A circular travertine seating piece decorated in marble marquetry sits beneath a whitewashed domed ceiling pierced with oculi. Stacked wooden cabinets with embroidered inlays echo the hammam’s vertical rhythm, creating a dialogue between Ottoman architectural geometry and contemporary collectible design.

Nahıl: Ahu’s Limited-Edition Collection Turns Traditional Craftsmanship into Contemporary Storytelling

Words by Yatzer

Istanbul, Turkey

Collectible design has become one of the most compelling guardians of traditional craft, offering a pathway for endangered techniques to remain culturally and economically viable. At its best, it does more than preserve handiwork; it activates it, reframing heritage as a living, evolving continuum rather than a museum category. This philosophy also lies at the very heart of Ahu, the London- and Istanbul-based studio founded by Eda Akaltun and Mevce Çıracı, whose practice is rooted in Turkey’s artisanal legacy. Their latest limited-edition collection, “Nahıl”, exemplifies how wood carving, marquetry, embroidery, and other time-honoured skills can flourish in contemporary design without losing their spirit. Fittingly, the collection was unveiled inside the 15th-century Küçük Mustafa Paşa Hammam, one of Istanbul’s oldest Turkish baths, where we were privileged to attend “Nahıl – Ahu’s New Journey: Redefining Objects, Space and Rituals” (November 8–16, 2025). Curated by Gem Alf, the exhibition was conceived as a meditative encounter between heritage and modernity, recasting functional objects as vessels of memory, symbolism, and narrative.

Akaltun and Çıracı, who met while studying at Central Saint Martins, founded Ahu on a shared belief that design could serve as a vessel for cultural memory. Akaltun draws from a background in visual arts, developing motifs rooted in Ottoman and Anatolian visual languages, while Çıracı brings technical expertise in product design and object-making. Together, they collaborate with a network of third-generation Istanbul based artisans whose traditional mastery has now become increasingly rare. The approach that Akaltun and Çıracı take is both rigorous and intuitive: reviving endangered techniques not as nostalgia, but as a design vocabulary capable of engaging with the present.

The founders of Ahu pose among carved furnishings and embroidered textiles inside the hammam. The stone backdrop and soft lighting underscore the exhibition’s dialogue between history, design practice, and collaborative craftsmanship.

Ahu's founders, Eda Akaltun and Mevce Çıracı, at Küçük Mustafa Paşa Hammam, Istanbul. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

A ceremonial nahıl installation stands beneath the brick dome of the 15th-century hammam, its cascading threads and symbolic ornaments casting intricate shadows across the stone walls. Soft spotlights intensify the sense of ritual and craftsmanship while didactic panels flank the space like quiet guardians of cultural memory.

Installation view of Nahıl – Ahu’s New Journey: On Object, Space and Ritual at Küçük Mustafa Paşa Hammam, Istanbul. Photo by Sinan Çırak.

For their latest collection, Akaltun and Çıracı drew inspiration from the Nahıl, an elaborate temporary structure used as central decoration in Ottoman public festivals, circumcision ceremonies, and weddings, where it takes its name from. Crafted by teams of artisans, these monumental, tree-like structures were once adorned with wax figurines, flowers, fruits, and gilded ornaments, embodying abundance, beauty, and collective craftsmanship. Stepping into the historic bathhouse, visitors were met by a reimagined nahıl rising from the stone floor like a ceremonial beacon. Dramatically illuminated, it served as an emblem of ritual, collective making, and cultural continuity.

From there, visitors passed through a series of intimate rooms that served as a prologue to the collection. Each chamber focused on one of the traditional crafts behind the collection (wood carving, embroidery, stone work, and marquetry), presented through short videos and artefacts from the ateliers. Echoing the spatial progression of purification at the centre of the hammam ritual, these spaces offered a quiet moment of orientation: a reminder of the many hands behind every object, and a framing of technique not as process but as cultural lineage.

Close-up of the Umay coffee table in marble marquetry, where dark and light stone form fluid botanical motifs. The intricate patterning softens the table’s angular geometry, illustrating Ahu’s ability to turn a hard material into a sensuous visual surface.

Umay Coffee Table from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

A circular travertine seating piece decorated in marble marquetry sits beneath a whitewashed domed ceiling pierced with oculi. Stacked wooden cabinets with embroidered inlays echo the hammam’s vertical rhythm, creating a dialogue between Ottoman architectural geometry and contemporary collectible design.

Installation view of Nahıl – Ahu’s New Journey: On Object, Space and Ritual at Küçük Mustafa Paşa Hammam, Istanbul. Photo by Sinan Çırak.

