When Parisian interior and furniture designer Christian Liaigre—who has lent his talents to many luxe St. Bart's manses—designed his own beach-y getaway on the island, he envisioned a return to a certain rustic feel he believes the island had before it became a decadent playground for the rich. "I wanted a house that was basic and surrounded by nature," explains Liaigre. "Essentially, what I set out to build was a fisherman's hut." Though the final product—featured in the December Elle Decor—doesn't quite resemble a fishmonger's abode, the home does seem to favor natural beauty over glitz and ornamentation.
The home, a white structure with cathedral ceilings, is accented with a stained-black beams in the living room and filled with a mix of Liaigre's own furniture and antiques. In keeping with his ethos here, many of the pieces are unfussy and unostentatious, such as teak-and-oak tables, wicker hanging lamps, and straw benches. One major house rule bans any and all air conditioning, so the small home relies on open doors and windows (and mosquito nets, of course). "That is part of the charm of coming here," says the designer. "We have everything that is essential: air, space, and light." Elle Decor has the full gallery; have a look.
· Barefoot in Paradise: Christian Liaigre's St. Barts Homes [Elle Decor]
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