No. 11 Creating Objects of Desire with Jean Paul Viollet of Atelier Viollet

Who: Jean Paul Viollet

What: Atelier Viollet

When: Founded in France in 1836 and Revived 

In New York City 150 Years Later 

Where: Based In New York City

Servicing Projects Internationally

It is not just anyone who possesses the gift of creating a literal object of desire. Thumbing back through time, through an infinite catalogue of mythical objects, it remains a consistent theme that they were all coveted for their innumerable powers, all surely divinely inspired. Be it their beauty, the enchanting materials they were made from, the process of their forging or preordained purpose- these objects cast a spell over all who encountered them even in rumor. 

A stunning Night Table in Horn + accented with Staw Marquetry.

 But today, encountering such a spellbinding object of desire is far from a mythical rumor. As a matter of fact, it is likely we've found one of the last standing artisans who may be able to recreate Pandora's Box or the chest holding Jason's dear Golden Fleece - his name is Jean-Paul Viollet, of Brooklyn-based Atelier VIollet; where all the artisans employed seem to have the Midas touch.

Jean-Paul Viollet was born with craftsmanship and curiosity is in his bones. The decedent of a long line of dedicated artisans, who began Atelier Viollet in Seyssel, France in 1836 (which thrived and then subsided only to be revived by Jean-Paul in the USA in 1986), was something of a necessary calling he simply could not ignore-

"I grew up in my Father and Grandfather's wood-shop, I was naturally immersed in the field;" he recalls, noting the other interests he cultivated over time like mechanics and photography,"but when I moved to the USA at 24, something happened and I just realized that furniture making was it for me..."

A breathtaking original desk takes shape in Palmwood, Mica and Patinated Bronze.

 And thank goodness. Atelier Viollet is a distinguished gem of a studio, focusing on fine cabinetry and detailed furniture- specializing in the use of rare and exotic materials. Even if some the materials weren't unheard of, what makes them priceless is the ways they find to use them. Whether in unaltered application or a wildly inventive new use, a simple piece of wood or straw, a chunk of gypsum dug up from the earth's core or a blank canvas of sheep-skin is transformed and given a new name at the hands of Jean-Paul Viollet. Applying traditional techniques, modern technology, incredible planning precision and an abundance of imagination Jean-Paul continually oversees the creation of pieces of work that more closely border art than home furnishings. 

A wall made up of hand made Straw Marquetry panels.

 Surely creating a these treasures is not a cheap undertaking, but that also seems to be part of the outfit's philosophy, in a way stating- 'We are being trusted to create something priceless, intimate and meaningful- and we are dedicated to doing it immaculately'. These custom furnishings or cabinets, these superlative details are not meant to be temporary, they uphold the age old ideal that to own something is to have invested in something worth keeping.

"A Custom piece of furniture is by definition a unique object." He states plainly. "It is satisfying to create but its ultimate goal is to fit in a specific environment for a specific person- it will become property of that person and most likely a unique relationship between a human being and object will be created." Jean-Paul states matter-of-factly. "A good piece of furniture can bring calmness and joy."

An Atelier Viollet original J.M. Frank inspired desk in Oak and Leather.

And what if we all held the objects we bought and used to decorate in such high esteem? Or made a point of not buying the cheapest of the cheap home fixtures and boasting about them (only to have to replace them 6 months later)? Would this level of attention to detail better inform a persons relationship to the home? To the work we do to provide for that home? Perhaps the integration of traditional Craftsmanship's principles into everyday life would embolden and enrich our experience. Would we become more curious about the details all around us? The workings of Atelier Viollet seem to beg these questions further when we see the application of a thoughtful and thorough process create such bespoke products.

An Atelier Viollet Artisan works intimately with Oak to gauge it  by hand and apply it to a library's interior.

The Gauged Oak millwork and detailing comes to life when installed in this custom library for G.P. Schafer Architects.

Paired with the masterful use of tools and a craftsman's eye, is also the extensive research process, knowledge and use of materials. From parchment to gypsum, shagreen to horn, or lacquers to mica or straw marquetry, Atelier Viollet has taken pains to continue investing time and energy into the research of materials available in the world and taking the time to intimately learn and understand the ones they obtain. 

"The Hands of Jean-Paul Viollet" campaign holding Shagreen.

 "Shagreen is one of my favorite exotic materials." says Viollet, "[It's] technique has traveled through centuries and both the scale of its use and the different polishes that can be used on it are incomparable." 

"I introduced Water Buffalo Horn to our list of techniques and materials a few years ago, and it's been greatly favored for it's richness and resilience." He notes.

An Atelier Viollet Artisan reviews Parchment stock before work.

 One of the great joys for Jean-Paul which fuels so much of his work continues to be the process-creative and technical- as much as the product, which naturally comes through in the studio's work. Merely by looking at a finished piece of his work, one can almost envision him staying late to play with the materials, and taking great joy in discovering and rediscovering them all over again. 

