John Tanous

Dating back to 1913, John Tanous Ltd is an old established firm with its origins in fine art framing. In 1994 Carl Wenstrom took on the company, which was then based in London, and moved furniture manufacture to the forefront of the business.

In 2009 the operation moved to premises near Brighton in Sussex, where Carl and his core team of trusted craftsmen have reaped the rewards of a beneficial working environment on a farm industrial estate close to the South Downs and the sea.

The “Made in the UK” label on Tanous furniture means just that. The company prides itself on its hand-produced British-made furniture. The majority of the business comes from the Tanous bespoke design service producing furniture made exactly to clients’ requirements.

Tanous’ success is built on the long-term working relationship Carl enjoys with members of his team, the pride they take in their work and their passion for quality which is evident throughout the production process. The company is however investing in the future, for example through training for the next generation. An apprentice was recently introduced to the cabinet section, and there are plans to develop this scheme in due course.