Tangram Furnishers

“don’t just sit there…”

2011-02-01T03:13:00.000-08:00

We’ve launched a new series of adverts running in The Scotsman. One features Bend, the latest sofa from B&B Italia. It transforms the traditional concept of the sofa with its curvaceous modules. Seats, ottomans and corner elements form a sofa that breaks out of the usual visual schemes. We have one in the showroom; why not come in to see for yourself?

Bend Sofa

2010-11-25T02:47:00.000-08:00

We now have the brand new Bend sofa from B&B Italia on display in the showroom. Designed by Patricia Urquiola and launched in Milan earlier this year, the Bend offers a very different look for B&B Italia and a range of seating at a slightly lower price point than might be expected. Bend has a sculptural quality to it and is composed of irregular shapes which are highlighted by the contrast stitching. The backrest too is irregular. The sofa is available in single pieces or can be combined into a wide range of size and corner compositions. Suitable for use in both the home and commercial environment, we are sure the Bend is going to be another B&B Italia classic.

Day 3 - 100% Design

2010-10-04T02:41:00.000-07:00

Reedy bookcase

Outside 100% The Tramshed is a new Design Week venue this year and another lovely big space. De La Espada were showing off product from their various designers; pieces such as the Tapas dining chair by Matthew Hilton and the Reedy bookcase by Autobahn. We also saw product from James Design UK a new British design company and some great watches by Dezeen.

Homework desk

We called in briefly to view the Cappellini and Poltrona Frau showroom, the lovely Walter Knoll space and then sprinted on to Viaduct in Clerkenwell. For design week, Viaduct had products on display from a new manufacturer called Bensen; The Brix range of drawers are available in 2 different sizes and 4 colours and can be supplied on small legs or plinths. There is a desk called Homework which we loved; a glass top and either one or two drawers in lacquer, this was very simple and would look fantastic in almost any setting.

Watch this space for product arriving with us in Edinburgh soon!

Day 2 - 100% Design

2010-10-01T03:51:00.000-07:00

Day Two saw us at 100% Design which continues to be focused on smaller scale producers of wallpaper, lighting and textiles. This year there was a predominance of national stands with Norway, France, Austria, Portugal and Spain all presenting lots of different designers from their countries.

We particularly liked the Secto Design lights which are handmade in laminated birch slats by Finnish craftsmen. Available in black, white or natural birch and lots of different sizes, they were beautifully elegant and simple. Buzzispace had a stand showing off their new BuzziBooth designed for quiet individual working; acoustically excellent and an ideal place to use a mobile phone in a noisy exhibition hall! Also on display were the Buzzi L cubes available in flat felt or 3D felt which we loved and thought were very commercially priced.

Silent Gliss were the other main highlight of 100% Design really useful and showcasing their new curved panel system. Designed to create corners, gentle curves or complete circles there are lots of fabric options and many possible uses both domestically and commercially.

100% Design

2010-09-29T02:42:00.000-07:00

Design Week in London gets bigger and busier every year. This year Julian and Sarah visited for 2 days to try and see as much as possible. We visited Tom Dixon at The Dock and were reminded how much we liked the Void Light. We also saw some fantastic one off pieces by Piet Hein Eek which were made in lacquered scrap wood and absolutely stunning! Moooi have recently moved into new premises in the Portobello Dock area, a big beautiful white space which shows the product range off brilliantly: Raimond lights, lots of upholstery pieces and the new Emperor lights.

Black & Lizars

2010-09-15T05:13:00.000-07:00

Tangram worked with the 442 Design and Black & Lizars to specify and source furniture for the refurbishment of their reception areas. The seating from Sancal is being installed in locations throughout Scotland

Scotland's Housing Expo

2010-08-17T04:39:00.000-07:00

A nice day out in the sun it was not - due to torrential rain. However our day trip to Scotland's Housing Expo in Inverness was very worthwhile and interesting. 52 houses designed by some of Scotland’s leading architects, intended to inspire and stimulate quality design and innovation (building materials used included shingles, rubber, zinc, timber cladding and corrugated aluminium). Sustainability was a key feature throughout all the houses.
Likes:

• House HS by Malcolm Fraser Architects - a super example of mixed materials, combining timber cladding and zinc

• The Passive Houses by HLM Architects won our award for simple, clean and green living.

• Our overall winner was Rural Design’s Secret Garden; the space was well thought out, warm and welcoming, practical yet quirky.

• GMA Architects had also achieved a very settled looking house with the use of timber cladding painted a soft grey.
• Of the larger houses we liked Twin Peaks designed by Joseph Thurrott Architects; great space for modern living

Our thoughts on the downsides?

• Internally many felt somewhat pedestrian and were disappointing; a great lack of storage space, many small bedrooms and several slightly odd mezzanine areas.

• The impact of a few houses was greatly diminished by inappropriate overdressing. The Expo has perhaps missed a trick – such a great opportunity to showcase the best of contemporary furniture and lighting.

The downsides are small. Anyone interested in architecture and sustainability should visit the Expo – a good day out and lots of food for thought.

Tangram's Advertisement

2010-06-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to announce we are now advertising in The Scotsman with the first of our advertisements being shown today. The sofa shown is the Jean by B&B Italia

Milan 2010 - Top Ten Products - Aplomb Lights by Foscarini

2010-06-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Aplomb by Paolo Lucidi and Luica Pevere for Foscarini is a suspension fitting made of cast concrete and available in three colours, a very tactile piece.

