AHU

High-end furniture design studio Ahu launches their coffee table and minibar range for the first time at Milano Design Week 2022 as part of the 5VIE District. Having launched the first three Meyhane cabinets at London Design Festival last year, Ahu now have expanded their range significantly to include minibars, coffee tables and side tables completing a living room suite.

Based in London and Istanbul, Ahu produces limited edition collectible designs that are both functional and sculptural. Each piece is hand made in Istanbul by master craftsmen in specialised, small ateliers using the highest quality materials and finishes.

Founded by longtime friends and Central Saint Martins alumni Eda Akaltun and Mevce Çıracı, the pieces combine works of graphic art with innovative product and furniture design - inspired and informed by the art, craft, history and mysticism of the diverse cultures that have inhabited Asia Minor and by ikram, the Turkish tradition of offering guests boundless hospitality.

The debut Meyhane collection is inspired by the evil eye (or Nazar in Turkish), and each piece is adorned by a marbling design, taken from the 15th Century technique of Ebru which originated in Turkey, Persia and India. Each work of art is created by co-founder Eda Akaltun, who uses a combination of hand made Ebru marbling technique with digital post-production to breathe a contemporary aesthetic into the crafted pieces.

The inaugural Meyhane cabinets launched at London Design Festival in 2021, and were a big success. Retailing at £32,000, several were sold since launch to high end whiskey collectors in London, Geneva and Monaco. It was thanks to the traction of this initial statement piece that the studio were able to expand their range and fund a wider collection. The Meyhane cabinets continue to be much solicited and have received favourable press and mentions in leading design magazines in the UK and in their native Turkey, such as Elle Decoration, FT Weekend and Maison Française Turkey. Their initial efforts also caught the eye of 1stDibs curators, who recently welcomed the studio onto their platform.

During Milan Design Week 2022 as part of 5VIE, Ahu will for the first time be exhibiting a selection from their wider range, specifically three Ka’Ve tables and their Keyf 02 minibar. Each Ahu design is a limited edition, and an individual, engraved metal plaque displays the edition number of each piece. The pieces are made to order with a lead time of 12-16 weeks.

Istanbul has a rich history of craftsmanship and each Ahu piece is crafted in third generation artisan wood workshops scattered around the city. The founders work within a language of craftsmanship that is not only relevant to the place of Ahu’s origin, but also respectful of the longevity of the pieces. Mixing traditional woodworking techniques, luxurious durable materials and modern finishes, Ahu makes timeless pieces that can become modern heirlooms.

During Milan Design Week 2022 as part of 5VIE, Ahu will for the first time be exhibiting a selection from their wider range, specifically three Ka’Ve tables and their Keyf 02 minibar. Each Ahu design is a limited edition, and an individual, engraved metal plaque displays the edition number of each piece. The pieces are made to order with a lead time of 12-16 weeks.

Istanbul has a rich history of craftsmanship and each Ahu piece is crafted in third generation artisan wood workshops scattered around the city. The founders work within a language of craftsmanship that is not only relevant to the place of Ahu’s origin, but also respectful of the longevity of the pieces. Mixing traditional woodworking techniques, luxurious durable materials and modern finishes, Ahu makes timeless pieces that can become modern heirlooms.

Co-founder Mevce Çıracı says: "We blend traditional craftsmanship with state of the art design and fabrication technologies and value the use of raw materials and non-toxic surface finishes. The design of the cabinet complements the fluent nature of the graphic artwork, and allows it to be perceived as three dimensional. The organic forms of the eye paintings determine the outlines of certain elements such as the handles and legs, transforming them into sculptural elements."

Co-founder Eda Akaltun says: "Superstition is deeply entrenched in our culture. The vernacular tradition in Turkey, Greece and throughout Asia Minor of the evil eye bead as a protective talisman, stretches back centuries and pervades everyday life. It is central to people’s lives, and a symbol that holds immense power and meaning. They are ubiquitous, but have also become disposable and perhaps lost some of their deeper meaning. We wanted to take something which has been commoditised and elevate it into something unique and personal, reimagined in a contemporary way."