Layered niobate K4Nb6O17 became compatible to organic solvents through grafting octadecyltrimethoxysilane onto the niobate layers. The silylated niobate was stably dispersed in chloroform and finitely swelled in toluene whereas the niobate intercalated with dodecylammonium ions was settled out in both the solvents. Colloids of the silylated niobate dispersed in chloroform exhibited lyotropic liquid crystallinity at high niobate concentrations.