The Artisan

Christian Dardonville, owner of Dardonville Furniture Restoration

I was born in France and earned a Certificate of Professional Achievement, (CAP, a French state diploma) in 1980 in furniture restoration. The next 18 months were spent training with Georges Guillain, specialist in antique chairs for the Museum of the Château de Versailles. I then joined one of Paris' leading craftsmen, Etienne Lévy, and perfected my skills for seven years in his excellent workshop under the guidance of Henry Desgrippes. I was on the team in charge of restoring the antique furniture displayed at the Nissim de Camondo Museum of Paris. We also worked on conservation for the Paul Getty Museum (California). I taught furniture restoration for one year in a Parisian school before starting my own business in 1988. I worked in Paris as an antique furniture restorer until 2000.

I am passionate about my work, and curious about the world. In August 2000, I sold my Paris workshop and came to Seattle with my French-American wife and son to broaden my experience. After learning enough English to be able to communicate comfortably, I started my own furniture repair business in February 2003, and my reputation as a skilled craftsman has grown ever since in Seattle. My workshop is located on 15th Avenue NE in Shoreline (corner of 175th). My specialties are marquetry, French polish, and Japanese finish. For over 20 years, in Paris, I had been working on European and Asian antiques of the last three centuries. Since 2000, American and Scandinavian furniture have now also become part of my expertise.

I give individual attention to each and every piece entrusted to me (Dardonville Furniture Restoration is a one-man shop). I am dedicated to bringing your furniture back to its original beauty and preserving your family heirlooms. It will be my pleasure to work for you.

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