Milan 2010 - Top Ten Products - Bess & Bessy

2010-06-15T03:29:00.000-07:00

Bess and Bessy by Stefan Diez are developments from the Houdini chair of last year. Using similar techniques, a sofa, lounge chair, stool and bar stool have all been designed and are soft, welcoming pieces.

Milan 2010 - Top Ten Products - Dunder Sofa System by Bla Station

2010-06-10T01:38:00.000-07:00

Bla Stations Dunder Sofa System by Stefan Borselius designed around the concept of single pillows, each element can be used on its own. Very unusual and a big hit with the Tangram Team.

Milan 2010 - Top Ten Products - Nap Chair by Fritz Hansen

2010-06-07T05:47:00.000-07:00

Nap Chair by Kasper Salto is another example of an affordable chair, this time from Fritz Hansen. Available in white, buttermilk, mocha and graphite.

Milan 2010 - Top Ten Products - Gap Cafe by Swedese

2010-06-02T02:36:00.000-07:00

Gap Café by Swedese for being one of the first sofas to allow for soft seating at dining or study height. Ideal for student accommodation or as an alternative to fixed banquet seating.

Milan 2010 - Top Ten Products - Bend Sofa - B&B Italia

2010-05-28T04:46:00.000-07:00

Bend Sofa by Patricia Urquiola, designed for B&B Italia as an entry level product, this sofa system is fantastic. Sculptural, comfortable and with contrasting seams the colour combinations are endless.

Milan 2010 - Top Ten Products - Void Lights by Tom Dixon

2010-05-25T02:31:00.000-07:00

Void Lights by Tom Dixon in brass, copper or stainless steel.

Technically very clever, aesthetically stunning and affordable too!

Top Ten Products from Milan

2010-05-21T01:50:00.000-07:00

Over the next few weeks we'll be drip feeding you with the new products from Milan which are on our Top Ten. The first is LaClasica Chair by Jesus Gasca for being absolutely beautiful. Available from September from Stua and for around £145 we think this is set to become a best seller.

Tangram returns from Milan

2010-04-23T02:38:00.000-07:00

After 3 days of travelling, the 3 intrepid explorers returned to Tangram. It was actually a very interesting trip home with a visit to the Vitra Design Museum in Germany and Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam to help break up the journey. Apart from the delay in returning home, the trip to the Milan Furniture Fair was very successful. Look out for our newsletter with all the new products.

Where is Tangram!!

2010-04-19T07:50:00.001-07:00

What had started out as the usual annual trip to the Milan furniture fair Salone Internazionale del Mobile has turned into a nightmare journey home for Julian, Sarah and Joanne. They were due to fly home on Saturday but ended up staying another day in Milan then on Sunday starting the journey home to Edinburgh. First it was a train to Basel then the sleeper to Amsterdam where they arrived Monday morning. The next leg of the journey is the ferry on Tuesday evening to Newcastle where they'll then have to make their way home to Edinburgh. Not quite the flying visit to Milan and back they had hoped for, maybe opening a travel agent will be the next project!! There will be wonderful pictures of their travels in due course.

Globe Zero Evening

2010-03-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday evening we hosted our launch party for the GlobeZero4 exhibition in the showroom. We had a good attendance of architects and designers who were given a presentation from UK agent Ruth Simpson. Ruth spoke of the designers and told the stories behind the designs of some of the products which was very interesting. We all then spent some time playing musical chairs and trying out all the different pieces. The Plasma benches were a big hit with everyone and were considered to be the most flexible and commercial pieces on show. The GlobeZero4 furniture will remain in the showroom for another three weeks allowing more people to come and try it out!

Quartermile Azurean Q5

2010-03-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

We have recently furnished the new 2 bedroomed Azurean Q5 showflat for Quartermile.

Using a variety of suppliers including a new supplier, Zeitraum, we have created a spectacular space.

We used Zeitraum for the bed and storage units and I'm sure you'll agree the bookcase in the sitting room is striking.

The sofas and chairs are from B&B Italia and the unusual light next to the sofa is part of the new Diesel range coming from Foscarini.

The dining table is from Lammhults and we used another Italian company MDF Italia for the Flow chairs to compliment it.

Another amazing light is Ingo Maurer's Aikaduli shown in the bedroom.

This is just a very small sample of the look we can create and with our experienced design staff we are always able to create that special look.

Photo Shoot

2010-03-12T04:21:00.000-08:00

Following the redecoration of our showroom we are delighted that Mike Byrne, a photography student at Edinburgh's Napier University, selected it as the backdrop for his assignment to photograph award winning product designer Andy Murray - Andy recently won the 2009 D&AD Student Awards for furniture design with his Sea Defence collection of tables and shelves. Mike commented that having a well designed location makes taking pictures a lot easier and obviously we agree!

Pictures: Mike Byrne © www.faction.co.uk

Tangram Showroom

2010-02-11T04:28:00.000-08:00

It's all happening at our showroom at the moment. The furniture is out (it's in the warehouse) and everything is being painted, so none of the staff can stand in one place for too long just incase they get painted as well. We're brightening up the place using Valtti paint and one of walls will be pink. This will certainly be a great canvas for our exciting new collection.

Winchester Holiday Inn

2010-02-05T05:25:00.000-08:00

Julian has just spent a busy two days installing all the public area seating for the new Winchester Holiday Inn. From the pictures you can see a team of men helped!!

