Written by George Howell
Zulufish is a multi-award-winning design consultancy based in West London, specialising in interiors, architecture and construction. Founded in 2006 and now in its 20th year, the business marked the milestone by turning its attention inward — refurbishing its own studio space with the same considered approach it applies to every client project.
The installation was carried out by Richard at Complete Wraps, a specialist installer introduced through the Architextural Installer Network. George Howell at Architextural supported the project from a materials and partnership perspective.
Project Overview
The refurbishment focused on key internal surfaces throughout the studio, including doors, tabletops and general joinery. With a full team operating in the space on a daily basis, any approach needed to work around the business rather than shut it down.
The Challenge
A conventional refurbishment was not a workable option. Replacing surfaces in a live studio environment would have meant clearing the office for two to three weeks and generating a significant volume of material waste in the process.
Caroline Mills, co-founder and owner of Zulufish, explains: "The biggest challenge for us was updating our office, but not stripping everything out. We didn't want the upheaval of having to remove everyone out of the office for two to three weeks."
Sustainability also shaped the brief from the outset. Retaining the original doors and existing joinery, rather than replacing them, was both a practical and environmental priority. As Caroline puts it: "Using the original doors felt like a very sustainable solution, and it meant that there was zero waste."
