Featured in Luxe Magazine May / June Edition
LUXE's primary idea is that different sections of the country have diverse design cultures and aesthetics. LUXE has become a useful resource for the interior design industry and affluent households by delivering a nationwide magazine with a regional focus on editorial content and industry collaborations. LUXE is the largest and fastest-growing luxury home magazine network, with over 400 thousand copies delivered quarterly. The national shelter brand's ad pages climbed from 240 in 2005 to over 5,700 in 2008, indicating the strategy's tremendous effectiveness. Sara Hayat Designs is featured in the publication, the Bevel Sofa offers silky velvet cushions that hug together. The mahogany Fleur Accent Chair was inspired by both the four-leafed and yellow pimpernel varieties of wood sorrel.
Sara Hayat was born with a creative spirit. Her family's company, M. Hayat & Bros., has been making high-end pieces for everyone from royal families to renowned clients like John F. Kennedy and his famed White House rocking chair since the 1870s. As a result, it's not surprising that inspiration is necessary.
Hayat, a Colorado native who formerly worked in finance, has shifted her focus to custom furniture, producing a collection that includes coffee and writing tables, dining chairs and sofas, and innovative modular seating. The designer's items are painstakingly drawn piece by piece by her family's generations-long crew of artisans in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Her geometric, floral, piled, and beveled forms contrast sharply with the traditionality of her mahogany, marble, cane, brass inlay, leather, and velvet upholstery. Hayat learnt the art of joinery and detailing by studying her family's archived catalogues and drawing inspiration from the works of Oscar Niemeyer and Pierre Paulin. She became interested in modern aesthetics, such as vehicles and clothing, and kept mental notes on what she loved and how she felt about it.
“Intentional design has the ability to uplift, and I want my furniture to do just that.” And her Tetris-inspired modular sofa provides a plum example. “People should be creative in how they use it,” Hayat goes on to explain how the sofa's components may be adjusted to make a fun, creative toy. “These pieces should dazzle, anchor us at the moment and remind us of what we can be.” While using her own designs at home, the newly minted furniture designer can't help but reflect on the principles instilled in her by her parents. “My mother always believed that you should surround yourself with items that make you happy.” Hayat will confidently carry on this historic heritage. sara-hayat.com
