Louis Monier – Seat carpentry

Île-de-France – 1989

Louis Monier is a seat carpenter. In 2004, he joined a seat carpentry training at Ecole Boulle and earned a fine crafts diploma in 2009. After his studies, he integrated the Mobilier National of France as a restorer for the furniture of Élysée and of public services. In 2013, he created Atelier Monier in Paris, specialized in creation, conception, and production of seats. Since, he has been executing solid wood realisations at the frontier of sculpture and cabinetmaking. His activity is defined according to three parts: furniture in the style of, made-to-measure and creation.

2021 – Atelier Monier has received the French label Entreprise de Patrimoine Vivant.

2019 – Meilleur Ouvrier de France in « seat carpentry ». He realised  an India rosewood chair (same production as Pascal Renoux).

Research and innovation

Louis Monier works on all the aspects of his know-how with the inspiration of the 18^th Century Art Master. He brings to this traditional approach a contemporary vision which lets him create pieces for designers, interior designers, and other actors of the seat productions (tapestry, wood sculptors and gilders). He adapts the dimension and the style of his realisations according to the client requests. For his model called “Debilardo”, he has imagined a seat composed of curves thought in different plans in the space.

The wood know-how induces varied trades as cabinetmakers or ornementalists. But the seat carpenter works on solid wood and the volume. He thinks of his creations considering all aspects of the wood fibres and uses his body to sculpt the substance. His work is based on “descriptive geometry” to define the lines moelized with a software and conceptualized with a 3D program. Then he cuts those lines in the wood, he sculpts them and puts them together.

Will to transmit

Louis Monier is attached to his know-how transmission and does not hesitate to welcome students in his workshop with the will to teach them the specific knowledge of his savoir-faire and to help them acquire their first professional experience. It is the case of Clémence, intern in the workshop, and Valentin, today a salary.

Furthermore, Louis Monier is invested in the Meilleurs Apprentis de France exam and he is a member of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France jury.

Finally, his savoir-faire is less followed by students. The specialized trainings are now disappearing. Today, Louis Monier is the last Meilleurs Ouvriers de France in his speciality and one of the last ambassadors of his exigent know-how.

Fondation Rémy Cointreau is pleased to support Louis Monier in the acquisition of tools for the realisation of his pieces.