Inside curator Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli’s party house in Istanbul
A former fisherman’s house with views over the Bosphorus has become a chic 1970s-inspired hub for creative exchange at an international level
Sharing a wall with the imposing Metamorfosis Greek Orthodox Church and surrounded by simple Ottoman-era timber houses, the home of Demet Müftüoğlu-Eşeli and her husband Alphan Eşeli in the Istanbul neighbourhood of Kandilli looks unassuming. “Kandilli is one of those rare neighbourhoods on the Asian side of the Bosphorus that still feels untouched by time,” says Müftüoğlu-Eşeli. “It carries the soul of old Istanbul”. The name Kandilli, she says, means “with candles”, and was inspired by the palace built by the sultan Murad IV that was filled with lanterns. Also in the area is the Adile Sultan Palace, now a cultural centre. “That layered sense of history is part of daily life,” says Müftüoğlu-Eşeli. Leaning into the area’s roots, the couple have built a home that aims to spark creative exchange.