Thonet offers affordable, high quality, authentic designs sourced from select European companies.

Thonet Australia – Our Story

Since the late 1970s, our collection has been designed to be timeless in appeal, functional, and easy to live with. It reflects the Australian way of life, seamlessly blending classic European pieces with a relaxed, contemporary lifestyle, whether in your favourite restaurant or at home.

Founded in Melbourne in 1979 by Simon de Wolf and Richard Daniell, Thonet quickly became synonymous with quality dining as the local food and wine scene flourished. Almost fifty years later, leading designers still turn to Thonet for that perfect balance of form and function.

After the original founders sold the company in 2015, Thonet began a new chapter as a family-run business. Our flagship Fitzroy showroom, located in a historic Victorian building from the 1880s, showcases our collection through grand arched windows overlooking vibrant Brunswick Street. Our Sydney showroom in Rosebery offers pared-back simplicity, filled with natural light that highlights the beauty of timber. Thonet Australia is also represented by agents in Adelaide, Canberra, and Brisbane.

Our Collection

Every product in the Thonet Australia collection is chosen for comfort, design excellence, and suitability. This includes our locally designed and manufactured solid timber dining tables, alongside select European collections that reflect our commitment to authentic, high-quality, sustainable furniture. Highlights include Ingmar Relling’s iconic Siesta collection from LK Hjelle of Norway, the Tolix range of metal furniture — a symbol of French design since 1927. And premium Swedish furniture from Stolab, with each piece defined by its strength, beauty and longevity.

Bentwood furniture has never altered. It has always been simple, utilitarian furniture; reasonably priced and available to everyone. The tradition continues.

Our Craft

Thonet’s iconic bentwood chairs are a testament to thoughtful design, with each piece expressing the artistry of its manufacturing process. Technically simple, each chair or barstool embodies the principles of mass production: strong, durable, cost-effective, and easy to transport in large quantities.

Crafted from European beech—chosen for its resilience in the steam-bending process—part of the collection arrives unassembled and is expertly constructed in our Melbourne workshop by skilled craftsmen, ready to be shipped across Australia.

Tradition & Innovation

Thonet Australia is proud to continue the legacy of Michael Thonet. Our bentwood furniture is still produced in one of the original European factories established by the Thonet family in 1880, adhering to the exacting specifications of Michael Thonet’s visionary designs.

Every Thonet bentwood chair sold in Australia bears a trademark branded into the timber beneath the seat, as a mark of authenticity. Bentwood furniture remains true to its roots: simple, practical, and accessible to all.

Thonet Australia products grace the pages of leading magazines and the interiors of homes, cafés, restaurants, and commercial spaces across Australia, standing the test of time through their enduring quality and design.

The tradition continues…