The minimalist modern style of Liaigre

French company Liaigre proves that Northern Europe does not have a monopoly on functional and minimalist furniture design. Instead, Liaigre furniture is distinguished by clean lines, sparing simplicity and subtle details. This breaks with the decorative and ornamental design tradition that France is known for. Liaigre Studio describes the sober furniture as ‘style without being stylish’. It goes without saying that the high quality standard of traditional French design is not compromised in the process.

 

From horse breeder to designer

Not only does Liaigre’s furniture deviate from the design style that France historically associates with, the history of the Liaigre design studio doesn’t follow the beaten track either. Founder Christian Liaigre was born in 1943 into a family of veterinarians and horse breeders in La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast. His love of woodworking brought him to Paris, where he studied design at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs and the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. After briefly working for the Romanian-French sculptor Constantin Brâncuși, Liaigre chose to continue his professional career at his grandfather’s stud farm for racehorses. It was not until 1981 that Liaigre designed his first cabinets. He opened a studio to focus on furniture design four years later.

 

Liaigre: internationally inspired, internationally recognised

From his earliest designs, Liaigre created pieces of furniture that tell a story all of their own through their aesthetic lines and the absence of superfluous ornaments. He was inspired by French modernism, Asian furniture, African art, saddles and other accessories from the equestrian world. The luxurious simplicity of his furniture immediately received an excellent reception in the international design world. Liaigre showrooms were opened in Paris, Munich, London, New York, Chicago, Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, among other places. Apart from furniture, Liaigre also designed the Mercer Hotel in New York and other design hotels, as well as accessories for private interiors. This resulted in several awards, including the Luxury Residence - Global at the International Design & Architecture Awards in 2020. Since Christian Liaigre’s death in 2020, his employees have ensured that the furniture designs remain in production.

 

Versatile furniture range from Liaigre

Liaigre’s collection is as varied as the designer himself was. You will find furniture for almost every room in your home. The range includes wardrobes and bookcases, bedside tables, sideboards, side tables, coffee tables, dining tables, desks, sofas, chaises, armchairs, stools and daybeds. Would you like to integrate Liaigre’s understated style into your interior in more ways than one? That is perfectly possible. The design studio also produces hanging lamps, floor lamps, table lamps, decorative objects and home accessories. You can even purchase a Liaigre kitchen or complete bed from this brand. Recurring materials in Liaigre’s designs are bronze, leather and wood, often in natural colours. Oak, in particular, is widely used. Cedar, wenge and materials such as marble, ceramics and metal also have their place in the Liaigre collection, but to a lesser extent.

 

Ordering Liaigre furniture via Obumex

You can contact Obumex if you are interested in furniture, lighting, other Liaigre products or a Liaigre kitchen. We have fitted out an exclusive showroom with designs by Liaigre in our Knokke branch. Here you can admire a great deal of the furniture and be surprised by the effective sparingness that Liaigre is known for. Contact Obumex to make an appointment to visit our Liaigre showroom.

 

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