The Schots story began in 1978, when Neville and Heather opened The Antique Garden—a small shop in Moonee Ponds where they sold potted plants and lovingly restored second-hand furniture in their makeshift back-room workshop.
Days were long but rewarding as they sourced promising pieces from Melbourne's auction houses, carefully refurbishing each one before it found its way to the shopfront. What started as a passion for bringing beautiful, forgotten pieces back to life quickly captured the hearts of customers who appreciated authentic craftsmanship and timeless design.

Driven by enthusiasm and a hunger for new challenges, Neville and Heather soon moved to a larger space on Chapel Street, South Yarra. As Australians embraced restoring heritage homes throughout the following decades, they spent the next 15 years growing their business, naturally evolving to offer reproduction and original fixtures, fittings and architectural materials that brought character to these lovingly restored spaces.

By the 1990s, Schots had expanded across multiple locations—Surrey Hills, Ascot Vale and South Yarra, plus a workshop in Brunswick. But in 1994, Neville and Heather made a bold decision: unite everything under one magnificent roof.

They discovered the perfect space—a three-storey red brick factory on Hoddle Street, Clifton Hill, built in 1913 by the Clifton Shoe Company. Neville and Heather fell in love with the building's rich history and saw its potential to become something extraordinary.

Over the years, Neville and Heather have lovingly transformed this heritage factory, adding escalators across three floors and carefully restoring original features—much like their customers do with their own homes. This gorgeous old factory continues to serve as both Schots headquarters and Melbourne's most distinctive home emporium.
As their vision grew, so did their passion for discovering exceptional pieces. Today, they work alongside a dedicated team who share the family's commitment to unearthing the uncommon and bringing extraordinary design to Australian homes.

From modest beginnings, Schots has grown into one of Australia's leading curators of distinctive home furnishings, fixtures and architectural elements. Today, the next generation leads the way, with daughters Megan and Fiona carrying forward the family vision of unearthing the uncommon that Neville and Heather established.
The Schots family works alongside an extended family of over 40 team members—international buyers, designers, managers, and retail specialists who share their passion for exceptional design and timeless craftsmanship.

Today, we continue the search for pieces that tell stories—handcrafted treasures that speak to something authentic within you. From our heritage Clifton Hill showroom to homes across Australia, we remain committed to the philosophy that started it all: your space should be as unique as you are.
Nearly five decades later, our purpose remains unchanged: helping you create spaces that are a true reflection of who you are. The journey continues, but the heart of what we do stays the same—unearthing the uncommon for extraordinary Australian homes.