Tangram advised on the specification for furniture in the public areas. We supplied the restaurant seating, sofas and chairs in the reception and stools and easy chairs in the bar/breakout area. (Andreu World and Sancal) The Spira conference chairs are from Lammhults. These pictures show work in progress and the hotel opens to the public on 16th March - a great location next to the M3.

Happy New Year

2010-01-13T03:21:00.000-08:00

We would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year and hope you've all managed to settle back into your usual routine after the Christmas break, not to mention the huge snow falls which stopped everyone in their tracks.

The snow won't stop the staff at Skyscanner making their way into the office. Having recently moved offices they'll enjoy being in their new surroundings furnished with desks from Lammhults, chairs from Danerka, lighting from Artemide and wonderful colourful quirky stools from Modus. Having all our wonderful furniture around will certainly make it easier to make the journey to work.

Happy Christmas & a Happy New Year

2009-12-23T05:19:00.000-08:00

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and best wishes for 2010.

Christmas present idea

2009-12-07T03:10:00.000-08:00

Following on from last week's blog, here's another picture from the triplex at Quartermile we furnished. It shows an Alceo dining table, Vol au vent chairs and a Flat C storage unit all from B&B Italia. However, the Christmas present idea is the Tom Dixon Spin table candlabra, it's funky, fun and imaginative. Maybe just what you're looking for for that person who has everything.

Quartermile Triplex

2009-11-24T05:52:00.000-08:00

Quartermile’s Triplex Penthouses are in a class of their own, with 360 degree views of Edinburgh and immaculate interiors spread over three floors. They represent some of most distinctive living spaces Edinburgh has ever seen and once more Tangram has had the pleasure of furnishing such a beautiful space. It's not difficult to imagine admiring this view whilst relaxing on the B&B Italia Charles sofa or on the Montis Loge armchair.

Similarily, if it's a goods night sleep you need, you can snuggle in the B&B Italia Charles bed waking up to a similar view which would change everyday according to the season and weather. A delightful comtemporary flat which cannot help but take your breath away.

Rimadesio

2009-11-13T06:16:00.000-08:00

Julian has just returned from Italy and Rimadesio, a company designing and manufacturing doors, sliding panels, shelving units and walk-in wardrobes.

He was hugely impressed with the technology involved in producing products that are made predominantly from glass in lots of colours and finishes; extremely practical, with a unique aesthetic quality.

All manufacturing is in-house and the application of technology extends to the 1664 solar panels on the factory roof – Rimadesio is self-sufficient in power for its production processes!

Further information at www.rimadesio.it or call 0131 556 6551.

Bla Station Presentation

2009-10-15T04:24:00.000-07:00

Last week we invited a group of architects and designers to join us in the showroom for a presentation on Bla Station from Ruth Simpson the UK agent. Ruth spoke about the history of the company and explained the thinking behind many of the products. We also learnt how passionate the company is with regards sustainability; many of the products within the range have environmental awards and all Bla Station products are manufactured in Scandinavia.

We had lots of pieces of Bla Station furniture for everyone to try and enjoy such as the Innovation C designed by Fredrik Mattson and the new Oppo chairs, designed by Stefan Borselius and launched in Milan earlier this year. This is the first time they have been displayed in Scotland! There was much discussion about the sense of happiness the products gave everyone and indeed the Oppo chairs were compared to the Teletubbies! All our visitors felt the Innovation C was a great product and had lots of ideas of projects where it could be used.
Once all furniture had been put through its paces we went next door to La Garrigue for an early supper – always a treat!

100% Design

2009-10-01T03:19:00.000-07:00

Julian was down south last week to get a taste of 100% Design at Earls Court and London Design Week. 100% Design had its usual mix of new designers, young companies producing everything from wallpaper to concrete lights, building products and a few furniture companies. The focus is shifting and much of the design interest is now centred on showrooms and ‘fringe’ design events around London. Highlights included Tom Dixon’s new showroom at Portobello Dock; a great space which for one week was at the centre of a design event that included products from Swedese, Artifort and Thorsten van Elten.

Elsewhere, B&B Italia’s front window highlighted the products launched at Milan in April. The fantastic Papillo chair had been ‘dressed’ by prominent designers for an auction event and the Jean sofa was shown in various forms (look out for the launch of Jean in Tangram’s showroom at our Open Weekend on 10/11 Oct).

Walter Knoll has opened its new showroom in Charterhouse Square, a lovely light space in which to show off their fantastic range of seating products. Finally, Viaduct held its regular exhibition of the latest products; from Montis (Domino sofa system and variants of the Lotus chair), storage from Pastoe, the Houdini chair form E15 and fabulous steel tables from Zeus.

Staff Festival Night Out

2009-08-27T02:48:00.000-07:00

As part of our annual summer team bonding day out, the staff of Tangram went to see the fabulous acoustic guitarist, Antonio Forcione at the Festival Hall, Edinburgh. Hailed as the 'Jimi Hendrix of the acoustic guitar', award-winning Forcione is considered one of the most charismatic and inventive performers to come out of Europe in recent years. After the performance we walked to Amore Dogs in Hanover Street soaking in the Festival atmosphere (or fighting our way through the crowds, depending on your view of Edinburgh in August). The food was so good at Amore Dogs, we just spent the rest of the evening eating and drinking until it was time to go home.

Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society

2009-08-13T02:17:00.001-07:00

It was a busy day for our boys yesterday moving and unloading 124 boxes for our latest installation at Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society. This was one time the cooler Scottish weather worked in their favour. The new bar furniture of Coco and Zara chairs together with Octava tables, all from Sancal,will allow the members to rest their weary legs after a game of golf whilst taking in the fabulous views of their course.

Quartermile Showflat

2009-07-16T04:44:00.000-07:00

It's been an excellent week for Tangram as we've furnished another showflat in Quartermile's illustrious development. The living room picture shows an Air sofa from Sancal and a Zero table and Globus chairs from Stua. The lights are from Foscarini and Luceplan. These photos only show a small snapshot of the furniture so why not go along on a wet afternoon to see the showflat in it's full glory.

B&B Italia

2009-07-03T02:22:00.000-07:00

Last week Sarah visited B&B Italia with a group of Interior designers. They travelled to the north of Milan and spend two days visiting factories, viewing showrooms and eating copious amounts of fabulous food including champagne risotto and homemade apple sorbet!

At the B&B Italia factory and headquarters they we were given a really inspiring talk from Federico Busnelli the Centre of Research Director of B&B Italia. He stressed the importance of risk and innovation to B&B in their quest to always be ahead of the pack with product design and production methods. It is very important that B&B Italia is not seen as a ‘fashion’ but rather that it is on trend and has longevity and appeal for all markets.

A tour of the factory was fascinating, from the mouldings process used for upholstery products to the laser cutting of fabrics. Lunch at the Carimetto Golf Club was stunning: special risotto, followed by freshly made pasta followed by meat or fish! Then off to the Maxalto factory (the sister company of B&B who manufacture predominantly timber products). This factory is less automated and does involve far more skill and craftsmanship resulting in beautifully simple products.

The showroom is beautifully laid out and was really inspiring; it was also another opportunity to see the new products which were launched at the Salone in April. Then dinner with lots of lovely food (far too much!) and the opportunity to sit outside and soak up the warmth and atmosphere while discussing contemporary furniture – wonderful!

All in all it was a really super trip. We left Italy with a far greater knowledge of the investment and production methods of one of the best contemporary furniture manufacturers in the world. And they call this work!!!

Stua Wins Award

2009-06-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

The Spanish National Design Prize, the country's most prestigious design award has been won by Stua. Tangram have promoted Stua products for 15 years and we are delighted by this news. Stua was praised for its vision and passion and its attention to detail. The company was founded in 1983 and is still very much a family concern. Stua design and manufacture a great range of seating and tables ideal for both the home and a wide range of contract applications.

Montis Evening

2009-06-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week we hosted a group of architects and designers in the Tangram showroom. Melvin Herbschleb, the Export Manager of Montis, gave a presentation on the design background and manufacturing methods of this exciting Dutch furniture producer. Our guests had the opportunity to experience the fantastic comfort offered by chairs such as Lotus and Windy and the Axel and Juliet sofas. After the presentation we moved next door and enjoyed a fabulous dinner at La Garrigue, one of the finest restaurants in Edinburgh.

Images are of new products launched at Milan

Liquid Imagination

2009-05-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

This week we have been getting very excited about the new Liquid Imagination paint range by Valtti. They have a beautiful range of colours and an amazing website - you must try the 'Paint A Room' function, it is very clever and had us all trying out the different colours.

Hotel Missoni

2009-05-07T03:12:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy few days for Matthew, two huge lorries arrived at Hotel Missoni, Edinburgh with boxes and boxes of B&B Italia furniture which he and his team had to unload in preparation for the opening of the new hotel. We were delivering Fat-sofas and armchairs to name but a few products.

The following day another lorry arrived from Cappellini & Carl Hansen with more chairs and armchairs. The hotel is going to be marvellous when completed. Definitely worth a visit, if only to see the furniture we've supplied.

MILAN 2009

2009-05-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

We're back and over the course of 2 days the Tangram team spent 28 hours walking, visited and had meetings with 34 different manufacturers and viewed hundreds of new products. Julian did manage to take the weight off his feet for five minutes and here's the proof.

Milan was as bustling and full of people as ever which created a great atmosphere. However restaurant tables were in short supply! There were some notable highlights and having thought long and hard we have come up with a list of our ‘top five’ - read on to find out more!

Top Five Products
Archibald Chair from Poltrona Frau - extreme comfort and beautiful detailing.
Eclipse Tables from Stua - simple, practical and starting at £70!

Jean Sofa System from B&B Italia - Elegant clean lines with coloured lacquered frames and amazingly comfortable. Luxurious armchair to match. Hans Table from B&B Italia - the best mechanism on an extending table we have ever seen along with unusual frame colour and detailing.

MassimoSistema Sofa System by Poltrona Frau - a very simple, well proportioned piece with the high level of comfort you would expect with a price tag considerably lower. Approx. £ 4995 for a 3 seat sofa in leather.

Milan Furniture Fair

2009-04-24T04:56:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year again when we’re off to Milan for the 2009 Milan Furniture Fair (Salone Internazionale del Mobile, probably the largest and busiest furniture fair there is). We spend our days walking forever to meet with most of our manufacturers who introduce us to new and exciting products, existing classic pieces and wild new prototypes. We’ll be able to tell you all about it on our return next week. Until then Ciao!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

At Tangram we're all looking forward to our Easter break and enjoying a long weekend. We hope the the sun will shine so we can roll our Easter eggs. If you're not keen on eating eggs then here are a couple that you can sit on!

