Liaigre Sconce

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.

From the kitchen to the bedroom and everywhere in between, there is one major part of home decor that you definitely want to master: lighting. Carefully selected vintage sconces and wall lights can do wonders in establishing mood and highlighting your distinctive personality.

We’re a long way from the candelabra-inspired chandeliers of the medieval era. Lighting is no longer merely practical, and lighting designers have been creating and reinventing lighting solutions for eons. Because of the advancements crafted by these venturesome makers, we now have the opportunity to bring unique, customizable lighting solutions into our homes.

It’s never been easier to create dramatic bedrooms, cozy kitchen areas and cheerful bars than it is today. Think of an elegant wall sconce as functional and as a work of art, adding both light and style to your hallways, whimsical kids’ rooms and elsewhere.

When choosing a lighting solution, first determine what your needs are: Will you opt for a moody or a bright feel? The room that will serve as your home office will need adequate lighting — think “the brighter, the better” for this particular setting.

For the bedroom, bedside wall lamps with warm-temperature bulbs instead of bedside table lamps could be the way to go to induce a sense of calm or intimacy. Try to match the style of the wall light or sconce that you’re installing to the overall design scheme of your room. It’s never “just a light.” You should approach the lighting of a room with a mindset that is one part practical and one part aesthetics-driven.

Let 1stDibs help you set the mood with the right antique and vintage wall lights and sconces for your home. Our collection includes every kind of fixture, from sculptural works by Austrian craftsman J.T. Kalmar to chic industrial-style wall sconces, from adjustable painted aluminum wall lamps designed by Artemide to a wide variety of minimalist mid-century modern masterpieces.