Middle Eastern Heritage Meets Modern Style

MILAN — The Majlis, a community space for celebrations and resolving social and political issues, has been a fixture in Middle Eastern culture for centuries. Protected by UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Majlis also gave birth to the Majlis sofa — which might be considered the first modular concept ever invented. These low sitting areas are still popular today across the region, especially in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar.

In the design forums of Milan and Paris, the Majlis is making a noted comeback. While an uptick in Middle Eastern clientele with larger families is driving sales and expansion for European brands across the board, the trend has more to do with the luxury consumer’s modern approach to coming together, explained luxury design firm Poliform‘s U.S. chief executive officer and president Laura Anzani.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen our clientele reimagine how they gather at home and experience their living spaces. This has resulted in a growing demand for large-scale, more convivial sofas and layered living room layouts that incorporate a variety of furniture and decorative elements,” Anzani mused. “More than ever, our clients view the living room as a multifunctional environment, hosting everything from casual gatherings and parties to formal dinners and meetings, as well as spending meaningful time with friends and family in spaces designed to foster connection and comfort.”

An updated version of the firm’s Ernest sofa — designed by French architect Jean-Marie Massaud, which was presented at Salone del Mobile.Milano in April in a renewed, curved style — directly embodies this concept.

This shift in cultural interaction calls for furniture that can adapt to a range of scenarios, Anzani continued. Newer sofas like the Ernest are tailored compositions that accommodate more people without compromising design. “It’s modular, adaptable, and intentionally relaxed — it directly responds to this modern approach to conviviality. Whether configured as a sprawling sectional or a more compact composition, the system maintains a cohesive aesthetic that is sculptural and welcoming, offering the perfect setting for lounging and gathering,” Anzani added.

This ethos is perhaps what drove the creation of one of the most famous modular sofas of all time — Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda, which was created for B&B Italia in 1970. Freedom of expression was also the bedrock of his design. The Camaleonda’s chameleon-like nature (hence the moniker) and the multitude of ways the low-seated cushions came together by hooking and unhooking seats, backrests and armrests, continues to live on today. Today’s high demand calls continuously for renewed renditions, most recently, a version with removable covers made of recycled polyester fiber, a synthetic fabric that is entirely made of recycled PET, the same material used to manufacture plastic water bottles. 

Another popular reference is Acerbis’ Free System, also created in 1973 by Claudio Salocchi. It revolutionized the concept of the living room with a system of padded furniture also inspired by a more Asian design of the tatami, where the padded units could be placed freely side by side. Fast forward to 2005, and Gaetano Pesce continued the trend with the Michetta modular sofa, featuring block cushions, for Meritalia. In 2025, the model was presented once again at Salone del Mobile.Milano, in minimal color palettes and offered in velvet upholstery.

As cities like Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Doha, Qatar forge their own design heartlands and groom new talent, a rising number of Middle Eastern designers are tapping into the narrative of the Majlis in modern culture. For regional talent, this kind of seating is a celebration of a rich heritage that unites the region. It is also about coming together and being present.

“The Majlis represents comfort and hospitality — a space for sharing, listening, and being present,” said Fromm founder Alia Rachid, who is also the daughter of Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Mayhoola for Investments CEO. Fromm is a luxury contemporary furniture and accessories brand founded in Doha and Milan with the aim of creating a mix of design and manufacturing.


This season, Fromm worked with two young Qatari designers Maryam Al Suwaidi and Shua’a Ali to craft the Made in Italy Shurouq Collection, which brings the Majlis “spirit to life through contemporary, comfortable forms that invite connection and ease,” Rachid explained. The Shurouq collection also gave birth to a full furniture collection of armchairs, coffee tables, dining tables and chairs, bookshelves and carpets.

In response to the theme, luxury design firm Cassina put forth its Sail Out collection envisaged by Rodolfo Dordoni not long before his death in 2023. Sail Out is also a revolution of sorts, this time for
outdoor furniture, and it boasts sartorial details like the border in gray gros-grain and is outfitted with air blown polyester fiber and memory foam in SoloSoff for padding. It conjures the spirit of 1950s coastal travel and calls to mind the vacation lifestyle in Gulf region getaway spots, from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Dubai and new ones currently being pioneered from the desert sands and primed for discovery.