The Tato stool by Baleri Italia and the iconic Egg chair by Fritz Hansen

If you would like further information on either of these items please contact us or drop into our showroom.

Apex Hotel, Waterloo Place

2009-04-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

Tangram are delighted to have supplied furniture to the newly opened Apex Hotel on Waterloo Place in Edinburgh. The building dates from 1819 and was the first purpose-built large scale hotel in the city but it has been 120 years since it last traded as a hotel.

The designers at Ian Springford Architects selected the Doss sofa and Greco Cama sofabeds for the bedrooms, the Air sofa, Lineal chairs and Vela Dora table for the suites, the Stripey sideboard for the meeting rooms and the Twiggy floor light in the reception area.

If you’re considering a city break in Edinburgh then you should definitely take a look at the Apex Hotel - it is in a great location with fantastic views over the city and, obviously, it has some very comfortable and stylish furniture!

Wintergarden Food Court

2009-03-27T05:18:00.000-07:00

If you enjoy a bit of retail therapy and stopping for a spot of lunch then The Centre in Livingston is the place to go. This brand new extension to the existing Almondvale Shopping Centre has a wide range of high street names and a fantastic food court with furniture supplied by Tangram.

The interior designers at Keppie Design were keen to add colour and form to the Wintergarden food court selecting the Happy armchair, Hoop dining chair, Lagos sofa, Edge coffee table and Fusioni dining tables. The result is a bright, tranquil space – sitting amongst the trees on the terrace, hovering above the busy shops I felt like I was enjoying my coffee alfresco!

MULLER

2009-03-18T03:21:00.000-07:00

Tangram is excited about becoming a dealer for Muller, a German manufacturer of steel furniture for the office and home. The sturdy and beautifully crafted products include desks, reception and storage units with a wide range of uses: filing, hi-fi, display, bar and sideboards. The products are available in the whole RAL K7 colour range,

finished in hardwearing acrylic paint.

Airflake

2009-02-26T03:47:00.000-08:00

Tangram have recently installed a stylish partitioning system by Abstracta.

Edinburgh designers, TPS, specified the Airflake system in the recent refurbishment of the cafe area in the Scottish Gas Headquarters. Airflake provides a stunning visual barrier which allows staff to enjoy a coffee in relative privacy from the main entrance.

Burns Centre

2009-02-17T05:42:00.000-08:00

As we all know, this year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns and Tangram are delighted to be in some way involved by supplying new chairs for the Burns Centre. We supplied 83 Luna chairs by Andreu World and you'll see from our picture just how fabulous they look. This is a fantastic setting for a wedding.

St Giles Cathedral

2009-01-29T02:15:00.000-08:00

One of our latest projects was refurbishing the cafe area of St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh. The cafe now looks tremendous with Lammhults Campus chairs and Origlia tables throughout and the combination of colours helps brighten the basement area.

It's great to see our finished project look so fabulous and we're always happy to provide interior design, space planning, product selection, project management and installation service that ensures best advice and on-time delivery.

Big Brother House

2009-01-22T04:31:00.000-08:00

For all you Big Brother viewers out there, did you know the livingroom of the Big Brother house has lots of B&B Italia Fat Fat sofas and chairs, see examples above. You'll notice from the house mates that they're fantastic for chilling out on.

Twiggys

2009-01-15T03:33:00.000-08:00

Twiggy Lettura

We're still actively working on the layout of our showroom to bring our clients a good selection of different types of furniture and are excited about the new Foscarini lights. The Twiggy XL is their new table light and the Twiggy Lettura is the new floor light. The table lights come in the same colours as the floor lights, shown above.

Twiggy XL

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2009-01-08T04:12:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone, we hope you all had a wonderful festive period and wish you all a successful 2009.

Our festive period started on Tuesday 22nd December with our Christmas night out at Rhubarb at the Prestonfield House Hotel, Edinburgh. Since we close the showroom over the holiday, the staff were able to use the time to visit friends and family throughout Scotland so there were trips made to Glasgow, Stirling and Aberdeen.

As we start 2009, we are in the process of changing the layout of our showroom to include more contract pieces and show different layouts of furniture to give a view of how products work together. Our display includes cafe and restaurant furniture from Lammhults, Stua, Andreu World and Amat to name a few.

We have also now moved to an appointment based operation to enable us to give our clients a more specialised one-to-one service. Showroom opening times are 10am – 5pm, Monday to Friday so please feel free to make an appointment to come and see us.

Tangram in the Quartermile

2008-08-05T01:30:00.000-07:00

Since the former Royal Infirmary was founded in 1740, it has attracted some of Scotland's
pre- eminent architects. Today, Foster & Partners' masterplan for the re-developed site ensures that the finest of these buildings are restored to their former glory and enhanced by sensitively integrating them with contemporary architecture.
The Masterplan for Quartermile provides:
over 900 apartments in new and period buildings
over 30,000 sq m of new office accommodation
over 10,000 sq m of retail and leisure space
7 acres of open landscaping Tangram were selected to complement the stunning architecture in the Quartermile development with furniture, lighting and soft furnishings from their portfolio of manufacturers, to create a show flat that reflects a lifestyle that clients aspire to.
Tangram Furnishers have become Quartermiles preferred supplier for interiors to enable new residents have one less thing to worry about and can start enjoying life as at Quartermile, safe in the knowledge that the special finish your home will achieve through Tangram Furnishers will not only impress future guests but also make for a very comfortable stylish new home. For information on the new Quartermile development please contact the sales team at the marketing centre on 0845 000 2525 or email sales@qmile.com

Tangram Online Sale

2008-07-10T02:22:00.000-07:00

Tangram Launched their summer sale ONLINE this year, we understand how busy everyone during the summer holidays and therefore we decided that we would bring our Sale to you!
There are some fantastic offers on our iconic designer furniture including the Charles sofa by B&B Italia.

