About ZANOVA
Made for a life well lived.
Furniture, interiors and craftsmanship, made in Tanzania
Furniture is more than what fills a room. It shapes how a space feels, how people move through it, where they gather, where they rest, and what they remember.
At ZANOVA, we create furniture and interiors designed to become part of those experiences.
We believe furniture should do more than occupy space.
A chair can change the atmosphere of a room. A dining table can become the centre of family life. A bed can turn a room into a place of retreat. A piece of furniture can make a lodge feel connected to its surroundings.
We don't simply ask what a piece should look like.
Where will it live? Who will use it? How should it feel?
Because the best furniture doesn't simply fit into a space. It belongs there.
Africa is not a style. It is our home.
Contemporary in design. Rooted in place. Made in Tanzania.
ZANOVA is rooted in Tanzania. We are inspired by the warmth of natural timber, the textures of woven materials, the strength of stone and metal, the simplicity of honest construction and the character that comes with things made by hand.
But we don't believe African design needs to look a certain way, only that it feels connected to where it comes from while remaining relevant to the way people live today.
The ZANOVA point of view
Four questions behind every piece.
Material
We begin with the material. Its texture, strength, colour and natural character help shape what the final piece can become.
Detail
The difference is often in what you notice only after living with a piece. A joint that sits perfectly. An edge that feels right. A finish that brings out the character of the timber. We pay attention to those details.
Context
Furniture should respond to the space around it. A private home, a city hotel, a restaurant and a safari lodge each have their own character, demands and rhythm. We design accordingly.
Time
Trends change. Good furniture should have a longer life. We create pieces intended to be used, lived with, maintained and appreciated over time.
From raw material to real space
Nothing begins as furniture.
It might begin as a piece of timber, a sketch, a photograph, a measurement, a conversation, or simply a client saying, “I have an idea.”
The Idea
We listen, understand the space and explore what the piece needs to achieve.
The Material
Materials are selected according to the design, environment and intended use.
The Hand
This is where an idea becomes physical. Our craftspeople bring together experience, precision and hands-on skill to shape each piece.
The Detail
Edges are refined. Surfaces are finished. Connections are checked. Small details are given their place.
The Space
The furniture leaves the workshop and becomes part of something bigger: a space where people live, work, gather and experience.
A home. A lodge. A hotel. A restaurant. An office. A place where people live, work, gather and experience.
People make the difference.
Different skills. One shared standard.
Furniture may begin with an idea, but it is people who bring it to life. Behind every ZANOVA piece are makers who understand that good work takes attention.
The Carpenter
Shapes the structure and gives the piece its foundation.
The Joiner
Brings individual elements together with precision.
The Upholsterer
Transforms structure into comfort, texture and character.
The Finisher
Brings out the material and gives the final surface its depth.
The Installer
Makes sure the finished piece belongs exactly where it was designed to be.
The people behind ZANOVA
The standard is carried by three.
Jamal, Fanius and Khalid set the standard in the studio, in the workshop and on site. What they commit to is what you receive.
01
Jamal Nurdin
Director
Runs the workshop and the numbers; the last word on every quote and every promise the studio makes.
02
Fanius
Head of Production
Runs the cutting, machining and jigs: the reason a run of identical pieces really is identical.
03
Khalid
Hospitality Projects Lead
Looks after hospitality projects from drawings to installation, and keeps construction sites and live hotels moving at the same time.
One brand. Many spaces.
Furniture for how a space is lived in.
The Home
Furniture designed around everyday life. Pieces that become part of morning routines, family gatherings, quiet evenings and everything in between.
Explore Residential
Hospitality
Furniture designed for spaces where the experience matters as much as the stay. From safari camps and lodges to hotels and villas.
Explore Hospitality
Work
Workspaces need furniture that works as hard as the people using them. We create pieces for offices and professional environments.
Explore Workspaces
Gather
Some spaces are made for people to come together. Dining tables, chairs, stools, benches and lounge furniture for restaurants and gathering spaces.
Explore Commercial
Custom furniture
Sometimes, nothing in the catalogue is quite right.
You may already have the dimensions, a photograph of something you love, a sketch, a moodboard, or just an idea of how you want the space to feel. Bring it to us. We'll work with you to develop the materials, dimensions, finishes and details until the piece makes sense for your space.
One piece or an entire project.
Start a custom project
Made in Tanzania
The opportunity to build from here.
Our workshop is where materials are measured, shaped, joined, upholstered, finished and prepared for the spaces they were made for. Being based in Tanzania gives us a close relationship with the people, materials and environments that influence our work.
Not simply for here. But for wherever good design is needed.
The ZANOVA standard
Our responsibility ends when it feels right in the space.
01
Material
Selected for the piece, the environment and the way it will be used.
02
Structure
Built with real-life use in mind.
03
Finish
Refined to reveal the character of the material.
04
Fit
Considered around the dimensions and personality of the space.
05
Installation
Completed with the same care that went into making the piece.
Places we have helped shape
Seen where it belongs.
Furniture becomes most meaningful when you see it where it belongs. From private homes to hospitality spaces, our work is created to become part of the environment around it.
Serengeti
01Furniture created for a space surrounded by one of Africa's most extraordinary landscapes.
View project
Zanzibar
02Pieces designed to work with the relaxed character and natural textures of island living.
View project
We're still making
Making the next thing better considered.
The workshop never really stands still. We continue to explore how materials can be shaped, how furniture can respond to architecture and how contemporary design can remain connected to where it comes from.
What are you imagining?
Let's make it real.
A single chair, a dining table, a room, a restaurant, a lodge, a hotel, a home, or an entire property. Whatever you're imagining, bring us the idea.
ZANOVA
Furniture, interiors and craftsmanship
Made in Tanzania. Designed for spaces with character.
