Jacques Travagli
Furniture restorer
Carouge

« Bringing old furniture back to life »

Trained by his father, Jacques Travagli has been bringing antique furniture back to life for over thirty years. While some pieces of furniture easily recover their original shine, others can be completely revisited. From the bottoms of the drawers to the acid cleaning of the bronzes, including assembly, sanding and, above all, polishing by hand as ⁱⁿ the 18th century, the restoration work is infinitely varied. Repairing a Napoleon III chair, lifting an English table or installing a water-resistant varnish, the daily challenges combine with encounters, the real pulse of a craft trade.

Rue Saint-Joseph, a window calls out. In the lair of a restoration workshop, a quantity of planks, nails, planes, cans of paint and stains rub shoulders with an ash table or a chest of drawers with micro-drawers. Suspended in the atmosphere, fine particles of wood bear witness to incessant activity for decades. Visitors are welcome year round in this microcosm of another time. Detailed explanations, from the diagnosis to the final touch, on the furniture being restored. Demonstration of buffer polishing, opportunity to try out a few professional gestures and meeting with a craftsman with a generous speech.