Impressions from the Salone: Zanat and Nikari

Amidst the buzz and dazzle of the Salone del Mobile Milan, Zanat and Nikari offered us an oasis of calm and craftsmanship. Pausing among their new objects and furnishings, we found ourselves drawn into a meditation on timber, shaped by contemporary design, liberated by skilled hands.

Celebrating a decade of showing at the Salone, Zanat presented its showcase, ‘Between hand and mind: A decade at Salone’. It was an exhibition devoted to humanistic design with objects shaped not only by function and aesthetics, but by human hands, cultural memory, and meaningful collaboration.

To see first-hand these special hand-carved objects (five newly created alongside 12 established), was like touching something truly rare. Together the pieces represented an exploration into the intersection between contemporary design and a 107-year family tradition of woodcarving originating in Konjic, south of Sarajevo. More than this, these pieces were a celebration of relationships built slowly and with great care. 

Zanat, showing themselves an experienced exhibitor, put pause to the hustle and the noise with a stand that was oasis-like. The moment you stepped into the stand’s warm, wood-panelled embrace, the world seemed to soften and fall away. Here, within this intimate Zanat realm, you could quietly engage with notions of craft, tradition and the skilful melding of ancient and contemporary worlds.

Highlights from the Zanat collection include the Kira Lounge Chair by Jean-Marie Massaud. A truly delightful chair, which invites you to settle in and find instant comfort. To sit in the Kira Lounge is to feel at ease. Crafted from solid wood with rounded legs and generous proportions, the chair gives you the immediate impression of being ‘held’. Aided in great part by the seat and backrest – woven from Danish paper cord, a traditional material valued for its durability, flexibility, and tactile comfort. 

Also outstanding was the Nave Table by Patrick Norguet. This dining table with its rounded legs – reminiscent of cathedral columns, maintains a quiet and sculptural presence. In this piece, hand carving and form come together in a very natural and graceful way. The interplay of smooth structure and carved relief highlights the beauty of the wood and the material intelligence of the craft.

Nikari is a long time partner of KFive, revered for their fine Finnish timber craftsmanship and philosophy of good design. While the Salone hummed and dazzled, Nikari’s stand invited you to slow down, look a little closer and simply breathe. Spending this time with Nikari’s timber designs revealed not only the honesty of every surface and joint, but the absence of anything unnecessary. These pieces emanated a stillness, which settled within you. You left feeling quieter, gentler, and deeply grateful for the care and integrity with which Nikari makes all its pieces.

There was an extraordinary thoughtfulness in every Nikari design. The Biennale Shimber Stool mesmerises with its bio-based surface which shifts almost imperceptibly in the light. It appears almost as if it were softly breathing. 

The Centennial Coffee Table, by Joanna Laajisto, with its lovely rounded form, embraces the natural character of timber with a tenderness not often observed. Knots, cracks and variations all have a place within Joanna’s Centennial Coffee Table, celebrated and very much essential to the form and holistic impression of each piece.

With such meaningful work presented by Zanat and Nikari, being able to spend time with our valued and long-term partners was both refreshing and affirming. It is a privilege to bring these makers to Australia, and share the honest and thoughtful nature in which they approach timber craftsmanship, and human-centred design for our complex modern lives.

Stay tuned as we bring you more news from other key partners, Ecobird, Karl Anderson, Segis and Montbel….