highlights of the Architectural Digest Home and Diffa's Dining by Design in NYC
Two highlights of this week's
Architectural Digest Home Show
and the adjoining
DIFFA tabletop event in NYC
on
Nest by Tamara
Every year the design industry seems to become more and more excited about the Architectural Digest Home Show and the adjoining DIFFA, Dining By Design extravaganza.
at THE AD HOME SHOW
one of my favorite sections is the newer area which highlights many artisan's work called, MADE. Local Sag Harbor artist, Nico Yektai, brought new pieces from his hand made furniture collection to exhibit this week.
stop by Nico Yektai's booth
in the Made Section at the AD Show this week
the story I wrote for my East End Nest column
in the Hampton magazine,
Dan's Papers about Yektai's work.
Yektai's Aether bench
stop by Nico Yektai's booth
in the Made Section at the AD Show this week
Aether maple and steel bench by Niko Yektai
photograph credit: Niko Yektai
in the Hampton magazine,
Dan's Papers about Yektai's work.
Local Sag Harbor artist takes his works
on the road, announcing new pieces in his collection
by Tamara
Matthews-Stephenson
Sag Harbor artist and craftsmen,
Nico Yektai, has been building and designing unique furniture in his Sag Harbor
studio since 1995. Yektai discovered the
Hamptons as a child when his father, Manoucher Yektai, noted abstract
expressionist painter and poet, came to the East End in the 1950s to create his
works. It was an easy decision for Nico
to make this area his home seventeen years ago when he was looking for a place
to set up his studio and create his furniture.
Today, he continues to find fodder here in the Hamptons, exhibiting his
collections around many of the cultural spots and galleries in the East
End. The connections and exposure he has
made locally have helped to propel him as a nationally known artist. Among his other
accomplishments, this past year he was listed in Interior Design magazine and voted one of the “Best of the Year”
finalists for his Wall Hung Console Table. This year he was also featured in New York Times, Hamptons magazine,
Garden Design magazine, here on Dan’s Papers, Southampton Press, Fresh
Home, Modenus, Nest by Tamara, as well as other print and online websites. In his studio he creates furniture made out of
wood, concrete and glass for both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Yektai has a system and process
for creating his furniture, and works hard to maintain a sculptural presence in
his pieces. His style often revolves
around using asymmetrical composition and detailed craftsmanship toward furniture
design. When he works one-on-one for a
client, he often creates an intricate scale model to work out all the
details. He has some signature details
to his work, including bringing the legs of tables to the outside of the piece,
and sometimes up and over the horizontal surface of the table. There is both
practical and artistic qualities to this and allows the guests to move their
feet freely under the table. It also shows
his attention to detail with craftsmanship and calls attention to the fact that
it is not an ordinary piece of furniture.
This year, he is taking his
interesting collections on the road to exhibit at shows with other like-minded
artists. He is excited to launch new
products in the coming months, and just wrapped up exhibiting for the fourth
year at NYC’s Architectural Digest Home Design Show on Pier 94 in New York
City, and in the newly handcrafted section called Made. Please look for Yektai at the upcoming ICFF
(International Contemporary Furniture Fair) show in New York City this spring. The ICFF is the 25th International
Furniture Fair and takes place from May 18-21st at the Jacob Javits Convention
Center in New York City. He will also be at The Smithsonian Craft show at National Building Museum from April 25-28.
Among some of the new pieces in
this collection includes his Aether bench made with Maple wood and stainless
steel brackets. The bench was
organically designed with legs that are composed in a free manner. Intentionally smaller than some of his other pieces
it was created to a sleek 60” length and 13” deep seat. The gestural back features a lumbar curve to
match the comfort of the curved seat.
Since each piece is made by hand, there is almost always something
unique to each one, adding to the charm of this one-of-a-kind furniture. All of
Yektai’s furniture has interesting details and “big personality.”
Please
call Nico Yektai for a visit to his Sag Harbor studio to view his furniture.
Or, check out his website and blog entries over at http://nicoyektai.com
I love DIFFA's DINING BY DESIGN:
I look forward to the beautiful tables creatively designed each year, which offered in conjunction with the AD Home Design Show. Over the five days guests can enjoy a variety of events from a gala dinner celebration to simply stopping by to "oogle" over the table settings. This year, DIFFA is honoring Isabel & Ruben Toledo with the David Rockwell Service Award and Rick Wolf with its Unsung Hero Award.
I look forward to the beautiful tables creatively designed each year, which offered in conjunction with the AD Home Design Show. Over the five days guests can enjoy a variety of events from a gala dinner celebration to simply stopping by to "oogle" over the table settings. This year, DIFFA is honoring Isabel & Ruben Toledo with the David Rockwell Service Award and Rick Wolf with its Unsung Hero Award.
I was invited to attend Rachel Ashwell's table for Shabby Chic, but sadly I am out of town, but I want to share with you the beautiful table she set. Rachel first came onto the design scene moons ago when she brought her unique look--a cozy flea-market, yet chic--aesthetic. She now has a fabulous shop in SOHO, a new book coming out in the Fall, and more goodies to share with us.
