Couch Arabi
Pictured above is “couch Arabi”. This is traditional Khaleeji (Gulf) furniture. It comes in many colors, but the pattern you see here is the traditional one, and therefore the most common. This particular set is a bit westernized, because the cushions are elevated, like a western couch. Traditional sets place the cushions right on the floor. It’s modular, all the pieces come off, so you can rearrange it a variety of ways. It is very cheap here, everything you see here should cost about $1000 or so, installed.
If you want to get fancy, saddles and swords and other objects can be incorporated into the design. The “tent” surrounding this particular set-up is fairly common, it’s useful for sub-dividing a large room. Frequently you will find a real tent, set up outside, furnished like this for receiving guests. Most majlises here are either furnished this way, or with a ring of large Louis XIVth chairs lining the walls. The interiors of houses usually incorporate some amount of couch Arabi as well.
If you want to get fancy, saddles and swords and other objects can be incorporated into the design. The “tent” surrounding this particular set-up is fairly common, it’s useful for sub-dividing a large room. Frequently you will find a real tent, set up outside, furnished like this for receiving guests. Most majlises here are either furnished this way, or with a ring of large Louis XIVth chairs lining the walls. The interiors of houses usually incorporate some amount of couch Arabi as well.
posted by dervish at Thursday, May 12, 2005
4 Comments:
I had one of those, the floor kind, once upon a time! I like the Moroccan style "elevated" low ones, though
I wish I had been able to get my hands on those before we bought sofa's. We did try to imitate it at some point, unsuccessfully. The kids started throwing the cushions everywhere, so we broke down and bought sofas.
I would probably opt for the elevated ones now. The older I get the farther down that floor seems to be.
You posted my dining room :) We have the low, on the floor one. Elevated wouldn't have worked and I have yet to finish off that room. The print isn't easy to find here either.
In saudi the colors changed depending on the region. I guess Qatar is too small to have that issue.
Hello :)
just wanted to say what a great blog this is! (makes me feel homesick) *Yanni's nostalgia starts playing in the background again*
I think you could call those the "official" majlis seats, since it's the original bedwin design, But the designs changed the more people settled into cities. I've seen those in "official" bedwin settings and tents (especially those set for tourism), but i've never seen them in any of my family's houses in Qatar (we're not bedwin). We use more simple designs, usually white. Just like echo said.
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