Back in February the Tangram Team enjoyed the atmosphere of our office and collaborating on projects large and small. How so much has changed. We are now in the middle of May and working in a very different environment – we sit in our homes all day long!

We are still working but our desk space may be a dining table or kitchen counter, a surface in a bedroom or study. We are very much missing our showroom and being able to work surrounded by many beautiful products but are relishing having slightly more time to enjoy and notice the natural world around us.

Some things have not changed so much. Business is inevitably much quieter but enquiries continue to come in from clients, architects and designers.

Whether an interior design enquiry for a flat refurbishment or a contract request for boardroom chairs, we make use of the latest technology and are able to provide a responsive service via a mixture of e-mail, phone and Microsoft Teams video.

The furniture world has taken a pause.  Factories in Italy (B&B Italia, Rimadesio, Flos), Spain (Andreu World, Stua, Sancal) and France (Ligne Roset) closed for up to 8 weeks while those in Germany (Zeitraum, Walter Knoll) and Scandinavia (Lammhults, Kasthall, Carl Hansen) have continued to manufacture, albeit with suitable health measures and some limits on production. 

A significant change has come with the cancellation of the world’s largest furniture fair, the Salone in Milan.  The consequence is that numerous product launches have been mothballed.  Selective launches are now occurring and in the last month we have seen several new products brought to market via digital platforms.

The launch of fewer products is clearly appropriate in the circumstances.  Perhaps it is also a nod to the future – is there a need for so many products to be launched every year?  Prior to the impact of Covid-19 there was evidence that manufactures were reining back on the number of new product launches each year.  We suspect the debate on this subject will develop over the next months, particularly given the inevitable impact of the virus on business investment decisions.

While we cannot provide our normal post-Milan review of the latest products and trends, in the next weeks we will post items on some of the new product launches. Do keep an eye on our News section and social media channels for more information.

For any interior design or product enquiries please
send us a message at [email protected]
or call 0131 556 6551.