He notes they have recently completed a project they are particularly proud- a Park Avenue study fully adorned with Parchment detailing, part of the full renovation of the apartment. Atelier Viollet has certainly done wall treatments with this material before, but nothing quite like this- 

"We covered all the walls in sheep-skin, including all of the doors and crown mouldings." He says excitedly, "Treating all curved areas and going all the way technically. It was a great challenge and an incredible result. It's a jewlery box."

Which is a wonderful way to think of a room- as a jewlery box, filled with inspiring, beautiful delights. And this is something that this Artisan has inspired us again to think about- just how important it is to stop and give attention to the details. Jean-Paul himself notes, if there was any message he could send to the architectural and design community, or the world at large, it would be:

"[To] Appreciate and respect all work done by hand...In this fast-paced world I only hope we'll be able to perpetuate craftsmanship. It's so important." 

Indeed it is. Our goal this week is to stop and look at the details all around us, to consider how things are made; and in turn, to consider how we can make them better. 

Atelier Viollet gives this dining room Parchment walls.

Another stunning Atelier Viollet original, this cabinet is made up of gypsum, ebonized Pear-wood and silvered bronze.

Atelier Viollet has been featured in numerous design publications including New York SPACES, New York Magazine, House & Garden among others. To learn more about them and what they do, please visit AtelierViollet.com. Their Brooklyn-based studio and showroom are available for visitation by appointment only.

No.5 A Rare Species - G. Michael Merritt of Merritt Woodwork Shares On A Legacy of Excellence



Who: G. Michael Merritt

What: Custom Architectural Woodwork

When: Since 1972

Where: Based in Ohio, Florida + Connecticut,

Services Projects on Land + Sea, Internationally 

George A. Merritt was an utterly dedicated man- a man that sought perfection above all else. Little did he know that his own personal talents, along with his uncompromising work ethic and high standards of knowledge and quality, would set sparks flying and ignite a unique flame for refined, superlative architectural woodwork.

"His talent was in educating and working with his hands;" Reflects George's son, current Merritt Woodwork CEO G. Michael Merritt, "he always wanted to start his own business, but he didn't know what..."

A Merritt Woodwork hand carved floral ornament.

Always handy, and interested in design, George A. Merritt had also begun training under an Italian master cabinet maker- which soon proved a good fit. Not long after quickly mastering new skills of his own, George A. Merritt and his mentor decided to begin their business in 1971; just the 2 of them providing outstanding custom products. One of their strengths from the start was also the ability to draw. As drawing and sketching provided a unique service to potential clients, George soon became something of a developer. Realizing he could work and engage with designers in a rare way, serving as an interlocutor between the moment an interior designer or architect began describing their ideas and and his ability to sketch them out in the shop. Between he and his mentor, George began providing artisanal abilities to American designers in his humble Mentor, Ohio shop.


Mahogany: egg + dart, Acanthus leaf, ornament

These designers often needed him to put these ideas on paper, drawing by hand, so they could work together to capture the details, have them approved on paper so George could flawlessly move forward with their creation. He would then gladly take these approved drawings to the shop and he and his partner would work their magic in making them real.




A Merritt Woodwork custom carved capital in White Oak.

So the sparks had struck up a flame and the game was on- the vision of a highly focused, quality cabinet and millwork outfit had begun. Yet, as George A. Merritt desired to truly house a solid business, he began looking for other talent to join their team. As he began to hire in the late 70's- early 80's, he could see that those that were truly talented were already of age, which was fine for the   moment... But being a keen and thorough businessman, he'd already pinpointed that there weren't many young people in the business and began to ask himself: 'well what am I going to do in 20 years? I cannot just rely on my sons...' And it was through this foresight he made the executive decision to take the path of teaching and educating to grow the company slowly and meticulously over time. He wanted to find high energy people that genuinely wanted to be there and were interested in the trade. And he did. He began to work with people who grew into their talents and were devoted to the team, turning around higher and higher quality cabinetry and millwork as they went.

Merritt gives this parlor's architectural woodwork detailing a white lacquer. Design by Scott Snyder, Inc.

Down the line, George A. Merritt's mentor and original partner decided he didn't was a bit less interested in the business, and opted to let George take it down the new path it was headed. And so it went, spending the days on the shop floor getting dusty from drawing shop plans and working with wood, and dusting off to spend the evening going to dinner and meeting his future clients and designers, all in an effort to truly build something special.

Hand Carved Mahogany Rosette by Merritt

And he did. Merritt Woodwork has grown into what is today an organization of over 150 highly trained artisans and craftspeople, installers and engineers. They have serviced remarkable projects for some of the design industry's most coveted names- Robert A.M. Stern, Bunny Williams, Scott Snyder and the late Albert Hadley to name a few.

"All of my first jobs were in the shop, since I was in junior high." recalls Michael, "And [my] Dad was very stern, no handouts, no nonsense, everything you got you earned. He laid a very structured foundation and installed a strong work ethic in all of us- had everyone complete a 5,000 hour work-training program when they joined the team." 