The Bigfoot, Farah Side Board, Taro Bench and Alex Tables by e15 are also all avalible at discounted prices!

Visit our website http://www.tangramfurnishers.co.uk/ and view our great offers.

Milan 2008

2008-05-13T02:05:00.000-07:00

We have just returned from the 2008 Milan Furniture Fair (Salone Internazionale del Mobile, probably the largest and busiest furniture fair there has ever been!) We spent 2 days meeting with most of our manufacturers who introduced us to new products, existing classic pieces and wild new prototypes.
Arriving on Thursday evening into a very wet Milan we decided that checking in to our Hotel and dinner and a large glass of wine would be the priority of the evening in preparation for the hectic few days that lay ahead.
Friday morning began with an early start to ensure we were at the fair for the doors opening to get to our first appointment of the day.
Cappellini and Poltrona Frau, followed by Amat who were launching the new Jamaica stool with a polypropylene seat now available in black and white. Arper had numerous new versions of the Catifa chair and stool. This collection now appears to have a design for any requirement. MDF Italia launched a new version of the Random shelving in ecotech without a back panel. Ecotech appears to be the new material of 2008 with many manufacturers showing designs created from this composite material.
Melody –a new shelving system was also launched, which is a development on the Random concept with an interesting new shelving layout.Montis - Julian and Joanne have recently been on a factory visit to Montis, so they had a Milan preview. For the rest of us we had the opportunity to see the new walnut Flint table, Impala on a wooden base and Lotus chair, all very exciting new pieces. At the end of the day we decided to make Walter Knoll our last stand of the day. With the launch of the Lox stool, Living Landscape and Ando easy chair this was without a doubt one of the most exciting and inspirational stands of the day.This flexible sofa system has a turning mechanism which allows you to rotate the end corner elements of the sofa to create a very versatile and interesting seating system.Day 2
Another early start was required as we had appointments with 22 of our manufactures to get through.
A false start as we boarded the wrong underground train!!
Tonelli was first on the list showing the Plinsky coffee table which we all liked and will have on display in the showroom.
After visiting Swedese, Bla Station where we saw the new Peek and Boo seating created from ecofriendly recycled material

We visited Artifort where you can see Joelle sitting on one of Artiforts new ecotech chairs.

Then onto Globe and Kasthall and Stua where we saw new Nube seating solution that has a fun two tone upholstery solution and the shape of the seat provides the opportunity to create many different arrangements. After visiting all of these stands and stopping for a quick lunch on the roof we headed into the cerntre of Milan to manufacturers showrooms. B&B Italia are one of our biggest manufacturers so its showroom was our priority. Being such a large company B&B had numerous new products for us to look at. These included the Little Tulip a reworked version of the original Tulip chair with a more compact footprint.The Lazy chair had also been reworked with a new medium back height which was more comfortable and visually pleasing that the original high and low back versions.The 7 table is new organic shaped table top with an interesting inset of colored lacquer. This table is designed to sit seven eople hence its name. Seven is also a lucky number in Italy so therefore a very significant piece.

Driade is a spectacular showroom. The combination of original Italian murals on the walls with the installation of cutting edge contemporary furniture created a very dramatic effect. The trip was a great success, hard work as you can see Sheila and Joanne taking a well earned break but a great inspiration.

Joelle, Shelia, Joanne and Julian

Going Dutch

2008-04-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

Last week Julian and I accompanied a group of interior designers from Edinburgh and Glasgow to visit the Montis furniture factory in the Netherlands. The two day trip combined a factory tour to learn about the manufacture of Montis products along with a bit of sightseeing.
We arrived early evening and after a pleasant walk through the pretty streets of Amsterdam the first port of call was a visit to one of the oldest bars in the city which is housed in a 15th century sailor’s lodgings. We were then treated to a spot of dinner consisting of a variety of Dutch specialities.

Drinks in ‘Int Aepjen’ – the oldest bar in the city

The following morning we travelled south to Dongen to the Montis factory where we were given a tour of the manufacturing process. This was very interesting; particularly the foam moulding technique which enables them to create an endless possibility of shapes. We were then given the opportunity to browse the showroom; allowing us to try the products and see them in various finishes and room settings.

The production of a Loge chair – foam moulding, upholstery and the finished product ready to be sent to the customer

After a brief stop in Rotterdam it was back to the airport. Melvin Herbschleb (the sales manager from Montis) was a fantastic host and everybody agreed that the trip was very inspiring. We all left with a fresh appreciation of the quality of Dutch design and workmanship.

Making ourselves comfortable in the Montis showroom!

