall and bolsters or throw cushions on top. The fabric is often a rich brocade, damask or velvet, frequently with a matching cover thrown over the mattress.
Because of the base, the seat sits higher than true floor seating: low enough to sit cross-legged or lie back, but you sit on the bench, not on the floor. In Morocco the salon is often a formal room for guests and family gatherings, with a low round table in the middle for tea and meals.
What that means at home
- It behaves like furniture. Once a sedari is in place, it stays. It's comfortable for older guests because standing up from it is easier than from the floor.
- It needs space and commitment. Built-in or heavy bases are not something you move for a party and put back.
- It's usually custom-made to the room's measurements, which is part of its appeal and part of its cost.
We don't make or sell Moroccan sedari. If you want that look, a local upholsterer or a specialist importer is the right place to go.
The Arabic majlis
A majlis (literally "a place of sitting") is the Gulf and wider Arab tradition of receiving guests seated along the walls. Majlis seating sits directly on the floor, with no frame: a firm foam seat cushion, a back cushion against the wall and, often, armrests at the ends. The pieces we sell are about 70 × 190 cm with 10 cm thick foam.
- Lower than Moroccan seating; you sit on the floor, cushioned.
- Modular. Add pieces to wrap more walls, or take some away when the room is needed for something else.
- Usually a coordinated set in matching covers, often richly patterned.
For more, see our guide to what an Arabic majlis sofa is.
The Afghan toshak
The toshak is the Afghan version of the same idea: long, firm floor cushions along the walls, with pillows to lean against. Ours are about 85 × 200 cm, a little wider than a majlis seat, which makes them comfortable for sitting cross-legged and, in many homes, for a guest to sleep on for a night.
- Floor level, no base.
- The most flexible of the three. Toshaks stack, move and clear away, and covers come off.
- Covers and foam are sold separately, so you can change the look later without replacing the foam.
Our guide to what an Afghan toshak is goes into the details.
Side by side
| Moroccan sedari | Arabic majlis | Afghan toshak | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Wooden or built-in platform | None; sits on the floor | None; sits on the floor |
| Seat height | Low bench | About 10 cm foam | Floor cushion |
| Moving it | Hard; often fixed | Easy; modular pieces | Easiest; stacks and stores |
| Getting up | Easiest of the three | From the floor | From the floor |
| Typical look | Brocade, damask, bolsters | Coordinated patterned sets | Patterned covers, often velvet-look |
| Best for | A permanent formal lounge | A dedicated guest room that can change | Flexible family rooms and guest space |
Which suits your home?
Choose a Moroccan-style sedari if
you have a room that will always be a lounge, you want furniture-height comfort for older relatives, and you're happy to commission something built to the room.
Choose a majlis if
you want the classic guest-room look with a coordinated set, you host regularly, and you like being able to add or remove pieces as the family grows.
Choose a toshak if
the room has to do more than one job (family room by day, guest space by night, cleared for a gathering), or you want to refresh the look over the years by changing covers. Our comparison of toshak vs majlis vs floor sofa goes deeper on those two.
Getting the Moroccan feel with floor seating
Much of what people love in Moroccan salons is the atmosphere rather than the bench: warm lantern light, a low round tray table, layered textiles, rich color. All of that works with a majlis or toshak too:
- A low round tray table in brass or carved wood in the center.
- Pierced metal lanterns or warm, low lamps instead of overhead light.
- Covers in deep jewel tones (burgundy, teal, gold) with contrasting bolsters.
- A patterned rug in the middle of the room. Size it to sit fully inside the seating, so no cushion sits half on the rug.
Quick checklist
- Moroccan sedari: low bench with a base; permanent; easiest to stand up from.
- Majlis: floor-level modular set; about 70 cm deep.
- Toshak: floor-level, about 85 cm wide; most flexible; covers change.
- Pick by how often the room changes use, and who needs to stand up easily.
- The Moroccan atmosphere comes from light, tray tables and textiles; it works with any of the three.
Browse our Arabic majlis seating, our Afghan toshak and covers, and the rugs to go in the middle. Our majlis and toshak are made in Türkiye, and shipping is free in the US and Canada on orders over $110.
Sit on them in Sacramento
Floor seating is easiest to judge by sitting on it. Visit our showroom at 3423 Watt Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95821, open daily 10 AM–7 PM, try the majlis and toshak for yourself, and we'll help you plan the room around them.
