Sag Harbor Artist “Takes Show on the Road”

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.

It was an easy decision for Nico to make this area his home 17 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 local connections and exposure have helped to propel him as a nationally-recognized artist.

Among his other accomplishments, in 2012 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 The New York Times, Garden Design, Dan’s Papers, Fresh Home, Modenus, Nest by Tamara, among other print and online publications. 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 frequently uses asymmetrical composition and detailed craftsmanship toward furniture design. When he works one-on-one with 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. Both practical and artistic qualities come into play, as it allows people seated at the table to move their feet freely underneath. It also shows his attention to detail and sets the piece apart from ordinary furniture.

This year, Yektai 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 New York’s Architectural Digest Home Design Show on Pier 94 in Manhattan, and in the newly handcrafted section called Made. Also look for Yektai at the upcoming ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in New York this spring. The ICFF is in its 25th year and takes place May 18-21 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. He will also be at The Smithsonian Craft show at the National Building Museum April 25-28.

Among some of the new pieces in this collection are 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 every piece is made by hand, there is 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.”

Call Nico Yektai to visit his Sag Harbor studio and view his furniture. Check out his website and blog entries  at nicoyektai.com.