It starts with a stack of folders on the corner of a desk. Then it's a row of lever arch files along the windowsill. Then someone orders a set of open shelves that get cluttered within a fortnight.
A tambour cabinet solves this problem properly.
Unlike standard cupboards that require clear floor space to swing open, a tambour cabinet uses retractable sliding doors that roll into the unit itself.
If you're fitting out a New Zealand office and need a storage solution that's space-efficient, lockable, and built to last, here are our top picks.
Agile Summary
- Best Overall and Best for Corporate Office Fit-Out: The Rapid Tambour is a New Zealand Made, commercially certified storage unit available in five size configurations, with locking and non-locking options and a 15-year warranty.
- Best Value: The Tambour Cupboard is a compact, fully assembled metal unit with five shelves and centralised locking, suited to individual or small team storage.
- Best Planter: The Rapid Planter Tambour combines full tambour storage with an integrated planter section, compatible with both artificial and live plants, New Zealand Made and delivered assembled.
What Is a Tambour Cabinet?
A tambour cabinet is a space-saving storage unit with retractable doors that slide into the unit rather than swinging outward. The name comes from the French word for drum, referencing the curved, segmented door panels that roll along a track.
They're ideal for open-plan offices, breakout areas, or storage corridors, common across commercial buildings in Auckland's CBD, Wellington's government precincts, and Christchurch's rebuilt commercial core.
Most tambour cabinets also feature centralised locking, meaning a single lock secures all doors simultaneously. For offices storing confidential documents, client files, or valuable equipment, that's a meaningful security advantage over open shelving.
Best Overall and Best for Corporate Office Fit-Outs: Rapid Tambour
New Zealand made, commercially certified, and available in five size configurations.
The Rapid Tambour is our top pick for both general use and corporate fit-outs. It earns that dual position through a combination of genuine flexibility, commercial-grade construction, and the "Buy New Zealand Made" certification, meaning this unit is designed and manufactured locally.
Five size configurations span five combinations of height and width, from a compact 1200H x 900L through to a generous 1800H x 1200L, meaning it can be specified precisely to the available wall space rather than forcing a compromise.
Each configuration is available in locking and non-locking versions, and in Black or White finish, giving fit-out planners the flexibility to match the unit to the wider office aesthetic.
The adjustable shelving across all sizes allows the interior to be configured for different storage needs, from A4 binders and stationery to equipment and personal items.
For corporate fit-outs where visual consistency across a floor of units matters, the Rapid Tambour's clean lines and finish make it a practical choice alongside other pieces in the Rapid storage family.
Key specs:
- Sizes available: 1200H x 900L, 1200H x 1200L, 1200H x 1600L, 1800H x 900L, 1800H x 1200L (all 440mm deep)
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Shelves included:
- 1200H x 900L and 1200H x 1200L: 2 adjustable shelves
- 1200H x 1600L: 4 adjustable shelves with central divider
- 1800H x 900L and 1800H x 1200L: 3 adjustable shelves
- Toe-kick: 50mm
- Security: Available locking or non-locking
- Finish: Black or White
- Certifications: Buy New Zealand Made certified
- Assembly: No assembly required, delivered ready to use
- Warranty: 15 years
Best suited to: corporate offices, professional services firms, and fit-outs requiring multiple coordinated units across a floor or building. The New Zealand Made certification is a useful procurement consideration for government and public sector organisations.
Best Value: Tambour Cupboard
No-fuss, fully lockable, and delivered assembled.
The Tambour Cupboard makes the strongest case for value. It is a compact, metal-construction tambour unit with centralised locking, five shelves, and a white powder-coat finish.
It's delivered fully assembled and ready to use at a price point well below the larger premium commercial units.
At 1020H x 900W x 520D mm or 1980H x 900W x 500D mm, it's a practical size for individual or full sized team storage: large enough to hold a considerable volume of files and stationery, compact enough in 1020H to fit under a windowsill or beside a workstation without dominating the space.
The retractable doors eliminate the swing-door clearance problem, and the centralised locking with folding keys provides straightforward document security.
The Tambour Cupboard covers the essentials cleanly without the cost of higher end commercial units
Key specs:
- Dimensions: 1020H x 900W x 500D mm or 1980H x 900W x 500D
- Shelves: 5 shelves included
- Construction: Metal with white powder-coat finish
- Security: Centralised locking with folding keys
- Assembly: Delivered assembled
- Warranty: 10 years
Best suited to: small offices, individual team members requiring personal lockable storage, satellite offices, and budget-conscious fit-outs where a quality functional focused unit is the priority.
Best Planter: Rapid Planter Tambour
Office storage and biophilic design in a single unit.
The Rapid Planter Tambour addresses a challenge that comes up increasingly in modern New Zealand office fit-outs: how to bring greenery into the workspace without sacrificing storage or creating another surface to maintain.
The answer here is a tambour storage unit with an integrated planter section, available in multiple widths.
The planter section works with both artificial and live plants.
For live plants, a separate waterproof planter liner and mulch tray are available to purchase, featuring pre-cut holes. That flexibility means you can start with artificial plants and switch to live ones later without replacing the unit.
The storage section contains one adjustable shelf, with wider configurations (1600mm and 1800mm) including a central divider and two adjustable shelves.
The biophilic design trend, integrating natural elements like plants into office environments, has gained traction in New Zealand commercial fit-outs, supported by research linking greenery in workspaces to improved wellbeing and focus.
Key specs:
- Height: 1200H
- Widths available: 900L, 1200L, 1600L, 1800L
- Depth: 440mm
- Planter section: Designed for artificial plants as standard; live plant liner and mulch tray available separately
- Storage section: 1 adjustable shelf (1200H x 900L and 1200H x 1200L), 2 adjustable shelves and central divider (1600mm and 1800mm widths)
- Security: Available in locking or non-locking
- Finish: Black or White
- Certifications: Buy New Zealand Made certified
- Assembly: No assembly required
- Warranty: 15 years
Best suited to: offices incorporating biophilic design into their fit-out, reception areas, breakout zones, and any environment where storage and a visual point of interest can be combined in a single footprint.
What to Consider When Choosing a Tambour Cabinet
If you're working through the decision, here are the four practical questions worth asking before you buy:
How much storage do you actually need? The Tambour Cupboard's single-size format suits individual or small team storage well. The Rapid Tambour's five configurations allow precise specification for larger requirements.
Does it need to lock? Both the Rapid Tambour and Tambour Cupboard offer centralised locking. If the unit is storing confidential documents or valuable equipment, the locking option is worth the modest price difference.
Does the finish need to match existing furniture? The Rapid Tambour in Black or White coordinates with most modern office colour schemes. If you're fitting multiple units across an open-plan floor, visual consistency is worth planning for at the selection stage.
Is a planter a genuine priority or a nice-to-have? The Rapid Planter Tambour is the right choice if you're incorporating greenery into a fit-out design. If it's a secondary consideration, the standard Rapid Tambour frees up the budget for other fit-out elements.
For more help selecting the right tambour cabinet for your New Zealand office, get in touch with the Agile team to discuss your requirements.