By Joanne Golden

New Arrival

2008-03-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

We have a brand new arrival in the showroom- the T-NO.1, Designed by Todd Bracher and manufactured by Fritz Hansen.
The elegant cast aluminum legs can be finished in black powder- coated lacquer or mirror polished. The streamline table top is available in glass, white laminate, maple, walnut and black ash veneer. The series comprises of individual tables or a combination of elements which allow the creation of tables of limitless length.
To accompany this stunning table are 4 Oxford chairs designed by Arne Jacobsen, upholstered in dark grey Divina fabric by Kvadrat. The chair is available in a variety of models offering a selection of back heights, bases, arms and fabric and leather upholstery.
This striking combination of table and chairs is ideal for a contract and domestic situation.
Come into the showroom and see if this design classic is the right solution for your space.

Tangram in the Telegraph

2008-03-04T02:38:00.000-08:00

On Saturday 1st March Tangram was featured in the Telegraph Magazine for our electic selection of contemporary European furniture, lighting, rugs and textiles.

"Tangram EDINBURGH Located just off the Royal mile, Tangram is a bright and airy shop with an eclectic selection of contemporary European furniture, lighting (such as this fold lamp by Alexander Taylor for Established & Sons: from £76), rugs, chairs (including the Swan chair by Arne Jacobson, with fabric by Tord Boontje, (£2,437) and textiles are arranged in room sets over two floors.

Julian Darwell-Stone launched the business 14 years ago but in a much smaller venue. New pieces are continually introduced from brands such as B&B Italia (the Lens table by Patricia Urquiola cost from £337 each)

Driade, Foscarini, Walter Knoll, SCP

and Thorsten Van Elten.

Tangram 33-37 Jeffrey Street

0131 556 6551 tangramfurnishers.co.uk

Tangram Sale

2008-01-25T02:15:00.000-08:00

The Tangram Sale is in full flow and there are still many bargains to be had.
Prices on many products have been slashed again as we move into the final week of our sale.
The Luis sofa by B&B Italia is still available, this elegant L-shaped modular sofa was £7867 and is NOW £4800!!!

We also have the Bentz table and 4 clipt chairs by Baleri, this contemporary dining solution is unique and a fantastic buy at £1286 (saving £552) for the table £445 for all for 4 dining chairs.

There is also 10% off all new orders during the sale period. This is the time to place you orders for a new look for spring.

2007-12-21T05:55:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from all of the Tangram Team

I would like to inform you that TANGRAM will be launching its January SALE on Saturday 5th January.
The sale will run until Saturday 2nd February.

There will be discounts on a large range of ex display products and 10% off purchases on any new products.

If you require any further information about our sale please do not hesitate to contact me at:
Joelle@tangramfurnishers.co.uk
Alternatively you will be able to see the majority of sale products on the clearance page of our website which will go live on Saturday 5th January.

Joanne's trip to Voice

2007-12-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

Last month I was kindly invited to visit the Voice furniture factory in Sweden to learn more about their new products and manufacturing processes.
Voice is one of Sweden’s leading producers of contemporary furniture. The company is situated in Jönköping, one of the most expanding cities in the south of Sweden and an area which is home to a large number of Swedish furniture manufacturers; the result is a wealth of skill in a relatively small area.
We stayed in the Royal Corner Hotel in Vaxjo which is currently undergoing a significant refurbishment using Voice furniture in all of the bedrooms which looked fantastic and made for a very comfortable stay.
The trip was educational and inspiring and one of the most important things I took away was just how flexible Voice are; always prepared to get into dialogue with their clients to come up with the perfect solution. We were also introduced to the ever growing ‘Arctic’collection – a very sleek family of storage units available in endless combinations of wall hung or floor standing units.
Voice were great hosts and the two day trip concluded with a trip to an ice hockey game – something everyone from Jönköping is passionate about, especially at the moment as their home team ‘HV71’ are top of the Swedish league!

Julian's trip to B&B Italia

2007-11-26T01:32:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend of 16-19 November, Julian, Tangram’s Managing Director, was in Northern Italy at a corporate weekend for B&B Italia’s top European dealers. 98 dealers stayed in a luxurious ‘confection’ of a hotel on Lake Maggiore – marble, cut glass and gilt covered every surface. The weather was cold but fine and snow lay on the distant Alps.

The weekend comprised a variety of trips to local attractions, (including staggeringly pretty lakes), a golf competition (won by Julian!), spa treatments and evening presentations from Antonio Citterio (explaining his new Flat.c shelving system) and Patricia Urquoila. Patricia gave a guided walk through the hotel gardens where her new Canasta range of outdoor or conservatory furniture was displayed.

Besides the relaxation it was a great opportunity to learn more about the furniture business in different parts of the Europe – whether enormous stores in Istanbul serving the city’s rapidly growing population of 14m or smaller outlets on Belgium’s north sea coast or in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. While the variety and size of businesses was enormous, everyone shared a passion for great design and B&B Italia’s quality of product.

This was reinforced on the last day when the dealers travelled to B&B Italia’s factory to view the latest designs in its refurbished showroom. During 2008 Tangram will also be showing these products including the Fat sofa, Pier wardrobe system, Flat.c and Canasta.

2007-10-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

100% Design

On the 24th September Julian, Sarah and Sheila from the Tangram team visited 100% Design which is the UK's premier contemporary interiors event for the contract market. This show connects the worlds of architecture and design with innovative, contemporary interior products and an exciting mix of new and established talent.

