PRODUCTS TO LOVE
If it is true—and it mainly is—that taste is a man’s character, and character his destiny, a question arises as to why we prefer some products over others. We can never really tell what will please a customer and which product will achieve commercial success or attract media attention. The only recipe we have in deciding to introduce new products to market is to start with a vision and to care passionately about the choice of designers we collaborate with, the choice of wood and other materials, and the choice of master craftsmen with the right sensibility for the product. What has to follow—or even precede these choices—are always aesthetic and functional as well as ethical considerations.
Featured Collection
Discover Zanat's signature pieces - each one a testament to craftsmanship, sustainable practices, and timeless design.
Drvo
Naoto Fukasawa
Drvo Table, a brilliant design by Naoto Fukasawa for Zanat, exudes poetic simplicity and understated elegance, inspired by the image of a tree’s base emerging from the ground. This round table, with its serene form, seamlessly blends into diverse surroundings, evoking the quiet strength of nature. The design concept is rooted in the idea of carving a solid piece of wood until the table’s shape is revealed—like uncovering a hidden form within the material. The exquisite hand-carved pattern, skillfully executed by Zanat’s master woodcarvers, subtly echoes the texture of tree bark, adding depth and character.
Mostar
Naoto Fukasawa
Mostar stool, designed by Naoto Fukasawa, simultaneously exudes sleek contemporary design and archetypal wooden sculpture, hand-carved by an artist from a single log of wood. Its elegant leg arches mirror the famous old bridge of Mostar, symbolizing unity and connectedness among peoples. The stool’s underside, skillfully hand-carved by Zanat master woodcarvers, contrasts with its smooth exterior. The carving pattern was inspired by reflections of the emerald Neretva river on the underside of the bridge’s arches. Available in solid walnut, maple, and ash wood with various stains.
Kiam console
Jean-Marie Massaud
Kiam console table with drawers is a part of the Kiam cabinets collection designed by Jean-Marie Massaud. The Kiam pieces owe their special character to three unique design elements: the architectural support structures underneath the created by interlocking the leg endings with horizontal support beams, the beauty of proportions characteristic of Massaud’s designs and the hand-carved pattern that gives them a unique sense of depth, sophistication, and tactility.
Unna
Monica Förster
The designer’s aim was a stackable and sturdy chair with strikingly soft, minimalistic, yet humanistic expression sculpted entirely in solid wood. Unna, as noted by the jury of the Swedish Golden Chair Award, is an extraordinarily comfortable wooden chair, featuring a finely curved seat and backrest, made from solid wood sections. The chair can be individualized by applying Zanat’s exquisite carving techniques. The designer has come up with a modernist interpretation of traditional Konjic woodcarving, preserving, however, the original technique and tools. The carvings on black or wenge stained chairs can also be stained or unstained to reveal the light wood color. For better comfort, an optional magnetically attached cushion in leather can be added. Unna Chair is the winner of the Interior Innovation Award 2015 presented by the German Design Council and the Golden Chair Award by the Swedish Architects Association.
Stolac
Sebastian Herkner
Stolac Side Table, designed by Sebastian Herkner, is an innovative and sculptural side table. Its four separate legs hold together to hold the table top in a way that resembles a flower bud about to open and fully bloom. Stolac, which means small table in Bosnian, is also the name of a beautiful small town in Herzegovina, known for its fascinating allotments and fruit orchards through which the waters flow.
Branchmark (8)
Wingårdhs
In Branchmark (8) the dance of legs is created to celebrate the joy of vertical forces which become trully impressive when two branchmarks are placed together creating a forest of dancers. Leg endings, one of them hand-carved, create artisanal expression on the tabletop. The craft is celebrated through the hand-carved narwhal tusk inspired leg. Branchmark (8) Table is the winner of the Interior Innovation Award 2015.
Tara
Monica Förster
Tara shelf with cabinet is the 10th anniversary version of Zanat’s iconic and debut shelving system originally launched in 2015. Available in two sizes and endless configurations, Tara shelves are among Zanat’s best sellers. Noteworthy design features include unique hand-carved details and rhythmical joints between vertical beams and horizontal shelves, crafted by Zanat’s artisans. The addition of the hand-carved cabinet enhances the sculptural appeal of Tara shelves. The collection offers various finish and wood options: maple, walnut, oak, and ash.
Kala
Monica Förster
Kala bowls are a collection of hand-carved sculptural objects designed by renowned designer Monica Förster. Named after the Calla Lily flower — “Kala” in Bosnian—the bowls draw their inspiration from the flower’s graceful form.
Each bowl is a genuine work of functional art, handcrafted and meticulously carved from a solid piece of wood. The exquisite grooves emphasize its sculptural elegance, enhancing the tactile and visual appeal of this remarkable hand-made object.
Available in oiled walnut and black-stained maple the Kala bowls reflect the timeless beauty of natural materials paired with exceptional craftsmanship. The collection features two distinct designs: Hand-carved grooves inside the bowl and artistic cutouts along the sides and fully carved visible surfaces, with Intricate carvings covering the entire visible surface, transforming the bowl into a true sculpture.
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UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE MEETS EXTRAORDINARY DESIGN
In our family, we have been making heirloom-quality hand-carved furniture for four generations. My grandfather’s eldest brother registered his woodcarving business in 1919 after he was introduced to the craft by his father, a hobby woodcarver. While most products created today are ephemeral, it is remarkable that furniture pieces made by our grandfather Adem and his three brothers have been passed down through three generations and are still treasured in numerous historical residences and museums throughout South-East Europe. Some of our father’s and grandfather's exquisite pieces are on the list of National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thanks to our family and other notable woodcarvers, our town, Konjic, has become a symbol of woodcarving and a distinct interior decoration style throughout South-East Europe. Over the last two centuries, Konjic woodcarvers have created an impressive catalogue which was formally inscribed into the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017.
UNIVERSAL SUSTAINABILITY MANIFESTO – A PATH FORWARD
“Sustainability can't be like some sort of a moral sacrifice or political dilemma or a philanthropical cause. It has to be a design challenge”
— Bjarke Ingels
ZANAT AT THE INTERSECTION OF ENVIRONMENT, CULTURAL HERITAGE AND HUMANITY
“From the moment the idea for Zanat first slipped into conversation, the concept for the company has been much more than building a brand that is known only for quality and innovativeness of its products. We were a team of people with backgrounds in sustainable development, social justice, architecture, and relief work. However - we all shared a passion for design and wood. We dreamed of a company that applied the same attention to designing and making beautiful objects for improving not only the spaces we inhabit but also the greater community and the world. We call this practice Universal Sustainability. We aim for the effect of every significant action that we as a business take to be environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.
Today we are living that dream, as we have earned the reputation of a trail blazer in different aspects of sustainability and social responsibility. For us, this is equally gratifying as the commercial success and numerous design awards we have received. In other words, sustainability is at the very heart of our craft. The only way forward.
Our commitment to Universal Sustainability is guided by the following principles: PROTECT, DEVELOP, PROMOTE.” Orhan & Adem Nik i , Zanat co-founders and owners.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
We are not naïve so much to think that our company alone can change the world, but we are optimistic enough to believe that if we can prove that the way we do business works— that it is sustainable—others will see the potential and join efforts to change the way business will be done tomorrow. In the end, Universal Sustainability is a simple concept: look into the most basic aspects of your business and ensure that you are proud of their impact on the company, the customer, and the world. We feel good of what we do at Zanat and hope to inspire others to pursue similar business models.
“Among the thousand ways the knowledge of woodworking is approached around the world, Zanat’s way of doing it is one the most unique and personal.”
—Michele De Lucchi