A Conversation with Ümit Çağlar

Some designers arrive at a piece through research and sketches. Others arrive through years of watching how things are made. In our latest conversation, we sit down with Turkish designer Ümit Çağlar to talk about his creative process, from the inspiration behind the Kaya coffee tables to the ideas and experiences that continue to shape his design philosophy.

Ümit grew up in a family of carpenters, and that early closeness to making and construction runs through everything he designs. His language is refined and material-driven, led by organic forms and natural materials. It is also a language we know well: Ümit’s first collaboration with Wewood was the Mey sideboard, presented at Maison&Objet in 2022, and he was among the designers who debuted new pieces with us at Salone del Mobile.

Kaya, launched in 2026, is the latest chapter. Conceived as a set of two tables, it is a quiet place for objects, for rituals, for the unhurried time between things. Available in round and oval versions, the pair pairs solid oak or walnut with a choice of marble. Whether at the centre of a living room or drawn up beside a seat, the tables settle naturally, as though they had always been there. They don’t ask to be noticed, but they reward those who do.

Recorded in our Lisbon store, the conversation takes you inside how Ümit thinks and creates: where Kaya began, how a carpenter’s understanding of construction shapes a designer’s eye, and what it means to design objects meant for slowness rather than statement.

Watch the full conversation here.