Published: 30 July 2026
There are furniture houses, and then there are institutions. Francesco Molon — founded in Venice in 1966 by the craftsman whose name it bears — belongs firmly in the latter category. Born of the Veneto's centuries-old tradition of decorative artisanship, the brand has spent six decades producing pieces that occupy a rarified space between furniture and fine art: hand-carved frames dressed in gold leaf, dining tables in Macassar ebony, chairs inlaid with mother-of-pearl, cabinetry set with abalone and onyx. These are not objects made for showrooms. They are made for presidential palaces, grand hotels, and the private residences of those for whom only the singular will do.
The house's portfolio reads accordingly: Konstantinovsky Palace in St Petersburg, The Savoy in London, the Ministry of Justice in Rome, the Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach, Palazzo Portinari Salviati in Florence. Each is a commission that speaks to both the scale of Francesco Molon's ambition and the depth of trust its clients place in the brand. In the Gulf, that relationship stretches back to the 1970s, making Francesco Molon one of the earliest European luxury furniture houses to establish a meaningful presence in the region.
Today, as the company marks its sixtieth year, Roberto Molon, creative director and son of the founder, reflects on a legacy built one meticulous detail at a time.
Francesco Molon turns sixty this year. What does that milestone mean to you?
It is a significant moment, naturally. Six decades is a long time in any industry, but in luxury furniture, where taste shifts, trends come and go, and the market grows increasingly competitive, it speaks to something more than longevity. It speaks to trust. Our clients, whether heads of state or private homeowners, return to us because they know what to expect: precision, craftsmanship, and pieces that endure. The anniversary is a moment to reflect on that legacy, but also to look ahead.
The brand was founded by your father, Francesco, in Venice. How did the company's story begin in the Middle East?
I was very young when my father completed his first project in Saudi Arabia. It was a residential palace for a sheikh, and at the time it was not at all common for an interior designer to be so closely involved in the process. The owner himself travelled to Italy to select everything — the doors, the ceilings, the furniture, the chandeliers, the materials. I remember him choosing darker woods and carvings of gold. He passed away some years ago, but his wife recently got back in touch with my father. She is still living in that palace. That, to me, says everything about what we make.
The 1970s was early for a European furniture house to be working in the Gulf. What drew Francesco Molon to the region?
There was an instinctive alignment, I think, between what we do and what the region values. The Gulf has always had an appreciation for craftsmanship, for ornamentation, for the idea that a home is not merely functional but a reflection of one's standing and identity. Italian artisanship, particularly from the Veneto tradition, shares that sensibility. My father saw the connection early. The company expanded through Europe and the Middle East before moving into the United States in the 1980s, but the Gulf has remained central to who we are.
Gold leaf is something of a Francesco Molon signature. Where does that tradition come from?
Gold leaf is deeply rooted in Venetian artistic heritage; you see it in the gilded mosaics of the Basilica di San Marco, in Titian's paintings, in the decorated interiors of the great palazzi. For us, it is a material that requires exceptional skill to apply well. When it is done properly, it trails along the legs of an ebony dining table or the arms of a carved chair without overwhelming the piece. It is a complement, not a statement. We also work with mother-of-pearl inlays, intricate stonework, gem-studded detailing, and bespoke joinery. However, gold leaf, used with restraint, remains something we are particularly proud of.
You've furnished some remarkable addresses — Konstantinovsky Palace in St Petersburg, The Savoy in London, the Presidential Palace in Ashgabat, the Ministry of Justice in Rome. How does the brief change from project to project?
The context changes, but the principles do not. I believe that furniture must be liveable, no matter where it is placed or how large the room. The right proportions come first, always. Only once that foundation is correct can you layer in the aesthetic details, the intricate design, the luxurious materials. The space should be comfortable and functional at its core. A piece that looks magnificent but is awkward to use has failed, regardless of how beautiful it may appear.
What projects are currently in the pipeline?
We are working on the Orient Express Hotel in Venice, which is a wonderful commission. It sits beautifully with our heritage and our location. Beyond that, there are private residences across several continents that I cannot speak to in detail. We cater to a very small selection of private clients, perhaps only the top five per cent. That selectivity is deliberate. It allows us to give each project the attention it deserves.
Francesco Molon pieces appear in the Raffles Imperial Mansion on Palm Jumeirah, which is exclusively listed with Dubai Sotheby's International Realty. Can you speak to that project?
The brief was to create a space that embodies fine luxury with a distinctly Dubai flair, and I think we achieved that. The residence draws from our Classic collection, with gold and silver leaf, custom joinery, artisanal crystal lighting, and rich fabrics alongside marble surfaces. It is palatial in feeling without being cold. Dubai has grown dramatically since the early years when I first came here. I can remember when there was only Sheikh Zayed Road and very little else around it. I have watched the transformation, from the skyline to the people and their mentality. The city now demands interiors that match its ambition.
And the Qasr Al Watan presidential complex in Abu Dhabi?
I would prefer not to go into too much detail on that. What I can say is: think abalone stones and onyx gemstones meeting the mashrabiya pattern.
Finally, if someone were to choose a single Francesco Molon piece, what would you recommend?
I have two favourites, and they sit at opposite ends of our range. The Molon sofa from the Classic collection, with its fine carved frame, is a piece that rewards close attention. And then there is the sideboard designed by Nicola Galizia for our Contemporary collection: very sleek, very modern, combining metal, stitched leather veneers and layered materials in a way that feels entirely fresh. What I love about both is the same thing: detail and proportion working together. That balance is what Francesco Molon has always been about.
