Maison Christian Liaigre

Arguably one of the most influential designers alive today, Christian Liaigre pioneered the use of leather sofas, dark woods and gray walls at a time when pine furniture and white plaster were considered the epitome of style--thousands of restaurants, hotels and homeowners around the world followed his lead. In this study of Liaigre's most recent""domestic projects,"" Ypma presents eight houses that demonstrate""the way that Liaigre's modern and uncomplicated signature is subtly adjusted and adapted to each specific property and location."" A large family getaway in Galicia, Spain, for example, contains sliding screens made out of the same kind of woven willow that local fisherman use to make their nets. And in Soho, New York, an apartment's master bathroom is constructed under a historic rainwater tank. Most surprising to Liaigre fans, however, may be the designer's new affection for vivid color. Two of the houses depicted here are Liaigre's own: both incorporate large swathes of deep red or mustard yellow into the otherwise restrained decor. Ypma's explanatory texts are exceptionally well written: forceful, amusing and loaded with a wealth of art historical knowledge. (The introduction, for one, includes a concise summary of Louis XIV's""hugely successful campaign to make France the dominant nation in luxury consumer goods."")""Luxe, calme and moderne,"" Ympa writes, are the hallmarks of Liaigre's works; the same could be said of his book. 500 color photographs.