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podcast | Jan 27, 2025 |
Inside the enchanting world of Féau Boiseries

The Féau Boiseries showroom in Paris houses one of the world’s largest collections of antique decorative wood paneling—including fragments from Napoleon’s office. The shop was originally occupied by the brand’s founder, a gilder and decorator named Charles Fournier, who started the collection 150 years ago. In the early 1960s, the business was purchased and renamed by current co-owner Guillaume Féau’s father and grandfather, and it’s been in the family ever since. “It’s an architect’s office transformed [into a] curiosity cabinet full of small architectural details, pieces of marble, bronze fragments, paneling, fragments, drawings, models of homes [and] archeological pieces,” Féau tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of The Business of Home Podcast. Or as he puts it: a “candy shop for designers.”

Guillaume Féau
Guillaume FéauCouresy of Féau Boiseries

The company’s collection features a range of French, English and Italian wall panels dating from the 17th century to the 1970s, a vast archive that inspires the workshop’s trained artisans to create replicas and new pieces for projects across the globe. “From the small details of a nice wood paneling from the past, you can re-create something very modern by using new techniques, having a modern finishing, playing with a new color, and bringing a different setting of modern art [to] create something very unique,” says Féau.

The company is setting its sights on America with a brand-new showroom in New York’s D&D Building, opening this spring. Féau hopes the outpost will help the company reach new designers and their clientele. “Sometimes you have a small designer in America who can have one big client,” he says. “Going to the D&D is a good way to show this client quickly what we can do. Also, my clients from the West Coast are happy we [will] have a drawing office in New York, so they don’t have the nine-hour [time difference].” The long-term plan includes building a workshop in the States and developing a training program for young artisans to learn the craft, similar to the apprenticeship program the brand already has in Paris.

Elsewhere in the episode, Féau explains why French artisanship is so prized and talks about the intriguing international market for antique paneling.

Crucial insight: Despite the company’s continued growth and upcoming expansion into the U.S., Féau has no intentions of bringing in outside investment anytime soon. He has been approached by investors in the past, but refuses every time, preferring to have complete control. “I would like to [stay] independent, and I will feel more confident,” says Féau. “I don’t need them to develop my business. … I have a huge market, so I can develop it by myself.”

Memorable moment: During the conversation, Féau shared his family’s lengthy history with design. His grandfather Guy had always wanted to become a designer, but was pushed to take a more practical route at a chemical company. Inspired by Guy’s dream, Féau’s father, Joël, chose a career in design—he worked for Maison Jansen during Stéphane Boudin’s redesign of the Kennedy White House before leading Féau Boiseries.

This episode is sponsored by Ernesta and Ethan Allen. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The Thursday Show

Business of Home executive editor Fred Nicolaus and host Dennis Scully discuss the biggest news in the industry, including the latest on the TikTok ban, LCDQ’s rebrand, and the future of home fragrances. Later, BOH managing editor Haley Chouinard joins the show to share highlights from Heimtextil, and editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen recaps Paris Déco Off.

This episode is sponsored by Kohler and Loloi. Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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