From leaky warehouse to national treasure: Anton Assaad on the rise of Great Dane Furniture

Great Dane Furniture has come a long way from a dishevelled warehouse in Prahran. 

Anton Assaad spoke to Prestige about how he turned his insatiable interest in Scandi design into a thriving Australian brand. 

Q: When did your love affair with Scandinavian design begin?

A: Without knowing it at the time, it was through my grandfather. He was a retired CSIRO scientist who made his own furniture.

I have a piece that he made when he was only 12. Much of the woodwork was simple, clean and honest, and very much inspired by Scandinavian design.

Q: Tell us about Great Dane Furniture

A: When I first started the business, my warehouse in Prahran leaked so much, I would have to drive down every time it rained to move buckets around.

I went on six to eight trips per year to source vintage furniture, but now that the business is no longer dealing in vintage, that’s now two or three trips per year.

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Today, we have showrooms in Melbourne and Sydney, as well as a distributor in Perth called Design Farm. We also started Great Dane Contract, servicing the architecture and interior design community.

Q: What are the most sought-after pieces by Australian customers?

A: Great Dane has always had a love for wood, honest and beautiful furniture that eschews trends. The Johansen table, designed by the late Mads Johansen, is a prime example. Each piece is specifically made to order in a factory of only six craftsmen.

In terms of popular designers, Borge Mogensen’s legacy is without peer and we are very fortunate to be able to offer many of his pieces through our relationship with Fredericia Furniture.

Q: Talk us through the vision for your new Sydney showroom on Oxford Street in Paddington.

A: We designed the showroom in close collaboration with Nicky Lobo. We asked Nicky to help us create “a voyage through the forest”.

It takes clients from an urban environment and transports them to the woodlands of Scandinavia and the lights of the north. The ground floor is dense, filled with rich carpets and leather details, while the top floor is light and airy.

Q: Your most prized possession – furniture or otherwise?

A: My vintage Spanish chairs by Borge Mogensen are a favourite to sit and read books on or snuggle up with my kids.

Outside of furniture, it’s a bit of a cliche but I love it anyway: my 1984 Porsche 928S. It’s a manual, which was very rare for that model, and has an all-original tan interior and champagne exterior. My kids think the pop-up headlights are hilarious.