Our story

It all started when...

Dudgeon is a third-generation family business set up over 70 years ago in Central London. It has been making hand-made top quality upholstered furniture ever since.

Peter Dudgeon, an inventive soul, and an RAF fighter pilot in World War II, was asked constantly by his Polish ground crew - who had kept his planes flying - if he could find them work – so he did.

Peter Dudgeon 1947 - 1966

The company started by specialising in making sofas and fitted kitchens, and Peter became a well-known personality in Knightsbridge making his top quality sofas for the establishment and for interior designers who quickly found out about his business.

In 1961 his son William joined the company, working with his father for five years until the founder retired. By this time Peter Dudgeon Ltd had started focusing more and more on upholstered furniture, traditionally made, using best artisan techniques still used in our furniture today.

William Dudgeon 1961 - 1993

Five years after beginning, the company acquired premises in Brompton Place 100 metres from Harrods department store where they set up their workshop and showroom. The building was destroyed by fire in 1970s but once rebuilt the showroom returned whilst the workshop found new premises in the spacious 7,000 square feet of Bartolozzi Mews, our current home in Fulham.

By this time Hugh Garforth-Bles – after five years running Kingcome Sofas - had bought into and joined the company, enabling William to retire in 1993.
                                                    

Hugh Garforth-Bles 1986 -

Since then Dudgeon Sofas has specialised primarily in three areas:

1.    Very comfortable traditionally made sofas for homes around the world

2.    Bespoke furniture for interiors and exteriors for superyachts (92 yachts of the biggest and best from 40 to 152 metres so far)

3.    Innovative and modern bespoke furniture for projects both residential and commercial - ranging from six-star hotels, various palaces in the middle east, chalets in the Alps, etc. We use many different materials in our furniture including beautiful woods and gloss metals.

In 2014 after 67 years in Knightsbridge, the showroom moved to Fulham above the workshop where we show around 50 pieces of furniture, and can discuss projects both large and small in a light and bright environment.

We have enormous experience in making and designing best quality sofas and chairs – our expertise is probably unrivalled.