Expertise
Traditional Cabinetmaking | Timeless Designs
Aimanuel® is the brand I created to give shape to my creative ideas and to offer you the fruits of my labor.
My travels have greatly influenced me. In particular, my encounter with Japanese culture through aikido.
I draw a great deal of inspiration from Japanese aesthetics.
There I find the purity of lines—simple and sober, sharp and precise like the blade of a sword.
Scandinavian furniture, with all its warmth and softness. To emphasize the wood, in all its simplicity and splendor at the same time.
Inspirations
In my creative work, during the drafting and design phases, I give a prominent role to the Golden Ratio.
This number – 1,618 – which was once secret, is now well known and identified throughout nature. But its use in construction remains more mysterious.
The oral transmission inherited from cathedral builders teaches us how to apply it to create harmonious proportion relationships.
Understanding the relationships of the part to the whole – and vice versa – silently leads us along the path of the Great Work of the vanished alchemists.
Harmony of proportions
Rules of the Art
The Ancients bequeathed to us a love of fine craftsmanship.
They also taught us that the beauty of the work also lies in its good execution.
A quality piece of furniture – made to last through the centuries – can be felt; it is vibrant, it inspires respect.
Choosing the right wood, considering each board, and taking care of the assembly.
Shaping this living material is a responsibility.
Working with mindfullness is a Duty – and a source of inexhaustible joy.
Out of both pleasure and principle, for more than 20 years as a cabinetmaker, I prioritize handwork whenever possible.
Contact with material and tools nourishes me and connects me to my roots.
I completely identified with the philosophy of Father Feller, who founded the Maison de l’Outil et de la Pensée Ouvrière (The home of tools and the working-class mind) in Troyes, in France.
The time spent working with one’s hands gives the work a sacred dimension.
Human beings are creators. Working with one’s hands is part of our very nature.
Transforming matter is a source of fulfillment.
Aimanuel® = Aimer (to love) + Manuel (manual).
Hand & Tool
My goal is for the wood—its grain, texture, and veining— to be at the center and heart of the work.
To achieve this, I like to combine it with other noble and natural materials: stones, metals, fabrics, papers...
The harmonious interplay of colors and textures is a constant pursuit in my collections.
Finishing techniques are therefore essential. They must reveal and enhance, but also protect.
I have traveled a lot to learn the secrets of workshops from the best artisans.
Over the years and through experimentation, I have developed a quality «velvet» finish that offers a touch that is a delight to both the touch and the eye.
Through a laborious process of shaving, sanding, and polishing, the softness and brilliance of perfect wood are revealed; that rough surface that the cabinetmaker’s hand has transformed into a caress.
Finishing
Bio-sphere
My personal convictions leave no room for compromise when it comes to respecting Mother Earth.
So I became passionate about using exclusively natural products, as organic as possible. But without compromising on durablity.
This involves a lot of research and experimentation. A slow and patient process.
Adhesives and finishing products take us into the world of physics and chemistry.
With Aimanuel®, I want to offer you the best compromise:
Working toward the sustainability of the planet while ensuring the durability of the work.
Balafons
The craft of making balafons—an African xylophone—is a wonderful story…
Far too long to tell here!
I am currently involved in a transmission process with Claude Luisier, a balafon maker who settled in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, over 40 years ago.
Although the tools and assembly methods haven’t changed much, his research into sound has led him to create unique instruments sought after by the world’s finest balafonists.
Claude Luisier is now reaching the respectable age of enjoying a well-deserved retirement, but his passion remains intact.
I am fortunate to be able to count on his kind presence by my side and on his indispensable help in creating instruments worthy of this exceptional craftsmanship.
The ear and the hand working together, guided by the heart of the poet.
Contemporary design. Handcrafted.
