In 1987, Jardan began as a traditional upholstery workshop in Melbourne—a modest operation focused on handcrafted quality. For a decade, the company built a reputation for solid workmanship, but it wasn't until 1997 that Jardan's transformation into an Australian design icon truly began.
That year, brothers Nick and Michael Garnham, along with their father Barry, acquired the company when it entered bankruptcy. The Garnhams had no background in furniture manufacturing—just ambition, business acumen, and an instinct that Jardan possessed untapped potential. What they inherited was a team of eight employees and a traditional manufacturing approach. What they built would become one of Australia's most respected furniture brands.
Nick, who'd studied business but harboured an architectural sensibility, initially focused on operations. When Jardan's original designer departed five years later, Nick began designing himself—a self-taught journey that would define the brand's aesthetic DNA. His approach merged contemporary thinking with functional elegance, creating pieces that felt unmistakably Australian: relaxed yet refined, comfortable yet sophisticated, unpretentious yet aspirational.
Michael brought financial rigour and operational excellence, whilst their father, Barry, provided entrepreneurial wisdom. In time, Nick's wife, Renee Brown, joined as Creative Director, infusing the brand with a fresh perspective drawn from her fashion industry experience. Her bold aesthetic choices—the distinctive fabric selections, the curated homewares, the visual storytelling—enriched Jardan's creative tapestry whilst maintaining the brand's coherent identity.
What distinguished the Garnhams' approach was their refusal to compromise on local manufacturing. Throughout the 2000s, as countless Australian furniture companies shifted production overseas to cut costs, Jardan doubled down on Melbourne-based craftsmanship. They invested in their workforce, established in-house design capabilities through the Jardan Lab, and developed a made-to-order process that prioritised customisation over mass production. The gamble paid off spectacularly.
By 2010, Jardan employed 80 craftspeople. Today, that number exceeds 200. The company operates flagship showrooms across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Byron Bay—each designed not as conventional retail spaces but as immersive environments where furniture, lighting, art, and homewares coexist harmoniously. In 2014, Jardan opened its first flagship retail store in Richmond's Church Street—a breathtaking two-level space designed by IF Architecture that signalled the brand's evolution from manufacturing specialist to lifestyle destination.
Sustainability defines Jardan's operations. In 2012-13, Jardan became Australia's first certified carbon-neutral furniture manufacturer under the Federal Government's National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) program—an achievement placing them alongside Australia's most progressive corporations. Over 75% of materials are sourced locally, supporting Australian suppliers whilst dramatically reducing environmental impact. The brand holds Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certification, employs responsibly sourced timber from sustainably managed forests worldwide, and implements product stewardship, ensuring lifecycle recyclability.
Central to Jardan's philosophy is the belief that no machine can replace human skill. Every piece is crafted to order in Melbourne, where traditional upholstery techniques merge with cutting-edge machinery. The company's multicultural team includes craftspeople who've worked with Jardan for over 25 years alongside young designers emerging from the Jardan Lab—a deliberate intersection of institutional knowledge and fresh thinking.
The name Jardan itself—a play on "jardin" (French and Spanish for "garden")—reflects this commitment to natural materials, environmental stewardship, and organic design sensibility. Their signature aesthetic features soft curves, plush surfaces, warm tones, and natural materials that capture the essence of Australian coastal living. Pieces like the modular Lemmy sofa, the sculptural Lola armchair, and their range of sustainably sourced timber dining tables have graced countless Australian homes, as well as featured in Vogue Living, Architectural Digest Australia, and Belle Magazine.
At HFOC, we specialise in sourcing authentic second-hand Jardan pieces—from their iconic sofas and dining tables to lighting and bedroom furniture. Each piece represents furniture designed for the Australian lifestyle, offering discerning buyers the opportunity to acquire locally made, sustainably crafted design at accessible prices.
Jardan doesn't just make furniture. It defines how Australia lives.