Back in 1972, tucked away in the rolling hills of Mount Barker Springs, a young craftsman called John Pfitzner started crafting furniture in an old farm shed.
With just a vision, a few basic tools, and an unshakeable commitment to quality, John laid the foundations for what would grow into one of South Australia’s most trusted solid timber furniture brands.
By 1980, John had moved into his first dedicated workshop and in 1981 his first apprentice, Paul joined. Today Paul is still a part of the Pfitzner Family and continues to work in the workshop. Just three years later, he built a new workshop in Littlehampton, the current home of Pfitzner Furniture. In this space, traditional joinery, handmade craftsmanship, and innovation have worked together like a perfectly fitting dovetail joint ever since. By 1980, John had moved into his first dedicated premises and taken on his first employee. Just three years later, he built a new workshop in Littlehampton, the current home of Pfitzner Furniture, a space where traditional joinery and innovation have danced hand-in-hand ever since.
From the start, Pfitzner earned a reputation for excellence. In 1989, they took out the Outstanding Product in the Exhibition award, a major milestone that marked their debut on the national stage. The following year, they won Product of the Year for Bedroom Furniture from the South Australian Guild of Furniture Manufacturers. Pfitzner's reputation for excellence was recognised early on. In 1989, they were honoured with the Outstanding Product in the Exhibition award, a milestone moment that signalled their arrival on the national stage. In 1990, they won Product of the Year for Bedroom Furniture by the South Australian Guild of Furniture Manufacturers.
Their first retail showroom opened on The Parade in Norwood in 1999, bringing their refined solid timber furniture craftsmanship closer to Adelaide’s design-savvy clientele. That same year, Pfitzner became an one of the first official suppliers of the world-renowned Stressless® range.
In 2003, Pfitzner Furniture once again claimed top honours at the SA Furniture Awards — including Best of the Best and Excellence in Dining Furniture. Then in 2004, Pfitzner Furniture proudly won the Australian Award for Excellence in Dining Furniture for their "Chess" range, recognised as the best dining design in the country. Judged by top figures across design, manufacturing, and retail at the prestigious National FIAA Awards in Perth, the win affirmed Pfitzner's place as a leader in quality craftsmanship. “It’s very satisfying for a local family business to be awarded the state honour for the second year, but to take away the National excellence award is a credit to all who work on the design and manufacture,” said founder John Pfitzner.
In 2019, the company received a prestigious international accolade — the Jens Ekornes Award — presented by Stressless® to recognise Pfitzner’s outstanding performance, high achievement, and deep commitment to the brand’s values of comfort, quality, and enduring design.
Over the decades, one thing has remained constant: this was always a family-run business. In recent years, John’s sons, Andrew and David Pfitzner, took on leadership roles, bringing new ideas while staying true to the principles their father instilled. Together, they’ve continued to refine the collection, expanding into bespoke furniture and award-winning dining designs.
Whether it’s a handcrafted solid timber dining table, a custom-built boardroom table, bedroom furniture, or a dining suite made to last, Pfitzner Furniture continues to be a leading solid timber furniture manufacturer in Adelaide.
Furniture built to stand the test of time
Pfitzner furniture Founder talks about Bespoke commissions. Filmed in his violin making workshop in the Adelaide hills, where it all started in 1972.
