La Grolla have been bringing Australian interiors to life for over fifty years, adorning them with custom art from around the world. Providing high-quality framed art to the retail, commercial and home furnishings industry, the Melbourne-based family business now has showrooms across the country.

With a reputation for attention to detail, La Grolla provides comprehensive art solutions, whether it’s a high-end hotel or a cost-effective artwork for aged care. They also create boutique collections for retailers.

As long-time exhibitors, we are delighted that La Grolla will be returning to Decor + Design & The Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF), 17 – 19 July at Melbourne Exhibition Centre. With 9,000+ design trade visitors expected over three days, interior designers, decorators, architects and retailers will be able to view the latest collections of framed artwork from Australia’s largest art wholesaler.

In the lead up to the event, we asked La Grolla to give us an insight into has they have become a multigenerational leader in wholesale art and framing.

Tell us a little about the history of the La Grolla.

When the business started with our first purchase order in 1970, we weren’t yet a framing business. La Grolla was importing art to Australia from Ricordi, one of the oldest printing companies in the world, known for printing the scores of composers Rossini, Donizetti, and Puccini.

We still have that first purchase order framed in our Melbourne showroom, and with it La Grolla played a pivotal role in bringing international art to Australia.

Later down the line, people wanted our art framed. So, we started framing it!

The Australian interiors & furnishings business is competitive. What are the strengths that have helped La Grolla thrive?

In the early years, we offered the first truly a unique approach with colour mounts and frames tailored to the artwork’s aspect, including the true double mounts.

When it comes to art and frames, for us it hasn’t been about following the herd, but setting the trend. We feel lucky enough to say that this has carried on for generations.

We’ve also embraced global markets through quality relationships with suppliers, sustainable practices without compromising on quality and customisation. Our approach has always been bespoke and artisanal, so we’ve been able to deliver unparalleled levels of customisation at a wholesale scale.

We always aim to empower our clients to realise their visions. If we don’t have what they need, we’ll find it or we’ll create it. It may sound like a cliche, but no clients are ever more important than another. We give our time to anyone. And it has paid dividends.

Our diverse clientele has given us incredible insight into the market trends across multiple sectors; aiding our trends research and design-led strategy.

Are there any standout pieces from your current collections that have been particularly popular?

There are just so many! But I can say that oversized, hand-embellished pieces are the stars currently. In the past couple of years, the addition of embellishments and gold foil to prints have had a significant impact on feature pieces, meaning they are often flying off the walls faster than we are making them.

Two that embody these traits are Boardwalk (below, left) & Kaleidoscope (right).

‘Boardwalk’ & ‘Kaleidoscope’, La Grolla. Detail from ‘Kaleidoscope’ also in feature image of article.

In 2024 we’re rolling out a whole new range of collections we’re excited to present throughout the year, some at the show!

Can you share any exciting interior design projects that La Grolla have been involved with recently?

We had a very busy 2023 and 2024 is no different! We’ve had some high-profile and exciting projects we’ve loved being a part of. These have included a flagship hotel in Sydney, a $100m aged care project in Western Australia, a pioneering multigenerational lifestyle and wellness precinct in Victoria.

We’ve also collaborated with artists on full designs, worked with top property stylists, and provided services for high-end apartments, as well as several display suites and homes across Australia.

We’re so delighted that you will be returning to Decor + Design & AIFF in 2024, which will mark your 20th anniversary at the trade show. What are you looking forward to? What can visitors expect to see at your stand?

As per our tradition, we’re launching a new collection exclusively at the 2024 Decor + Design Show!

We can’t give too much away as our collections are always evolving pre-launch, but the themes and concepts are ones that we know will resonate with our partners and suppliers.

We will be continuing the great story of sustainable and local framing and it’s something that we’re passionate about continuing to support.

Don’t miss seeing the latest beautiful collections from La Grolla at Decor + Design & The Australian International Furniture Fair (AIFF) 2024. For the first time, Australia’s premier interiors trade event is pivoting to a three-day format from Wednesday 17th – 19th July. AIFF will be more clearly demarcated to transform it into a more focused retail space.

ntry to the exhibition is free but limited to design trade visitors. Subscribe now to be notified when registration opens in February 2024.