Emerging from these dim, cocoon-like chambers, visitors entered a soaring, light-filled space. Crowned by a whitewashed dome punctuated with a constellation of oculi, this hall formed the dramatic heart of the exhibition, showcasing a family of six cabinets that echoed the nahıl’s totemic silhouette and elaborate ornamentation. Though each celebrated a different craft lineage, they all shared the same design language of abstract floral motifs.

In Manêvi (The Dowery Cabinet) and Nakş (The Bar Cabinet) these motifs were hand-embroidered in kutnu fabric, patches of which were embedded into organic-shaped cutouts punctuating the cabinets’ prismatic oak volumes. More elaborate compositions enveloped Cem (The Tea & Dining Cabinet) and Aşk (The Jewellery & Scent Cabinet), the former in kutnu embroidery, the latter in embroidered leather. In Safi (The Cleansing Cabinet), the patterns were carved into travertine, while in Meşk (The Writing & Reading Cabinet) they emerged from hand-carved oak.

A tower of dark-stained oak cabinets inset with cut-out windows displaying hand-embroidered motifs in vivid tones. Each vignette acts like a miniature framed artwork, transforming structural faces into carriers of narrative and memory.

Nakş (Bar Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

The making of Nahil collection by Ahu Studio. Video © Ahu.

Close-up of an embroidered kutnu panel inset into a dark oak cabinet. Vivid green, blue, and terracotta threads form a fluid, petal-like motif, creating a soft, textile counterpoint to the cabinet’s crisp geometric structure.

Manêvi (The Dowry Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

Close-up of two embroidered kutnu panels embedded in oak. The stitching forms swirling, petal-like shapes in saturated hues of orange, teal, and red, underscoring the collection’s translation of marbling into textile form.

Nakş (Bar Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

A cropped view of stacked oak volumes inset with embroidered panels. The interplay between crisp geometric edges and soft, fluid textile imagery encapsulates the collection’s expressive contrast between structure and ornament.

Manêvi (The Dowry Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

Through a pointed arch, a totemic wooden cabinet inset with embroidered motifs stands on polished stone, aligned precisely with the passage axis. The framing emphasises ceremonial symmetry, reinforcing the collection’s reference to ritual and procession.

Nakş (Bar Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

  • A visitor lifts the octagonal mirror of a jewellery cabinet, revealing its sculptural marquetry exterior. The embroidered floral panels contrast with the dark oak frame, while the blurred reflection underscores the cabinet’s ritual association with adornment and self-presentation.

    Aşk (Jewellery and Scent Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

  • The Jewellery & Scent Cabinet stands with its doors open, revealing a system of drawers wrapped in embroidered marbled leather. Decorative vessels sit inside the upper compartment, mirroring the cabinet’s blend of ornament and domestic function.

    Aşk (Jewellery and Scent Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

  • A hand opens the jewellery drawer to reveal velvet-lined compartments holding rings and necklaces. Antique perfume flasks and a vanity mirror rest on the cabinet shelf, reinforcing the object’s ceremonial and intimate role.

    Aşk (Jewellery and Scent Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

  • The cabinet appears closed, its cylindrical form fully sheathed in embroidered marbled leather. The rhythmic patterning creates a seamless textile surface, softening the geometric oak structure.

    Aşk (Jewellery and Scent Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

  • Close view of the jewellery drawer shows rings arranged in wooden compartments, framed by stitched leather marbling. The presence of a cloisonné vanity mirror above highlights the intertwined worlds of craft, ritual, and ornament.

    Aşk (Jewellery and Scent Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

The tea & dining cabinet appears closed, showing its full cylindrical silhouette and embroidered marbled panels across three stacked sections. The upright, ceremonial posture echoes the verticality of the historical nahıl.

Cem (The Tea & Dining Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

A drawer opens from the tea & dining cabinet, revealing silver cutlery. The hand-embroidered marbled panels surrounding the drawer reinforce the piece’s blend of ornament and utility.

Cem (The Tea & Dining Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

A wood-carving in mid-process shows a sculptural floral form emerging from a solid block. Surrounded by curled shavings, the artisan’s hands apply steady pressure with a chisel, capturing the intimacy of hand-tooled ornament.

Wood-carving artisans at work for Ahu's Nahıl collection. Photo by Sinan Çırak.

A totemic wooden cabinet with sculpted floral reliefs stacks three open compartments, with a small antique book tucked inside. The hand-carved organic elements evoke Ottoman ornamentation while retaining a contemporary sculptural clarity.

Meşk (Writing & Reading Cabinet) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

An octagonal oak cabinet body is sanded by hand under warm directional light. Rounded openings and crisp facets reveal the geometric discipline of the piece, balancing structure with artisanal touch.

Artisans at work for Ahu's Nahıl collection. Photo by Sinan Çırak.

