Our Philosophy

The mission of Fatto a Mano is to celebrate Italian style and lifestyle by offering unique handmade and antique furnishings from Italy. Not only do we travel to Italy to find antique Italian furniture, but we also search out the finest artisan products including ceramics, glassware, and kitchen accessories. By purchasing products directly from artisans and merchants in Italy, we offer you the confidence of knowing exactly where our products are made, who makes them, and that our products will endure for years to come.

Fatto a Mano embraces the Tuscan style of decorating which artfully blends rustic with elegant; antique with modern. We offer a sophisticated mix of rustic farmhouse furniture and accessories inspired by nature and the colors of the Tuscan countryside with elegant accents reminiscent of the Renaissance – items such as painted furniture, gilded mirrors, and alabaster lamps. We invite you to explore our website and of course to come visit us!

About the owners

Fatto a Mano is owned by husband and wife team, Massimo Mallamace and Heather Dempsey. Heather, an American, and Massimo, an Italian, met in Florence many years ago and lived together in Tuscany in 2008. Massimo grew up in a small village in Calabria, Italy. As a young man he moved to Florence where he worked for 15 years restoring all manner of old stone houses, from fine Florentine palaces to rustic Tuscan farmhouses. In addition to stonemasonry, Massimo is trained in welding, carpentry, and plasterwork – quite the Renaissance man! Massimo loves working with his hands and putting his artistic skills to work in creating unique items, such as his one-of-a-kind lamps. Massimo is an incredible source of information about all things Italian and loves to share what he knows with others.

While working on the restoration of the Dempsey’s villa in Florence, Massimo met the Dempsey family. Heather’s mom always says that she loved Massimo first! In 2008, Heather and Massimo managed a $1 million remodel on the Dempsey’s farmhouse in Chianti (you can see the finished product at www.chiantivacation.com). The couple was married at the farmhouse in 2009.

Heather Dempsey has worked in the nonprofit environmental field for ten years and earned her Master’s degree at Yale University. During her time in Tuscany, Heather developed an “eye” for Tuscan style and decorating which she enjoys sharing with clients and displaying in the shop.