(pronounced TAM-boor)

This word is a rather sexy, mellifluous one with Arabic and Persian roots. In some cases it meant a drum, and in other contexts an embroidery frame. In regard to modern design, it means narrow strips of stiff material that are adhered onto a flexible material so that application can be formed around curved surfaces. Most people will recognize the word in the context of an old-fashioned, wooden roll-top desk. However, with the advent of new technologies and manufacturing processes, the strips can be made of a wide variety of materials (metals, plastic laminates, wood veneers and composites) and in a variety of sizes for decorative application to walls, columns, wainscots, bar fronts, ceilings, etc.