French Furniture Fittings - A History - French Furniture Fittings

Funny how life turns out…

Back in the early 1990s, French Furniture Fittings Ltd wasn’t even a glimmer of an idea. It all started with a road trip, a beaten-up van, and a desperate phone call from my brother. He ran a large furniture-making business in the United States, crafting beautiful bespoke pieces, and he had a problem – his usual supplier had let him down one too many times, and he needed high-quality knobs and handles to match his creations.

“Why don’t you pop over to France and see if you can get them directly from the manufacturers?” he said, as if I had nothing better to do that week.

A few phone calls to France later, armed with a roadmap (pre-satnav days), my best French (mostly asking for directions and ordering a beer), and a strong sense of adventure, I set off for France. The trip was eventful from the start—my ageing Renault 4 Quatrelle decided to break down and had to be pushed off the ferry!

The forge I visited in Normandy turned out to be much larger than expected, yet still steeped in traditional metalworking methods. Dozens of craftsmen were hammering, heating, turning and filing away. The manager, Jacques, a burly man who looked uncannily like Gérard Depardieu, greeted me like an old friend and took me for one of the best meals of my life. Over lunch, he suggested I become their UK sales rep. What started as a simple errand for my brother had suddenly turned into a full-fledged business opportunity. To be honest, my most enduring memories of that meal are not about the business aspect, more about getting flustered over which cutlery to use for what, and little-old-me having to give the nod to say that the wine was acceptable…

From there, things took off. I secured deals with several prestigious UK furniture makers, bringing elegant French fittings to high-end clients. On one of my trips, I met Sandra (who just so happens to come from a great wine family). We later married and had two children – the French connection was made everlasting!

Then life took a turn. An opportunity to live overseas arose, and we couldn’t say no. We packed up the stock, said goodbye to our customers, and moved on.

Years passed. The world changed. When we returned to the UK, the internet had revolutionised commerce. People weren’t just shopping locally anymore—they were searching online for high-quality, niche products. I realised something: those beautiful French fittings I had once driven across the Channel to source were still in demand. The difference now? We didn’t need a van; we needed a website.

So, French Furniture Fittings Ltd was reborn—this time, as an online business. Sandra and I built it from the ground up, sourcing the best fittings and selling them across the UK (and beyond). What started as a road trip had evolved into a thriving family-run business, with our home doubling as our warehouse and our kids occasionally roped into packing orders. We have since moved into a warehouse in Devizes, in the heart of Wiltshire, and the kids have grown up – they now help with all aspects of the business, especially the technology.

Running a small business has had its share of tough moments but the biggest lesson I have learnt over the years is that a can-do-attitude normally gets you through even the most seemingly impossible difficulties.

Today, French Furniture Fittings Ltd remains a small, family-run operation, growing steadily thanks to the internet and our passion for quality. We may no longer make frantic drives to France in a clunky van, but the essence of those early days – beautiful craftsmanship, great service, and a bit of adventure – remains at the heart of what we do. And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll get another old van and take off for one last sourcing trip-just for old times’ sake.

– Joe Parish, Founder, French Furniture Fittings