Exhibiting at French Craft Collective on 14th May, Féau Boiseries specialise in exquisite wood-paneling

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For 150 years, Féau Boiseries has perpetuated the tradition of French-style interiors by combining its unique archive of antique wood panels with exceptional artisanal skills to create exquisite bespoke decors.

The Féau collection, patiently built up since 1875, features rare pieces from the 17th century
to the Art Deco period (showroom pictured above). Comprising countless complete rooms, panels, fragments of carved wood, plaster casts, watercolours and drawings, this priceless archive reflects the spirit of the company, its love of beauty and its passion for the decorative arts. It enables Féau Boiseries to offer interior designers and architects around the world an invaluable source of inspiration and style accuracy in the design of both classical and modern decors.

Traditional craft techniques, handed down from generation to generation, guarantee the highest
quality in the construction of these detailed decors. Each piece is made with the finest materials and meticulous attention is paid to detail, reflecting the workshops’ dedication to preserving the artistry of traditional French woodworking while also adding new materials, such as composite resin, and textures to its already extensive creative palette.

Precision drawing marks the first step in the company’s close collaboration with interior designers and architects. It is at this stage that the dialogue comes to life. Initial drawings are followed by site visits to assess logistics, manufacture, installation and final touch-ups. Féau Boiseries remains deeply committed to upholding the time-honoured traditions of French woodworking, ensuring that each project pays tribute to this exceptional heritage, while bringing a resolutely modern approach to design when requested by clients. (Image above: siblings Guillaume and Angelique Féau)

At Féau Boiseries, innovation extends across several areas: designing new textures and ornaments inspired by elements in the collection; collaborating with partner workshops to create décors that blend wood paneling with materials from other disciplines of fine craftsmanship (églomisé, cast glass, lacquer, straw and wood marquetry, leather and fabric, metalwork etc.); offering clients new ways to visualise their décor before production begins; and continually advancing reproduction techniques.

Féau Boiseries in the UK

The company has long enjoyed close ties with the British market. Often commissioned to create French-style décors, Féau Boiseries has also worked on listed buildings, recreating historic British woodwork and plasterwork.

The company has completed several projects in London, including an Art Deco sitting room with Pierre Yovanovitch, a naturally patinated French oak library for a renowned film music composer and a bold moon-gold and dark green décor in collaboration with Paolo Moschino for Nicky Haslam. Féau Boiseries is currently manufacturing classic décors for six rooms in a 6,000 sq. ft. mansion in Essex, as well as for thirteen rooms in the former Hubert de Givenchy villa in Cap Ferrat, commissioned by a British client.

Company history

The roots of this family-run business trace back to the 19th century, when Charles Fournier established his workshop in Paris, just a stone’s throw from the Arc de Triomphe – a location that now houses the company’s showroom. Founded in 1875, the company proudly celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. From the very beginning, the firm specialised in the creation and sale of reproduction antique woodwork, serving some of the 200 most distinguished families in France.

“They were extremely wealthy — building 30,000-square-foot mansions during the height of the 18th-century revival,” recalls Guillaume Féau. That golden era came to an end with the outbreak of the First World War. In the following decades, his grandfather and father gradually steered the company toward interior design, but business slowed and as a young man Féau felt a strong conviction that the company’s full potential had yet to be realised.

In his early twenties, while working for an interior designer in San Francisco who required classical woodwork for a residence in Pebble Beach, Féau’s vision was affirmed. “This project confirmed my belief that I needed to return to France and restore the company’s original model,” he recalls. The conversation with his father was not without its challenges. “At first we argued, but after a few months he realised I was right — and he chose to retire.”

This decision marked a turning point. The company shifted from providing interior design services back to its origins as a highly sought-after supplier. “From the late 1990s onwards, we became increasingly successful with the new generation of billionaires in the United States, Europe, and Asia,” Féau says.

Looking ahead, he is particularly enthusiastic about the company’s growing presence in Asia and is considering placing a family member in Hong Kong or Singapore to spearhead the brand’s expansion in the next five to ten years. For now, however, all eyes are on the United States, where Féau Boiseries is preparing to open its first showroom in New York.

“It’s truly a story of passion and the quintessence of French craftsmanship,” Féau says.

Project: Lakeside villa, Wisconsin

Within this expansive lakeside villa, one of the most striking expressions of designer Jessica Jubelirer’s collaboration with master artisans is the wood-panelled, double-height billiards room.

During her travels, Jubelirer happened upon Féau Boiseries’ Paris showroom. She was immediately captivated by a remarkable piece of millwork on display — a panel reclaimed from a 1930s Jean-Michel Frank interior, originally created for Jean-Pierre Guerlain’s Parisian residence. She commissioned Féau Boiseries to design the bespoke wall panelling for the billiards room.

The original room by Jean-Michel Frank — the celebrated French master of the Art Deco movement — was characterised by its understated wood panelling, natural finishes and proportions inspired by the refined elegance of Louis XIV interiors. Subtly carved cyma mouldings featured highly intricate ornamentation, reflecting an extraordinary attention to detail.

Féau Boiseries’s ability to bridge classical design with contemporary execution was a natural fit for the aesthetic of this home. The result was a bespoke creation in Cerris white oak, inset with hand-loomed French horsehair — a perfect expression of timeless elegance and artisanal mastery.

You can meet Féau Boiseries during London Craft Week at The French Craft Collective event, The Columbia Hotel, Lancaster Gate, on Wednesday 14th May. You will need to register to attend