At the show
We feel that the show is becoming increasingly targeted towards ‘designer makers’ with numerous exhibitors from the sectors of wallpaper and textile design and cabinet makers. There was also a big focus on bathrooms and kitchens, several manufacturers having large impressive stands.
The obvious recognisable trends this year were birds, florals and illustrations. We appreciated a lot of the quirky imaginative ideas and while interesting do not feel that many are practical for contract use. A couple of companies that caught our eye were:

· Raw Studio - A coffee table made from recycled coffee grounds and resin which can be embossed - a very interesting and different concept.

· Bloq - A company set up by Paul Johnson, using clean lines and solid shapes to produce precisely detailed, minimal and elegant forms - a beautiful range of storage units and cabinets.

As well as all of the activity that was going on at the show there were special design related events and exhibitions going on all over London, many in manufacturers’ showrooms.

We visited several of the showrooms, including B&B Italia, where we had the opportunity to remind ourselves of the products that had been launched at the Milan Furniture show earlier in the year.
The Fat Sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola was of particular interest - designed with the same soft sinuous shapes as the other elements in the Fat range. This seating system is available in different typologies: from a linear sofa to terminal elements and an armchair with two back heights, chaise longue and two new ottomans. Look out for it in the Tangram showroom in early 2008.

Fat Sofa

B&B Italia also launched their new range of outdoor furniture (once again designed by Patricia Urquiola) based on the inspiration of woven patterns. This Canasta Collection is available in white and bronze and seats have removable cushions available in many different fabric combinations.
These comfortable, anatomically shaped chairs are ideal for a swimming pool area, conservatory or on the garden lawn.

We also went to an exhibition at Viaduct where we saw new products from leading European companies including Driade, e15, MDF Italia, Montis, and xO. Of particular interest were e15’s new Shiraz sofa, the Axel sofa (Montis) with the new 45° angle and the Miss Lacy chair by Philip Starck for Driade.

Poltrona Frau is one of Italy's most famous high quality leather upholstery companies.
The collection includes modern and classic upholstery, chairs, beds, office chairs, boardroom furniture, auditorium seating and accessories.
New this year is a fantastic leather screen which depicts at an enlarged scale the contours and grain of a leather hide. It is laser cut out of hide, creating a stunning trellis effect.

Moucharabieh Screen by Poltrona Frau

Overall, we had a inspirational, educational and thoroughly enjoyable visit to London. It is always a great opportunity to view furniture and lighting that we are not currently exhibiting, catch up with colleagues and friends and try out new dining experiences (Moro in Exmouth Market – fantastic lunch!).

Homes & Interiors Evening 11th October

2007-09-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

Come and join us for an exclusive readers special shopping evening on:

Thursday 11th October 6.00pm - 9.00pm

Indulge in a 10% Discount on contemporary Furniture and Lighting for your home.

We offer an interior design service and you will have the opportunity to discuss your design problems, desires and aspirations with the designers on the night or at an appointed time.

Limited places are available: tickets cost £10 and includes drinks and canapes, a 10% discount on your shopping and a gift bag worth £100.

Tangram's New Look

2007-09-14T03:34:00.000-07:00

Tangram have recently given their showroom a fresh and inspiring face lift. The showroom has been rearranged and revamped to improve your shopping experience.
With the introduction of key pieces of furniture and lighting installations the showroom now gives you the opportunity to view pieces with greater ease.
Pieces stand in isolation so you can view and fully appreciate their design and form with minimal distraction.
Tangram continue to work with numerous leading European furniture, lighting and textile manufacturers but have selected key pieces to represent their products.

CURRENTLY FEATURED IN THE SHOWROOM

Luis from B&B Italia

The Luis is a new addition to B&B Italia's collection. The Luis design skillfully combines comfort and elegance. The seats come in two depths, three withs and two variants for height of the backrests and armrests. The system consists of 56 modular elements makeing it possible to create countless combinations from liner, corner and peninsular.

This sofa provides a very flexible solution for numerous requirements.

Luis Sofa now in Showroom

The Bentz Table from Baleri

back to black

A stunning glass topped table is a new addition to the Tangram Showroom.

The design of this table provides an airy sculptural central focus with a clear crystal glass top.
The base is available in red, black, white or polished aluminium.
Bentz Table Now in Showroom

The showroom has also changed its opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 10.00am – 5.30pm,
Friday 10.00am - 5.00pm

(now closed Saturdays)

Princes Mall Shopping Centre, Edinburgh

2007-08-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

Tangram have recently supplied and installed the furniture for the newly refurbished food court in the Princes Mall Shopping Centre; part of a complete refurbishment by SMC Hugh Martin Architects for its client PPG.
The shopping centre has a wide variety of shops, a food court and a coffee shop and is a popular retail destination occupying a key city centre location adjacent to Waverley Station.The food court is a high traffic area and therefore the furniture was selected not only for its aesthetic but importantly for its hard wearing, robust quality. Tangram supplied Splash chairs and Sicilia tables by Amat and Onda stools by Stua.

Dining Tables

2007-08-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

We have a few dining tables in the showroom and on sale; the Duna table by Arper with a white lacquered top and chromed metal base is a functional yet sophisticated design. Was £794 Now £595.
Maxalto ACT22 table and SM46S Chairs x4 Was £4718 Now £3499

Welcome to our blog!

2007-08-01T02:23:00.000-07:00

Tangram Furnishers is a contemporary design furniture company showing a wide variety of products from manufacturers across Europe . We have a showroom in Edinburgh displaying furniture, accessories and lighting for both the home and contract markets. There is a huge depth to our knowledge, experience and, in particular, range of products. www.tangramfurnishers.co.uk