Christian Liaigre Bronze Side Table

In his illustrious career, the French designer Christian Liaigre created furniture and private interiors with a minimalist and restrained sensibility that would become his trademark, but never at the cost of luxury. When he began designing furniture in the 1980s, Liaigre’s clean lines and no-frills approach caused a stir and was considered unusual for the era. But what Liaigre knew best was creating elegant, exquisite designs that would stand the test of time.

Liaigre studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. He initially began as a furniture designer, opening his studio in 1985 before he would move toward interiors. His bold, timeless pieces were made in France using luxurious materials such as marble and cashmere in a soothing palette of neutral tones that look fresh to this day. Later, Liaigre began to design private interiors — from homes of influential figures like Calvin Klein and Karl Lagerfeld to holiday homes, offices and the cabins of private yachts. He designed the interiors of the Art Deco–era Hotel Montalembert in Paris and became known in the United States for his design of the Mercer Hotel in New York City, which opened in 1997. Soon afterward, he found himself working for hotelier Ian Schrager.

To each of his interior design projects Liaigre brought his minimalist touch, which was born from his ability to distill a broad range of inspirations — from Brancusi sculptures and African art to Art Deco furniture — into simple, balanced forms. The modest beauty of his popular Nagato stool, a small and sculptural piece of seating designed in oak in 1986, represents this vision clearly and points to some more of Liaigre’s influences: the stillness found in Donald Judd’s minimalist art and many aspects of Japanese culture.

Liaigre, who earned comparisons to celebrated French designers Jean-Michel Frank and Jean Royère, was also known for his visionary use of natural and unconventional materials and is considered to be one of the first to use wenge, an African hardwood, in combination with traditional timber such as oak in his furnishings. Liaigre’s creative foresight has ensured that today he is one of the most influential and widely imitated designers of the 20th century.

Find a range of Christian Liaigre seating, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.

The right vintage, new or antique tables can help make any space in your home stand out.

Over the years, the variety of tables available to us, as well as our specific needs for said tables, has broadened. Today, with all manner of these must-have furnishings differing in shape, material and style, any dining room table can shine just as brightly as the guests who gather around it.

Remember, when shopping for a dining table, it must fit your dining area, and you need to account for space around the table too — think outside the box, as an oval dining table may work for tighter spaces. Alternatively, if you’ve got the room, a Regency-style dining table can elevate any formal occasion at mealtime.

Innovative furniture makers and designers have also redefined what a table can be. Whether it’s an unconventional Ping-Pong table, a brass side table to display your treasured collectibles or a Louis Vuitton steamer trunk to add an air of nostalgia to your loft, your table can say a lot about you.

The visionary work of French designer Xavier Lavergne, for example, includes tables that draw on the forms of celestial bodies as often as they do aquatic creatures or fossils. Elsewhere, Italian architect Gae Aulenti, who looked to Roman architecture in crafting her stately Jumbo coffee table, created clever glass-topped mobile coffee tables that move on bicycle tires or sculpted wood wheels for Fontana Arte. 

Coffee and cocktail tables can serve as a room’s centerpiece with attention-grabbing details and colors. Glass varieties will keep your hardwood flooring and dazzling area rugs on display, while a marble or stone coffee table in a modern interior can showcase your prized art books and decorative objects. A unique vintage desk or writing table can bring sophistication and even a bit of spice to your work life. 

No matter your desired form or function, a quality table for your living space is a sound investment. On 1stDibs, browse a collection of vintage, new and antique bedside tables, mid-century end tables and more .