After years of watching his father work and grow his company, and slowly becoming more and more involved himself, Michael began to consider that perhaps this really could be something for him to do. There was a huge satisfaction in working with designers to orchestrate the undertaking of a custom woodworking program. Besides, Michael jests,

"After enough time around the smell of sawdust, I think it grows on ya'."

Merritt puts it's masterly finishing touch on this dining room with a white lacquer, design by Scott Snyder, Inc.

Another white lacquered masterpiece; design by Scott Snyder, Inc.

But there's more to it than that. We've had the privilege of seeing Michael in action, making his thorough presentation of wood's possibilities to some of today's most coveted addresses, and he may well be underestimating his own passion for wood in architecture and design. You can tell in his presence and intensity that he demands excellence in craftsmanship , engineering and installation, and nothing less, to bring his clients designs to life.  He alone holds a wealth of knowledge to various wood species and types, custom finishes, veneers, and even which architectural vernaculars and geographic locations might benefit best from various materials. He is just as thorough as we imagine his father might have been.

"I suppose due to my English heritage I've always had an affinity for Mahogany, which carves beautifully." Says Michael, reflecting on some of his personal favorite materials. "And Walnut Cherries and Maple woods are also beautiful American woods; but since so many of these trees have been decimated with so much of them wasted, they are harder to come by in solids. So [we] still use them, more sparingly, for veneers."

After 30 years of building a successful company with a sterling reputation, passing his affinity for strategy, beauty and craftsmanship on to his sons Michael and Keith, George A. Merritt passed in 2001. It was right at a pivotal moment in Merritt Woodwork's company history, having progressed just enough for a new level of expansion, and it was at that time Michael and Keith Merritt decided to grab hold of the reins and let her lead the way.



Merritt stuns with this custom globe with hidden compartments.

Merritt Woodwork has grown from servicing high end residential projects with it's astounding abilities (and even custom creation of home furnishings for their projects) and has also moved into not only retail and corporate environments, but also marine environments. Yes, you heard that right, Merritt Woodwork also provides their talent to enhancing yacht joinery, furnishings and living environments. Michael himself has always been a fan of sea life and saw an interesting opportunity to expand Merritt's abilities there. One of his favorite hallmark projects in this new realm was working on Cakewalk: a mega-yacht of luxury, has been the largest to be built in the U.S. since the 1930's.

Cakewalk: 281 feet long and 2,998 tons is grand indeed.

 "It was really a moment of pride for us," says Michael, "we were very involved with the preliminary development and the outcome was beautiful."

Another one of the many ways Merritt Woodwork has since grown into the unique powerhouse of woodwork it is today, has been in utilizing technology and fusing it with highly trained craftspeople it employs along with other trained artisans as well. (One of their favorite artists Merritt sometimes collaborates with is Master Carver Ian Agrell.) Of course with programs like AutoCAD and various new machines to assist with handling and roughing out large quantities of wood (followed by hand carving and touching up), Merritt Woodwork employs an even more exceptional technological tool to their package of services: climate controlled workshops and vehicles.

Being thorough in every way possible, Merritt is also dedicated to being just as economical with time as they are with detailing. Many millwork outfits can struggle to provide timely delivery on job sites or installations as the seasonal humidity, temperature and geographic location affect the expansion and contraction of wood. Michael has pointed out that if the workshop is finishing detailing a project in Ohio in August for September delivery and installation in New York or California- both the climate of the shop and the project location will affect the size and measurements of the material. The best way to avoid being incorrect on sizing or potentially holding up a schedule because they can't install until the wood goes back to the correct size, is to make it and deliver it in climate controlled environments. This way, when the project is ready for them, they arrive and deliver the pre-completed product via refrigerated vehicle and install it first thing. The result is flawless excellence that lasts for lifetimes to come.

This residence gets a Merritt Woodwork finish with an authentic, rustic use of wood.

So aside from all we know now about what a thorough, comprehensive woodwork experience can be for a space, should one choose to work with an outfit like Merritt; we know just how dynamic even more details of design can be. This company has truly taken the age-old crafts of wood, addressed and premeditated all of it's pros and cons, and found solutions to be able to apply its beauty everywhere. And we're glad- now that we've seen wood and millwork intelligently utilized and applied properly, we can be aware when we're not having it done right.

When we ask Michael finally, if there was anything he would like to leave us with, anything he'd like to say to the world about his craft and company, he pauses thoughtfully and says:

"Really, more than anything, I wish I could energize the enthusiasm for woodwork in trades and design, and encourage it's use. It's a special craft. One that never stops being beautiful."

Thanks, Michael. We totally agree.

Merritt Woodwork utilizes Makore wood to bring this modern residence to life. Architecture by Jeffery Berkus Architects

Merritt Woodwork enriches this lush dining area with cerused White Oak. Design by Scott Snyder, Inc.

Merritt Woodwork has worked on projects featured in Architectural Digest, Robb Report, Bunny Williams' Point of View: Three Decades of Decorating Elegant and Comfortable Houses, and many more. You can learn more about them at www.merrittwoodwork.com, or contact their headquarters in Ohio: 440.220.7816.