The making of Nahil collection by Ahu Studio. Video © Ahu.

The Levni dining table in ash, decorated with vivid floral marquetry, sits in the hammam’s stone interior with matching embroidered stools. The contrast between refined craftsmanship and raw architectural masonry emphasises the collection’s dialogue between ritual and contemporary collectible design.

Installation view of Nahıl – Ahu’s New Journey: On Object, Space and Ritual at Küçük Mustafa Paşa Hammam, Istanbul. Photo by Sinan Çırak.

At the centre of the domed hall, a pair of Umay coffee tables explored floral motifs through yet another demanding craft: marble marquetry. Dark and light stone swirled into one another in patterns so fluid that they read like ink or paint rather than one of the hardest materials to work with. Designed to nest or stand apart, the tables offered an elegant gesture toward adaptability in contemporary living.

In another domed hall, the eye was drawn to the Levni dining table, a three-metre-long monolithic ash volume adorned with floral marquetry that appeared almost brush-painted thanks to the subtle shifts of grain and pigment. The floral language continued with the Hatayi bench and stools, their silhouettes upholstered in punch hand embroidery, embroidered kutnu fabric, or embroidered leather, as well as on Nar, a hand-tufted wool carpet swathed in painterly pomegranate motifs, a symbol of abundance and prosperity in Ottoman tradition.

Detail of the Levni dining table’s marquetry surface, where layered veneers form painterly botanical shapes. The polished wood grain and precise inlay work foreground the material richness central to Ahu’s reinterpretation of Turkish craft traditions.

Levni Dining Table (detail) from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

Vaulted stone architecture of the Küçük Mustafa Paşa Hammam frames Ahu’s furniture and carpets, their floral marquetry and embroidered motifs adding colour to the muted historic interior. The spatial layout emphasises symmetry and ritual, with pieces positioned low to the ground against the monumental scale of the bathhouse.

Installation view of Nahıl – Ahu’s New Journey: On Object, Space and Ritual at Küçük Mustafa Paşa Hammam, Istanbul. Photo by Sinan Çırak.

The making of Nahil collection by Ahu Studio. Video © Ahu.

A marquetry panel in progress rests on a workshop table, with multiple motif cut-outs scattered nearby. The artisan’s hands move in motion blur, emphasising the pace and repetition embedded in this labor-intensive craft.

Marquetry artisans at work for Ahu's Nahıl collection. Photo by Sinan Çırak.

An artisan smooths a marquetry surface, blending shades of green, red, and natural wood into a seamless organic form. Fine shavings curl from the tool, underscoring the tactile precision behind the collection’s botanical motifs.

Marquetry artisans at work for Ahu's Nahıl collection. Photo by Sinan Çırak.

The making of Nahil collection by Ahu Studio. Video © Ahu.

A colour palette of red, blood orange, and mauve, tones historically associated with courtly textiles, further deepened the visual and symbolic resonance of the objects on display. Ahu’s palette, like its motifs, which draw heavily from Suzani textiles and the swirling drama of ebru marbling, felt less applied than woven into the architectural body of the building, under the hammam’s natural light.

In the end, what resonated most was not simply the beauty or intricacy of the individual pieces but the framework that allowed them to exist. By working with Istanbul’s master artisans, Akaltun and Çıracı offer a compelling proposition: that collectible design can do more than fuel desire—it can serve to sustain cultural knowledge, keep otherwise disappearing workshops alive, and allow future generations to inherit skills that might otherwise have become a distant memory of what once was.

Close-up of a red bench upholstered in punch hand embroidery with swirling topographic patterns, shown beside a hand-tufted carpet in orange and black floral motifs. The pairing highlights Ahu’s tactile approach to surface design and the interplay between textile craft and sculptural form.

Hatayi Bench and Nar Hand-Tufted Carpet from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

A hand-tufted carpet with orange and black floral motifs flows down a step to meet a circular low table and a red embroidered bench. The scene pairs tactile textiles with historic masonry, creating a warm, layered environment within the hammam.

Hatayi Bench and Nar Hand-Tufted Carpet from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

A large textile sculpture shaped like a marbled sheet leans within a stone alcove of the hammam. Warm lighting emphasises swirling ebru-inspired motifs, animating the ancient masonry with contemporary craft.

Lale Hand Tufted Carpet from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.

Two embroidered stools flank a sculptural marble-marquetry side table set against the textured stone walls of the hammam. The earthy tones and low seating echo Ottoman domestic rituals, while the bold patterns assert a contemporary sensibility.

Hatayi Stool and Umay Coffee Table from Ahu’s Nahıl collection. Photography by Sinan Çırak.