Perfect Harmony
By designing a minimalist, modern house in the heart of New Delhi, Liaigre brings a fresh aesthetic to the Indian capital
“We understood that the house should represent the greatness of a family dynasty”
Amid the vibrant houses of New Delhi, India, lies a decidedly minimalist abode. The combination of clean lines against the vibrant chaotic beauty of India becomes less surprising when you realise that the dwelling was the brainchild of Parisian design house, Liaigre.
The French firm’s first project in India, this house is featured in Liaigre: Creation
2016-2020, a new book published by
Rizzoli this May. Penned by art historian Francoise-claire Prodhon, the design tome chronicles key projects by Liaigre in the past five years. This storied brand has become synonymous with quiet luxury, realised in a muted palette and wonderfully elegant designs. Founded in the 1980s by Christian Liaigre, it is now bringing this very French aesthetic to the world under the stewardship of German designer and Liaigre creative director Frauke Meyer.
QUIET MAJESTY
Meyer recalls when she first landed in
New Delhi and understood the magnitude of the project, for which she worked on interior architecture and furniture design. “I stopped for a moment to appreciate my surroundings,” she explains. “It is difficult to say how I felt. There was certainly a great divide between the
Indian and European cultures. It was quite difficult to imagine such a great and also modern project here in New Delhi.”
Difficult but clearly not impossible, largely because Liaigre is known for its fresh and elegant approach, which has become the essence of the brand. The New Delhi owners chose to work with them because they were hoping to find the luxury of simplicity in the middle of a city teeming with colours, and asked for nothing fussy or formal.
Meyer’s style is evident in the brown, cream and golden hues that grace the interior of this delightful home, where a f lash of candyf loss pink from a chair, or a modernist sculpture by the pool, creates an element of surprise amid the sensual starkness. The tables were designed for the project and handmade in Morocco for the dining room, and crafted in gold brass in India for the reception rooms.
CULTURAL ROOTS
“In general, all the furniture was designed to respect the Indian culture, by only using the best silks and precious fabrics, and avoiding leather,” says Meyer. This was a major part of a brief that Meyer worked on with the owners, long before the first design was even sketched. “We understood that the house should represent the greatness of a family dynasty,” explains Meyer. “The heritage of great palaces in India was inspiring and certainly the starting point for our imagination.”
The kitchen with its rounded marble dining table and muted colours is one of the more immediately impressive rooms, although it competes with the sleek drawing room and wonderfully photogenic pool area. However, for Meyer, the most interesting and challenging section to work on was the pooja (prayer) room.
“It did definitely catch our curiosity and I liked this spiritual place, and I loved designing it,” explains Meyer. “Although the section I’m particularly satisfied with must be the pavilion with its sliding patterned screens. It really is a wonderful place to be in.”