In 1956, Giuseppe Fanuli left his home in Lecce, Italy, with nothing but ambition and an artisan's skill in cabinetry. He arrived in Melbourne with dreams of building something extraordinary—a vision that would take two decades to fully materialise but would ultimately transform Australia's designer furniture landscape. Looking to sell your designer furniture? Get in touch.
Giuseppe's journey began as a cabinet maker, working alongside Australia's established craftsmen and developing an intimate understanding of quality furniture construction. This hands-on experience proved invaluable. When he finally opened the first Fanuli store in Sydney in 1976, Giuseppe didn't merely sell furniture—he understood it at a molecular level, from joinery techniques to material selection.
The timing was fortuitous. Australia's furniture market in the 1970s consisted primarily of entrenched local manufacturers with minimal imported product. Giuseppe recognised an opportunity: Australian consumers deserved access to the same calibre of design available in Milan's showrooms. He began importing the finest contemporary and classic pieces from leading craftsmen in Milan, Venice, and Verona, filling a conspicuous gap in the market.
But Giuseppe's genius extended beyond product selection. He established three core principles that would define Fanuli for generations: stock only the highest quality furniture, provide exceptional customer service, and never become complacent. These weren't marketing slogans—they were the operational DNA of a family business where Giuseppe's sons helped with weekend deliveries and odd jobs, learning the business from the ground up.
In 1995, Giuseppe passed the torch to the second generation. His three sons—Fabio, Sandro, and Carlo—took the helm and expanded Fanuli's vision whilst honouring their father's founding principles. Under their stewardship, Fanuli evolved from an importer into Australia's premier stockist of contemporary Italian and Australian designer furniture.
The brothers brought their own insight to the business, forging deep relationships with Italy's leading manufacturers. Fanuli became the exclusive Australian supplier for Flexform, Kristalia, MD House, and Riva 1920—partnerships built on shared values rather than mere commercial arrangements. As Sandro explains, these relationships run deeper than business: they're connections between family companies with harmonious visions and, quite literally, love for what they do.
The affinity between Fanuli and its Italian partners stems from a common heritage. When Flexform's Giuliano Galimberti visited Melbourne, he noted that the "Italian blood that runs in the Fanulis' veins" created a natural harmony of thought and shared vision. These aren't transactional relationships—they're collaborations between kindred spirits who understand that furniture should last a lifetime.
Today, Fanuli operates flagship showrooms in Sydney's Cremorne and Melbourne's South Yarra, with the third generation now integral to the business. The company has launched its own Fanuli-brand collections—contemporary, Australian-made furniture with a relaxed sensibility that maintains the family's uncompromising standards for quality and craftsmanship.
Giuseppe Fanuli sadly passed away in recent years, but his legacy endures. The company he founded, built on determination and skill, has become synonymous with design excellence in Australia, bridging Italian sophistication with the Australian lifestyle for nearly half a century.
At HFOC, we specialise in sourcing authentic pre-owned Fanuli pieces—from Flexform's elegant sofas to Kristalia's innovative designs, each representing the pinnacle of Italian-Australian furniture heritage. These pieces offer discerning buyers the opportunity to acquire furniture built on three generations of expertise, craftsmanship, and an immigrant's dream realised.
Fanuli doesn't just sell furniture. It preserves a family legacy.